pitchfork

A pitchfork is a farming implement with a long wooden or composite handle attached to a multi-tined head used for lifting and pitching loose materials such as hay, straw, or silage. The head usually consists of two to four long, slightly curved metal tines, though some traditional or specialized versions have more. Handles commonly range from about three to five feet in length.

Pitchforks are used to move windrows of hay, manure, compost, or straw onto a wagon or pile. They serve as lightweight lifting tools for seasonal farm tasks and in gardening for turning piles of compost or tidying litter on the ground. They are not digging tools; improper use can cause back strain or puncture injuries, so users wear gloves and keep others clear of the tines when swinging the tool.

Historically, pitchforks have appeared in agrarian communities since medieval times and vary by region in tine count and head shape. In art and literature they have been depicted as symbols of rural labor and, in Western iconography, as folk or demonic emblems.

The term pitchfork also appears in popular culture as the name of a music publication, Pitchfork, founded in the 1990s, known for online reviews and features covering indie and mainstream music.