Q. How Can the right tools get the job done?

Expert advice from Lehman’s

Keep your home, garden, and homestead running smoothly with these expert tips.

The kitchen

Keep tools and gadgets you use the most often close by (the bowls, spatula and whisk, for example). Store larger, bulky, infrequently-used items (like the crockpot) somewhere less convenient to access.

Buy products that have multiple uses, such as a cast iron skillet, which can be used to cook breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

TIP: Keep your knives sharp for the most efficient food prep.

For the garden

Gardening can be hard on your back. Back-saving tools include the Amish-made push-pull hoe. It has a serrated “v” blade which cuts down weeds easier than a traditional hoe, using a gentle push-pull movement. Waist-high container gardens also save your back from the constant bending, when planting or weeding or harvesting.

TIP: Hang your garden gloves on the container garden, so they are ready to pull on whenever you need to dig in the soil.

For the wood pile

Hauling, chopping, splitting, and stacking firewood takes a lot of effort and thought. Consider where the wood pile is and how you are going to get firewood into your house. Stack logs so there is air movement along the bottom for proper drying, and prevent logs from getting rained on.

TIP: Take care to chop the logs in a length that will fit and stack efficiently in your stove.

Be prepared, not scared

Plan ahead for the supplies you need in an emergency, for heat, light, food, and water. Store essentials for unexpected storms, power outages, and other emergencies: hand-cranked flashlights, oil lamps and lanterns, water purifiers, emergency water pumps, canned meat and non-perishable food, blankets, and more to keep your family protected.