Our 14 acre farm is the last parcel of what had at one time been a 200 acre farm. Forty years or so ago, there were apple trees on some of our hillsides, and prior to that there had apparently been cherry trees on some of the other slopes. Those orchards and fields were abandoned over time in favour of farming the flatter portions of the farm. So by the time we bought our farm, our land hadn’t been actively used for quite awhile.
Shortly after buying the property, we wanted to be able to walk the property and be able to enjoy the views from our hilltops of the lake in the distance. But the weeds were thigh high and walking the property just wasn’t enjoyable. We had no farm equipment so what was one to do?
The solution? I bought myself a scythe. A fantastic “old world” tool. Think of a hockey stick, but where the blade of the stick would be, instead you have a 3 foot long curved knife attached. With a side-to-side swinging motion you can slice through the grass and weeds easily.
Donning long pants, long sleeved shirt, and an Indiana Jones style hat, I stepped out into the summer heat, and back in time, to tame our fields. With each swing of the scythe, I gained another 3 feet of pathway. Spending a few hours a day, over the course of a few weeks, I soon had the grass cut down to about 6 inches high, forming a pathway through and around our property. Once the basic pathway had been cut, I was able to take the ride-on lawn tractor over the paths, making the pathways even more distinct. Now hardly a day will pass without someone either taking a morning walk around the property, or a break in the day from other projects to sit up on the hill looking down on the rest of the farm.
Moving from the summer months into winter, I’ve tried to use these same pathways for snowshoeing and cross country ski trails. I fashioned a grooming device using corrugated sheet metal that gets weighted down and pulled around the property wearing snowshoes. The grooming was much harder than the actual skiing (not surprisingly), but it was a nice workout and a good reason to be outdoors enjoying the winter. I have some ideas and refinements for the grooming and modifications to the trails for next winter, so that the downhill descents can be a bit more controlled.
As time goes by, we’ll have plantings along the pathways and even more interesting views of the evolving farm. More to come!
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