The name comes from the Zeeland dialect of the word “schraal,” which means “meager” or “thin”—a reference to the long, thin rod that connects the blade to the handle. The schrepel is a quintessentially Dutch tool developed in the 19th century in the province of Zeeland for the labor-intensive task of thinning sugar beets. The schrepel has an asymmetrical design to enhance precision while working and resembles a scaled-down version of a hoe. The schrepel is available in left- and right-handed versions, with a choice of an ash or cherry wood handle and a blade width ranging from 8 to 14 cm.
Piet Oudolf’s favorite tool.
