Paul White Profile picture
Aug 20, 2021 10 tweets 7 min read Read on X
1. Scything grass by hand is an art, but unfortunately this is slowly being replaced by mechanisation. This farmer sharpened his blade regularly and kept his stone in a holster on his belt for easy access. #sustainability #grass #farming #Transylvania #scythe #hay Image
2. Hay making in Transylvania #sustainable #farming Image
3. The farmer was just finishing off here. He had a very efficient, fluid motion with a wide reaching arc. He was such a pleasure to watch. #scythe #scything #farmer #farming #makinghay #grass #Transylvania Image
Sharpening scythe blade on the job. Making hay in #Transylvania Image
5. Terraced hay growing in Transylvania. There's a lot of cows in this cluster of villages so a lot of hay is required for winter feed. The cows will go into large wooden barns and won't come out again until spring. It is not uncommon for temps to drop below -20oC during winter. Image
6. So today I met someone who knows the guy that was scything at the start of this thread. Apparently his name is Arpad. He also said that Austrian blades are preferred locally for scything. He had a new blade on his shelf and this was the supplier on the packaging. Image
7. The price was 165 RON which todays exchange rate is £28.64 or $39.37 or 33.48 EUR. He said the Austrian blades can be found in most local hardware stores. Image
8. Scythe maintenance #peening Image
9. Scythe maintenance #peening Image
10. Scythe maintenance in Transylvania. The guy working this blade was called Laszlo. He told me that he started scything at age 10 and could work proficiently by age 14. He said he prefers handles made of pine when scything for many hours due to the light weight. #peening Image

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More from @p_aulwhite

Jun 15
Free grazing without fencing in a valley with many wolves and bears. He has no gun and his only defence is his livestock guardian dogs and that small axe head fixed to the top of his staff. #Transylvania #farming #coexistence 1/ Image
Livestock guardian dogs approaching at speed to investigate what we are doing. #farming #Transylvania #LGD 2/ Image
Hands that have seen plenty of work. #Transylvania #farming 3/ Image
Read 7 tweets
Apr 3, 2023
1. I never thought we would ever participate in a dog show, but heard that shepherds were meeting from all over the country at Bran (yes, where said castle is situated associated with Bram Stoker's novel!) and this would be a great opportunity to do some networking. #Transylvania
2. There was lots of networking with people that we would not ordinarily meet with their beautiful dogs. #UCHR #Transylvania
3. There was lots clothing and hardware for sale too! #Shepherds #Romania #Bran #Transylvania #UCHR
Read 20 tweets
May 2, 2021
1. "Until the cows come home" At one point the herd became quite orderly following this leader along the centre of the road. The queue of cows extended all the way back to that pink gate in the distance. #cows #dairy #farming #Transylvania
2. Note the white stork's nest to the right of the photo. Hard to see at this distance but there is a stork crouched in that nest.
3. Most villagers have a cow in this village each morning they let them out from their barns and onto the street to join the village herd. A herdsman then takes care of them whilst they graze on communal meadows (for a small fee).
Read 5 tweets

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