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TUITION FOR BEGINNERS
AND IMPROVERS

Scroll down for information about employment opportunities, apprenticeships, my own courses, and courses given by other people.

E-Mail List

I send out The Scythe Association's newsletter, The Windrow, which lists scything events, courses and developments in the UK. It comes out about three times per year, and there are now about ten people throughout the country offering scythe courses. To get on the list to receive an emailed pdf of The Windrow, please e-mail chapter7@tlio.org.uk, entitling your e-mail "Scythe Mailing List".

Summer Assistant Required —
Also "Mini Apprenticeships"

I am looking for an assistant to help me over the summer from mid-May until August 2012 at my smallholding at Monkton Wyld community in Dorset. The work involves haymaking and other scything and farming activities, milking and cow care, cheesemaking, helping organize the Scythe Festival, and helping with scythe courses. You will need: a familiarity with hand tools, fitness, enthusiasm, indifference to irregular hours, a fondness for cows and a sense of humour. Remuneration includes food, ale, lodging, scythe equipment and some paid work.

I will also be offering some " scythe-use mini-apprenticeships" over the summer, whereby in exchange for one to two weeks work, you get tuition in scythe use and grassland management, board and lodging, plus a scythe.

For more information email me at chapter7@tlio.org.uk ; or telephone 01297 561359.

Simon Fairlie's Courses

I run scythe courses at Monkton Wyld Court , on the Dorset/Devon border, four miles from Axminster, half a mile from the A35. The dates currently arranged are:

Saturday 5 May 2012 — one day courses (more information below)

14-15 July 2012 — two day course

I am also doing:

Saturday 19 May 2012(with Mark Allery) — one day course at the Weald and Downland Museum, Singleton, W Sussex;
Please contact Lucy Hockley tel 01243 811021 www.wealddown.co.uk

Saturday 9 June — Urban lawn-mowing etc
at the London Green Fair at Regents Park

Here are more details about one and two day courses:

Beginner's One Day Courses

The cost is £50, including lunch.
To book a place, please e-mail chapter7@tlio.org.uk or phone 01297 561359.

These are day-long training courses for beginners.

The courses cover:

• brief history and sociology of the scythe
• selecting the right blade and snath for the job (or making best use of what you've got):
• setting up a scythe and snath;
• peening with a jig, and introduction to freehand peening with hammer and anvil;
• sharpening;
• mowing technique;
• how to avoid damaging the blade, and how to repair chips and cracks;

I take 8 people on each course which take place from 10.00 till 6.00, or later if anybody wants. Lunch and snacks are provided. You do not need to bring your own scythe, but if you have one, please do bring it if it is not too inconvenient. For information about B and B or camp sites, please get in touch.

If you live some way away, and can get eight or so people together Simon can come and run a day long course, or even a two day one, price by arrangement.

Ring 01297 561359 or e-mail chapter7@tlio.org.uk for more details.

Two Day Course: Scythe Use and Haymaking

Beginners often imagine that a two day course is a bit excessive, just to learn how to use a garden tool; and that is true if all you want to do is knock down weeds. But anyone who wants to mow grass on any scale will benefit from a two day course, and people who do the course come away saying "I don't know how you could cram all that into one day".

Two days gives you enough time to prepare your own blade (rather than use the Blue Peter blades that I prepare in advance for the one-day course); you get more time to practice different peening methods; I also spend more time on grass management, and demonstrate how to make and stack a hay rack, which enables you to make hay even in changeable weather.

• brief history and sociology of the scythe
• selecting the right blade and snath for the job (or making best use of what you've got):
• setting up a scythe and snath;
• peening with a jig, and freehand peening with hammer and anvil;
• sharpening;
• mowing technique;
• how to avoid damaging the blade, and how to repair chips and cracks;
• managing grass with scything in mind;
• smallscale haymaking techniques

The course includes early (well earlyish) morning mowing from about 7.30 am on the Sunday

Ring 01297 561359 or e-mail chapter7@tlio.org.uk for more details; or see Monkton Wyld's site http://www.monktonwyldcourt.co.uk/

 

Other Courses

 

 

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