A one-day scything course for DPA volunteers was held at Pudsham on 1 August 2018.
Assembling the scythes
The trainer in this traditional skill was Chris Riley of Pratensis Countryside Services
Starting work
It wasn’t long before the budding scythesmen and women were undertaking their first attempts.
Sharpening the blade
A major aspect of scything, after safety, is maintaining a good cutting edge.
Cleaning the blade
It is also very important to clean the blade, especially at the end of work.
Getting used to scything
The final photograph shows the progress made in scything a field of long grass. With thanks to Ralph Mackridge for allowing us to use his field.