It is a friend to soil, to make more of the point. It is a friend to organic gardeners and people wanting to run a petroleum free small farm. it can do some things that small tractors cannot, which is to break up the deep soil structure. It has five to eight tines that are thick steel and insert into the ground like a spading fork. It is basically a huge spading fork with two handles and a steel bar teh operator can stand on. It is pushed back and it will loosen and aerate the soil. It is like tilling the ground to 18 inches, but the soil levels are not mixed. It kills few worms and basically preserves the soil ecology. It is big enough to process several square meters in an hour. This assumes the sod level has already been hoed or tilled out of the way. The broad fork basically finishes the job by breaking the deep soil so it can be raked or planted directly. Broadforking will give roots a deeper run without obstruction. Water will penetrate deeper into soil when it rains. It is perfect for root crop and also getting the ground to retain more water. Nutrients and organic matter sifts into the soil more rapidly. It is an excellent tool in any garden but can make the difference in a semiarid environment. It also makes a hug impression when you poke someone's butt with one. They will turn around and give you the most unbelievable look.
It is, but you've got to be able to push it into the soil in question. I live in an area that's clay and rock, known for poor fertility and very low Ca levels. At this time of year it's hardened and is even more difficult to penetrate. I've been forced to work with a tiller, but it's ok because I focus on building and maintaining the soil food web. I have one patch that I've been working for a year only, and the difference already is amazing. But, since it can't really be forked I've just been building the soil UP, instead of down.
