Farm Tools, Implements and Machinery
Hand tools
Know the purpose and maintenance of hand tools: hoe (weeding, ridging), rake (levelling, gathering), fork (lifting manure or hay), spade and shovel (digging, moving soil), matchet/panga (cutting), secateurs (pruning), wheelbarrow (transport), knapsack sprayer (pest and weed control) and watering can. Traps: confusing a spade (flat blade, digging) with a shovel (scooped blade, moving loose material), and forgetting routine maintenance such as cleaning, drying, sharpening and oiling to prevent rust.
Implements and their functions
Match implements to operations: plough (primary tillage, inverting soil), harrow and disc (secondary tillage, breaking clods), cultivator (weeding between rows), ridger (making ridges), planter (sowing seed), fertiliser spreader, mower, baler, trailer (transport) and sprayer. Know that implements are drawn or mounted on a tractor and powered through the three-point linkage and power take-off (PTO).
Tractor care and safety
Cover daily checks (oil, water, fuel, tyres, brakes), the function of the PTO, and safety rules: stop the engine before servicing, keep guards in place, never carry passengers, and use hand signals or lights on roads.
Worked example
A farmer needs a fine, level seedbed after ploughing. Sequence: plough (primary tillage) → harrow or disc (break clods) → rake or leveller (level surface) → plant. Justify each step by the operation it performs, and state one maintenance action after use (clean and oil metal parts).