The top meadow in the Kymin got its autumn chop recently, and this year we decided we’d go old-school. Instead of mowing with a machine, we went to the meadow scythe in hand. With the help of Penarth Growing Community who organised the workshop, and Penarth scythers Sam and Mike, who kindly and patiently showed us how to use the scythes, the meadow was cut ready for the winter. We had great fun, and a great workout, and even got ‘paid’ in the traditional way at the end with some thirst-quenching homemade cider*.
There are many benefits to scything over machine mowing. Firstly, it gives a much less even cut. If you want a manicured lawn, scything isn’t for you. But for biodiversity to flourish, we’re looking for a diversity of different sward heights (that’s the length of grass and flower stalks). This is par for the course with scything. Secondly, scything is a slower process than mowing, which means that small animals hiding in the long grass can more easily avoid the blades. This too is better for biodiversity, as we learned when we spotted a small frog hopping away. Third, no fossil fuels are burned when you scythe – only last night’s supper! Last but certainly not least, scything is a fantastic group activity. It gets us out, it gets us fit, it gets us chatting, and it gets us to achieve something together that none of us could have achieved alone.
If you’re cultivating your own meadow but don’t fancy picking up a scythe (or don’t have access to one), don’t worry, using a machine is fine too! To learn more about how and why we’re cultivating meadows at the Kymin, see our page on Kymin Grasslands.
* You can read about the tradition of being paid in cider in the fascinating Welsh Food Stories recently released by Carwyn Graves.
