We are quickly approaching the summer solstice, but we have yet to have any real heat. The last few days have been rainy which is quite unusual for this time of year. As one author put it, instead of global warming, this might be called global "weirding." If this keeps going, the tomato harvest is going to be late this year. As I had mentioned previously, the heavy winter rains have resulted in extra heavy growth of grass and weeds. The scythe arrived a few days ago: https://wm.sdf.org/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=17420 Thankfully, the unit came with a healthy amount of literature about its use and maintenance so I think I am off to a good start. I initially started with mowing some small patches in the garden. Although it will take some practice to become proficient with the tool, I am already amazed at how well the scythe slices through the grass and with little effort. At about 5 minute intervals, I would pause and give the blade a once over with the whetstone which is about a 30 second procedure and then it is back to mowing. After about an hour of mowing, I find I am not tired and actually enjoying myself. The silence of the forest has not been disturbed and the birds continue to sing. Using the string trimmer left me exhausted after just a short amount of time and I am sure it could be heard for miles. It will take some practice, but I am already convinced the scythe was a wise investment. Best of all, it's powered by the morning breakfast. 8-D After a few hours use, the blade has to be peened and honed again to bring out metal and set the bevel. This is also a process that requires some practice, but having a peening jig helps. The process requires about 30 minutes, but is needed to keep the blade keen. Once that is done, one is good to go. After mowing, I stand back to admire my work. There is some stubble left over, but this mowing is to keep the fire risk down, so no need to impress. It is nice though to have the grass mowed down. Once I work my way down the driveway, I will probably have had enough practice to take on the acre or so of weeds on the lower side of the property. Hopefully the ditch blade is up to the task. If not, I can order a bush blade. Scything also helps me to become more intimately familiar with the property especially the different kinds of vegetation that grows in different places. *Update* After gaining some confidence with the usage of the scythe, I decided to start tackling the weeds and grass on the lower side of the property. When I entered that part of the property, I was aghast at how much the weeds and grass had grown since the beginning of March when I hired someone to mow it. The grass was up to my shoulders and I stand at 6'4". I stood for a moment with my hands on my hips wondering if I was willing to take this one on! I decided to start mowing and see how much I accomplished in the morning then make a decision. To my surprise, the scythe sliced through the grass and weeds fairly easily. I wanted to clear a path to the well house for easy access. After one hour, I was able to clear a swath 9 feet by 90 feet which is not bad for a rank amateur like myself. By this time, the morning sun was peeking above the trees and dew was burning off, so I decided to quit as the best scything time is when the morning dew is still on the grass. The extra moisture content in the grass and weeds makes it easier to slice. Assuming the dry season is in full swing, I figure I can mow most of the space if I put in an hour or so for the next couple of weeks. Hopefully after that, I will not need to do much mowing except small spots of maintenance. There's no real hurry except to keep Calfire happy. Before: https://wm.sdf.org/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=17429 After (Not the best pic, but you get the idea): https://wm.sdf.org/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=17430 Before I attack it again tomorrow, I will probably take a few minutes to peen the blade and give it a keen edge although today it performed admirably.