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Brian G. NY · Feb 6, 2018

Two for the price of one.

Both are made for specific purposes.....the one on the left was my Dad's.
We never used it exactly for it's intended purpose but it was used regularly for a similar purpose.

The one on the right is intended for an even more specific purpose and probably wouldn't be used for anything but that.

BigDanT · Feb 6, 2018

Oust tool...used for planting seedling trees. Don?t
know name of the one on the right

BigDanT · Feb 6, 2018

Sorry meant to say planting bar is on the
right...don?t know the one on the left.

TimV · Feb 6, 2018

The one on the left is probably a post hole bar, though the same basic shape has lots of other uses as well, of course. The one on the right, as noted, is usually called a planting bar. Link below is a small writeup and picture of a similar one. While planting is their usual use, I made a couple very similar ones (though a bit smaller) for use in digging leeks (sometimes called ramps, wild garlic, or other regional names) and they work very well. They're strong enough to get through the rocks, roots, fallen branches, and other forest floor debris while being narrow enough to fit between larger rocks and only get the section of leeks you want. Leeks grow in clumps, and are slow to regenerate, so a wise harvester only takes a small proportion of the crop in any one area and leaves the rest for seed, ensuring a good crop year after year.
planting bar

Brendon Warren · Feb 6, 2018

I've got a bar like the one on the left. I assumed it is for
setting fence posts.

Brian G. NY · Feb 6, 2018

The one on the right is for planting tree seedlings.....commonly called a dibble. Thousands of acres of NYS forests were planted using these.
They were used a lot by the CCC boys, the WPA guys and more recently in NY state by inmates in the Correction/Conservation camps.

As for the one on the left, Tim and Brendon are pretty much right...it is for post holes.
It is called a "hop bar" made specifically for setting hop poles.
My part of NY State was a very big hop producing area but the hop industry here went away in the early 1900s due to disease and the the production of hops in Oregon and Washington.
Many farmers back in the day raised hops on the side just as they did maple syrup.
Practically every farmer wound up with a hop bar which as you guys said, was used for setting fence posts. We also used it for our bean poles.
After punching the hole for a fence stake, you could use the head of the bar for driving the stake; it is about as heavy as a sledge hammer.
Its one of those tools you don't want to "loan out" because it is so handy the borrower will probably "forget" to bring it back. LOL

Adirondack case guy · Feb 7, 2018

Brian, Have you ever seen or heard of bolting a long piece of heavy angle iron on the outside of a small tractor rear wheel. (4x4x1/4") The angle iron stuck out about 6" below the tread, and made a row of holes evenly spaced for planting trees. My granddad had a guy come in when I was a little Case guy and plant a 10A plot of scotch pine using a CA Allis. Pretty cool. To maintain the pattern, he would just slid or spin the wheel with the brake to get the rows lined up.
My Granddad also grew hops, and as you said disease finally wiped them out. He kept a journal of growing, harvesting and selling them. His journal is now on display at the Farmers Museum in Cooperstown.
Loren

Russ from MN · Feb 7, 2018

I have made several like the one on the right, for planting trees. Going to plan 2000 this spring.

Brian G. NY · Feb 7, 2018

(quoted from post at 14:40:14 02/07/18) Brian, Have you ever seen or heard of bolting a long piece of heavy angle iron on the outside of a small tractor rear wheel. (4x4x1/4")
Loren

I have never seen that....sounds like a slick idea.
I can see the angle iron pulling up the sod a little as it turns leaving a perfect place to drop in the seedling.

I visited the Farmer's Museum this past fall for the first time in probably 30 years.
It has expanded a great deal since my last visit.
As it turned out, they were processing some hops while I was there
and I actually got to "strip" some of the blossoms from the "Bines". Me in the forefront.

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Brian G. NY

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BigDanT

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BigDanT

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TimV

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Brendon Warren

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Brian G. NY

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Adirondack case guy

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Russ from MN

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Brian G. NY

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