During this very hot summer weekend it was great to be in the shade of the woodland teaching a group how to make a wooden hay rake.
We split and shaped the ash head and made teeth with my tine cutter before fitting a hazel handle to finish off the hay rake ready for hay making.
Spoon carving is a fantastic pastime and great introduction to working with wood suitable for beginners and improvers. You learn to use axes and knives to transform a freshly cut birch log into a practical cooking spoon during a fun, lively day with other likeminded people.
My next workshop is in Oct 2025 in Manchester, book your place and find other dates on Eventbrite. I can also deliver a private workshop for you or your group at your venue. Please email me for details stevetomlin8[at]gmail.com
This is Rob who came on my Learn to Scythe course earlier this year. He has macula degenerative disease and is registered blind though, as you can see, it doesn’t hold him back. Scything is lightweight, low impact work which is a lot safer than a strimmer and more fun too! As Rob himself said, ‘If a blind man can do it, what’s stopping you?’
Visit my Eventbrite collection to book your Learn to Scythe course place. If you’re still unsure, feel free to drop me an email stevetomlin8[at]gmail.com
It’s great to hear that my Learn to Scythe book is helping people who can’t get to a course. The book covers all aspects of using am Austrian scythe including how to set up a scythe, honing, mowing, peening the blade and more. It’s no substitute for a Learn to Scythe workshop where I can assist with your technique directly but will give you a good grounding to start from.
Thanks to Susan for this excellent review:
I want to learn how to scythe before I risk buying the equipment and this book is an easy read. The techniques are well explained with illustrations and photos accompanying where applicable. There are some very useful photo closeups which back up the written description. The technical descriptions are well written which I have had no problem understanding. This book is obviously written by an expert scyther who also knows how to teach. I would love to go on one of his courses but in the meantime I’m going to give scything a go.
Peening is an essential element of maintaining your Austrian scythe. Hammering the blade creates a finer edge so the blade cuts sweetly as you mow your meadow. This can be a daunting process for a scythe beginner so each year I lead a Scythe peening course for those looking to learn the skills.
This year the Peening Workshop will be on 19th Oct 2025 at Bell Sykes, Slaidburn in Lancashire. During the day you’ll learn how to peen your scythe blade with a peening jig under my guidance and we’ll look in depth at sharpening the scythe. There’ll also be chance to mow and get some advice on your mowing technique.
Places cost £100 and are limited so please book early to avoid missing out. Email me to reserve your spot and for payment details stevetomlin8@gmail.com
I’ve done quite a lot of scythe training for Cumbria Wildlife Trust over the years and it was great to be delivering another Learn to Scythe workshop for them in Kendal. A group of volunteers were being trained to scythe the meadow by a cycle path in the town.
We had a great couple of days and cut a huge area which will be managed as a meadow to support bees and other pollinators.
I was in Whitehaven in Cumbria earlier this week, delivering a Learn to Scythe workshop at Haig Country Park in conjunction with the National Trust and The Land Trust.
We had a great group with a range of interests and experience including people looking to gain skills to work in the conservation sector, local volunteers and some just looking to broaden their horizons and try new things.
I can travel to teach your group how to scythe at your venue. Visit my Learn to Scythe page for details or for dates of my upcoming public courses.
A damp day in Manchester for a beginners scything workshop for volunteers of Friends of Chorlton Park. This didn’t dampen the group’s spirits though and you can still scythe in the rain so we had a great day.
If your Friends group would like to learn to scythe, I can deliver a workshop at your own site so we can look at the specific skills to manage your vegetation. Email stevetomlin8@gmail.com for details.
I’m often asked if a scythe will work in the rain and what difference rain makes to scything. We’re pretty lucky in the UK that, contrary to what we might think, it doesn’t rain that much during the summer! Often, I find the rain comes overnight or in the morning and eases off through the day. Occasionally though, it pours, as in this photo of my scything in the rain during a demonstration at Queen’s Park, Crewe for Cheshire Wildlife Trust.
The droplets of rain make the grass a bit heavier and it can knock the grass over which both add to the work but otherwise the only difference is the comfort of the mower. I’ve got good waterproofs and the work is keeping me warm so it was all good.
If you’re interested in learning how to scythe, take a look at my Learn to Scythe course page or join my newsletter for updates on future events.
Last summer I travelled up to Whitehaven in West Cumbria to teach a Learn to Scythe workshop for The Land Trust at Haig Park.It was a great day mowing their wildflower meadow with views over the harbour.
I specialise in delivering scything workshops for groups at your own venue so you can learn the techniques for your specific situation. Email me for more details stevetomlin8@gmail.com
