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Post by orflo on Jan 13, 2009 13:53:59 GMT -5
Nice site, Owen. Actually, working with a scythe IS easy, Johno, there are some tricks to it, first of all is a good blade, I mean really good, I tried several before I did find a really good one (every blade sold over here is Austrian, there are differences in these as well), second is a really sharp blade, so knowing how to sharpen it is important, and third, use your scythe in the early morning whenever the grass or weeds have sucked up moisture, it goes a lot better. Of course, you will need a bit of practice, but it's easily learned, and very relaxing ...
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Post by stevil on Jan 13, 2009 14:53:01 GMT -5
Good start, Owen!
Yes, great little video! I don't think that I'd ever seen a scythe when I moved to Norway from Southern England in the early 1980s. However, they were still in common use here and I got myself one and I've never used anything else since. Unfortunately, they've almost disappeared around here during the last 20 years to be replaced by these electric whirry grass strimmers that sound as though they are in pain. Apart from the annoying noise factor, compared to a scythe, they seem so inefficient.
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Post by PatrickW on Jan 13, 2009 15:30:47 GMT -5
Hi Owen, Welcome to HG! A month ago I had never heard of the Annapolis Valley, but I recently ran into Anne (goes by nanojab here) who has a blog here: agrariangrrl.blogspot.com/ and she is in your valley. Another blogger, based in London,UK, came originally from your valley: mustardplaster.blogspot.com/
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Post by Owen on Jan 16, 2009 12:25:03 GMT -5
Thanks for the links Patrick, those are both really great blogs. And yes, scything most certainly is easy after you get the hang of it. The Vido family of New Brunswick runs the Scythe Connection website (www.scytheconnection.com) which is definitely the best source of scythe related information on the web. I bought a scythe outfit from them last year with a beautiful, ergonomic, hickory snath, two European-made blades and a collection of whetstones. I'm beginning to do more serious haymowing now that we've re-claimed the old fields so I've ordered a new 90 cm. blade from them a few weeks ago. Our goofy weed-whacker has since been sold because it's a laughable mechanical disadvantage compared to the scythe. I mean it's not even close, it's amazing the scythe ever fell out of popularity when it's petroleum powered replacement is so inefficient.
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