Embedded Files
International Peening Day 2025
International Peening Day 2025
Stay Sharp! International Peening Day helps Winchester scythers
Since the 1990's, scything has seen a renaissance with the import of lightweight, adjustable Austrian scythes. They provide a peaceful way to mow meadows and listen to the birds while cutting the grass. But what happens if you have a blunt blade?
The belly of the long metal blade is run along the ground and is honed, sharpened by a stone, every five minutes. This keeps the edge sharp and enables the scythe person to mow with ease. After 4 - 8 hours of mowing the metal is worn back by the action of the stone and needs to be peened. Peening is the process of hammering along the edge of the blade to draw out a thinner edge. It's a form of cold blacksmithing and is really satisfying to learn. The hammer blows squish out the metal and after putting on a good edge, mowing feels like a breeze due to the thinner profile.
Peening is best learned under the tuition of a more experienced person. The global scythe community organises International Peening Day on the first Sunday in April to help people ready their scythe blades for the mowing season ahead.
It was great to have our Winchester event featured in the Hampshire Chronicle: https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/25044400.peening-workshop-take-place-winchester-stadium/
Bar End Meadows
Bar End Meadows
Land Lore Consulting is collaborating with CPRE Hampshire and Highcliffe Community for Action to bring fragments of chalk grassland into good management with the help of the local community. Find out more here:
17th January 2024
It's been an exciting week working on the Land Lore Consulting logo with artist Milli McGregor. Back in the summer a group of us were at the pub discussing logo ideas. I'm incredibly lucky to have creative and skilled friends who have designed this beautiful logo. Mark Hunter came up with the concept of the first two words sitting above one another, using the geometry of the A, a triangle, and the O, a circle, to signify the visible and out of sight parts of the work I do.
Milli usually paints and prints freehand and she drew the logo onto a T Shirt and tote bag for me to wear at the Oxford Real Farming Conference. She bravely launched into creating a logo on the computer and we developed the willow pollard image, found a font and colours that fitted. Milli's designs often feature hidden items. If you look carefully you'll see a kingfisher, an owl and a bee's nest. The design is versatile and playful, which is what nature inspires us to be.
Willow pollards are ancient trees with regenerative growth after cutting. Their traditional uses and landmarks in our wetlands makes me proud to have this as a feature for the business.
Page updated
Report abuse