This enjoyable piece on the Austrian scythe and hand hay making featured on Countryfile last night, with prominent UK scythers Andi Rickard and Simon Fairlie. Countryfile – Meadows – The scything starts at 30.35. The linking shot from the previous piece looks like it could have been filmed over our meadows! Matt Baker asks Simon if his scything is better than Poldark’s (you just can’t … Continue reading Scything on Countryfile
“Poldarking” is one of the latest words to have entered the scything lexicon. No, it’s not mowing with your top off. Rather, it refers to that style of mowing that seems to be more akin to golf then scything. You know the one, the scythe rises into the air to the right of the mower, sometimes several feet, then swings down fast and hard, cuts … Continue reading Poldarking vs Mowing with Ease
A week ago, fellow Scythe Association. member Chris Riley posted a link to an interesting article on the history of the Phoenix works on the group list. Like Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet, Phoenix works was based in the Sheffield area and were manufacturers of English scythe blades and sickles. The article is fascinating and can be read in full here. One of the best bits of … Continue reading Phoenix Works – How to use an English Scythe
“Dozens of people will be whipping out their scythes and ripping off their shirts for a spot of “Poldarking” in Cambridgeshire this weekend.” says this BBC article They are referring to the Eastern Counties Scythe Festivalat Wimpole, that happened this weekend. Phil couldn’t make it this year but here is a great picture of him mowing at the festival last year. Mowing at Wimpole 2014 … Continue reading “Poldarking” in Cambridgeshire
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
Poldark continues to create interest in the scything world! Here is fellow SABI member Chris Riley being interviewed on Farming Today, BBC Radio 4, broadcast yesterday morning. The interviewer asks his opinion on Poldark’s mowing and then all about the Austrian scythe.
We don’t have a TV, so I haven’t seen the programme, but there certainly seems to be plenty of interest in Poldark and his scythe.