International Directory
of Scythe-related Events

Rather than listing the International Directory chronologically by date and then by type of event (course, competition, festival etc.) as we did in previous years, we will simply list the events by country. Many events combine more than one type of activity.

Please bear in mind that this directory is never complete, because:
a) there are doubtless other events taking place which we have not found out about;
b) in many countries no one has yet taken on the task of compiling the information and forwarding it to us.

With regard to a): for now, the U.K. may represent a more or less complete overview, because Simon Fairlie has taken an interest in scythe-related activities on three fronts -- the education of a new generation of mowers (via courses), the mowing competitions, and the ecological meadow restoration projects applying the scythe.

The situation is certainly different in Switzerland, where the competitive mowers and the eco-oriented scythe course instructors are two decidedly distinct crowds, and they usually don't know about each other's activities... The former are well organized, they set their event dates for the season by early February and let us know promptly. The eco-workshop group is more lax, and usually inform us rather on the late side what they plan to do.

Conversely, we thus far list no competitive events for Austria (of which there are many) because we have always had to specifically beg for this information -- and we have not done so yet. And apart from what the Sensenverein Österreich (Scythe Association of Austria) -- an education- and restorative-project-oriented group, and the most proactive one -- is organizing in terms of courses, there are at least two "scythe course enterprises" doing their own things separately. Ahh, the modern tendencies of "independence"...

*Botan Anderson teaches scythe use and maintenance in Wisconsin. See mysticprairie.net for info. Contact Botan by email: mysticprairie@wwt.net or phone 715 772 4642.

Click here for a description of the Scythe Festival and Courses in the "Forest of Grib", Denmark, July 2 to 5, 2008 (contributed by Henrik Jørgensen). The Vido family will be attending this event.

Click here to see the listing of courses in Austria. MS Word document. Contributed by Walter Blumauer.

Click here for info on scythe-related events in the British Isles (contributed by Simon Fairlie). PDF document.

Click here for info on competitive scythe-related events in Slovakia (contributed by Lukas Janoska). MS Word document.