
At first glance, you might think my new hoe is not a hoe, but I assure you it is. It has moving parts so I'm tempted to call it a hoeing machine or a hoeing contraption, but its primary purpose is to break the soil and chop down the weeds, which is what a hoe does, right? So it's a hoe.
Here it is... The "Ro-Ho Gardener".

Isn't that something? I got it from my former neighbor, the one who is moving after 45 years of living next door to where I grew up. I did an online search and didn't get any "hits" for the Ro-Ho and can't find another one for sale on eBay, so I think it is pretty unique.

I did get a few hits for the manufacturing company, but mostly for obituaries for people who worked there at one time.
So I'm not only very happy to add this to my hoe collection, I'm also pleased to put information about it on the world wide web, via this post, so if some other lucky gardener happens to find one or have one, they will get a "hit" if they search online for it, and maybe we can compare notes.
Here's the business end of it.

You push it forward through the soil (dirt, if you aren't fancy about your gardening talk) and the wheel with the teeth turns and chops down the weeds and then the tines in the back turn the soil (dirt) over. I can tell you that if you push this regularly through the garden, you'll get a good work out!
My neighbor first showed it to me at the same time he commented about some weeds in the garden I had planted over there. I got the hint and took a turn with this through that garden and can report it does a pretty good job knocking down weeds. I think he also knew that once I saw the Ro-Ho Gardener and tried it out, I would have to have it. He was right about that. We negotiated a bit, arrived at a fair price (the price he named), and now it's mine, part of my hoe collection.
Have you ever seen a hoeing contraption like it? Do you have one in your tool shed?
Here's what the weeds see right before the Ro-Ho Gardener chops them down.

I'd sure be afraid if I were a weed and saw the Ro-Ho Gardener heading my way. It means business!
And tonight I was a little afraid to look at the squash plants to see if I had more zucchini to harvest.

I did. But I also suddenly have tomatoes! Isn't that the way it goes? We wait and wait and it seems like forever before we harvest the first big ripe tomato and then suddenly the tomatoes all start to ripen at once. The tomato in the lower right hand corner is a 'German Johnson', my favorite. I'll let it sit a day or so to further ripen and my-oh-my will it be good.
And I'll keep watching for the Perfect Tomato, and when I harvest one, and I know I will eventually, I'll pull out all the stops and rituals for it, so check back for that.
Wait, something is missing from my harvest trug.
I forgot to check the 'Cue Ball' squash.

Yep, there were four more round zucchini squash.
I'm having a very good squash year.
How's your squash doing this year?
Comments
I wonder--does anyone do double-digging any more/ Makes me tired just thinking about it.
I've been meaning to confess to you that I never use my hoe. Wait, I think I did about five years ago.
I'm almost to having to make zucchini bread to keep up with the squashes. We've had it steamed, stuffed, fried, in spaghetti sauce, in meatloaf.....
It's yummy, though :-)
As for the squash my experience is that it's easy to get squished when the harvest is getting serious. (Oh dear, I think I'm reading blogs too late again. Forgive me my bad puns.)
You know, you do a much better job of recording your produce than I do!
By the way, I'm back from Chicago. Wow. Those gardens!
--Robin (Bumblebee)
Kylee... thanks, I'm glad you like it well enough to think you might use it.
LostRoses... It is an oldie and a goodie, for sure, and why I am I not surprised you haven't used your hoe in five years?
Robin's Nesting Place... I am pleased to own this new hoe!
Colleen... thanks, it is a weed-cutter, for sure. And I'm surprised you haven't made zucchini bread yet!
Heather... No hoe? You are missing out!
Eleanor... I'm always on the look out for a new and different hoe!
Chris... The logistics in having you borrow this might be a little costly, otherwise...
Rosengeranium... Too funny. Yes, hoeing and drinking... bad combo!
Me... Thank you for the kind words!
Robin(Bumblebee)... It does turn the weeds back into the dirt, in a manner of speaking. I went back and read your post... I'm still thinking about getting a hoe like yours, though I have one that is pretty close, just smaller.
Carolyn Gail... Finally, a gardener who understands hoes! How can anyone garden without a hoe?
Bev... Indeed Charles Dudley Warner would be in awe of this tool.
Laurie&Chris... Don't be fooled, it does take a fair amount of strength to push it through the soil.
Thanks all for the nice comments!
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
I couldn't resist googling too, and found another garden blogger ... no location but might be Kansas... who mentions using an "ancient Ro-Ho cultivator" way, way down in the middle of this post.
An EBay listing from May 29th shows one sold from Roachdale Indiana for $42.00 - people still like them!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Yes, I'm in Eastern Kansas.
Yours is very nice and new! I'd love to findonelike that!
I have several of these & similar--I think two with the teeth and one with straight-edged blades. Garage sales and auctions, very cheap ($5?) I'm always on the lookout for them in any condition because I depend on them and know they won't be easy to replace. Mine are very rusty and abused--handle on one replaced with an old push lawnmower handle.
I do not use them for weeds, because I mulch everything & so don't hoe--just hand pull what does grow. Light sandy silt loam "dream soil". What I use them for is preparing seed beds for planting...incorporating a dusting of lime or compost if needed and breaking down light clods in an almost-no-till system. It works up a seed bed just deep enough to make seed furrows. I do a no-fossil-fuel (except transport) market garden using this method.
Annie in Austin... You are an extraordinarily talented sleuth. Thank you find the links. I'd gladly send some zucchini in return.
Natalya... Thanks for the reply comment. Mine is hardly new. I suspect it is about 35 or 40 years old, based on what my neighbor told me about it when he sold it to me.
Thanks all for the comments!
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
I'll have to ask my dad if he has ever heard of the Rowe Manufacturing Co.
Jeff
http://www.lehmans.com/jump.jsp?itemID=833&i1Cat=950&i2Cat=832&i3Cat=833&itemType=CATEGORY
I like their Low Wheel Cultivator too.
http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=6596&itemType=PRODUCT&iProductID=6596
Spencer @ Early's in Saskatoon,Sask.