Beans
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ManyTracks Organic Gardening |
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The
Scythe and the
Power Mower |
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Four decades of Growing
Good Food
in the Northwoods of Michigan's Upper Peninsula |
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Whether you're growing a small patch of grain, cutting some hay, or just wanting to keep an area mowed without a gasoline engine flapping in your ear, the scythe is a great tool. We managed to get a good one many years ago, and I recommend it enthusiastically it if you can find one similar. |
We first had one of those heavy, hardware store models -- which was a joke, though not a
very funny one if you were trying to do any serious work with it. Then we splurged for a
model purchased from Smith and Hawken (this was way back when they sold quality tools, no
relation to the current catalog by the company of the same name). Our scythe was made by
Hand & Foot Ltd, Green River Rd, PO Box 611, Brattleboro, Vermont 05301. After almost
twenty years, it is still in great shape, though much broken in. I mostly use an electric
battery powered mower now, one that can be charged up from our solar
electric system. It isn't any faster but it's more pleasant than the gasoline
and is my first choice. These mowers have come a long way since our first
ones. They are much more practical. However, when growth gets tall it's more
than the electric can handle so the old gasoline mower, which has been asked to
mow things more than the manufacturer planned I'm sure, comes to the rescue. I
use whatever tool makes the most sense to me, and what I enjoy the most. * * * * * *
P.S. - For many years after Smith and Hawken
changed their direction and dropped those great tools they used to carry we
couldn't find a source for these excellent scythes. But this was before the
internet opened up the world for those of us in rural areas. It seems that
almost anything you want is available somewhere now! Go for a good one, it's
well worth it. |
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Have you read "Frost Dancing - Tips from a Northern Gardener" ? A fun short read. or "Homesteading Adventures" Creating our backwoods homestead--the first 20 years. and "Growing Berries for Food and Fun" A journey you can use in your own garden. |
updated 01/16/2017 |