As summer fades into fall, farmers are busy harvesting their crops. This single-blade scythe is a traditional harvesting and mowing tool which features a curved steel blade attached to a long wooden handle that can be held in two places.
The one shown is displayed on the parlor wall at the Botetourt Museum of History & Culture. It is part of the exhibition “Home Grown: Botetourt’s Agricultural History” and part of their permanent collection.
Before mechanization, harvesting was laborious work and often required the help of many people. Wheat, oats and other crops were cut close to the ground using the curved blade with a swinging motion. The grain was then gathered by hand to dry.
Scythes are ideal for clearing grass or woody growth and still sold today in local hardware stores and online.
