To manage the homestead takes a variety of tools and equipment.  Sure, you have the obvious, shovels, hammers, rakes, but there are surprisingly manifold others with which you may want to become familiar.  You do not necessarily need everything at the start.  Think about and plan your projects and the needed items will be identified.  Or, wait until Father's Day and buy the discounted package deal like we did.

Shovels:  I have found three that are my go-to: a standard spade (the curved one), a flat spade (yup, it's flat), and a regular handle small spade (also curved).  In case you don't know, the standard spade is designed to dig holes and rough trenches.  Fairly straight forward.  If you can only get one shovel, this is it and get a good one.  The flat spade is designed for filling holes, cutting straight trenches and smoothing uneven ground.  The small spade is great at dealing with small holes, PVC trenches, posts, and the list goes on.  Definitely get one of each.

Rakes.  A leaf rake for obvious reasons and a garden rake for less obvious reasons.  I use the garden rake exclusively for pouring cement.

Hoses.  Oh my the hoses.  Until you install your irrigation system(s) you will need a lot of hose.  I would suggest no less than 3/4" at 100' each.  Also, shut off valves at each connection, just trust me on this, and many many quick connects.  Again, trust me on this.  Don't chintz on this, get brass.  You may find as we did that you will also want splitters.  Full flow options are best.

A pickaxe, though optional, is handy to have when the soil does not want to allow a shovel to pass.

Folks, this is where we write your birthday wish list:

• Hammer; I use a 22 oz straight claw framing hammer
• Phillip's and flat head screwdriver
• Hacksaw with 18T - 24T blades
• A 1/4 inch ratcheting replaceable bit screwdriver. This thing is awesome
• A flat pry bar, so many uses
• Cat's claw nail and staple puller
• Lots of "C" clamps in a variety of sizes including the big 6-inch ones
• A pocket hole jig
• Several tape measures. One will malfunction every few months, it just will.
• A good laser measurer and laser level. Make sure you can see them outside; I made this mistake. The laser will be difficult to see regardless of beam color, but I cannot read the measurer. Black text on a "white" background works, mine is not that one.
• Levels. Torpedo, 2-foot, 4-foot and a post and pipe level are my most commonly used. I have others, but these are what I use.
• Speed squares. At least the standard 7" size and the big 12". The 3" might also prove handy.
• Lots of carpenter's pencils
• Utility knife and a stack of blades
• Wire cutter
• Channel locks, large and small
• Metal cutting sheers.  These look like scissors with one blade serrated.  Great for hardware cloth and chicken wire.
• A 4-foot straight edge. You can go bigger, but not smaller. Plywood and sheet rock are four feet wide remember.
• And finally, Lots and lots and lots of screws (1-1/4", 1-5/8", 2-1/2", 3" and a few 4"), nail gun nails (ensure they fit your nail gun), palm nailer nails, brads, fencing staples, staple gun staples (I like the 9/16, goes deep and holds well) and self-sealing roofing screws.