Jean-Martin Fortier's first book established the philosophy and economics of small-scale intensive market gardening. This companion volume addresses a specific question raised by that book: which tools, exactly, and how do you use them? The answer is more important — and more interesting — than it sounds.
Tools as Philosophy
Fortier’s tool selection is an expression of his entire farming approach. He uses no tractor, no rototiller, no large machinery. Instead, a curated set of hand tools — the broadfork for deep aeration, the stirrup hoe for weed management, the paper pot transplanter for fast, precise transplanting — allow him to cultivate at high intensity without disturbing soil biology.
Each tool is presented with its specific application, the technique for using it effectively, and the reasoning for choosing it over mechanised alternatives. This is not just a catalogue; it is an argument that the right hand tools, well chosen and well used, are more efficient per square foot than any machine in a system optimised for small-scale intensive production.
The Paper Pot Revolution
The most transformative tool in the book is the paper pot transplanter — a Japanese-designed system that transplants seedlings in paper chains at high speed, making mass transplanting feasible without mechanisation. Fortier’s adoption of this tool has been widely replicated in the market gardening community and represents a genuine breakthrough in small-scale production efficiency.
The right tool for the job is not the most powerful tool available. It is the tool that fits the scale and the biology of what you are doing.
— Jean-Martin Fortier, The Market Gardener's Toolkit
6 Key Ideas From This Book
Choosing a broadfork over a rototiller is not just a practical decision — it is a statement about what kind of farming system you are building. The tools you choose determine what is possible and what you will inadvertently destroy.
A broadfork aerates soil to 10-12 inches without inverting it or disrupting fungal networks. Used annually on permanent beds, it maintains the structure and biology that allows deep root penetration and excellent water infiltration.
Precision seeders — the Earthway, the Pinpoint, the Paper Pot system — allow exact spacing, depth, and seed placement that produces more uniform germination and better-utilised bed space. The yield difference between precise and imprecise seeding is substantial.
Lightweight row cover (reemay/agribon) extends the growing season at both ends, protects from insect pressure, and creates a warmer microclimate that accelerates germination and growth. For small-scale growers, it is one of the highest-leverage investments available.
Fortier advocates buying the best quality tools available, once, rather than replacing cheap tools repeatedly. The economic and practical case is strong: a well-made broadfork will outlast five cheap ones and perform better throughout its life.
The right tools don't just make individual tasks easier — they enable efficient workflows. The paper pot transplanter, for example, doesn't just transplant faster; it enables a succession planting system that would be logistically impractical with conventional hand transplanting.
Any Weaknesses?
The book is narrow in scope — it covers tools, not the full farming system — and readers who haven’t read The Market Gardener first will lack the context to fully appreciate many of the recommendations.
Some of the tools are specific to North American suppliers and may not be available in other markets. The underlying principles transfer; the specific product recommendations may not.
Market gardeners who have read *The Market Gardener* and are setting up or refining their tool selection — specifically, practitioners who want to understand why Fortier chooses each tool rather than just what to buy.
The Market Gardener by Jean-Martin Fortier for the full farming system this toolkit serves, and Teaming with Microbes by Jeff Lowenfels to understand why the soil-biology-preserving tools in this book matter so much.
Tool designers and agricultural equipment innovators. Fortier's description of the gaps in available small-scale tools is a product brief for the next generation of market garden equipment.
Read this alongside *The Market Gardener*, not instead of it. As a standalone book it is useful but incomplete; as a companion it is excellent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Market Gardener worth reading?
The Market Gardener's Toolkit is a focused, practical complement to Fortier's first book that will save working market gardeners real money and real time. Read in context it is excellent; as a standalone, slightly limited. Essential for the biointensive farming shelf.
Who should read The Market Gardener?
Market gardeners who have read The Market Gardener and are setting up or refining their tool selection — specifically, practitioners who want to understand why Fortier chooses each tool rather than just what to buy.
What is The Market Gardener about in one sentence?
Jean-Martin Fortier's first book established the philosophy and economics of small-scale intensive market gardening.
The Verdict
*The Market Gardener's Toolkit* is a focused, practical complement to Fortier's first book that will save working market gardeners real money and real time. Read in context it is excellent; as a standalone, slightly limited. Essential for the biointensive farming shelf.
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