Mowing in the rain

[dcyrilc]

I've only used a scythe years ago to clean a fence row. I think the farmer gave me the scythe so he could laugh at my efforts. These days a good scythe would probably cost a lot more than a weed whacker.

Chuck

A few years back, when my son took over mowing the lawn, I priced one of the manual rotery push mowers since I figured he was a little young for the gas mower. They were more expensive than the gas mowers. The cheapest one I could find was like $400 or $600.:confused2: It convinced me to teach him how to safely use the gas mower.:laughing:

 

[Chuck52]

Apparently I was wrong about the cost of scythes:

The Marugg Company, Tracy City, TN - How to mow with a scythe

I may have to get one. For really tall grass and weeds, as I get in some areas where I can't mow easily, it might be easier to use than the weed whacker. I have a Stihl, but even a good weed whacker can get bogged down in really tall stuff. Using one would beat paying to go to a gym!

Chuck

 

[czechsonofagun]

Apparently I was wrong about the cost of scythes:

The Marugg Company, Tracy City, TN - How to mow with a scythe

I may have to get one. For really tall grass and weeds, as I get in some areas where I can't mow easily, it might be easier to use than the weed whacker. I have a Stihl, but even a good weed whacker can get bogged down in really tall stuff. Using one would beat paying to go to a gym!

Chuck

once you know how to sharpen it and use it, you will like it. I may sound like a tree huger but it agrees with the nature more than two stroke engine - IMO.

 

[Chuck52]

Prokop,

What's like the minimum height of grass/weeds you can easily cut with a scythe? I can see that a really sharp blade could work well on knee-high stuff, and maybe down to a foot tall. Seems like the shorter the grass, the harder/faster you'd have to swing to cut it vs just pushing it around. I have some trees in a field that I'd like to give some room to grow. The fescue is nearly waist deep there now, and I bet a scythe would do wonders on it, while the weed whacker winds up the tall stuff and hits me with enough shredded material my wife won't let me in the garage, much less the house.

Chuck

 

[dcyrilc]

Prokop,

What's like the minimum height of grass/weeds you can easily cut with a scythe? I can see that a really sharp blade could work well on knee-high stuff, and maybe down to a foot tall. Seems like the shorter the grass, the harder/faster you'd have to swing to cut it vs just pushing it around. I have some trees in a field that I'd like to give some room to grow. The fescue is nearly waist deep there now, and I bet a scythe would do wonders on it, while the weed whacker winds up the tall stuff and hits me with enough shredded material my wife won't let me in the garage, much less the house.

Chuck

I use a Stihl gas powered hedge trimmer for that tall stuff. Works just like a sickle mower.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Prokop,

What's like the minimum height of grass/weeds you can easily cut with a scythe? I can see that a really sharp blade could work well on knee-high stuff, and maybe down to a foot tall. Seems like the shorter the grass, the harder/faster you'd have to swing to cut it vs just pushing it around. I have some trees in a field that I'd like to give some room to grow. The fescue is nearly waist deep there now, and I bet a scythe would do wonders on it, while the weed whacker winds up the tall stuff and hits me with enough shredded material my wife won't let me in the garage, much less the house.

Chuck

Chuck:

It is all about the skill. I recall seeing an old guy with a long pipe in his mouth, puffing away and swinging slowly back and forth cutting grass 2 inches long and leaving it 1/2" and all the same length - I will never be able to do that, that's for sure. The swing has to be smooth and the left hand - if you are right handed - goes behind your back, otherwise it will leaves moons of uncut grass right where the tip cuts.

Long grass is easiest, it holds against the cut and the scythe will also lay it down nicely in a row. The fescue should not be a problem.

 

[Specop_007]

I've only used a scythe years ago to clean a fence row. I think the farmer gave me the scythe so he could laugh at my efforts. These days a good scythe would probably cost a lot more than a weed whacker.

I used to work at the University of Puerto Rico. The grounds keepers there used long machetes to do the trim work. There were lots of ground keepers and they were in a union. I can't remember ever seeing a weed whacker on campus.

Chuck

I suppose that would make it a more enjoyable location from a sound pollution perspective.

Love the look of well maintained landscape but those little engines do make a noise.

 

[Chuck52]

I suppose that would make it a more enjoyable location from a sound pollution perspective.

Love the look of well maintained landscape but those little engines do make a noise.

The cheap weed whackers I've had in the past were noisier than my Stihl, partly because they didn't seem to run at less than full out. The Stihl has a lower tone, and I can idle the Stihl and still cut weeds. I especially appreciate that when I'm trimming around trees with tender bark. I can use very low speed to pull the weeds away from the trunk without scarring the bark....at least during the rather short period when I am still fresh enough to do the delicate trimming.

Chuck

 

[Chuck52]

Chuck:

It is all about the skill. I recall seeing an old guy with a long pipe in his mouth, puffing away and swinging slowly back and forth cutting grass 2 inches long and leaving it 1/2" and all the same length - I will never be able to do that, that's for sure. The swing has to be smooth and the left hand - if you are right handed - goes behind your back, otherwise it will leaves moons of uncut grass right where the tip cuts.

Long grass is easiest, it holds against the cut and the scythe will also lay it down nicely in a row. The fescue should not be a problem.

His blade must have been Ninja sharp!

Chuck

 

[dave1949]

Hi Chuck,

Like that tree hugger, Prokop , I have also seen short grass cut cleanly and smoothly with a scythe. An old fellow gathered fresh, tender grass shoots for his rabbits along side our driveway in Germany. He made regular use of his honing stone as I recall. He would scythe when the grass wasn't even tall enough to need mowing.

You could get a scythe with a cradle, gather that tall grass up and bind it into shocks.

The moral of this tall grass tale is: 'Don't sow more than you can reap' :laughing:

We could use some rain. My strawberries are about ready to form berries on the blossoms and it's too dry. Have to get the water hose out tomorrow.
Dave.

 

[dcyrilc]

We could use some rain. My strawberries are about ready to form berries on the blossoms and it's too dry. Have to get the water hose out tomorrow.
Dave.

You can have some of ours. I just wish it would quit raining and warm up. Our garden started and then the weather cooled back off and the garden has stalled. We've been getting the kind of weather we should be getting in late March.

 

[dave1949]

You can have some of ours. I just wish it would quit raining and warm up. Our garden started and then the weather cooled back off and the garden has stalled. We've been getting the kind of weather we should be getting in late March.

Evening Cyril,

I'd like some of your rain. We had one rainy afternoon about two weeks back, that was the only rain for all of May. April was dry too. Just had three days of 90* temps, then a high of 73* today. Strange weather.

What became of FallbrookFarmer, is he back on his meds?
Dave.

 

[Chuck52]

It's been hot and humid here since it stopped raining last week. My tomatoes woke up and started to grow, along with every weed known to man and lots of grass. Some stuff liked the cool and wet, other stuff likes the hot and humid. I've had bush beans up for what seems like a month, going nowhere. They should have shaded out the grass and weeds, but that didn't happen. This weekend is mowing time again. I'm working on remembering why I wanted a few acres in the country.....Ah yes....for retirement fun! Four years to go.

Chuck

 

[Chuck52]

Dave,

If you read FallB's self-description, it says he likes to irritate liberals. I thought I satisfied his desires, but maybe I was not sufficiently demonstrative!

Chuck

 

[dave1949]

It's been hot and humid here since it stopped raining last week. My tomatoes woke up and started to grow, along with every weed known to man and lots of grass. Some stuff liked the cool and wet, other stuff likes the hot and humid. I've had bush beans up for what seems like a month, going nowhere. They should have shaded out the grass and weeds, but that didn't happen. This weekend is mowing time again. I'm working on remembering why I wanted a few acres in the country.....Ah yes....for retirement fun! Four years to go.

Chuck

You have to get over this mowing thing while you are ahead Four acres is a lot to keep mowed. If we had poisonous snakes around here, I could see keeping a good buffer of open lawn around the house and garage. I have completely forsaken the mower this year. Mowing is a state of mind.

The weather is way off this Spring. I saw a few fireflies the other night when it was warm after dark. Also saw dragon flies last week. That is about a month too early. My pond looks like it's August.
Dave.

 

[dcyrilc]

You have to get over this mowing thing while you are ahead Four acres is a lot to keep mowed. If we had poisonous snakes around here, I could see keeping a good buffer of open lawn around the house and garage. I have completely forsaken the mower this year. Mowing is a state of mind.

The weather is way off this Spring. I saw a few fireflies the other night when it was warm after dark. Also saw dragon flies last week. That is about a month too early. My pond looks like it's August.
Dave.

I agree, time to trade weather. If I remember correctly, I told you a while back that I was sending the sun your way. Time to give it back now.

I have to keep up on the mowing. Not an option. If I don't, then it begins to short out the electric fence and then I have cattle running loose. BTDT.

Last weekend, we went to our spring meeting of the Northwest Highland Cattle Assoc at a farm in Eastern Washington near the Idaho border. Even over there it wasn't all that warm. Saturday was actually cold, wet, and windy. Sunday and Monday were better, but not great. It should have been in the 80s by now, but was in the low to mid 60s. We made a camping trip out of it and stayed through Monday.

My daughter found a new pet to bring home. Here is a picture of the new pet.


...and some pix from the trip.

This pic was Saturday afternoon.




These we from sunday.


This was Monday at Grand Coulee Dam.

...and, of course, to keep it tractor related, we had to stop by a John Deere dealer on Sunday to look at what kind of impliments are sold in REAL farm country.

This is one serious rototiller!

My wife found a tractor she liked. She said it goes with the rototiller she wants.:laughing:


Some other attachments.

 

[dave1949]

Evening Cyril,

So, is that last pic a potato harvester or what? I don't think potatoes, maybe something that grows in close drilled rows?

Sounds like you had a nice weekend trip even if the weather was spotty.

Dave.

 

[dcyrilc]

Evening Cyril,

So, is that last pic a potato harvester or what? I don't think potatoes, maybe something that grows in close drilled rows?

Sounds like you had a nice weekend trip even if the weather was spotty.

Dave.

I've had several people tell me that it is a potato harvester. Personally, I have no idea so I have to accept what others have said.

The weekend was good, but I have conflicting feelings about it as the budget is nonexistant this year and it probably would have been better not to have spent the money. Even so, I really did need the break. My real fear is that I'm afraid that we will end up loosing the house this comming winter.

 

[dave1949]

I've had several people tell me that it is a potato harvester. Personally, I have no idea so I have to accept what others have said.

The weekend was good, but I have conflicting feelings about it as the budget is nonexistant this year and it probably would have been better not to have spent the money. Even so, I really did need the break. My real fear is that I'm afraid that we will end up loosing the house this comming winter.

Ouch, sorry to hear that. Hopefully, you have time to work on it and maybe find a solution.

If you want, throw out some scenarios and let TBN folks say what they might do or not do. Good sounding board at least and different perspectives to share. Don't sit and fret alone about it.
Dave.

 

[dcyrilc]

Ouch, sorry to hear that. Hopefully, you have time to work on it and maybe find a solution.

If you want, throw out some scenarios and let TBN folks say what they might do or not do. Good sounding board at least and different perspectives to share. Don't sit and fret alone about it.
Dave.

In years past, I have always made $20-40K in overtime. With the current economy and the lag which government sees, we have had all noncritical overtime suspended. The result is that I will make about $40K less this year than last. With buying the tractor and having to replace my car which died, my bills have increased by about $700/month. As I have always overpaid my federal taxes, I stopped paying taxes in March and currently have around $100 left after bills each check right now. I will need to start paying taxes again by July, then things will start getting interesting. I also have $4K in half taxes left due on the ranch in October.

I figure I can sell my boom flail mower to cover the property taxes, but I'm still going to be going downhill once I start paying federal taxes. It's going to come down to what I'm willing to give up.

Well, my wife wants me to come watch a movie with them so I'm going to go for now.

Have a good evening Dave.