Horticultural happiness: Maine-made gardening tools we dig
Based in Howland, Maine Garden Products’ lineup includes greenhouses, raised beds, elevated beds and hods.
By June Donenfeld
Courtesy photos, unless noted.
If you’re looking for Maine-based purveyors of organic seeds, seedlings or native plants, an online search brings up any number of choices in short order. But made-in-Maine gardening goods are not quite as easy to find. So we’ve rooted around to find some of the niftiest tools and other supplies on offer, whether you’re new to gardening, an old hand or know a deserving gardener (or two or three) who’d be thrilled to have one of these winners. Let’s dig in.
Rustic Workbench
They may look simple, but the sturdy, hand-turned dibbles from Gary and Kay Campbell’s Rustic Workbench in Jefferson perform a multitude of gardening tasks with ease, whether planting or transplanting seeds, seedlings or bulbs. Crafted from durable ash or maple and finished with mineral oil, they are tough enough to dig into stony soil and feature horizontal notches along the sides to ensure seeds get planted at the right depth. They are also perfect for aerating soil and preventing stunted growth, are small enough to stow in a pocket and will last for years.
Maine Garden Products
Founded two decades ago by two passionate gardeners, Maine Garden Products in Howland in Penobscot County started out with a single product, Pike’s Garden Hod, that’s perfect for reaping—and rinsing—the fruits (and vegetables) of your gardenly labors. Fashioned of wood and coated wire, the design was inspired by traditional New England hods used by clammers to hold and clean their catch. And when they’re not on summer duty, the hods can also be used to hold flowers, craft supplies, towels, kindling, picnic fixings, or as catchalls for the odds and ends of daily life. In addition to the hods, Maine Garden Products’ lineup now includes raised garden beds, elevated garden beds and greenhouses.
Photo: June Donenfeld.
Miracle Garden Hoe
The Miracle Garden Hoe is a lightweight, single-tine hoe, so named because its extra-long handle means you don’t have to bend over when you feed your plants, weed your vegetable patch or aerate the soil. It also lets you cultivate thorny bushes—like roses or berries—without a scratch, avoid disturbing your plants’ roots, get in-between pavers and work in raised beds. Assembled by Susan Rowland in Lisbon, the handle is made of white ash by Peavey Manufacturing in Eddington and the head of forged carbon steel by Jeffery Jelenfy, a blacksmith in Union.
Photo: Michael D. Wilson
Scythe Supply
Know what a snath is? How about a chine? A peening jig? Welcome to the wonderful world of European-style scythes and equipment from Scythe Supply in Perry, on the U.S.-Canada border. Unlike their North American counterparts, these scythes are light and easy to use—and no bending required. Pollution- and noise-free (unlike power mowers and string trimmers), they make short and silent work of unwanted growth, including bushes and small trees, on flat or hilly terrain (dry or wet), between garden beds, along stone walls, under and around fences, on roadsides, in ditches and the woods. The website provides a wealth of terrific guidance to help you master, maintain and enjoy this time-honored tool. Scythe Supply is also a member of 1% for the Planet, an international organization whose members contribute at least 1% of their annual sales to environmental causes.
Smart Carts
What do the White House, the San Diego Zoo and Walt Disney’s landscaping crews have in common? They all use Smart Carts™ from this Buxton business. Founded in 1975, the company makes a full line of hard-wearing utility carts sure to stand the test of time. But there’s more: they also offer cedar planters, raised beds, and potting tables—to name just a few—from their sister enterprise, Infinite Cedar.
smartcarts.com
infinitecedar.com
Kennedy & Co.
As gratifying as digging around in the dirt can be, it can also be a messy business, but this hand-crafted apron from Kennedy & Co. (a woman- and vet-owned business) will help keep you clean and dry. Featuring twill ties and handy pockets for stowing gardening paraphernalia, the high-quality waxed canvas, leather, and solid brass hardware make for a hardwearing garment that will withstand whatever damp and dirt get thrown at it, for years to come.
Photo: Harry & Lyss
Veggies to Table
After all that planting, digging and weeding, scrub your hands clean with the Gardener’s Soap from Veggies to Table, made of poppy seed, calendula petals, geranium and cedarwood essential oils. Located in Newcastle on the Midcoast, Veggies to Table is a nonprofit farm with manifold missions: French/American couple Alain Ollier and Erica Berman started the farm in 2019 and now grow top-quality organic produce and flowers to donate to area residents experiencing food insecurity. They also strengthen community ties through a flourishing volunteer program and educate the public about healthful food and sustainable living.
Elizabeth Benotti Ceramics
For those long months when the frozen ground makes gardening a distant memory, you can still surround yourself with greenery using ceramic planters that are as beautiful as they are practical. At Elizabeth Benotti Ceramics, the artist builds each planter by hand, using simple yet striking forms and glazes that will look at home in any number of settings. Located in Eliot, on the southern coast, Benotti sells her modern classics at stores nationwide.
Starrcraft Studio
Annalee Poe is the star at Starrcraft Studio, on Vinalhaven island off the Midcoast, where she creates her terrific terracotta indoor/outdoor containers in a variety of eye-catching, one-of-a-kind patterns. Each pot is unique and will brighten your indoor garden for years to come.
This photo of the Milky Way above Oak Pond in Skowhegan, Maine was shot by John Meader of Fairfield, Maine in 2019.