The broadfork: why and how to use it?
To use the broadfork optimally, we recommend you follow these tips for healthier soil and better results on your farm.
How to use the broadfork effectively?
To use the broadfork optimally, we recommend you follow these tips.
1. Drive the broadfork in by walking backward
When you use the broadfork, walk on the bed backward to drive the tool into the soil. It is preferable to avoid driving the broadfork in face-on, as that can be dangerous and ineffective.
2. Lift the soil clod gently
The aim of the broadfork is not to lift the clod completely, but to aerate it slightly. It is enough to lift the clod just what is needed to allow better circulation of air and nutrients. Do not seek to break the clods or to lift the soil excessively.
3. Spacing between the soil blocks
This allows you to see the clods rise in their entirety and to aerate the soil effectively.
A bonus benefit: rodent regulation
In addition to improving soil aeration and oxygenation, using the broadfork has an additional advantage on our farm. By breaking the rodent tunnels, this tool helps disrupt their activity.
In our cultivation systems where soil work is limited to the surface, this can lead to an increase in rodent populations. By breaking their tunnels, we disturb them and contribute to managing their presence naturally.
Our video on the broadfork
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