After working on farms for a year, I have a pretty long wish list of items that I think any chef & gardener would love. Check it out.
- Carhartt Bib Overalls (for men and women): A fellow farm intern and I used to joke that you’re not a real farmer until you own a pair of these quilt-lined overalls. They’re a must-have for staying warm during winter and early spring gardening. ~ $90-100.
- Harvest Knife: The Victorinox Serrated Harvest Knife is perfect for cutting baby salad greens, while an 8-inch Harvest Machete is great for harvesting produce with thicker stalks and stems. ~ $6-12.
- Garden Knee Pads: Nothing beats up your knees like a day spent weeding or mulching without knee pads. Check out these ergonomic ones from Tommyco. ~ $7-17.
- Cutting Boards: We love these custom wooden cutting & serving boards from Forest Decor. ~$20-150
- Deerskin Work Gloves: I got these Marker gloves for my husband four years ago, and they’re still going strong after much abuse. Even though they’re way too big for me, I keep borrowing his pair for winter farm work because they’re so warm and tough. ~ $100.
- The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman: This book is a great guide for anyone interested in how to grow food without hurting the environment or your wallet. ~ $15.
- Waterproof Notepad: Taking notes on your garden is key to improving yield and quality from year to year. Rite in the Rain notebooks allow you to do so in any weather. ~ $18.
- Rain Boots: Spring-time gardening is always messy business, and tall rain boots are absolutely essential to beat the mud. I like Keen Coronado Rain Boots. ~ $30-100.
- Seed Gift Basket: If you have someone on your list who wants to start a garden next spring, consider getting them a seed gift basket. I like this urban collection from Territorial that’s been designed specifically for space-challenged gardeners. Or make your own collection using your favorite heirloom seeds. ~ $100.
- Aerogarden: Grow herbs and more all winter long using this fool-proof indoor system. ~ $60-130.
- Citrus Plant: Instead of putting an orange at the bottom of your loved one’s stocking, why not give them a container-friendly citrus plant? Check out this hardy Meyer lemon. ~ $50.
For more gift ideas, check out Holiday Gift Guide for Foodies (All Under $30) and Foodie Gift Guide: The DIY Edition.
Image courtesy of lechampiondumonde via a Creative Commons license.
I would argue with you on the Carhartts. While they are excellent quilted overalls for winter they are quite stiff and heavy for the late spring and summer. I prefer the Liberty lightweight denim overalls for the hot months. They are durable, affordable, and pretty sexy! hahahaha.
The kneepads? Oh man. Couldn’t agree more. You don’t realize the wear and tear on your knees when in the garden until bedtime that night or the next morning. Good kneepads are so much cheaper and more healthy then 3 Aleve/night.
And the citrus plant? I had never thought of that. I am going to amend my Christmas list now.
Thank you for another AWESOME list!
I agree with you that Carhartts are certainly NOT suited for late spring or summer work! But they are perfect for when you’re mulching berries in December or pruning fruit trees in February – brrrrrrr!
This list reminds me that I’ve been wanting a Meyer lemon tree for some time now!
Another great gift is a Leatherman multitool. I got one last year and I don’t know what I’d do without it now.