Steve Tomlin Crafts

Scything in Northumberland

Posted on July 1, 2016 by stevetomlin

A few years ago I was teaching scything courses in the North Pennines AONB as part of their wildflower meadow project. Last week I was invited back to the north-east to teach a bespoke group course for Lizzie who was one of the students during that project. She is still regularly using her Austrian scythe and decided it was time to get the rest of her family and some local friends trained up as well.
We were based near Hexham at Peter and Fransje’s field with wonderful views and lush, thick grass which they make into hay for a flock of about 40 sheep. Peter was also already an experienced mower and, like Lizzie, was keen to have Fransje trained properly as well as get some tips to improve his own mowing.
We had a terrific day of learning and mowing, cutting a huge area of grass just ahead of the weather breaking. Though not ideal, the rain won’t spoil the grass while it’s in the windrows and I’m sure a good bit of Northumbrian wind will soon dry it nicely for hay.

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Posted in scythe courses, Scytherspace | Tagged Austrian, course, hay, meadow, Northumberland, Northumbria, scythe, scything | Leave a comment

Learn to scythe in Scotland

Posted on June 28, 2016 by stevetomlin

Every year I enjoy travelling across the border to Scotland to teach my Learn to Scythe courses. It’s a country I love and a real treat to travel through on my way to great hospitality and gorgeous meadows.
I will be teaching courses on mowing with an Austrian scythe for beginners at two venues in July and August this summer:

Dumfriesshire: 17 July at Hillend Farm, Auldgirth. Contact Steffi Shaffler steffi.schaffler[at]gmail.com 01387 740945
Fife: 13 or 14 August at Sheardrum near Stirling. Contact Ali Hibbert info[at]sheardrum.com 01383 852991

I can also travel to teach you or a group at your own venue on a date to suit you. Please email me stevetomlin8[at]gmail.com for more details.

Posted in scythe courses, Scytherspace | Tagged Austrian, course, learn, Scotland, scythe, workshop | Leave a comment

The Russian peasant's workout

Posted on June 26, 2016 by stevetomlin

Take 5mins today to read this lovely article written by my friend Jez Hastings for the New York Times which captures the beauty of scything.

Working slowly and deliberately, with little noise, allows me to be part of nature, rather than striving against it. It’s a dance of sorts. The dance of the mower and the grass.

Posted in Scytherspace | Tagged hay making, Islay, Scotland, scythe | Leave a comment

National Meadow Day in Lancashire

Posted on June 23, 2016 by stevetomlin

National Meadow Day is on 2nd July and, if you’re in the North-West I would strongly recommend you pay a visit to Bell Sykes Farm which has the Coronation Meadows for Lancashire and some of the nicest land I’ve ever scythed. The homemade teas are also amazing.

Posted in Scytherspace | Tagged Coronation Meadow, lancashire, meadow, scythe, wildflower | Leave a comment

Learn to Scythe in Staffordshire

Posted on June 20, 2016 by stevetomlin

I am teaching a Learn to Scythe course for Staffordshire Wildlife Trust on 3rd July. We will cover everything you need to know to start using an Austrian scythe to manage your own land including how to set-up, sharpen and mow comfortably. You’ll also have the opportunity to buy and take home the scythe kit you’ve used, ready to start mowing with.
More information is available on the Wildlife Trust’s website, to book a place contact Nicki Dyas Tel: 01538 381356 n.dyas@staffs-wildlife.org.uk

Posted in scythe courses, Scytherspace | Tagged Austrian, course, scythe, Staffordshire, Wildlife Trust | Leave a comment

Scything around trees

Posted on June 10, 2016 by stevetomlin

One of the more common uses for the scythe is around trees in an orchard or newly planted woodland. Strimmers are infamous for killing young trees by stripping the bark because you can’t see exactly where the string is.
With a scythe you are much more in control and can place the blade so it will cut neatly around a tree without damaging it or the plastic tree guard.

Posted in Scytherspace, scythes | Tagged orchard, scythe, trees, woodland | Leave a comment

New spoon carving, big spoon carving

Posted on June 8, 2016 by stevetomlin

Eight more students joined the spoon carving world recently when I taught a course for Greenwood Days near Derby. On my courses, you’ll learn to choose timber and how to carve using an axe and knives to makes spoons directly from a tree. It’s an exciting and full day so I always forget to take photos during the course but love a group picture of everyone with their work.

Peter, who runs Greenwood Days, makes a big pot of wonderful soup with homemade bread each day for lunch but I noticed he didn’t have anything suitable to stir it with. So, I made group-sized stirring spoon for him and all the future courses. Next time you’re there keep a look out for it, it should develop a lovely patina over the years.
I will be teaching some more courses this year at Greenwood Days including a two-day spoon carving course on 9 & 10th August 2016 where we’ll look in more details at making spoons and have more time for practise and discussion. Book a place if you’re interested in learning to carve spoons yourself or think it would make a good present for a friend. Sign up to my newsletter to receive details of future courses and other projects I’m doing.

Posted in greenwood courses, spoon carving, SteveTomlinCrafts | Tagged 2016, course, green woodwork, learn, UK, workshop | Leave a comment

Learning to scythe in buttercups

Posted on June 4, 2016 by stevetomlin

My first Learn to Scythe course of the season took place this week at Brigflatts in Cumbria. It’s a site I’ve used a couple of times before and it’s great to see how the grass is improving thanks to the regular mowing.

There was a full group of eight beginners booked on who enjoyed bright sunshine and a field of beautiful soft grasses and buttercups. They were brilliant students and in the afternoon quickly cut a neat 500m2 before we returned to our base for the peening lesson.

Visit my Learn to Scythe page for more course dates and how to arrange a workshop on your own site and get your grass cut for you at the same time as learning.

Posted in scythe courses, Scytherspace | Tagged 2016, Austrian, course, cumbria, scythe | Leave a comment

Scything a wildflower meadow – Gardeners' Question Time

Posted on June 3, 2016 by stevetomlin

Did you hear the Chelsea Special from BBC Radio 4 Gardeners’ Question Time the other day? A question was asked about cutting a wildflower meadow and Bunny Guinness, Eric Robson and Matt Biggs all recommended the use of an Austrian scythe.

“If I was given a choice of a strimmer or a scythe, I’d go scythe any day – it’s a pleasure to use.”
~ Bunny Guinness

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07c56jb skip to 24:26 for the meadow question.

Posted in Scytherspace | Tagged BBC, Gardeners' Question Time, meadow, R4, scythe, wildflower | Leave a comment

Learning to peen a scythe

Posted on May 31, 2016 by stevetomlin

Today I’ve been teaching how to peen an Austrian scythe to a pair of women who run a smallholding here in Cumbria. They bought their scythes 7 years ago to manage the grass in the smallholding, around fruit trees and on wildflower banks. Finally, the prompting of another scythe user had encouraged them to learn to peen their blades.

After I explained the theory and practise of peening a scythe, the first job was to clean the blades and then we set up their peening jigs and I guided them through the process of hammering the blade to reshape the bevel profile. After so much work, the blades certainly needed peening and I was a bit concerned that it would be a long and difficult job but both Kate and Deborah were very capable and quickly picked up the skills.

The peening jig simplifies the process and helps ensure neat straight lines of hammer blows to correctly shape the bevel and avoid problems.
Peening your scythe is an important part of looking after it and will transform the way it cuts through the grass. If you’re also struggling to understand or learn the principles then it’s never too late! Email me stevetomlin8@gmail.com to book your own workshop day and discover the joys of peening. If you can’t get to a workshop, check out my book Learn to Scythe which contains clear, simple instruction on peening and more.

Posted in peening & sharpening, scythe courses, Scytherspace | Tagged Austrian, course, peen, peening, scythe, workshop | Leave a comment