Because so many rural folks are veterans or have veterans in their families, Memorial Day should feel special. Many of us know and understand the sacrifices that go into military service — including the ultimate sacrifice, which this day commemorates.
But, while many companies give employees the day off, farms keep on truckin’ like normal. Even moreso when Mother Nature has delayed planting and you don’t really have the opportunity to kick back and grill out with friends like many other Americans will do. There’s work to be done … actually, there’s always work to be done.
Hopefully these five things will help you get through your chores a little bit easier, and maybe you’ll get a chance to crack open a cold one at the end of the day and salute those who gave everything to ensure we have this kind of life:
YARDMAX YU2566 25 Ton Full Beam Gas Log Splitter, CR950, 6.5HP
Firewood takes a good couple of months to season if you’re going to burn it in your chimney — if you’re going to be using it in a campfire, you can go at it much sooner. With Memorial Day being the official kickoff to the summer season, it’s also the perfect time to make sure you’ve got all the firewood you’ll need, ready when you need it. We haven’t found a log splitter that performs better than what YARDMAX has in stock. The patented features include a heavy-duty and unique U-beam design; a log spinner foot plate that easily rotates logs for splitting, reducing stress on the beam; and a quick-connecting four-way wedge that helps to break logs into smaller pieces, such as for kindling.
Cost: $1,041.29
(Editor’s note: We got our hands on the 35-ton version of this machine, and loved it. Read our review here.)
Work Sharp Knife & Tool Sharpener
The Original Knife & Tool Sharpener from Work Sharp is the first knife sharpener designed to sharpen every knife you own. Using flexible abrasive belts, the sharpener is able to sharpen not just straight bladed knives, but also curved knives, tanto blades, filet knives, serrated knives, and gut hooks. Perhaps best of all, this sharpener can also be used to sharpen a wide range of bladed shop tools and lawn and garden tools, such as lawn mower blades, garden pruners, shears, shovels, and scrapers. The Knife & Tool Sharpener uses precision angle sharpening guides to ensure that you get the proper angle every time.
Cost: $69.95
Jabra Elite Active 65t Alexa Enabled True Wireless Sports Earbuds with Charging Case
Gonna be up front here: A good pair of wireless headphones is not cheap. But they’re well worth it when you’re trying to cancel out the noise of the machinery and listen to a podcast or watch a YouTube video during planting. The Jabras have five hours of battery life and let you take calls as well as listen to music. Headphones or earbuds with wires can be a pain if you’re doing farm work or operating in the cab of a tractor, so do yourself a favor and get some quality wireless ones. You’ll be much happier for it!
Cost: $148.99
Milwaukee M18 Fuel 2825-20ST 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless String Trimmer
When you work like a pro, you need to gear up like a pro. And no company seems to make battery-powered tools as strong and long-lasting as Milwaukee does. We’ve seen this in action, and it’s a beast of trimmer. It provides users with the power to clear thick brush, reaches full throttle in under 1 second, and delivers up to 1 hour of run-time per charge. The cordless string trimmer is made up of two components – the M18 FUEL Power Head w/ QUIK-LOK and QUIK-LOK String Trimmer Attachment. This M18 FUEL Power Head, part of the QUIK-LOK Attachment System, is compatible with multiple attachments such as an Edger, Articulating Hedge Trimmer, and Pole Saw attachment. This gives users the ability to quickly swap out attachments on a single Power Head.
Cost: $202.95 (battery and charger NOT included)
DuroMax XP10000E 10,000-Watt Gas Powered Portable Generator
If you’ve ever been through a brutal storm (and who hasn’t?!), you know how important it is to have a gas-powered generator handy to keep appliances running without breaking the bank like a whole-house standby unit can. DuroMax packs a lot of power into this machine: With 10,000 starting watts and 8,000 running watts, this unit can handle heavy loads from lights and a refrigerator to a home air conditioner and high amperage power tools. The XP10000E is also built with all copper windings, will last for years, and is covered by a 3-year factory warranty.
Cost: $869.99
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