10 Christmas gift ideas for farmers (and their families)

Due to the nature of their jobs, farmers are almost always fixing things on the go and therefore, a handy multi-tool that’s portable and versatile is a must-have item in their pockets.

Leatherman multi-tools are a perennial favourite, but what makes the Wave Plus a bit special is its replaceable wire-cutter inserts for each jaw. That's in addition to the plethora of tools that come with it including needle-nose pliers, regular pliers, electrical crimper, wire stripper, 737mm knife, serrated knife, saw, spring-action scissors, 19cm ruler, can opener, bottle opener, wood/metal file, diamond-coated file, large-bit driver, small-bit driver and medium screwdriver.

The Wave Plus is available in either stainless steel or, for a $10 premium, with a black oxide powder-based coating. Both models can be engraved for an extra $10.

Price: $219.95 (stainless); $229.95 (black)

More information / where to buy: leatherman.com.au

The Year of the Farmer, by Rosalie Ham

This entertaining new comi-tragic novel by Rosalie Ham, the bestselling author of The Dressmaker, has variously been described as "darkly satirical", "Australian Gothic" and a "revenge fantasy".

When Neralie Mackintosh left a country NSW town, her ex, Mitchell Bishop, married the scheming Mandy Bishop who now lords it over the town. Neralie has now returned to run the local pub and most people are happy – but not Mandy. Their feud is not the only one in town – we have Townies versus Farmers, Ferals versus Riparians, and everyone against a corrupt local Water Authority Board.

"What is most striking about The Year of the Farmer is how timely a novel it is, offering as it does an insight into the predicament of those who live on the land, their fates a hostage not just to the fortunes of nature but also to the narrow-minded and self-serving interests of government," The Australian said of the novel.

Price: $32.99

More information / where to buy: panmcmillan.com.au

While requiring a hefty investment on your behalf, this gift is bound to put a massive smile on the face of the recipient.

DJI’s Phantom workhorse drones have been best-sellers for a while now, and the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 released earlier this year is by far the most advanced of the lot. The two biggest changes over the previous model are that it is quieter (noise has been reduced by 4dB, or 60 per cent) and it now uses OccuSync video transmission technology instead of Lightbridge.

OccuSync supports automatic dual-frequency band switching for clear transmission. Other features of this model are a 30-minute flight time, a 7km control range, a 30m sensor range, the ability to record 4K video at 60fps and five-direction obstacle sensing.

The very cool TapFly feature lets you tap anywhere on the control screen to adjust the direction of flight, while 'Return to Home' enables the drone to automatically choose the best route to fly home while recording its route and avoiding obstacles even if the control signal is disconnected.

If you're looking for a recreational drone instead for a little less money, check out the Spark Controller Combo, which gives you a mini-drone and controller for a recommended retail price of $629. However, as you'd expect, the drone is lower-specced (16-minute flight time and 2km transmission range), but it's still highly sophisticated and records HD video and 12MP still images.

Price: $2399

More information / where to buy: store.dji.com

T-shirts are great Christmas presents – everyone wears them and they're pretty affordable even for kids earning pocket-money from selling eggs or doing odd jobs around the property.

There are plenty of websites selling T-shirts, but Zazzle has caught our eye with some clever designs that aren't as daggy as many out there. The pictured one, "Eat Sleep Farm Repeat", really struck a chord. Another one we spotted had a cattle on it with the words "I herd that", another with "Goats make me happy – You not so much"; and one featuring bees in the shape of a peace sign and saying "Give bees a chance".

They’re available in various sizes for the different members of the family, and also come with a variety of necklines and sleeves. If the taglines don’t float your boat, you can also create personalised T-shirts with your own taglines or pictures of choice printed on them.

By the way, where DO you get the seeds to plant seedless watermelons??

Price: Varies

More information / where to buy: zazzle.com.au

Early starts, late finishes and dark corners are all too familiar to farmers, so they all need a damn good torch. Now, we have nothing against an $8 Eveready Dolphin from Big W, but if you really want to spoil someone then have a look at the Lupine Piko TL Max.

It's small enough to fit in the palm of your hand but unleashes a monster 1500 lumens of light when switched on. In comparison, a bulb-style (not LED) four-D-cell Maglite throws 70 lumens. The Lupine throws that light a good 200m, and its aluminium body can withstand falls from 2m and water to a depth of 2m.

The Piko TL Max has a recommended retail price of $455, though Virtuascape is currently offering it for $100 less.

Price: $455

More information / where to buy: virtuascape.com.au

Spending hours on an ATV in the freezing cold isn't exactly fun, so a set of heated ATV handlebar warmers might be the best Christmas pressie for the farmer in your life.

These Oxford Hotgrips for ATVs have a grip design that fits the vast majority of bikes on the market but can be cut down in size if required.

They also have a ‘foolproof’ wiring loom that makes them easy to fit. They have two temperature settings and Oxford said the drain on your battery is minimal – up to 4 Amp. However, you wouldn’t want to be leaving them on, so there's a bright LED on the switch to remind you to switch them off after use.

The rubber handles are said to provide a good level of grip and vibration absorption as well.

Price: $159.95

More information / where to buy: shop.sydneycitymotorcycles.com.au

For those who cannot get enough of farm animals, this sterling silver bracelet with a heavyweight (and very cute) Highland Cow charm made from sterling silver and hand-wound enamelled copper will delight.

Designed and made by FreshFleeces in the UK, the charm can be bought on its own (about A$157), with a silver swivel clip fastening that can be attached to most bracelet and necklace chains; or with a 19cm silver belcher bracelet (around $227). For the same prices, you can get the charm with a Pandora-style bead fastening for adding to an existing Pandora bracelet, or buy it with a sterling silver Pandora-style bracelet.

FreshFleeces offers free insured worldwide delivery, and the product arrives ready for gifting in a solid black box encased in a sheep-embroidered felt button-close pouch.

Price: From around A$157

More information / where to buy: freshfleeces.com

A good portable generator is a godsend, and this Honda EM30 strikes a nice balance between portability, power and price.

Based on Honda's four-stroke 196cc GX200 engine, it delivers a maximum power output of 3000 watts AC at a quiet 68dB(A), which is about what you'd expect from a vacuum cleaner. The EM30's full rating is 12 Amp/12 Volt DC, maximum 3000W/240 Volt AC, and it will run appliances and charge batteries simultaneously.

It features what Honda calls "Cyclo-converter" technology which gives a reliable electricity supply with minimal sinewave distortion even when there are frequent load fluctuations. According to Honda, it's able to operate for up to six hours on its tank capacity of 10.2 litres.

Honda added the unit is "environmentally friendly with low emissions, less noise and low fuel consumption, and the engine is protected by a low oil alert system". The metal-framed unit has a compact design, so it measures just 440mm x 400mm x 480mm, and weighs 31kg dry.

It comes standard with a four-year domestic and one-year commercial warranty.

Price: $1999

More information / where to buy: powerequipment.honda.com.au

We know some farmers who have used the Swann OutbackCam wireless trail camera to identify what was killing their chooks and also to help track and identify illegal hunters.

It's a smallish (98mm x 77mm x 131mm) stand-alone, motion-activated security camera that takes 12-megapixel still photos and records high-definition 1080p video – with night vision up to 15m. You can turn on information stamping, which records time, date and temperature on a grey bar below the image.

The OutbackCam uses AA batteries and records to an SD memory card, which means you can set it up absolutely anywhere and not worry about power or connectivity. User reviews show that the batteries can last for a month or longer. The durable, water-resistant case has a camouflage coating, so it really is almost invisible unless you're deliberately looking for it.

Price: $169.95

More information / where to buy: swann.com

The little equestrian in your family is sure to love this. This sturdy wooden take-along stable playset comes with eight flocked horses with unique breed markings, each housed in their own stall.

It comes with a breed guide with basic facts about the horses, plus write-on name tags so your kids can name the horses and label the stalls.

This playset is available from a couple of sellers on Amazon. At the time of publishing, you can buy it direct from Amazon US for A$45.99 plus $20.72 shipping ($66.71 total) with delivery before Christmas.

Price: $66.71

More information / where to buy: Amazon.com.au