How to Get Thistles Out of Pasture / Scythe Handle Sizing - FHC Q & A

[@k.d.8924]

I grew up around Clinton, AR, and used to drive past one field with a camel. Turns out the farmer had a terrible crop of blackberry briars and thistles, so he got himself a camel. that one camel cleared out every thistle and bramble on the place. And to sweeten the deal the farmer rented him to several local churches for their nativity scenes. Turned out to be a very valuable animal.

[@stephenrice4554]

That farmer was worth listening to

[@northwesternhomemaker-dx9eq]

My husband and I are in our mid 40s. We worry we might be too old to start our dream farmstead but we are still gonna try. We love watching your videos and find them very helpful!

[@mgreene939]

I love these types of videos where you are talking and teaching!

[@cuban9splat]

I had no idea the scythe was such a versatile tool. Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge with us.

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Thanks for sharing with us Pa Mac. Great information and spot on about the different sizes so the children were able to help in the fields too. The children wanted to be with Ma and Pa and they wanted to use the tools so the tools were made to fit the kids too. Stay safe and keep up the great videos and fun you share. Fred.

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

I’ve got some bones to pick once I’m on the other side of the pearly gates. One of them is, why are all the beautiful things covered in thorns?🤗❤️🐝

[@Ham68229]

We've been told by our local county, spray or mow the thistle before you see the seed pods. Wrong. We've tried spraying, it does work but, that plant still comes back every other year. Mowing, does no good, as you said, you're just spreading seeds. We just dig them up, only way to get rid of them but, then again, if you're neighboring county does nothing along their roadsides, hard to take care of your problems. Hahaha. Great video as always, cheers :)

[@subdrvr]

Scythe makers do make them in several lengths and usually are custom to your body. There are at least two makers here in the states. I learned about them from Julianne at her KZbin channel “dirtpatch heaven.“ she had one made for her and uses it to feed her goats.

[@kevchard5214]

Pa Mac some varieties of thistle are eatable. I grew up in south Louisiana and as kids really looked forward to thistle season so we could eat them. We would peal them lie celery, cut them into circles and soak them in vinegar, salt and pepper. This was a great treat that tasted like a mild celery but sweeter.

[@Dailyfreedomfighter7788]

Good Morning Pa Mac! Thanks for the new video

[@SaintCoemgen]

I lived in Switzerland for many years. And the Swiss used a root puller to remove thistle. I watched them walk their properties and removed ever thistle, no matter how tiny, with prejudice. They had the most lovely pastures you can imagine. I now live in Hungary, and some pastures here are full of thistle. Go figure. Different concepts. Different world.

[@MarkWYoung-ky4uc]

Hi Pa Mac! Sometime could you do a video on farm sleds or "slides" as we called them here in North Carolina.

[@rawbacon]

The National Flower of Scotland.

[@douglasvantassel8098]

Great video, thank you so much for making these.

[@Poppy_love59]

Wow just found out Pa Mac talks !

[@dallasmandy]

My Grandpa always said smaller stuff is what survived since it didn't get used as much. It just hung out in the barn, the attic, a trunk...

[@grizz2702]

For the thistles that pop up here I put a plastic bag over them before digging up ...can't burn them in the summer gotta wait till fall and they can still flower after being dug up

[@EthanPDobbins]

European scythe gang here to beat norman up. Lemme at him! After trying my first european scythe this summer ive decided that old american style my grandpa gave me that I loved so much is basically a machete on a baseball bat by comparison. Like swinging a club. Though i'll keep it around for mowing up in the pasture where im likely to hit a rock. Really loving the European for cutting the grass in the yard. Feels like it takes no effort at all.

[@donaldgarmon7368]

Great thoughts! Thank You!

[@LittleCountryCabin]

Oops I don’t see the link for the video you mentioned😅

[@farmhandscompanion]

It's in the description below the video; or here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqHal4Sbaqp-a5o

[@quakerblacksmith1818]

I have recently discovered your channel. Thank you for sharing all the practical knowledge. Thanks to you, scything has become a genuinely enjoyable activity over the past couple of weeks. I'm a little late to the discussion, but I'm wondering if you have any thoughts on setting up a scythe for a very tall person. I'm 6'5" and setting the upper nib properly would put it a couple inches past the end of the snath. I've found that they are not designed to clamp down on thin air. Would you try to extend the snath? Alternatively, I've been considering making a European style snath to fit my height.

[@farmhandscompanion]

Yes, quakerblacksmith1818, if I were in your shoes I'd attempt makin' my own snath. I might experiment with a straight one, but also look for a small sapling of about the correct diameter and try bendin' it green and holdin' it in place for a while as it dries and cures. Then peel the bark off and attach the appropriate hardware.

[@quakerblacksmith1818]

Thanks for the rapid response. I think I will try a few options and evaluate which one works best.

[@stacihill2528]

Hogs love thistles! I go around, digging them up and throwing them to the Hog‘s. They will be gone by morning. I don’t know how they eat them😮. Also, my Jack donkey loves thistles as well. He is in a good pasture with minerals but he will go to the thistles, paw them up, then eat the soft inner stem down to the root. His pasture has no thistles. Now if I could keep him from doing the same thing to the livestock in the other pastures, he could have free range of the place to eat thistles to his hearts content.

[@farmhandscompanion]

I'll have to borrow Wendell (not Coffman).

[@TheRedneckprepper]

TY

[@MsHomesteader]

Will you post the link to the channel you mentioned, thank you.

[@farmhandscompanion]

Done: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqHal4Sbaqp-a5o

[@jaybird4610]

My donkeys love the thistles

[@T-K-OH]

Does anyone make American scythes anymore? All I can find is Austrian/european scythes. Where do you get new American blades for the scythes? Thanks.

[@RichardHeadGaming]

On a farm the kids work the farm from the time they can walk lol.

[@Join.The.Partee]

Great video! Thanks for adding my comment to your outdo! 😂

[@dannygoin6552]

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🥃🥃🥃👍👍👍🍻🍻🍻☕️☕️☕️👀👀👀🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@MichaelwPotts]

i trash bag the top, pickaxe it out.