* Welcome back Yury Smirnov, of Ecominded.net, for Fokin hoe giveaway!!

Hello! Nice tool and welcome to the forum. Can you get them in Mexico?

Welcome back Yuri.  Thank you for your expertise and generosity.

Welcome, It's been a while. I remember the first time I saw this tool I was living in Michigan and didn't need much more than a spoon to work the soil. But I'm in Missouri now and the soil structure is very different. I have a lot of rocks here so sharpening would be a constant chore. But it would sure make working the clay soil a little easier. I'm glad to see you back.

The Fokin hoe looks like half of a Hazel or Stirrup hoe.  Unfortunately the video was too fast to follow on my phone so I'll assume they are somewhat similar in usage.  I'm wondering though if it can be used to get rid of heavy clump grass which is a problem around here.

Peter Dressler wrote:Здравствуйте, welcome back Yury! Definitely going to get one of these hoes, they look very useful. By the way, are there a lot of other eco-minded folks in Russia? I'm learning Русские and would love to eventually use it to talk with other folks interested in Permaculture.

Hi Peter, there is a Kin's domain movement in Russia, with more than 400 ecovillages started for the recent 15 years. Here you can find more info about them: https://ecominded.net/russian-family-homesteads
All these people have chosen sustainable living in harmony with nature and most of them learn and apply permaculture principles.

Emilia Andersson wrote:Hello! Nice tool and welcome to the forum. Can you get them in Mexico?

Yes, Emilia, we can ship the tools to Mexico

John Ruckman wrote:The Fokin hoe looks like half of a Hazel or Stirrup hoe.  Unfortunately the video was too fast to follow on my phone so I'll assume they are somewhat similar in usage.  I'm wondering though if it can be used to get rid of heavy clump grass which is a problem around here.

Yes, John, the flat-cutters are very good to get rid of heavy clump grass.
I tried it myself and it worked really well,
You just have to use the narrow end and as soon as it is very sharp it can cut any grass 2-3 cm below the surface, that is below the growth point of the weed.

Yury Smirnov wrote:

carla beemer wrote:Welcome Yury! Have you ever used the Fokin hoe with a short handle, so it could be used while kneeling!

Well, originally it was made by V.Fokin with a long handle for a reason. He, being handiсapped himself (problems with spine), found it much easier to work with a long handle - does not need to bend his spine.
However, some of our customers also asked about short handles, (50-60 cm) and following their requests, we can provide short handles as well.  

Helo Yury, I garden from a wheel chair. One of my favorite tools is a short handled hoe. This looks like it could replace that tool and expand the effectiveness of my labor. Do you know of people using a Fokin hoe from a wheel chair? Thanks, Alan McGill

This tool would be perfect for helping my partner and I clean up our new property.  She absolutely loves Sepp Holtzer and is always quoting him.  Welcome Yuri...I'm happy you're here.

Alan McGill wrote:
Helo Yury, I garden from a wheel chair. One of my favorite tools is a short handled hoe. This looks like it could replace that tool and expand the effectiveness of my labor. Do you know of people using a Fokin hoe from a wheel chair? Thanks, Alan McGill

Hi Alan, yes this make sense. The long handle hoe is good to work with both hands. Gardening from a wheel chair is easier with one hand, so the short handle would be more suitable.
Yet, I would suggest you to try the long handle first, - you can always cut it later, if you decide that short handle is better.

Hey Yuri,  So glad to see you here again.  I was just trying to clear the mess in my berry patch and now I think know what I need.  This is so timely.  I want to put down mulch to help control weeds, but there is a lot of tall grass.  I can't cut it without tearing up the berry plants right now, and I can't get to many of the berry plants without cutting it and cleaning out the patch - about 40 yards X 20yards.  It's too much for me to do by hand.  Would the Fokin hoe allow me to clear thick grassy weeds under and between a thick patch of blackberries?  Also, could it be used to remove those that have grown where I don't want them?

Bonnie

Hi Yury! This looks great, and like a great thing to have on the homestead! Your products over at ecominded are lovely, too. I especially love all the felted critters, and the birch combs are just beautiful.
Thanks so much for the giveaway!

Yay!  You are back!!!

Bonnie Kuhlman wrote:Hey Yuri,  So glad to see you here again.  I was just trying to clear the mess in my berry patch and now I think know what I need.  This is so timely.  I want to put down mulch to help control weeds, but there is a lot of tall grass.  I can't cut it without tearing up the berry plants right now, and I can't get to many of the berry plants without cutting it and cleaning out the patch - about 40 yards X 20yards.  It's too much for me to do by hand.  Would the Fokin hoe allow me to clear thick grassy weeds under and between a thick patch of blackberries?  Also, could it be used to remove those that have grown where I don't want them?

Bonnie

Hi Bonnie, I would suggest you to use Fokin hoe as a short scythe, - you can cut the tall grass under and between the berry plants,
It is just the case when you can't use usual long scythe because there is little space between the berry plants and where the short and sharp (like a scythe) Fokin hoe would very helpful

Hi Yury! This looks like a great tool, and a helpful thing to have around the homestead. I could use one for planting some seeds today even
Ecominded is a lovely website too! I especially love the felted wool critters and the birch combs- so beautiful!
Thanks so much for the giveaway.

Great looking tool Yury, for that type of work one needs a piece of iron that will do the job.

Over the years I have seen several varieties of this tool.  I think I like this design better than the one I am using now.

As a formally trained tool and die smith and machinist, I wonder what steel was used to make them.  Normally I would make these types of tools for myself, but at the cost you probably cannot even get the materials as a DIY.  That said, there is a joy that comes with wielding tools make with your own hands.  Also, forging a bi-metal tool (spring steel spine, and a tool-steel edge) would be a bit work, but would also likely last several lifetimes.

[color=blue] [/colorI I am impressed with this tool. I works fast and is perfect for multi tasking. I have a 50 acre farm and I have found the right tool makes jobs so much faster and easier.  Looks like a deal changer to me. You're making my day my Russian friend! Thank you!

Ebo David wrote:
As a formally trained tool and die smith and machinist, I wonder what steel was used to make them.  Normally I would make these types of tools for myself, but at the cost you probably cannot even get the materials as a DIY.  That said, there is a joy that comes with wielding tools make with your own hands.  Also, forging a bi-metal tool (spring steel spine, and a tool-steel edge) would be a bit work, but would also likely last several lifetimes.

For the genuine tool produced by Vladimir Fokin family they use forged tempered steel.

Thank you everyone for your welcoming posts!
The video below will show you different types of the Fokin hoes:

Hi Yuri and thank you for being here.  I would love to put the ploskorez Fokina to good work in my Alaskan garden.  Be well, grow forth.

A friend had sent me a link to ecominded a while back, to see some seeds.  I had no idea they made this hoe.

Very nice!

David

I love this Fokin Hoe Blade!  Got to have at least one of those and thinking maybe we need 3 for all of us to use!  

Wow what a wonderful tool!  thank you for having a give away...   Willhave more time to read thru all this  but my question is how much?     missed   it so far but will read more  

Yury I just watched the video I love it!

Welcome back, Yury!

It’s been a while since I bought a new tool I love my hand tools, but my hands and my back are getting older. I mostly chop and drop and Our 3 chickens do much of the weeding, but there are some things they can’t get to. It looks like the Fokin hoe would be useful for scraping off little fennel sprouts on the path. I also like that it can be used like a scythe.

Chris Ferenz wrote:Wow what a wonderful tool!  thank you for having a give away...   Willhave more time to read thru all this  but my question is how much?     missed   it so far but will read more  

Hi Chris,
The cost varies from 11 to 19.5 USD Here you can see all details: https://ecominded.net/garden-tools

Yury,
I just ordered a All-Mighty, looks like a great tool and one I can use. Thanks!

Hey folks, I think this 14 minutes video will be even more helpful, showing how to use Fokin hoe for different purposes:

the shipping is more than the item!
Is it actually coming from Russia?
Could someone get a bulk order and stash on Amazon for quicker and cheaper distribution on this side of the oceans?

Will Staves wrote:the shipping is more than the item!
Is it actually coming from Russia?
Could someone get a bulk order and stash on Amazon for quicker and cheaper distribution on this side of the oceans?

Hi Will, Yes, all the tools are coming from Russia.
And if someone decide to get a bulk order for quicker distribution in the States, we will be happy to discuss the bulk discounts that may be upto 50% of the retail price.

Welcome back, Yuri!

As I get older I try and find ways to work smarter and not harder. The right tool for the job helps considerably in this effort.  This tool would help me a lot since my food forest is on a slope and I am not able to mow.  

Thanks Yury for the giveaway.  Permits and giveaways in the dailyish are a great way for a lot of people to find out about a useful tool.  

I've been interested in that hoe for a while.  It will have to go a ways to beat my Permaculture Tools rice knife but the Hula hoe, not so much.  I live in the desert.

G Fulton in Arizona

Hello hello Yuri and everyone. Can't really welcome you back because i'm rather new here myself. While I've put a measure of time into researching in general around permaculture, agriculture or polyculture, i'm relatively starting out with enactuating these things. Life had not been so settled as it is currently for me but I've more than enough information to get started. At the moment i'm putting in the effort to gradually convert my neighbors lawn into different plant species, both edibles across commonly cultivated and eventually wild plants once they get larger to identify, and this is a first kind of project for me. Then aside from that I've collected different wild seeds of berries i plan on cultivating as well in order to plant throughout the wild to boost the overall system. Can say i would appreciate the sentimentd given with such a tool ha. Though not sure i would make as much use of it as some certainly would.

This reminds me of a short-handled curved knife my old man made us use to chop 20 acres of corn out of our bean field. Talk about manual labor. But this looks much nicer especially with the long handle.