Manure fork

From the collections of PVMA • Digital image © Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Assoc. • Image use information

About this item

A manure fork was an essential tool on a farm for cleaning out barns and spreading manure for fertilizer. Manure is heavy and laced with straw and forks work better than shovels for this task.  The owner of this fork, Consider Dickinson (1761-1854) burned his initials into the handle. Although the fields were owned by individual farmers, the men often cared for them collectively; branding one’s tools with initials was a practical way to assure their return at the end of a day.

Related Items

Details

Item typeTools & Equipment
Agricultural
Date1785–1825
PlaceDeerfield, Massachusetts
TopicAgriculture, Farming
EraColonial settlement, 1620–1762
Revolutionary America, 1763–1783
National Expansion and Reform, 1816–1860
MaterialMetal; Wood
Dimension detailsDepth: 1.50 in Width: 8.50 in Height: 44.50 in
Catalog #1875.19.04.01
View this item in our curatorial database →
Manure fork. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/1875-19-04-01/. Accessed on December 5, 2024.

Please note: Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.