Scything - Basic Techniques

[@HansQuistorff]

As a massage therapist let me describe it from a muscle standpoint. Scything is the same as walking except when scything you swing the arms a long distance and the feet a very short distance. AS you finish a stroke step forward the width you just cut with the right foot. AS you start the next stroke step forward the width of anticipated stroke with the left foot. The primary muscle of scything is the latissimus dorsa, the muscle that swings the arm back. All the power to cut comes from the left arm with the right supplying control. Trying to pull with the right hand reduces the scissor action mentioned and is very tiering causing a loss of control. now I will get busy editing the promised video on sharpening.

[@HansQuistorff]

This is the sharpen the scythe safely short. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nGWugXp3gtSUjZY

[@edibleacres]

Great notes, thank you!!

[@farmyourbackyard2023]

I learned to walk on the material reading the Little House on the Prairie books!

[@edibleacres]

Neat!

[@mikebarnes8442]

Awesome tutorial. Something I've noticed is cutting grass in the morning with some morning dew seems to really help, I forget the reason ... it also helps when you sharpen the blade to have the blade already wet.

[@dogslobbergardens6606]

I think morning cutting is easier (at least partly) just because the grass is more tender then. Some varieties get very tough in the dry heat of mid-day or the afternoon. I've noticed this a lot just when cutting small amounts by hand for our rabbits. Depending on the variety the difference can be very dramatic. It is always wise to keep the blade or sharpening stone wet. You can use either oil or water but if it's an oil make sure it's food-safe for sharpening garden tools. Pure mineral oil or baby oil will work fine. I typically just use water and with the little pocket-size stone I keep handy, often I just use spit. The slight lubrication keeps the little bits of steel you're grinding off suspended on the surface of the stone, rather than getting pushed into it and clogging up the pores. If the stone is all clogged up, it won't sharpen worth a hoot. The single biggest "rule" for sharpening is to sharpen often. It's just easier to touch up a blade as it starts to get dull, rather than let it get really dull and have to work on it a lot more.

[@mikebarnes8442]

@@dogslobbergardens6606 Great tips, thank you.

[@dogslobbergardens6606]

@@mikebarnes8442 you're very welcome :) Glad to be able to help.

[@edibleacres]

VERY very true.

[@samueldougoud3289]

@@dogslobbergardens6606 Morning cutting is easier (mainly) because the turgidity of the grass is at its peak then. Similarly, cutting lush, very fresh vegetables is easy ; conversely, cutting whithered, droopy ones is more challenging, since the cells of which they are made will then give and "escape" the blade instead of letting it do its work.

[@knighttaylor4272]

Because of you ingenious serenity and desire to be one with good things I will be getting a scythe for my future homestead

[@edibleacres]

So great! I don't think you'll be dissappointed

[@David-kd5mf]

It might be a good idea to try and spread word about attaching a grain stalk hook on shaft of scythe. I didnt know about it when I harvested wheat and the chaotic piles of wheat with grain heads in every direction were troublesome. With a grain hook it lays down the wheat in one direction. Traditionally made with bent hazel shoots in England.

[@edibleacres]

I've seen those, I should check that out.

[@the_kestrelstudios]

Finally received my beautiful Austrian scythe last winter, now going to learn how to use it. Your analogy to scissors as “blade and ground”, is a great visualization for the way my head works. Thanks from Colorado.

[@edibleacres]

Yeah, that visualisation has been helpful for me as well

[@MCSkyMage]

Hi! Nice video, I love the idea of scything and am getting more and more convinced of grass being an amazing mulch. Have you heard of Jim Kovaleski? He is in a bunch of videos on Pete Kanaris's channel, I think you will really appreciate him and he has a lot of experience and knowledge about scything. One of the videos is called 'the human hay baler' in which he has a custom made manual system for baling grass that he has scythed, I'd guess that that is right up your alley and it is worth checking out! Keep up the inspring content :)

[@edibleacres]

I remember seeing that in the past, I need to explore those videos agaoun

[@lis819]

Love the sound of scything at the end...thanks!

[@uphillgardening2252]

Good video!

[@melissaobrien5014]

That's great! Lovely to see it being used hard work I'd say but rewarding 😊

[@growingwithfungi]

😊🌱💚🙏✨ mine arrives Wednesday! So excited! 🥰🙏✨

[@melissaobrien5014]

@@growingwithfungi that's great 👍😊

[@jameskniskern2261]

Actually not hard work. Steady work. But a sharp blade and steady stroke make it almost a dance. Once you have the rhythm you can go for hours at the same rate. Not too fast, not too slow, blade on the ground, follow through and soon you'll have a 9 foot swath behind you.

[@growingwithfungi]

@@jameskniskern2261 wonderful! Thank you so much 😊🌱💚🙏✨🌾

[@SkotColacicco]

Deeply appreciate the work that you do for us to watch!

[@edibleacres]

So happy to share.

[@sheilaren123]

Thank you for sharing

[@andrewfetterolf7042]

i love it, sithing is so satisfying! looks like fullfilling and enjoyable work too!

[@edibleacres]

It is a wonderful process for sure

[@spiderfox1988]

Todays my first day using my old scythe I was gifted and this helps a lot thank you

[@edibleacres]

Enjoy!

[@jameskniskern2261]

Love it! Been scything a while now.

[@tagladyify]

I have a scythe and an electric string trimmer. The scythe is much easier and much less weight and vibration on the arms.

[@edibleacres]

For sure. Both have their place but the scythe is where I go to by default.

[@tagladyify]

@@edibleacres it really is best for open areas and I appreciate you sharing techniques.

[@jameskniskern2261]

@@tagladyify I don't even have a string trimmer anymore. Scythe for trimming up grass around my trees is best.

[@tagladyify]

@@jameskniskern2261 wow! You must really have great control to be able to trim right up to a tree. I’m not there yet, but that is an awesome goal.

[@mwatson3302]

Thank you!

[@bertakrisztian7321]

Very well described process, thanks.

[@edibleacres]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dogslobbergardens6606]

This reminds me, I need to get a new snath. I have a perfectly serviceable old scythe blade from my wife's grandparent's place. I should get it mounted up and learn to use it.

[@edibleacres]

FOr sure!

[@growingwithfungi]

Thank you so much chief! V helpful and much appreciated! Mine arrives Wednesday I can’t wait to give it a go. I had to harvest using a topper attachment last week as needed the harvest for making compost but it won’t be long before it’s ready again.. Will be watching and learning as always! So thoughtful of you guys to plant the spuds for donation! 😊 They look superb! May I ask with regards your garlic plantation.. Is it all for garlic seed sales? Thank you so much for everything! Have a wonderful week. 😊🌱💚🙏✨🌾

[@edibleacres]

Enjoy!

[@edibleacres]

Most of the garlic there is for seed either to expand the plantings or to sell...

[@growingwithfungi]

@@edibleacres thank you so much 😁🌱💚🙏✨

[@growingwithfungi]

@@edibleacres thank you so much 😃🌱💚🙏✨

[@mamakids6163]

That's a sweet scythe!

[@poodledaddles1091]

Thanks

[@edibleacres]

Welcome

[@GrowingLittleCountryhomestead]

My eyes always get huge when I see your garlic patch. I’ve been fighting getting a scythe for so long. Need to just get one. What brand scythe is the one you are using?

[@edibleacres]

One Scythe Revolution

[@estonianhomestead2209]

Nice video and a topic that needs more and more attention in my opinion. One thing I noticed that could physically hurt you in the long term was that you didn`t always lift the toes of your right leg while making the "sharp" movement. If you don't take the weight off your leg when rotating then you might hurt your knee joint sooner or later.

[@WarrenRCG]

The handle connections to the snaith look to be much more substantial than my scythe supply unit. Try leaving the blade on the ground during the return stroke.

[@edibleacres]

It is a better made tool from One Scythe Revolution in my opinion.

[@acebilbo]

You have no idea how timely this is. My half acre needs trimming. I really want to cut the 5' high grass in half as in regenerative ag. Using my Bahco hedge cutters. Slower than what you're doing. Ordering my European soon. Thank you. Yummy hay. I might need a brush blade. I do have vetch.

[@edibleacres]

A ditch blade would work with vetch no problem.

[@jameskniskern2261]

The challenge with vetch and a scythe is how "stringy" the vetch can be. You may need to slice the vetch in half with the scythe on one stroke, and the second stroke down on the ground, then move it to the side. Much as you sometimes need to change directions if the grass has been lodged after a storm or animals have bedded down on it.

[@maryflemming9052]

I wonder if you are using a ditch or bush blade do you still try to keep the blade on the ground at all times. Great tips, thank you

[@TheVigilantStewards]

You might like to travel to common ground fair in the NE and visit Jim Kovaleski

[@edibleacres]

Perhaps!

[@thecurrentmoment]

Awesome. DO you have an idea of how much hay meadow you need to provide for your area of crops, like a ratio of cropland to hayland?

[@edibleacres]

I can't say I know any specific numbers at all, but I would venture a VERY rough estimate that 10 to 20 parts mulch source to 1 part crop production space may not be a bad place to begin...

[@siamstation]

Thank you for showing us how you use a scythe. I took notice of you body movements. How does your body hold up, the next day? Blessings from Australia ❤️

[@edibleacres]

I only do it for an hour or two at a time, it is not stressful on my body at all.

[@dschott1083]

Could you list the companies you recommend...I would very much like to have my own and never mow again. Thank for showing us your technique.

[@dschott1083]

@@misterdubity3073 thank you very much for these sellers companies.

[@ScrogginHausen]

@@dschott1083 I have both and I prefer the OSR simply for the adjustable snath.

[@edibleacres]

One Scythe Revolution and Scythe Supply

[@ScrogginHausen]

Could you cover the initial setup (blade angle and snath handle adjustments) and peening? A lot of the peening vids out there are old and low res so you can't really see where they are hitting and what the end result is supposed to be.

[@ScrogginHausen]

@Ray S Yeah he does the setup well, now we need a clear video on peening.

[@edibleacres]

I shouldn't do a peening video since I don't know how to do it well!.

[@ScrogginHausen]

@@edibleacres As it is I'm looking at American scythes more and more.

[@IWearAFezNow3]

Is there a scythe brand/ manufacturer you particularly recommend?

[@edibleacres]

I really appreciate One Scythe Revolution. Expensive, out of stock a lot, but incredible quality. Scythe Supply is also really good.

[@curegjerry932]

Sir. Where to buy? Is it available at amazon. Thanks

[@edibleacres]

Search for 'one scythe revolution'. that is the best one out there... Scythesupply.com is also quite nice at a more reasonable price. They aren't on amazon.

[@frederickheard2022]

Scythe TV!

[@sovideo_]

That is still bad :) The movement is half of what good scything should be. Try a semicircle movement.

[@craigpalmer9196]

a horse drawn reaper