Creating Topsoil With a Scythe
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About Dirtpatcheaven: Tiny house, tiny farm, tiny budget, huge life! Do it all with what you already have! Julianne shows you how!
#growfood #slowfood #vegetablegarden #wintergardening #homestead #dirtpatcheaven
The paper books I learn from are here:
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Great to see others that understand the land and sky and body.
Best wishes,
Mr. Brown
You made an outstanding sensible video. For hundreds of years this was the way - now as you say we rely on chemicals and other junk. VERY well done and I appreciate your take on things!
Makes amazing food for rabbits, chickens, and goats that is free! :D Love it.
Scything is very relaxing once you get into the rythm.
I do enjoy it.
German scyther here, I learned it from my grandfather and do teach it now to my son.
It is so satisfying to practice this old craftmanship.
There are still great scythes over here on the old continent, Schröckenfux for example in Austria, really premium stuff.
Your blade is more a brush blade.
It is short and thick, and it is heavy, unneceserially in my opinion for your use.
A true gras blade would be thinner, longer and lighter, more effective though.
If your scythe is set accurately for you, you should not have to raise it from the ground, like you do on the turning point of your swing.
The back end of the blide just slides softly over the ground, no upswing necessary, and you are stepping half a foot forward after every swing.
How do you dangle?
To keep a blade reeeeeally sharp, you must dangle it, otherwise you will not be able to keep it razorsharp forever, so the result will not be great and you will need more strength to do it.
Grind it slightly every 5 to 10 minutes, and dangle it once or twice a day, so the blade will keep a long scalpel and will hold a lifetime.
By dangling you are even making the blade harder, cold-hammer-forged if you might say.
You will not waste it, you will make it sharper and more resistant.
Dangling is not easy and needs a lot of experience and skill for sure.
Well, there are some dangling machines out there which are all crap more or less.
For non-skilled beginners I would highly recommend the "hit-dangler" from Schröckenfux.
It is easy to use for anyone and the results are very evenly, can´t get much better in my opinion.
I use it still every second time or so to keep my blade straight.
This is it:
"Schröckenfux Schlagdengelapparat, komplett - 52x112 mm"
th-cam.com/video/KwdbCG2pph0/w-d-xo.html
Well, the shells are now coloured red and yellow, but it is the same stuff.
How is it going for you?
The first way to dangle which is shown in the video is with the hit-dangler.
called peening in the US?
I'm on all clay and knew there was a better way then buying topsoil that was probably void of life. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING HOPE and a time frame!!
That's a gorgeous blade. Love it! Great vid.
@@kongthai.. Don't be weird....
Just don't...
"When we changed the environment, the weed changed." PURE GOLD
Very pleasant video, clever speech and beautiful hair. :)
My grandfather would give us a bucket a piece and have us gather rocks out of the field. He would pay us a penny per rock. He would have a sample size rocks we were to get set on a table. Just something to give your girls to do. lol He would get the big rocks we could not get. He used these rocks as ditch lining and irrigation lining........ another idea for you.
In permaculture they have a succinct term for the soil building technique you used-- "chop and drop."
Mulch mower does the same thing though in a fraction of the time.
Catubrannos no it doesn't. They're two completely different processes. Mulching blades create mulch, and not even good mulch. Mulch blades pulverize the vegetation, the stuff on top dessicates and the stuff on the bottom clumps together and forms mats which inhibits growth by smothering. The purpose of chop and drop isn't to snuff out vegetation under a smother layer, but to take advantage of the adventitious species by cutting it several times a year leaving an even layer of vegetation which ferments. Pulverized mulch is not appealing to microbiology. They're not interested in desiccated carbon structures. But they do like moist vegetationwhich retained most of its sugars. It's also a more stable on the field. Mulch blades create little useless jiblets which either get blown away, or float away in rain and end up clogging drains or lakes. Mulch blades are also typical to deck mowers. These mowers are not designed to deal with taller vegetation so mowing must bee done more frequently. Not only does this require more activity by the user during the growing season, but it creates an unnatural selection niche in which only worthless, shallow rooted perennial 'lawn' grasses can cope with. This reduces biodiversity because annuals and deeper rooted grasses are prevented from putting out seed.
Mulching mowers create what is essentially straw.
No, mulching mowers do not create straw. They have two or more sets of blades that cut the grass into small pieces that allows the small pieces to settle in between the growing grass and put nutrients back into the soil.
The problem with thatch build up is when the grass is mown too infrequently allowing the grass to get too high and then too much mulch is returned to the ground where your microorganisms can't process it fast enough and layers of dead stuff builds up.
Not sure what you mean by organisms not being interested in broken carbon structures, most of them feed off decaying vegetation where those structures are already being broken down.
Great vid, thank you! My father came from an old farming family, and they used scythes often. I was taught (and it works well) to swing the scythe by rotating your waist, instead of your arms. Move your arms less, and use the larger muscles of your waist. It's easier, and a blade parallel with the ground - will cut more evenly. The angle of the snath doesn't change during the arc of the swing. Try it, you'll like it!
My apologizes: I saw later in the vid, that you explained the importance of swinging from the waist. I didn't see that, earlier in the vid. The scythe is certainly a beautiful and elegant tool! We must not forget the old ways, and I am heartened that you and other young people are keeping these critical survival skills alive. Good job!
How simple to save the world. If we could only see. Thanks for this beautiful example.
Yes, using scythes on fields and mobile chippers in forests & their periphery, groves, orchards and such. Chipping can reduce thicker stalks twigs and branches that i scythe cant get, tho a scythe can take down any brush. Chipped material creates more contact points to the ground (compare with a branch lying on the ground). This seals in moisture, coolness and invites forest mushroom mycelium to reach up and feed off the chips, nourishing the "Wood-Wide Web" as it's been called.
Cute and Sarcastic. Those girls are lucky to have such an awesome mom.
Mowing without gasoline and a noisy, smoking mower... Nice!
i'm gonna stick with my ingersoll haha
You can also use a push mower which makes a nice swishing noise as you push it and modern ones come with catchers if you want to remove the grass. The one's I've used aren't height adjustable so only useful on flat lawns.
Thanks for the video, Julieanne. A good, quality scythe is on my list of items to purchase after our move, next spring. It looks relaxing to me.
~Mickie
I share your enthusiasm for the scythe - one of the greatest of all tools. Simple but effective. Every time the grass decays you are also adding Carbon to the soil, another big plus.
Scything is something John is looking forward to learning.
You make it look so easy! I used to watch my Granddad scythe the fields when I was a little girl. A scythe is on my "wish list", but I am a bit on the short side, so I fear it will have to be custom made. Thanks for the demo!! ~Kitty
I really like what you are talking @ 7:50 about the plants telling you what is going on with the soil. And 9:30, when you describe 'carbon farming'. Good stuff
At this point we do not have enough land to need this but all the more reason I want to get more. I would love to be able to use a sythe, the natural movement of this exercise is clearly beneficial. Excellent info on the weeds too!
You make it look so easy, but the is quite a morning workout!! It looks awesome.
Right on. My front yard getting richer &richer soil using this method.
Warning; i have dscided thscythe in these will certainly be mine. It shall be shipped 2me fedex.
You have literally reversed what almost all farmers have been doing forever. It's inspiring to see. All these farms you see, with their stacks of rocks, or rocks all OVER their fields; I once helped a farmer pick rocks from his field for TWO days, and he told me this was an annual chore. By stacking that scythed organic matter on your rocks, you are reversing the tilling damage that made the soil disappear in the first place!
I thought covering the rocks was great too as long as she's not tilling or really farming it off. I worked ona potatoe farm and that was half the work, picking rocks from the ground or conveyor.
I don't think I understand this comment. Are you saying that removing rocks is supposed to be bad for the soil?
Lovely video, this is my first time to see this tool being use and I love it. You have some great helpers there... ;) thanks for sharing the video and God bless!!
Looks like fun.
Great video, I'll be keeping an eye out for one.
A great way to do that, good job. If you can , find yourself a set of diamond harrows to drag behind your tractor or light truck in the fall and spring. It will help keep your pasture from getting root bound. Good vid, take care.
Another excellent video. What a simple way to counter act a rough terrain.
Very informative, great video. I have been considering investing in a scythe for work in our pasture and swales on our place, this makes me want one even more.
That's a pretty amazing transformation you made in your pasture! Last year I was given an antique scythe that needs a little tlc. I'm looking forward to fixing it up and giving it a try. While you were stoning the blade I couldn't help imagining myself nicking my knuckles on the blade. I would have loved to seen your take on the peening process.
We have the same problem where we are going to put our garden. we have a lot of work to do on the soil before next spring so that we can plant our garden.
This is brilliant.
Great information, I never thought about it as different weeds coming in as the soil changes but in reality that's what happens. Thanks. something else to think on.
Totally what happens. We moved into MILs house and she was used to keeping everything tidy and tight. (No bugs, bees or flowers/weeds around) in 2 yrs of mowing higher neglecting it a bit it has changed every year since. That was 5 yrs now. There is grass where there was none and weeds have changed dramatically. Biggest change was a big patch of mallow that is now grass and daisies (they need to go too, but progress) the garden areas have been dramatic as well. Starting with stuff you couldn't walk on in bare feet to softer deeper soil with a better class of weeds. She probably knows but if she had placed a bigger portion of the mulch on the rocky areas at this point it might even be a faster process to bury those rocks.
Truly old school =) I have one, but don't use it much because around here that would be all I doing each day. You are right on about using organic matter to build your soil. I was shocked at the price. The one I have I picked up at a farm auction for $15.00. I had to sharpen it but it works great.
I love this video, but I do have to say, for anyone with injuries, disabilities, or the elderly who might not be able to use this method, you can still achieve this same effect with a lawn mower. Ride on or push lawn mower just leave the bag off and allow the clippings to remain in place to create top soil over time.
Very cool , great vid, great advice.
Pure Beauty!
just got my first scythe. I love this idea. Great job and I love that blade
Hi Stevie, I you are enjoying your scythe?
I love the blade as well. I saw a sharpening video on a bush blade that had the same indents on the sides ect. To stop grass from clinging. Finer blades these days seems to be smooter for a slightly different terrain.
You are so beautiful, Julianne! I enjoy your videos immensely. This one gives me great motivation to scythe our back 40 that has been overgrown for multiple years.
Kori Pressnell I suggest starting slowly and working up... 40 is a lot of mowing. And the grass gets easier the longer it is mowed with the scythe.
I have 15, and just ordered my scythe. Its going to be a LOT of work. But I don't have to do it all in a day. maybe 1/2 acre a day, though that's still 1 month to go through it all! I'm hoping I can build up to 1 acre a day.
Thanks so much for the link to the scythe source. We have an antique one (basically decoration) but I'd like a new, functional one at some point. Now, did you broadcast alfalfa / grass seed at some point in the process or it came in on it's own from what was there already? I brush hog our pasture a few times a season but that hasn't increased the "good" plants more than the weeds I'm afraid. I wonder why scything is different?
Bought one last year. played with it..... :) .....yup....I got a lot to learn lol. But I'm motivated to try again. maybe I will practice a bunch then Jeni and I can test ouselves on the small wheat patch we have (50 x 50). - Mike
looking like an amazing core muscle exercise. :)
It'll get obliques, serratus, lats, and touch delts and traps only slightly.
Good stuff :)
Nice job, I love scything, The swishing of the blade, the sound of the cut. There is something rewarding and maybe a bit romantic in the process. It is a lost art. I have seen some old timers who can do a better job with a fine grass bladed scythe then folks can with a modern mower. They also work very well in harvesting patches of grains like oats and Barley. I have even used a scythe to harvest my field corn. But that takes a heavy brush blade, a lot heavier then your light bush blade like you are using and a strong back. After cutting them you stack them and stand them in shocks to dry.
I see you use a whetstone, do you also "Peen" the blade to feather out more material? This process causes the metal to flake some and creates tiny fractures in the leading edge. this is what gives the blade its cutting ability sort of a million small serrations.
I think the goats prefer the weeds and browse and not the grasses. Once the grasses take over from the weeds as the soils improve its time to switch to sheep, cattle or horses to make use of the grasses. even rabbits or poultry will mow that grass and the added benefits of the livestock doing the work is the fertilizer they add naturally.
Carl Brooke - Sailor, Diver, TH-camr, Fisherman, Deaf guy. Peening kit mentioned @ 1:13.
Not really!Bulgarians still use the skyth - like myself! When I cut on the Menta, the aroma goes through the air! I love the smell of fresh cut organic grass as well!
@Charles O'connor Look up One Scythe Revolution. He is in Minnesota.
Keep the blade on the ground. Right to left, always on the ground. :)
Ahh. The rocks. Ok. Keep up the good work!
I love scything in the morning.
Ya know why they call it a scythe ? way back when they tell the kids to cut the grass they would scythe !
10:29 Lol. I actually expected to see the goat jump, till you finished that sentence! To be fair, she did stop chewing for a second.
Queen
I like it
I mow my small yard with a weed wacker. This looks faster and better than what i got.
Oh and you will have muscles in places you never tought of ! Get prepared for a good work out! Especially if your place is on a hill like mine! I am sore for a week after !
I have one, way to go
I love it. My idea of maintaining
Thank you!
Awesome video. Love that scythe, I am looking forward to getting one to use as I build up some pasture paddocks on my new 40 acres of raw land in Eastern WA. Some great tips on scything and the benefits of them. BTW your daughter was adorable in this :)
Right now though I am looking at the STIHL Kombi for the ability it has for multiple head attachments, mainly looking at powered pole saw and hedge trimmer. Though will also likely get the string trimmer and brush trimmer attachments. I need to do some clearing back of the road as well as just clearing some undergrowth in the forest and trimming off the dead branches of the trees to decrease fire risk. While I much prefer not using power tools, the amount (the place has not really been touched since it was logged in 1987) of cutting back and trimming really warrants the use of them this first year to get to the point where I can scale back to the hand tools in the future. Hopefully I will end up selling off the power tools at some point and be able to stick with the hand tools.
Just recently picked up 4 cross cut saws blades at an estate sale. They had a rack of about 20-30 blades, took a lot of will power not to buy a lot more. While I am looking forward to hearing them singing through the wood, I have enough trees that need felling I will likely end up doing some chainsaw work too just to make enough progress this first year to feel like the property has some fire breaks and the dead standing wood out.
@@bacilluscereus1299 My land is too rocky and not enough grass for a scythe. Instead I went with a DR brush mower, that is designed for more woody stuff. In fact depending on the size of the engine it can take down a 2.5 to 3 inch tree!
Plus it is modular. You can swap the deck for a grader blade, a lawn mower, wood chipper, and a snow blower.
I would prefer something like a scythe with no motor, but it just doesn't fit the land I have.
I want one!
nice job,
I just found your channel and I’m loving it. How encouraging it is for me to know that you were able to transform your field; it gives me great hope, as I need to do the same on mine !! I wonder if you could advise me as to how to eradicate the wild raspberries that pop up in random spots??
I use mine to mow down cattails. works great for that.
What time of year do you do this and do you over seed spring or fall?
Wow. This gives me hope, as my garden is rough and patchy, but I don't have your problem with rocks. I do live in a dryer area though (Southern California) so maybe the creation of topsoil will take longer.
Chop and drop works REALLY fast as long as you are always adding something to the top.
Great outfit...not what you would envision someone wearing to scythe!
How did you sow your alfalfa? I’ve been wanting to do the same.
Heaven indeed. Reminds me of area code 406.
Sounds like great exersize,,,
go around and Rake or pick those ROCKs out of the soil and after a few times they will ALL be gone and You can swing with NO More problems. GREAT Video AND YOU are Gorgous !!!
How often do you have to sharpen it....? I have a scythe in the garage, honestly never used it...
I know this is an old video. But I like it when you do videos outside and farming. So did you move to a smaller house? Because when you were getting ready for chickens you said you had a small backyards and neighbors.
Please tell where I can find that beautiful song that starts at 11.26 in you video. txs
Where do you find those huge white plastic containers that you use for housing your critters? I have never seen anything like that. Great idea. I love how you use whatever you have and are so clever with figuring things out. Good on ya!!
You make me want to get a scythe and I still live in the suburbs!
Your neighbor may appreciate the quietness unless there is an army of them with their own mowers ect already. I hate mowing crews on early Saturday mornings.
The rocks probably accelerated the process a little bit by protecting soil bacteria under and around them to quickly replenish the soil. In commercial lawn spraying in Florida I use a moisture management compound to maintain that same minimum moisture level (and it's lightly sticky to the decayed biomass). If you don't have this bacteria you simply won't recover topsoil - atmosphere and rain will decay the mass and the leftover will filter down through the soil by channeling to the hard-pan. Doesn't matter the tech level you use, no retained mass = no topsoil. Grass will deplete it.
I did a Sierra Club service trip at Big Bend Natl Park. The park biologist explained that the desert soil biome is only about a centimeter thick where it was degraded by overgrazing and easily damaged by raindrops and foot traffic
I am learning to scythe. Great video. Any reference to buy the equipment would be appreciated.
Great Video 👌, what blade are you using please ?
Hmmm.. . . I went to the scytheconnection site and couldn't find any scythes for sale, just articles (which looked interesting, but I was expecting to find models for sale).
They stopped selling about the time I bought mine (four years ago). If you scroll down to the end of the page that says 'shop' you will see a list of sites that still sell them.
where did you buy your scythe? I like to buy one
One scythe revolution sells setups. Google it. 😊
Looks up arti russian scythes on ebay. Probably the best deal on a scythe other than an antique american pattern, which is much harder to get into working condition.
Loved the video, , I bet it felt good to look back at all the work you accomplished! What are your daytime temps out there? I see you are still wearing warm clothes and we are in shorts and sweatbands in the Midwest.:)
Love the instructions regarding a scythe thank you. I have one on order:) Please tell where I can find that beautiful song that starts at 11.26 in you video. I have found the rapper version but yours is beautiful. thanks for a great video
Could you tell me the make of the whetstone pouch you have please as I’ve never seen one that holds water.
I bought it all together as a package through Scythe Connection I believe. I works REALLY well.
Great video - now I think that I need a scythe. Looked at several at antique stores this weekend - none as nice as yours :-) w
lol she paid 350$ she said for a full refurbished blade unit. You can find the old blades refinished online these days which is great. Just pay attention to what you are really buying.
Do you know how long the blade is ? I really like this idea.
How do I buy a scycle I went to the page but found no link to buy anything ?😱
This proves sometime old tech still work better. Unlimited fuel.
Only if you have someone, to pass them along to, who will use them. And not turn them into wall art or sell them to someone for wall art. Otherwise, they are only powered for as long as they have a willing user.
Not supposed to lift the scythe off the ground. It must remain in contact with the earth at all times. In point of fact, the best instructors on the scythe direct their students to apply slight pressure un the cut stroke and glide back to start position. Properly adjusted the heel of the blade glides one the ground so you never have to lift the scythe.
Where can i purchase that blade and handle?
My father actually he have to of them & really enjoy when you use it but you have to be very careful
The environment looks different, but I do remember you did a video about moving tho.
We In Tn, Call It A Sickle.
Stupid question - why not remove the rocks?
Where'd you get the scythe? Been wanting one for awhile now.
Scythe Connection.
🙏
I'm quite interested in the difference in what I see around me all the time and what I see in the US - here in England, the stones would have been cleared from the land and used to make a dry stone wall. Perhaps that needs generations of families with 10-15 kids to provide that kind of back-breaking work, I don't know, but it makes for beautiful countryside!
I wonder how the cobbles were formed - do you know? Ancient river bed, or beach?
It is from glacier movement. If our stones weren't round and smooth I would make walls with it but they are so round that trying to put them in a dry stack they would not stay up.
@@dirtpatcheaven Ah, that makes sense, thank you. And yes, I can't think of a way to make a dry wall from cobbles!! A good road maybe... I was surprised to see in Norfolk (UK) that beach pebbles had been used to build cottages in villages near the coast. Lots of lime mortar I'm guessing. I'm rambling!!
Do you have a preference for the European style scythe blade over an American style with harder steel? Just a curiosity question. Nice video!
Mine is Austrian and I love it because it is so easy to sharpen.
@@dirtpatcheaven How often do you have to peen as opposed to hone the blade?
Wow you are awesome! How do you keep up with everything?
Hi I enjoy your videos, I have a modern brush scythe (Aluminum hafted w / two adjustable grips.) and an old "Harvester" long blade scythe (Wood hafted w / one fixed grip.) that I bought at an auction. The modern one is a beast, it will cut through scrub and saplings as big as a broom handle but is demanding of mussels and frequent touch up with the stone. The Harvester "sings" through grass and hay but if I hit scrub with it she won't go. I would like to see your method of peening to see if it is the same as I do. And I like your "Farm Fashion" you dress as a woman with work to do.
Hi...I am from sunny South Africa. I came across your channel and luv it. I grew up close to the city...were ppl dont do these sort of things . We too dependent on gardeners to make things look beautiful. Were I live the climate it hot and humid...we not far from the ocean.We have a fair amont of rain a year but have recently had bouts of drought. I need some advice regarding my planter beds. I had some goats 4 about 2 weeks for our sacrifice. They killed my grass but the hay we fed them has started to rot mixed with their poop. Can I use this to layer my planter beds, then top with potting soil. I plan to plant spinach, herbs and strawberrys in my beds. I notticed some magots in the hay mess will this affect my plants? Thank you
Where can i buy one like yours?
Lovely!! What length is your scythe blade? Was it purchased from Austria? Excellent instruction!!💜🥰
Its a rougher blade so it is a bit shorter than a full on grass blade for sure. She said it was a refurbished blade that is available online as i have seen lately while browsing. Some companies buy, fix and sell older blades.
did you get your sythe from the sythe connection?
Believe that is the place I saw that sells refurbished old blades like hers.
Why can't I find one at my local big box home improvement store?
Phill Huddleston - Because the masses want tools which reduce time and effort
She is so fit, slim doing weeding.
German Scythe.
Did you say $300 for a hand tool
GOLLY
SO EXPENSIVE
Pay for Quality I suppose.
I was born in Brazil, but I live here in USA-FLORIDA-west palm beach. I saw a video of you using a manual lawn mower, (GRIM REAPER FARM), I used this instrument a lot on Brsail. But I would like to buy here in the USA. Could you tell me where can I buy ???? I am grateful if you can help me.