Scrobs/Growster Inc. PLC. Wheel hoe.
Idea - Slightly different version by Scrobs, some years ago...
Confirmation of idea - Seeing one for sale, but in a 1988 Marshall's Seed Catalogue, (discovered clinging to the back of an old gardening book) and causing panic in 'The Turrets'.
Further information - loads of pics here.
Wheel - 'Discovered' in pile of rusted mangled metal by the allotment tipping patch.
Handles - The old lawnmower handles somehow left in the roof after all these years...(they were also the subject of a mysterious series of letters between a certain Ms Bunty Binstock, The Grafas Fruning Graplecard, The Beast, The W-Bs, and of course, Modo, which wandered in all directions and eventually centred around the daily life of a deranged community in Scotton Pinkney many years ago! I ask you!)
Handle extensions - From Sgt. Wilson's motorbike - an idea pinched from a pic on 'Gurgle Images'.
Body - Bits of the old oak posts from the church notice board (the rest of the stuff was made into a rustic mantle shelf and return on the fireplace.)
Main axle - 6" bolt from sadly-now-closed local ironmongers over twenty years ago.
Screw bolts - From Hendon 'Homebase' (see Scrobs passim), and our old greenhouse.
Hoe blade and brackets - Old car/bike bars from past cycling forays in Bedgebury Forest before the arrival of JRT. They were sitting there doing nothing, especially after the said bike was commandeered by Sergeant Wilson... (the blade is now also updated with piece of metal from Mrs S's mum's old magazine rack...)
A typical picture of Scrobs, wearing the traditional garb of a keen but occasionally confused agriculturalist...
The idea of this type of hoe, is that the wheel enables an easy forward motion, allowing you to push your way between the rows of verdant, luscious vegetables, with the blade scraping just below the surface, thereby disturbing and aerating the soil, and also consigning the weeds to oblivion. It is also very quick.
It actually works extremely well thank goodness. There are several American websites which show nice expensive tools and contraptions, all very shiny and bright, but what's really wanted is a quick and easy way to clout the weeds and chuck the soil around a little, before getting home to a tincture or three of a Sunday morning!
p.s. The song is a favourite from the triple compilation album, 'The Music Makers', which would clatter round the flat after a few sherberts in 'The Two Sawyers' all those years ago...
The goings-on in your shed, Scrobs!
ReplyDeleteFantastic :-)
Lil: It was these "goings-on" which caused me to leave the dysfunctional village. As I kept having to point out: "We Librarians have standards".
ReplyDeleteWhat radio station do you listen to while you're doing it ?
ReplyDeleteI have you down as a Radio 4 man.
(PS, I expect to see Felicity Kendall in your photos. You ARE Richard Bryers and I claim my £5)
A rather neat and clever solution to a problem all gardners suffer from...bloody weeds, you clever sod.
ReplyDeleteIt's all there to do Lils! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGD has a new rocking horse from the same stable (ha ha), and that's made of oak as well!
Have to do these things before the hands drop off, or the eyes droop too far!
Polly, is that really you...?
ReplyDeleteThat village was the funniest episode in the whole blogosphere, and I have fond memories of the Wayfarer de Luxe and The Beast of Clrekenwell clambering around on the roof!...
Whatever happend to Thomas Fuller then...?
Gwan, tell us, tell us...
Radio 4 if it's a week-end Elecs, cassettes (oh yes, they're all out there), most of the time. At the moment it's 'Dire Straits' and 'Yes', with 'Philadelphia' for when I want to think a bit deeper.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I'm not Richard Briers!
ReplyDeleteIt seems to work OK Thudders.
ReplyDeleteI think it'll come into it's own when everywhere is dryer, because I really need it to scrape rather than collect too much in front of the blade.
I've started trying to fashion a three-pronged cultivator fitting for it, but might just as well wait and see how this blade feels and looks, as it is for the moment!
Yes Sir Scrobs - 'tis indeed I.
ReplyDeleteI am now free to admit, like in radio plays of yore, I contracted for several parts to help the story along, notably His Excellency Sir Fred Dipstick (note his promotion cum elevation from a simple MBE after the successful floating of of PoolsRus and the consequent 'anonymous' donation to one of our leading political parties); and the French official Mayor Dalors. As you speak a bit of French you will have understood the "humour" there - jus' ma leetle joke Monsieur!).
And as you will have rightly surmised, I only come here to ensure that Standards are consistently met - which of course they are. What would we do without our daily dose of Tunbridge twitterings?
(PS: Don't believe everything you read in an IP address.
Lissen up Mr Wembley Toblerone-Triangle. This is a respeckable town an' we all don' 'llow no hoes getting knocked up in shacks round these here parts, Boy. You follow me? You better git yo' ass outta town right now afore ah blast yer hide. Now git goin'.....
ReplyDeletePolly - or should I try and recall your plom-de-nume (n0), I'm sorry to be so tardy in replying, I was outting some lard on the cat's boil!
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed an honour that you ca return to the various bosoms (and - er - balls) here, perhaps to espy old friends in their daily tasks, on the other hand, I hope you can continue to watch over the only diaries not dedicated to the downfall of Tunbridge Wells - I occasionally grace a favourite pub there, and would be devastated if 'The Beacon' was razed to the ground...
And I won't believe your URL, because Lilith told me why...;0)
Yee-Haaah Misser Deppity!
ReplyDeleteDoggone done an' did jus' thayat!
Glayad yo reckernise the hayat, and thayat theyer tooyool does a grayand joyeob er cuttin' cotton weeds an' no mistayake!
Phew, can I stop talking Southern now please...?
Scrobs, tell me you have a reel-to-reel somewhere?
ReplyDeleteLove the hoe x
Up in the roof Pips! Saw it there a few days ago.
ReplyDeleteI've still got the first few snippets of ED's first sounds on it, and also a classic Genesis concert, recorded from Radio Caroline in the seventies, introduced by Tommy Vance. It bubbles a squeaks in places as well...
Also, there's a tape recorded from BBC2 in 1973, of 'America' live, when they muck up a chord on 'I need you', and there's also a full album by CS and N!
We used to go out of an evening, and leave it recording 'The Goon Show' (repeats), and they should be up there as well...
Anything else you want to know about it? Actually, our next door neighbour picked the machine up for 50p at a boot sale in 1995, after I'd told him about all the old tapes in the roof...
;0)
Scotton Pinkney ...
ReplyDeletethose were the days
2006 was indeed a vintage year, we may not see its like again
*wist*
Love CS&N, 4 way st my fave album.
ReplyDelete