Every year I mow a labyrinth into the top hay field for Summer Solstice. Here is the one I mowed last year.
The labyrinth is useful in that it gives people a chance to walk and play right in amongst the flowers WITHOUT trampling our valuable hay crop. Our children have been raised with the idea that unmown grass is sacrosanct and wouldn’t dream of running through it (you wouldn’t trample a wheat crop would you?). Other children (and adults!) have not been raised with these ideas and trampled grass is much harder to mow.
When researching ideas for this years labyrinth I came across the concept of a meander. These are repeating geometric patterns, related to labyrinths. Inspired, I went off for a meander, scythe in hand, in the hay meadow yesterday morning.
The result is quite different from previous offerings but I hope it will be enjoyed none the less. Mowing paths through standing grass like this is a little tricky as there isn’t a neat place for your windrow of cut grass to fall. Usually you would arrange your mowing such that the grass fell onto the area previously mown by the scythe.
While I was in the field, Phil was tidying up around the barn ahead of this weekend’s event, including trimming in the willow sculpture and around the fire pit.
As well as meandering in the meadow, we will be setting up a moth trap and using bat detectors as part of a solstice camp. More details can be found on Dyfed Permaculture Farm Trust website.