Our Story
Invented by a Gardener...
The Royal Weeder’s inventor is Fred Marken. Fred believes in small, family-owned businesses. He likes to produce things that people can really use. After retiring from the organic food industry, Fred moved to a farm in the northern California foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains. There, he had more time to spend in his garden —
a large vegetable patch and rows of flowers.
He liked the results, but he dreaded the weeding.
Fred wanted to take the pain out of weeding
“I hauled around a small gas tiller, but it was a nuisance. It was difficult in between the rows and especially hard to get in between the plants,” says Fred. “There was just no way get in those small places.” Plus, Fred’s knees, shoulders and back were starting to ache from all the bending, pulling and hauling. “I thought: Why can’t I just have one, small tiller that would go on a rod with a battery? Why doesn’t somebody come up with that? So I decided to build a weeder that fit my needs — cordless and lightweight, yet powerful enough to get the job done."
The Royal Weeder – the solution to Fred’s problem
Fred’s shop is an old barn built in the early 1840s, on what was once a 3,000-acre cattle ranch. It’s full of equipment, vehicles and piles of mechanical parts. “It’s a peacful, quiet place that allows your mind to create and solve design issues,” says the inventor.
...and Built in a Barn
Fred started to craft his vision for a cordless tiller into reality on a workbench in his old barn. He fitted an extension rod with a comfortable, easy-grip handle that could hold a small rechargeable battery. Then he collaborated with a metalworker in Ashland, Oregon to design a custom, star-shaped blade that carefully tills tiny weeds out of small spaces without disturbing flowers and vegetables.
Once the blade was designed, Fred tried several motors to find the optimal speed. After a few go-rounds, he found that 200-220 rpm was the perfect speed for constant, mellow tilling. Fred started to share his invention with fellow gardeners. They were all very excited to use this innovative and efficient tool. After a few more months of research and development, Fred decided to manufacture and market the Royal Weeder. His hope is that gardeners everywhere will benefit from this cordless, lightweight tiller.
"I decided to build a weeder that fit my needs — cordless and lightweight, yet powerful enough to get the job done."