Scything the Churchyard in North Yorkshire

Last week I was back at St John’s Church near Ripon in North Yorkshire to teach a group how to use an austrian scythe as part of their Conservation week. The church has been working to preserving and manage part of it’s churchyard as a wildflower meadow. The scythe is a safe tool for their volunteers working among the headstones and perfectly in keeping with the quiet atmosphere.

As well as learning how to set up the scythes, sharpening and mowing we looked at maintaining the blade by peening the edge, hammering it using a special jig to thin the bevel and make it cut more easily.

My next Learn to Scythe course is at Bell Sykes farm, Slaidburn, Lancashire on 22nd July. Email stevetomlin8[at]gmail.com to book your space or see my Learn to scythe page for other dates this summer.