What Is A Trug?
So, What is a Trug?
The word Trug is a derivation of the word Trough and was originally used for measuring grain and seed volume, hence the variation of sizes. As mechanical scales eventually replaced the the trug as a tool of measurement, the trugs were then utilised as a basket for carrying garden produce and hand tools. In a recent nationwide survey by a popular gardening magazine, the Sussex trug was voted the fifth most essential gardening accessory.
A trug is a wooden basket crafted in East Sussex, (hence ‘Sussex Trug’) where generations of makers worked within just a few miles of one another. Traditionally using willow and chestnut, but for fifty years birch has become popular for its longevity as it's far less susceptable to rotting and not being cavier to woodworm.
The Trug, a Heritage Tool with Modern Uses
Trugs were originally used on farms to measure seed and feed. With mechanisation and accurate scales, they disappeared from agriculture but found new life in the garden. Today they are treasured for carrying fruit, vegetables, flowers and more, from allotment or garden to kitchen. Their versatility has made them an essential accessory for gardeners and beyond.
Trugs Are Treasured
Among all the tools in a gardener’s shed, the trug holds a special place. Many become heirlooms, passed down through families. I am often asked to repair trugs that can be 30 or 40 years old, brought in with stories like: “This was my grandad’s trug; I really want to keep using it.”
Even though repairing a trug often takes longer than making a new one, the joy of restoring a family treasure makes it so worthwhile, so out of respect for its history, I charge far less for the repair than the buying of a new one.
So often when talking on the phone, I am asked what I do, when I reply: “I am a trugmaker,” frequently, the next question is: “What’s a trug?” When I begin to describe a trug, almost instantly their response is, “Oh yes, I’ve seen them in garden centres!” (which in fact is rarely true, as garden centres tend to stock very poor quality ‘trugs’ held together with staples, not copper nails).