Farming tools are usually distinguished from farming equipment in that tools are for hand use as opposed to equipment with an engine or that runs off of electricity. Old and antique tools are popular collector items as well as used for yard art.
Still, today Amish farmers use farm equipment that must be pushed by a human or pulled by a horse. Therefore, many hand tools are still used for their planting, including shovels, hoes, and rakes. Like the farmers of the Middle Ages, Amish farmers do have irrigation systems making use of water raising machines, dams, and reservoirs. With the current trend toward more urban gardening, organic awareness, and hydroponic development, farming tools are being used by more and more non-traditional “farmers”.