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.
Re: [Homestead] A New Addition to the House
, (continued)