You’ve heard the old saying, “The kitchen is the heart of the home.” For farmers, the shop may just be the heart of the farm. Farm shops are a busy place on farms as they serve many purposes.
Equipment Repair – Inside every farm shop you can find a tool storage area, a toolbox, and a workbench. The workbench is where small repairs are made. Near the workbench you can find the tool area. The tool area may include tools passed down through generations. These tools have been well-used from years of hard work. Shop tools range in size and shape depending on their use. Most tools are located in a centralized area of the shop or in moveable tool boxes for quick access.
Machinery Storage – Many farm shops are incorporated into machine sheds, which serve as storage for farm equipment. These large sheds are built to house farm equipment such as tractors, semis, and combines. They may have either a concrete or gravel floor. Most have roofs and siding made of metal. Equipment in the farm shop or shed is often organized so that the next implement needed for field work is easiest to access. Farmers have a talent of making everything fit perfectly into their shop.
Gathering Place – In many farm shops you will find an old chair or two awaiting the next visitor: the neighbor who stops by to talk about the weather, a friend who helps repair the planter, or the family member who drops in to bring a meal and a smile to their farmer. If shop walls could talk they would have countless stories to tell!