Tools Designed For Women

2016 - Volume #40, Issue #5, Page #30

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Just making tools smaller or pink doesn’t make them better for women. HERShovelTM and HERSpadingforkTM are engineer-designed, tested and proven to be suited specifically for women. The owners of Green Heron Tools say there is science behind the tools they offer.
  “We don’t think anyone has gone through this process, focusing on scientifically designing tools that work for women,” says Liz Brensinger, co-owner of the Pennsylvania company. She and her business partner, Ann Adams, bring a unique perspective with backgrounds in public health, nursing and market gardening.
  After working with Pennsylvania State University engineers through an $80,000 small business innovation research grant and extensive testing and surveys with women, they introduced HERShovel in 2011. HERSpadingfork followed in 2015.
  “We had women test existing grips, and they liked wider grips. You can hold ours with two hands or on the side to help keep wrists in line. There is also tilt built in for extra leverage. A wide step on the blade capitalizes on the strength of women’s lower bodies,” Adams explains.
  The shovel and fork are also lighter weight – another feature important to women who use the tools regularly for gardening or sustainable farming. The tools come in three sizes to accommodate women of different heights.
  The shovel sells for $66.49 and the spading fork for $84.95. They come with a 10-year warranty and - except for Austrian-made tines in the forks - are completely made in the U.S.
  To meet the needs of women with livestock, the Green Heron Tools owners plan to introduce a manure fork soon. And, sometime in the future they hope to offer a radically different tool to replace the most complained about tool among women farmers and market growers – the gas walk-behind tiller.
  “We’ve been working on a tiller that has almost no vibration and is battery-operated,” Brensinger says. “We’re expecting a patent soon and plan to talk to companies to license the technology.”
  A variety of items can be purchased through the online store.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Green Heron Tools, P.O. Box 71, New Tripoli, Penn. 18066 (ph 610 844-5232; www.greenherontools.com; info@greenherontools.com).

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Tools Designed For Women Just making tools smaller or pink doesn’t make them better for women HERShovelTM and HERSpadingforkTM are engineer-designed tested and proven to be suited specifically for women The owners of Green Heron Tools say there is science behind the tools they offer “We don’t think anyone has gone through this process focusing on scientifically designing tools that work for women ” says Liz Brensinger co-owner of the Pennsylvania company She and her business partner Ann Adams bring a unique perspective with backgrounds in public health nursing and market gardening After working with Pennsylvania State University engineers through an $80 000 small business innovation research grant and extensive testing and surveys with women they introduced HERShovel in 2011 HERSpadingfork followed in 2015 “We had women test existing grips and they liked wider grips You can hold ours with two hands or on the side to help keep wrists in line There is also tilt built in for extra leverage A wide step on the blade capitalizes on the strength of women’s lower bodies ” Adams explains The shovel and fork are also lighter weight – another feature important to women who use the tools regularly for gardening or sustainable farming The tools come in three sizes to accommodate women of different heights The shovel sells for $66 49 and the spading fork for $84 95 They come with a 10-year warranty and - except for Austrian-made tines in the forks - are completely made in the U S To meet the needs of women with livestock the Green Heron Tools owners plan to introduce a manure fork soon And sometime in the future they hope to offer a radically different tool to replace the most complained about tool among women farmers and market growers – the gas walk-behind tiller “We’ve been working on a tiller that has almost no vibration and is battery-operated ” Brensinger says “We’re expecting a patent soon and plan to talk to companies to license the technology ” A variety of items can be purchased through the online store Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Green Heron Tools P O Box 71 New Tripoli Penn 18066 ph 610 844-5232; www greenherontools com; info@greenherontools com

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