one-day course

scything

venue: Hackney City Farm, London

We’re on a mission to get you to swap your lawnmower or strimmer for a scythe – just as effective, but quieter, cheaper, no pollution, and excellent exercise.

The course is run by Simon Fairlie of Chapter 7.

Scything an acre of hay is probably less hassle than maintaining and using a motor-scythe. Scything a lawn is about as quick as using a small motor mower, and you can mow any length of grass, in any weather (except snow). In horticulture, they are the quickest tool to use if weeds are outpacing your crops, and to keep peripheral weeds at bay. They are ideal for green manure and no-dig systems using clover or other ground cover as mulch. In agriculture they can be used for reaping grains and destroying GM crops.

As Levin says to his brother after a day's scything in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina: ‘You can't imagine what an effectual remedy it is for every sort of foolishness.’

The course will cover:

  • history, role and purpose of scythes
  • selecting the right blade and snath (handle) for the job, or making best use of what you've got
  • setting up a scythe and snath
  • peening with a jig, and and introduction to freehand peening with hammer and anvil (see picture)
  • sharpening
  • mowing technique
  • how to avoid damaging the blade, and how to repair chips and cracks
  • managing grassland with scything in mind

We use Austrian scythes - the blades are recognized around the world as being of the highest quality. They are lighter, nimbler, more elegantly formed and easier for the novice to sharpen, yet no more expensive than traditional English scythes. However if you have an English / American style scythe we can advise you how to set it up.

Please bring your scythe if you have one, or the blade without the snath. If you don't, it doesn’t matter, we will provide blades to practice peening, sharpening and mowing with. If you wish to buy a scythe, contact us in advance.

more on scything


how to book:
  

if you can't open the booking form, you need Acrobat Reader - it's free
arrive:
  
around 9.30 for a 10am prompt start
depart:
  
after the course finishes at 5pm
directions:
  
click here for a map and directions to Hackney City Farm
what to bring:
  
work / waterproof clothes; if you use reading glasses, you will need them; pen and notebook; packed lunch (if you're not using the cafe)
let us know:
  
if you have any special needs
price:
  
£60
lunch:
  
bring a packed lunch or you can get lunch at the cafe
discounts:
 
car sharing:
  
visit our car sharing forum to offer or request a lift
 

 

 

 


a group of happy course participants about to go home and put their lawnmowers on eBay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Simon is peening a scythe blade freehand - flattening the blade to a very fine edge by cold-forging

 

 

 



 

 

 

 


once you have learnt how to sharpen and use an Austrian scythe properly, mowing a meadow by hand becomes a joy, rather than a struggle