For the past couple of years I have mowed a labyrinth into the wild flower meadow in the Top Field as part of the Summer Solstice celebration we hold here at the Trust. The children really enjoy it, and were determined there should be another one this year. So, wielding the trusty Austrian Scythe, I went out in the drizzle on Saturday morning to mow. … Continue reading Mowing a Labyrinth
Phil got back from the West Country Scythe Festival last night. He was back out mowing for hay first thing this morning. Essential parts of an early morning mowing kit! Coffee sweetened with honey from our own bees As usual, much fun was had at the scythe festival and during the courses in the run up – teaching, talking, the Scythe Association AGM, scythe displays … Continue reading Back Home and Back Mowing
What unusual hay making weather it has been. The wind has blown from all four quadrants and has now settled in the North. We have had at least two June grass frosts this week, including one last night (emergency fleece has been deployed in the garden to protect tender crops!). Usually when hay making work in the day is hot and rowing up and hauling … Continue reading Frosty Hay Making
We started bringing in hay on Saturday, and bought in more Sunday. With tonight’s hauling, we have quarter of an acre of herb rich hay safe in the barn. Hay spread in the sun. The most recently mown at the top, down to hay ready to cart at the bottom Sat – Rowing up the earliest mown batch ready to bring it in, using the … Continue reading Quarter of an acre in
Here is Phil mowing in the Top Field early yesterday morning. The crop is shorter then usual after a cool spring, although it never grows very long on the majority of this herb rich meadow dominated by Rough Hawkbit (Leontodon hispidus ). We have about quarter of an acre down now, cut in three morning sessions of about an hour each. Phil will mow for … Continue reading Mowing with a Scythe
With rain forecast, we got the May hay up on racks yesterday afternoon and evening. The short mowings from the early cut made for racks that look quite different from our summer “hairy monsters”. A neat little hay rack
We had our first Scythe Course of the season on Saturday. It was a really excellent day. The course was full with participants both local and from further afield. As well as the scythe teaching there was plenty of interesting conversation over lunch and tea breaks, covering scything and grass of course and a wide range of other topics besides. Here’s Phil and I, enjoying … Continue reading May Hay