Preparing an Allotment - Clearing Tall Grass and Weeds With a Scythe

A scythe is great tool for clearing tall grass and weeds that others wise would need a noisy electric or petrol driven strimmer or a lot of back breaking work with a grass hook.

Standing upright and swing the scythe close to the ground in a rhythmic movement can clear a big area quickly and quietly.

The scythe is an ancient tool replaced by horse-drawn and now tractor based reapers, but it is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia. The scythe is closely associated with the Grim Reaper and who is often depicted carrying or wielding a scythe.

The scythe is made up of several parts;

The shaft, traditionally wood but most modern versions are metal or plastic; about 170 centimetres (67 in) long called a snaith, snath, snathe or sned. The shaft can be straight or an 'S' shaped curve with two short handles at right angles to it. These are usually near the upper end and always another roughly in the middle of the shaft.

The blade, a long, curved blade about 60 to 90 centimetres (24 to 35 in)) long that is mounted at a right angle to the shaft.

Scythes are for right handed people because they have the blade projecting from the left side of the shaft when in use, with the edge towards the mower. Left handed scythes can be made but are very rare.

Using a Scythe

Using a scythe is called mowing, or often scything, to distinguish it from mowing that has come to be associated with complex machinery. Scything is done by holding the top handle in the left hand and the central one in the right, with the arms straight. The blade is held parallel to the ground and very close to it, this is important to get the most from the scythe.

The body is then twisted to the right and then twisted steadily to the left, moving the scythe blade along its length in a long arc from right to left, ending in front of you.

This action deposits the cut grass to the left. Scything proceeds with a steady rhythm, stopping at intervals to sharpen the blade. The correct technique has a slicing action on the grass, cutting a narrow strip with each stroke.

Beginner's often make a common error by trying to chop or hack at the grass, with the blade length at right angles to it. DO NOT try to cutting too wide a strip of grass all at once.

This is much harder work, and is ineffective.

Be careful when cutting too close to the ground as contact with the ground and stones will blunt the blade. Much of the skill is in keeping the blade close to the ground and the cuts even.

Each strip of ground cut by a scythe is called a swathe. Scything grass is easier when it is damp, and so hay-making traditionally began at dawn and often stopped early, the heat of the day being spent raking and carting the hay cut on previous days.

As you can see a very traditional tool can be of great use to the modern allotment holder. Several allotment associations have members clubbing together to purchase one scythe and it is then held for common use within the association.

Author: Ray Richardson
http://www.myallotmentplot.co.uk
See the scythe and other grass hooks and weed slashers- here
MyAllotmentPlot - Your one stop shop for information and allotment supplies

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ray_Richardson