With a good scythe, the mowing becomes the easy part! Dealing with the massive volume of cut grass (especially if you've been mowing tall grass!) becomes the bulk of the work. A good hay rake makes this job much easier. We sell traditional, split-head (Flex-frame), wooden hay rakes with 5'6" and 6' handles, made by the Cheesebrough Mfg. Co. of Michigan. They've been making rakes since 1872 and still use much of the original manufacturing equipment. Ash wood handle and frame. The dowel teeth are made of hickory. The wood is unfinished (bare wood) and needs to be sealed. Linseed oil and turpentine mixed 50/50 works well. Bio-shield Primer Oil #1, works even better. For assembly instructions, see blog. - $80.00 and $85.00

Made exclusively for 1SR by the Cheesebrough Mfg. Co. of Michigan. Split-frame ashwood handle in 5'6" and 6' lengths. New lighter ashwood head, with tapered hickory teeth. This is how they used to make them. The tapered teeth grab and release the hay quicker (yes, when you do it 10,000 times, it does matter), and broken teeth are easier to replace.
$80.00 and $85.00

I am very sad to announce that the factory that made my historical hayrakes burned down to the ground. No one was injured, but the factory was a historical treasure not only for their community, and for us scythers. They had been making wooden hayrakes and other rakes since 1864. http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/barry_county/fire-at-cheesebrough-manufacturing