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  • From: SJC <indexer AT localnet.com>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Homestead] Scythes and scything
  • Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:57:29 -0500

I use a scythe as my main green-cutting tool; it's not as much of a sacrifice as it might sound. I no longer have goats, but was easily able to keep 6 goats in hay with the scythe, and since I live in Maine, our hay-feeding 'season' is long....it is a good tool for marginal hay areas (my hay area is definitely marginal: rocks and springs....) because one can easily go in and take out an area just a few hundred feet across which is out of 'synch' so far as the neighboring plants go, and not be driving over, etc, other areas; it's also good for steepish areas although they are a bit trickier to do. I first used it because of the difficulty getting a tractor and baler back into that area but soon became addicted to the quiet rhythm of using it, and the fact that one is is the field very early in the day (turgidity counts with a scythe!) which is when I prefer to work outside. It really doesn't take long to learn and is such very pleasant work that I now can't imagine giving it up; last year I took several wagonsful of hay out of there even though I no long had my goats.

I've also used it for the last several years to keep up the yard and garden. I mow about a quarter of an acre around the house here, mostly to keep down the weeds and mosquito population as well as making it more pleasant to get to clothesline, outhouse, etc. I also keep up along fencerows, around the beehives, etc, with it when needed. It's all easy work, and, partly since the yard is on relatively steep hill and there are many 'edges' (fences, drive, paths to chicken house, root cellar and gardens, etc) I can actually mow just as fast with the scythe as I could with the mower when it still lived. I can easily cut it as short and as even as I like; in fact, I don't think it was any more even with the mower (and if anyone else has they haven't mentioned it), but then I'm not into looking that hard, I guess.
I also find it much the easiest way to mow in an orchard, and way easier along rock walls and fences, both of which are here.

I use both a 'ditch' blade (shortish, stout), and a 'grass' blade (longer, thinner, more curve). The ditch blade I use at the edge of the woods for small saplings and brush and up again rock walls, esp in the spring when winter has brought up a new crop of rocks, but for everything else I use the grass blade. They come very long, but I'm a short stubby old lady now; mine is 28" and that's a good length for me. I can still cover some ground. I used to use a 32" blade in the hayfield but lost that one in the fire. I have and use only one snath now (other one was in the shed against the house and burned; I've never replaced it), but it's only a 5 minute job to change and set blades.

I crushed 3 vertebrae and broke a hip (fell, ice) last year and my worst fear was that it would interfere with using the scythe, but I did fine, even after that, and furthermore, it was good exercise when I really couldn't get much other in....I hate exercise just for the sake of it; I want to see some result, so was glad for the scythe at the time.....

If any of you have ever been to the MOFGA grounds, that whole 'ampitheater' area is kept up by scythe. In June we have a group sycthing--whoever wants to help (or learn to use a scythe) shows up, and we cut the whole thing in a couple of hours, including the steep sides. That cutting is usually put up to dry in outdoor, eastern European-style haystacks so folks can learn how to make those. That happens on Small Farm Field Day, usually the first full weekend in June, although I haven't heard about the date this year. I teach something there every year, so sure I'll hear something soon! Just went to the MOFGA site and looked but still have last year's info there, although except for date and some minor change in offerings, won't be much different. You may have something similar in your area where you could go and talk to folks and try out their gear for a while to familiarize yourself......or come to Maine on a nice spring weekend.....anyone near enough for that is welcome! http://mofga.org/Default.aspx?tabid=302, for the curious.

My stuff came from Scythe Supply, back when Elliot Fishbein was still living, but I know folks in the south who use Marugg (Marugg seems to change owners every so often but as far as I know they've all had the same line of goods, in SE TN somewhere) and are happy with those blades, just make sure you're getting the right stuff (you want the Austrian blades, and the snath sized right) in the beginning and you'll be well rewarded with many pleasant hours outdoors.....You could look for a book called I think The Scythe Book by David Tresemer, I think it is; the first part is mostly history but Peter Vido, a Canadian (whose 8 year old daughter could cut hay a LOT faster than I several years ago, the little rascal cut in competitions!) wrote an addendum to the current edition that deals with peening, etc, that's useful.

So have fun lookin' up your scythe.

Susan Jane, in Maine, where it snowed 9" yesterday and this AM and is snowing again, with 'plowable' snow expected again on Sat.....no scythe for me for a while.






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