The Sythe

Worth1 · March 12, 2015

I got enterested in the scythe a few years ago and ran across these videos again today.

I looks as though there is a mother, father and daughter doing the work.
The first time I saw the videos it made the rest of the world look like idiots with their weed whackers.
I would really appreciate it if you guys would look at these and see just how far backwards we have went with dependency on oil.

The first Video is called the hay pusher.
I dont think many kids would work this hard these days but my first girlfriend did.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIVAlV8YVF0
The second video is an old one with the whole family out cutting with scythes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL2_chKPWjE
The rest I will put a link up to here.
https://www.youtube.com/user/kaivido

Everyone seems to be working bare footed.

Worth

drew51 · March 12, 2015

Time is money, it would cost me too much to spend that kind of time.

bughunter99 · March 12, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

The first time I saw the videos it made the rest of the world look like idiots with their weed whackers.

Worth

Speak for yourself! I would slice my leg off if I tried to use one of those things and would look like an idiot if I didn't.

Signed she that has zero coordination and prefers weed ripping over weed whacking

Redbaron · March 13, 2015

I have used a scythe before on about 1 acre. Faster than a weedwhacker for sure. Not that bad actually. But that was the young me. And to be honest I still prefered the riding lawnmower. So I tended to make sure I didn't let the grass and weeds get so tall I needed to scythe it.

Later we got a couple beef cows and a milk goat 200 chickens and a few geese. They took care of that pasture quite well after that.

Marcus1 · March 13, 2015

I have a couple of scythes that I use mostly at the end of the season to clear the pigweed that managed to grow in my melon patches. One of the scythes is my grandfathers from probably the 40s. I like the rhythmic motion of using one, it's almost like a dance. Enjoyed the videos, the hay pusher and the family were my favorites. Love to watch people that know how to work.

Marcus

Worth1 · March 13, 2015

I also watched a video where they introduced the scythe to Nepal.
The people there had never seen such a thing and were flabbergasted that it had been in use for centuries.
The reason for the scythe introduction was so the people could be dependent on themselves.
It they were introduced to modern machinery they would be dependant on oil and all of the spar parts they would need.
The local blacksmith shop can supply them with what they need.
I cant tell you how many times I have seen people use dull chainsaws.
They would say they haven't had time to take it down and have it sharpened.
This is sad.

I have yet to buy a leaf blower I use a broom and a rake.
I noticed my neighbor a while back blew all of his leaves over to my side of the yard.

Worth

Redbaron · March 13, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

I have yet to buy a leaf blower I use a broom and a rake.
I noticed my neighbor a while back blew all of his leaves over to my side of the yard.

Worth

Did you tell him thanks for the free resources?

Worth1 · March 13, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redbaron

Did you tell him thanks for the free resources?

He already knows I like the leaves in the yard.
I showed him some time ago how my soil was black on top and his was red.
They come from one of those snooty tooty HOA places in Texas City where you cant even have your trashcan in view.
They probably made them keep their yards raked too.

Worth

AlittleSalt · March 13, 2015

I still use a rake too. There is a leaf blower here that I could use, but I actually like to rake leaves. We use one of those trash tote things they use on garbage day in the city - to move huge piles of leaves to the garden. Those toter things hold a lot of leaves and a young child could pull it around easily. Ours has never had garbage in it. We bought it to move leaves with.

creister · March 14, 2015

I clipped my vetch cover crop in 7 4x12 beds with lawn shears this year. All the vetch had grown onto the cages laying in the beds. Wasn't as bad to do as I thought, and the cut pieces didn't fly thirty feet out of the bed.

macmex · March 18, 2015

I have a scythe. Though I don't use it for cutting grass or my pasture, I do use it from time to time. It took some practice and study to learn how, properly, to use it. Most newbies tend to use their arms too much for swinging it, rather than turning their torso. My lower back gives me trouble at times. I've learned that a session with the scythe is a pretty good remedy for that. It actually gets things back into alignment!

George
Tahlequah, OK

bower · March 18, 2015

Great videos, Worth!

There's quite a large and rusty scythe at my Mom's place - I don't think they ever used it, it was there when they moved in. The place has a big meadow and it's a huge chore just to mow the small bit of it my Mom likes to see cut...
I may have to try and clean it up and sharpen it... I think it's a bit heavier than the ones in the video, so I hope not too big for me to use. It would be a lark to mow a few nice paths for her down through the field that's gone wild.

lrussillo · April 23, 2015

Tolstoy in Anna Karenina, Levin goes into the fields during harvest to scythe with the peasants... gives a good description of what is involved, and how entire fields are handled. The book talks a lot about agriculture.

March 12, 2015	#1
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	The Sythe I got enterested in the scythe a few years ago and ran across these videos again today. I looks as though there is a mother, father and daughter doing the work. The first time I saw the videos it made the rest of the world look like idiots with their weed whackers. I would really appreciate it if you guys would look at these and see just how far backwards we have went with dependency on oil. The first Video is called the hay pusher. I dont think many kids would work this hard these days but my first girlfriend did. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIVAlV8YVF0 The second video is an old one with the whole family out cutting with scythes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL2_chKPWjE The rest I will put a link up to here. https://www.youtube.com/user/kaivido Everyone seems to be working bare footed. Worth

March 13, 2015	#4
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	I have used a scythe before on about 1 acre. Faster than a weedwhacker for sure. Not that bad actually. But that was the young me. And to be honest I still prefered the riding lawnmower. So I tended to make sure I didn't let the grass and weeds get so tall I needed to scythe it. Later we got a couple beef cows and a milk goat 200 chickens and a few geese. They took care of that pasture quite well after that. __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

March 12, 2015	#2
drew51 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Sterling Heights, MI Zone 6a/5b Posts: 1,302	Time is money, it would cost me too much to spend that kind of time.

March 13, 2015	#5
Marcus1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Colorado Posts: 124	I have a couple of scythes that I use mostly at the end of the season to clear the pigweed that managed to grow in my melon patches. One of the scythes is my grandfathers from probably the 40s. I like the rhythmic motion of using one, it's almost like a dance. Enjoyed the videos, the hay pusher and the family were my favorites. Love to watch people that know how to work. Marcus

March 13, 2015	#9
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I still use a rake too. There is a leaf blower here that I could use, but I actually like to rake leaves. We use one of those trash tote things they use on garbage day in the city - to move huge piles of leaves to the garden. Those toter things hold a lot of leaves and a young child could pull it around easily. Ours has never had garbage in it. We bought it to move leaves with.

March 14, 2015	#10
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	I clipped my vetch cover crop in 7 4x12 beds with lawn shears this year. All the vetch had grown onto the cages laying in the beds. Wasn't as bad to do as I thought, and the cut pieces didn't fly thirty feet out of the bed.

March 18, 2015	#11
macmex Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Tahlequah, Oklahoma Posts: 102	I have a scythe. Though I don't use it for cutting grass or my pasture, I do use it from time to time. It took some practice and study to learn how, properly, to use it. Most newbies tend to use their arms too much for swinging it, rather than turning their torso. My lower back gives me trouble at times. I've learned that a session with the scythe is a pretty good remedy for that. It actually gets things back into alignment! George Tahlequah, OK

March 18, 2015	#12
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Great videos, Worth! There's quite a large and rusty scythe at my Mom's place - I don't think they ever used it, it was there when they moved in. The place has a big meadow and it's a huge chore just to mow the small bit of it my Mom likes to see cut... I may have to try and clean it up and sharpen it... I think it's a bit heavier than the ones in the video, so I hope not too big for me to use. It would be a lark to mow a few nice paths for her down through the field that's gone wild.

April 23, 2015	#13
lrussillo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: virginia Posts: 57	Tolstoy in Anna Karenina, Levin goes into the fields during harvest to scythe with the peasants... gives a good description of what is involved, and how entire fields are handled. The book talks a lot about agriculture.