Every year, around Thanksgiving, I pen a column for HobbyFarms.com suggesting gift ideas perfect for farmers. But what about the perfect stocking stuffer gifts? That’s a key distinction. An electric chainsaw is a great gift for a farmer, but it’s a bit expensive for a stocking stuffer. And of course, stuffing a chainsaw inside a stocking is easier said than done.
So if you’re seeking last-minute stocking stuffer ideas for the farmer you know, here are 10 ideas to get you started.
1. Flashlight
You can’t go wrong with a flashlight, especially if the farmer lives far enough north where winter nights are long. Opt for a bright LED flashlight to cut through the darkness.
2. Zip Ties
Zip ties can be used in so many ways. I use them in abundance to attach welded wire and/or black plastic fencing to metal T-posts, but any time you need to quickly and easily tie things together, zip ties are a simple option.
3. Locking Pliers
One of my favorite tools, and a perfect stocking stuffer for a farmer. Locking pliers lock tightly in place and don’t require squeezing by hand to maintain their grip, so they’re awesome for loosening stubborn nuts and bolts.
4. Bungee Cords
Bungee cords, like zip ties, are useful in many ways. I frequently use them to tie down loads I’m transporting around the farm: hay bales, potted trees, corral panels, etc.
5. Post & Pipe Level
A simple yet ingenious tool. A post and pipe level has two sides connected at a right angle, with three bubbles (one on each side and one at the joint) allowing you to gauge whether a post (or pipe) is perfectly plumb or level. You can check multiple directions at the same time, saving you from switching a simpler level back and forth from one side to the next.
6. Sharpening Stone
Do you know a farmer whose tools have gotten dull? A sharpening stone can restore the cutting power to knives and other cutting blades.
7. Battery-Powered Radio
A small battery-powered radio that tunes in FM and AM radio broadcasts gives a farmer something to listen to, even when they’re tackling dirty or dusty jobs where they’d rather not take other devices.
8. Safety Glasses/Goggles
The farmer in your life might already have safety glasses or goggles to protect their eyes. But are they scratch-resistant with UV protection and an anti-glare coating? A quality pair of safety glasses/goggles (or even just a new pair that isn’t scratched up from riding around in pockets) makes a nice stocking stuffer.
9. Pruning Shears
Do you know a farmer who’s using regular household scissors to dead-head flowers and perform other trimming around their garden? Increase their cutting power and make their life a little easier with a pair of bypass pruning shears.
10. Watering Wand
A watering wand is awesome when watering garden beds. You can easily control the intensity of the spray, and opting for a wand that’s a few feet long makes it possible to water underneath large plants without bending down (though a long wand might stick out of the stocking a bit).
Merry Christmas!
