The Gospel of the Scythe

Modern suburbanites have discovered a novel salvation for the environment, and it looks suspiciously medieval. In a quiet meadow in Salenstein, nine individuals gather under the guidance of instructor Jürg von Känel to learn the art of swinging a manual scythe. Organized by the Arenenberg Agricultural Center, these workshops in Canton Thurgau sell out regularly to citizens eager to protect insects and find respite from a hyper-connected world.

The appeal is obvious in a culture obsessed with passive ecological guilt. Unlike noisy motorized trimmers, a hand-swung blade moves at a human pace, giving field mice and beetles a sporting chance to flee before the edge arrives. Manual cutting also leaves the grass intact rather than churning it into a heavy mulch. Under such thick green layers, delicate wildflowers and native herbs routinely suffocate, giving way to lawn monotony.

Yet romanticizing the physical tool misses the broader point. Von Känel, who has taught the craft for thirteen years and produces custom-fitted scythes in his workshop for roughly fifteen courses each summer, stresses that the blade itself is no miracle cure. Genuine biodiversity requires strategic neglect rather than mere nostalgia. Leaving uncut patches of grass through the winter provides vital sanctuary for insects, while delaying the final seasonal cut preserves key plant cycles.

Mastering the discipline demands an uncomfortable amount of patience. Before cutting a single stem, the blade requires peening—a laborious process of precise hammer strikes that cold-works the steel edge into razor sharpness. Novices quickly discover that rhythm and posture matter far more than enthusiasm, a reality that became clear when interest in these courses surged during the pandemic.

Ultimately, restoring nature in a Swiss garden is less about retro aesthetics and more about individual mindfulness. The scythe is effective only when its operator learns to observe the meadow, accepting personal responsibility for the small ecosystem under the blade.

Written by Sandy van Dongen sandy.vandongen@alpineweekly.com