Scything

I'm going to pop down to my scythe supplier Simon Fairlie to pick up a new blade today, which seems like a good excuse to eulogize scything. For the size of meadow areas I have at home the scythe is an ideal tool, as against a strimmer or sit on. Its advantages are clear: Economic: no servicing and repair charges, no petrol or oil, no strimmer cords. Reliability: there's little that can go wrong - apart from the scyther! Environmentally friendly: not only the obvious - no racket and no emissions - but a scythe won't chew up any wildlife in the sward. Enjoyment: a sense of satisfaction in mastering a manual skill Getting fit I've enjoyed learning how to do it too, and we urge anyone who buys a scythe kit to go on a course like the one I did. As an introduction, enjoy this delightful video produced by keen scyther Richard Brown of Emorsgate Seeds. If you decide to go scything do get the right kit with the right bits and pieces. We sell the elegant Austrian type Richard is using in the video, which the experts agree is the best available, with different sized snaths (handles) depending on your height. You'll also need advice on the length of blade to get and what you'll need to maintain it; it's probably best to get the sort of complete starter kit we have.