Highfield scythe workshop Manchester

People are often surprised to learn that I live in Manchester and how much scything takes place in urban areas. At Highfield Country Park, I’m involved in training local volunteers to help with managing the site.

The first scythe training day took place this week and we started cutting the wet meadow on site as well as one of the smaller ‘meadow rooms’ that we’re creating.

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Scythe training for Severn Trent in Staffordshire

I’ve spent the last couple of days training this lovely group of volunteers to scythe at Tittesworth Reservoir in Staffordshire for Severn Trent Water.

We were dodging the rain while learning about aetting up an Austrian scythe, honing in the field and mowing including cutting flattened grass and on a slope.

We also did some peening of the blades so the team is fully equipped with all the skills to use their scythes on the site. Now, they just need to practise and they have plenty of grass for that!

Peening an Austrian scythe

If your conservation group would like to learn to scythe, check out my Learn to Scythe page and get in touch.

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Haymaking poem by Bernadette Gallagher

I stumbled on this lovely poem by Bernadette Gallagher this morning and had to share it.

Haymaking

Who is it beckons me to try

My hand and body with a scythe

Is it someone that I know or is it

Someone beyond, that now

Lifts whetstone to the steel?

 

My memory of seeing men cut grass

While women and children rake and turn

Until the hay is dry then build a stack

Fork up the hay to the one on top

Who walks around making even underfoot.

 

And then a cover thrown over

Held down by heavy stones

To keep the hay

For hungry cows

When morning and nights are cold

 

Farmers now admit

That was the way

Of yesterday, today machines cut

And lift and into silage pits

The grass that once turned into hay.

 

With my scythe I carry on

Cutting a small meadow

That once was lawn.

This year was my first and too late

For making hay.

 

The grass I cut will lie

In mini stacks, not fully dry

But dry enough to keep

Small wild things warm through winter

And into Spring.

 

Next year I will be prepared

Will clean down the blade

Tighten bolts, peen and sharpen

Remove the burr

And put aside my pen.

 

(c)Bernadette Gallagher

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Scything course in Cumbria

Very welcome cooler weather for the Learn to Scythe course at Brigflatts Meeting House in Sedbergh today.

It’s a beautiful venue for the course and lovely to see the meadow changing over the years that I’ve been teaching and scything here.

Among todays group were several staff and apprentices from Cumbria Wildlife Trust who will be using their skills on sites across the county.

There are still some spaces available on my scything workshops later this summer, email stevetomlin8[at]gmail.com for details.

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Scything Manchester community orchard

The scythe isn’t just a tool for rural spaces, it’s also perfect for the small green spaces that are so important in cities. Just half a mile from my home is Levenshulme community orchard, a tiny space between rows of terraced houses. I’ve been helping to manage it for a couple of years now.

The grass had really grown up during No Mow May so I decided to cut it before it started to lodge.

 

The grass may be tall but it’s no trouble for the scythe to cut cleanly to the ground.

I left patches of grass where the yellow rattle I previously sowed has come up. This will help reduce the density of the grass to encourage wild flowers to appear.

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Scything course in Leicester

I’ve been back to teach a Learn to Scythe course at the Saffron Heath project in Leicester. I came for the first time last year and it was such a success that they asked me back and I was happy to oblige.

 

We had a brilliant day learning about the Austrian scythes and mowing in the heritage orchard. Plans are afoot for more training and scything in the future to keep your eyes open if you’re local to the area.

I deliver scything workshops for groups across the UK so please email me  for info if you think this would work for you.

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Scything course at Bell Sykes, Lancashire

A gorgeous day for the first Learn to Scythe course of 2023. We were based at Bell Sykes Farm in Slaidburn, Lancashire which is always a delight with beautiful wildflower meadow.

8 participants worked really well despite the hot day and got to grips with setting up, honing and mowing with their new Austrian scythes.

It’s always lovely to hear that people have been straight out to put their new skills into practice:

Hi Steve, I attended the course last Friday and, over the weeding, have been practicing in the field. The sycthe is efficient and less tiring than the strimmer and a pleasure to use. Thank you for your tuition and patience.

Kind regards, Graham

There are still some places available for courses this year, email me mailto:stevetomlin8@gmail.com for details.

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Spoon carving workshop in Manchester

I kicked off my 2023 season of craft workshops with a spoon carving course in Chorlton, south Manchester. Starting from a fresh log of silver birch we first axed out the shape and then refined our spoons using my carving knives.


It’s always a brilliant day with people learning new skills and having fun creating their own unique spoon. Spoon carving is a perfect introduction to woodworking and a great antidote to our increasingly online lives. If you’re interested in learning, take a look at my other Spoon Carving Course dates. No experience is necessary and a course makes a lovely present.

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Ash splint basket making in Staffordshire

I had an amazing couple of days at Hassal Green Nature Reserve teaching an ash splint basket making course for a lovely group.

During the workshop, we learned about sourcing, grading and preparing ash splint before getting on with weaving a square-to-round fruit basket.

There’s several different processes involved and lots to learn but everyone really rose to the challenge and it was lovely to see people gaining confidence in their craft ability whilw making excellence baskets. Look at those happy faces!

No experience is necessary and the course is also ideal for willow basket makers looking to try new materials. I have other dates coming up in 2023, visit the Ash Splint Basket Courses section of my website for dates.

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101 Coronation meadows


Great news today in the GuardianGuardian that the Coronation meadow scheme has been successful in increasing the wildflower meadow habitat across the UK.

I’ve been teaching Learn to Scythe courses at Bell Sykes Farm, the Coronation meadow for Lancashire for almost a decade and know that seed from the site has been used to create dozens of new meadows in the area. The next course is on 23rd July 2023 with just a few spaces still left. Email stevetomlin8[at]gmail.com book.


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