West country commercial reed harvesting with a scythe. by Chris Riley In January 2014 I was contracted to harvest reed from the bank of the river Exe near Topsham Lock, south of Exeter. The intended use of the reed on a thatched roof meant that as much as possible of the material had to be gathered safely Read more about East and west country reed cutting by scythe – Winter 2014[…]
On a pleasant bright winters day seven SABI scythers gathered in a Norfolk reedbed for an opportunity to get their scythes out of hibernation for a bit of out-of-season mowing. Seven SABI Scythers standing in a swamp The aim was to mow a section of reedbed to clear space for the construction of a wetland scrape. This forms part of the Read more about Winter Scythe meeting : Cutting Norfolk Reed[…]
Traditionally the vegetation of reedbeds, fens and marshes is harvested to provide thatching materials as well as feed and bedding for animals. These wetland habitats, like their drier-land cousins meadow and pasture, depend on cutting or grazing to maintain their condition and hold back the natural succession to scrub and eventually woodland. These man-made habitats Read more about Reedbeed and Fen Management with scythes[…]