Avsnitt
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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 – Introduction to Rachel Remnant
04:00 – Why technique matters more than sharpness
05:40 – Transylvania & the Churchill Fellowship experience
09:20 – The shocking loss of wildflower meadows
13:00 – Why LOW soil fertility creates more biodiversity
19:20 – Meadow vs pasture
28:50 – How to turn pasture into a wildflower meadow
32:20 – How to reduce soil fertility (step-by-step)
35:40 – Rachel’s meadow management course
43:00 – The “Magnificent Meadows” project
Links & Resources
Meadow conservation work:
https://www.cprehampshire.org.uk/meadows
Rachel’s consulting business:
https://www.landloreconsulting.com
Follow Rachel on Instagram:
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/
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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
slattergubben.se
slattergubben.se/produkter/kopa-lie/the-nordic-snath?tm=home
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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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.
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
