Scythe Community Podcast

Rachel Remnant of Land Lore Consulting and Scythe Instructor

In this episode of the Scythe Community Podcast, ecologist Rachel Remnant shares her deep expertise in meadow restoration, traditional land management, and why biodiversity depends on how we cut and remove grass. With over 20 years managing nature reserves and now founder of Land Lore Consulting, Rachel breaks down the science and tradition behind wildflower meadows—from floodplains in England to traditional farming practices in Transylvania. Chapters 00:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwp6UiXR24Q] – Introduction to Rachel Remnant 04:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwp6UiXR24Q&t=240s] – Why technique matters more than sharpness 05:40 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwp6UiXR24Q&t=340s] – Transylvania & the Churchill Fellowship experience 09:20 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwp6UiXR24Q&t=560s] – The shocking loss of wildflower meadows 13:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwp6UiXR24Q&t=780s] – Why LOW soil fertility creates more biodiversity 19:20 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwp6UiXR24Q&t=1160s] – Meadow vs pasture 28:50 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwp6UiXR24Q&t=1730s] – How to turn pasture into a wildflower meadow 32:20 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwp6UiXR24Q&t=1940s] – How to reduce soil fertility (step-by-step) 35:40 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwp6UiXR24Q&t=2140s] – Rachel’s meadow management course 43:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwp6UiXR24Q&t=2580s] – The “Magnificent Meadows” project Links & Resources Meadow conservation work: https://www.cprehampshire.org.uk/meadows [https://www.cprehampshire.org.uk/meadows] Rachel’s consulting business: https://www.landloreconsulting.com [https://www.landloreconsulting.com] Follow Rachel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelremnant [https://www.instagram.com/rachelremnant] Churchill Fellowship report (Transylvania study): https://www.churchillfellowship.org/ideas-experts/ideas-library/from-transylvania-to-the-itchen-valley-reviving-traditional-meadow-skills/

Janne Wester of Sweden - Scything, Meadow Restoration & the Nordic Snath

Janne Wester: Scything, Meadow Restoration & the Nordic Snath Host Steve Smith talks with Sweden-based scything teacher and entrepreneur Janne Wester (Slåttergubben) about scything technique, meadow restoration, and the development of his Nordic snath for better ergonomics and control. Janne shares how he got started, why peening and sharpening are the biggest challenges for beginners, and how scythes fit into modern meadow management in Sweden. They also cover workshop teaching, municipal meadow contracts, why removing cuttings matters for biodiversity, and how to avoid misleading “meadow” seed mixes. 00:00 Welcome + Janne’s Background 02:12 Swedish Scythes, Ergonomics & the Nordic Snath 08:03 Scything Revival, Peening & Sharpness 19:10 Teaching Workshops + Common Beginner Mistakes 30:23 Meadow Contracts, Mowing Work & Tools 35:32 Scythe vs Brush Cutter  39:38 Starting a Meadow + Restoration Basics 42:31 Avoiding Fake Meadow Seed Mixes 46:34 Why Scything Feels Right 55:59 Final Thanks and Wrap https://www.youtube.com/@slattergubben6702/videos [https://www.youtube.com/@slattergubben6702/videos] slattergubben.se [http://slattergubben.se] slattergubben.se/produkter/kopa-lie/the-nordic-snath?tm=home [http://slattergubben.se/produkter/kopa-lie/the-nordic-snath?tm=home]

Richard Brown of the Scythe Association of Britain and Ireland

Richard Brown on Scything, Meadows, and Biodiversity Host Steve Smith introduces the Scythe Community Podcast and welcomes Richard Brown — botanist, ecologist, wildflower seed expert, and longtime scythe instructor. He's also led the Scythe Association of Britain and Ireland since its founding over 15 years ago. Richard shares how he got into scything while helping people manage meadows that were too small for tractors but too large for garden tools, and how discovering modern Austrian scythes changed everything. The conversation explores what makes a true meadow versus pasture, why biodiversity depends on active management, and why simply leaving land alone often leads to scrub and woodland. Richard explains the importance of mowing timing, the risks of misunderstood “no mow” messaging, and how staggered “mow-saic” management can better support wild flowers and biodiversity. Links wildscythe.co.uk [http://wildscythe.co.uk]. https://www.youtube.com/@wildseed01/featured [https://www.youtube.com/@wildseed01/featured] 00:00   Welcome & Guest Intro 01:04   Richard’s Scythe Journey 04:02   Meadow vs Pasture 10:40   Mowing Timing & “No Mow” Confusion 16:29   “Mow-saic” Management for Biodiversity 18:51   Fertility, Cuttings, and Wildflowers 21:55.  Meadow Restoration in Practice 27:05   The Experience of Scything & Learning the Skill 36:36   Scything Community, Efficiency, and Courses 43:32   Sub Aqua Scything & Where to Learn More #scything #scyther #scythe #pasture #meadow #restoration #biodiversity #wildflowers #conservation #mowing