Scottish Scything Festival 27 July 2019

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
Nice find :)
If you've no objections I'll add the link to the other thread.

Are you going to the scything festival ? It's one of those skills that used to be so ubiquitous but so rarely seen now. My Grandpa used to cut his lawns with a scythe and it was a quicker neater job than the old push lawnmower.

M
 

Nomad64

Full Member
Nov 21, 2015
1,072
593
UK
Nice find :)
If you've no objections I'll add the link to the other thread.

Are you going to the scything festival ? It's one of those skills that used to be so ubiquitous but so rarely seen now. My Grandpa used to cut his lawns with a scythe and it was a quicker neater job than the old push lawnmower.

M

A bit far for me to travel - I hope to get to the meet in Somerset next year.

Scything is one of those rural skills which is making a comeback although the scythe of choice now is the “Austrian scythe”, which is much lighter and with a finer blade. Skill is more important than brute force although Aidan Turner’s muscular but laughably ineffective efforts on Poldark are credited with some of the increase in popularity.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-32117877

I did a scything course a while back with these guys who despite the title are not God botherers but interested in using traditional methods of maintaining old burial grounds as wildlife sanctuaries - as they have not been, grazed, ploughed or fertilised (other than with the obvious!), they often contain seed banks of species lost in the surrounding agricultural land.

https://www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk/

My skills with the traditional Anglo-American style scythe (a barn find :)) are rustic to say the least but for clearing, nettles, thistles, bracken (I know bruising is better than cutting but a scythe is quicker) and long grass, it is no slower than a brush cutter and a lot easier on the ears. I have also made some hay using a scythe. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Toddy

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE