2015 SCYTHING COURSES  

• 6th June Cornwall Scything meet   10- 3pm
• 20th June  Beginners Course  10-4pm
• 12th September Improvers Course 10-4pm

6th June

Cornwall Scything meet  10-3pm

This is an informal open day for all Scythers, and those with an interest to gather, share stories, peen up and hone your blade and practice some mowing.

We will share lunch, so please bring a contribution.

 

SCYTHING COURSES AT SKYEGROVE

In the UK there is a ‘scything renaissance’ taking place. People are rediscovering the many benefits of managing the land with this traditional tool. No more droning of strimmers and fume-filled air. You will tune into the silence, the sound of the birds and the calm rhythm of a Tai-Chi like movement as your blade swishes gently and efficiently through the grass, leaving neat swathes of mowings ready to gather. Mowing will become a simple pleasure rather than a chore.

We are running Scything courses for BEGINNERS and IMPROVERS.

We can also bring our teaching equipment to your own location

 

An Introduction to mowing with an Austrian scythe   

BEGINNERS SCYTHING COURSE: 20th June 2015

This is a One-day course and runs from 10am-4pm inclusive of tea/coffee and a light lunch. We will cover these basics: –

• Introduction to the scythe
• Setting up a scythe for your own body size
• Care and maintenance of the scythe, (keeping the blade sharp, peening the edge)
• The practice of mowing and different styles for different conditions

I favour a 65cm Ditch blade for beginners. The Ditch blade is an all round blade for clearing weeds or cutting grass. Its design makes it robust enough to mow on slightly uneven ground and cope with thick brambles and weeds. It has a strong, blunt tip that is less likely to get damaged by hidden obstacles or to dig into the ground. A 65cm blade is small enough to manoeuver around the garden and will also tackle larger areas.

During the day you will have plenty of hands-on mowing practice. I will observe, help and advise where needed so you can gain the confidence to use your own scything kit, or you can take home the scythe you have set up for yourself and worked with during the day.

You will need to bring:  wet weather gear, suitable footwear, a drink, suncream/sunhat, notebook and enthusiasm!

Max 6 students, so booking is essential.

Cost of the course £65 per person (Which includes tea/coffee and a light lunch).

Alternatively, if you prefer, we can come to your land to deliver the course for a group of students (6 max) the cost is £200.

Please Email me to discuss payment.  kevin@skyegroveoganics.co.uk

You can pay by bank transfer, cheque or cash. (Please note: I do not have the facility to take card payments)

IMPROVERS SCYTHING COURSE:  20th September

After a season’s mowing an improvers course is highly recommended.

This course includes blade repair and peening procedures to keep a really keen edge.

The fine tuning of individuals technique to improve efficiency, the mowing of a wider selection of material ranging from short lawn grass to coarse brambles along hedge bases using different blades.

Other details of day, payment etc same as beginer’s course

THE SCYTHING KIT

You can buy a Basic kit during a course, you can collect one from Skyegrove (by arrangement) where we can offer you a one hour basic set up and guidance workshop, which will help you learn about the scythe and how to use it safely.

You can buy a kit while doing one of our courses, taking home the scythe you have set up under guidance and have used during the course. You will have gained the confidence to use it, sharpen it and get mowing straight away.

A basic beginners kit costs £100 and includes: –

• 65cm Ditch blade – the best all-round choice for beginners
• Adjustable wooden snath
• Blade attachment ring with allen key and adjustment wedge
• One Bregenzer sharpening stone (fine)
• One synthetic sharpening stone (coarse)
• One flat file
• ‘Notes on the use of the Austrian scythe’ instructional booklet

You can buy a scythe without any training, but I would recommend being shown how to set up the snath and blade, avoiding the most common cause of problems.
I charge £25 for a basic set up and a short guidance workshop, which takes around one hour.

The Basic kit plus basic set up and guidance is £125

If you buy a Scything kit from me at Skyegrove the kits are prepared in advance; The wooden snaths are oiled to protect them, the lacquer is removed from the blade and the blade is peened and the edge honed ensuring your scythe is at its sharpest when you receive it.

INFO for ordering your scythe

When you buy a scythe, order the best blade for your intended purpose and the correct length handle (snath).

The Ditch blade comes in two lengths and is best for beginners, and for grass and weeds, nettles, brambles and bracken, (not recommended for thicker stems such as blackthorn suckers).

The Profisense is best for just cutting grass, which comes in five lengths.

The Austrian grass blade, in two lengths, is for grass and light weeds.

WHEN PLACING YOUR ORDER please specify:

(a) which blade you want and

(b) which size snath you need, or alternatively specify the height of the main user.

(c) your postal address

Email to kevin@skyegroveorganics.co.uk    for any enquiries or more information on any scything equipment.