Make a Harvesting Tote from The Backyard Homestead Book of Building Projects

An easy-to-build carryall every busy gardener will love!

Project photo © Tom Thulen. All rights reserved.

You can use this multipurpose tote for ferrying tools into the garden or woods and for carrying berries, vegetables, and mushrooms back out. It’s lightweight and easy to sling over one shoulder so that both hands are free for carrying or picking. And it’s large enough to hold a wide array of hand tools, kneeling pads, gloves, and foods you’ve plucked along the way.

Accessorizing your tote
You can accessorize your tote according to how you intend to use it. A few options:

• Add a bicycle water bottle in its cage to one end so you can quench your thirst during long forays into the garden, fields, or woods.
• Install additional dividers for more sorting options, or, if you need one big compartment, eliminate the center divider completely; just be sure to replace it with a small cross-brace to help support the sides.
• Drill holes in the bottom to allow air to circulate and moisture to drain if you’re using the tote for picking berries or mushrooms.

Materials

• One 40" pine 1x8
• One 18" pine 1x6
• One piece ⅜" plywood, 25" x 18" minimum
• Exterior glue
• 6d galvanized box nails
• 3d galvanized box nails 
• Two leather or nylon straps or belts
• ¾" inch screws
• Four 1" machine bolts with washers (two for each bolt) and cap nuts

Download full project instructions

Project excerpted from The Backyard Homestead Book of Building Projects © 2014 by Spike Carlsen. Project photo © Tom Thulen. All rights reserved.