Garden Contraptions and How to Make Them (Zine)

Garden Contraptions and How to Make Them is a clever, hands-on guide to building practical garden tools and structures using simple materials and timeless ingenuity.

Published by Microcosm Publishing, this zine adapts ideas from Rolfe Cobleigh’s early-20th-century classic Handy Farm Devices and How to Make Them into a compact, accessible format for modern gardeners. It features a collection of instructions for crafting ingenious devices—many made with materials you may already have on hand.

Projects range from surveying land and constructing greenhouses to trellising grapes, building bridges, and solving everyday garden challenges. Along the way, Cobleigh’s amusingly frank style shines through, complete with charming aphorisms like “Love thy neighbor, yet pull not down thy hedge.” Original illustrations bring the instructions to life while preserving the spirit of the original work.

A delightful resource for gardeners, homesteaders, DIY enthusiasts, and anyone who enjoys practical problem-solving rooted in history, creativity, and hands-on making.