Between hay fever and horsefly

Forecasting 32c here today so out shadow hugging with the cutter. I’ve cut the big field once already so at least the growth is not completely matted. Still hard work.

I think a lot about tractors and ride on mowers. Or a bigger cutter - a self propelled flail for example. But tractors are a huge risk on our steep and terraced ground; there doesn’t seem to be a week when I don’t hear of someone crushed under their own machine in hilly Tuscany. Same goes for ride ons. A flail is really brutal to insect and amphibian life.

So I stick with my all wheel drive Huskie. In the really thick growth it requires two passes but it does a good job of mulching the grasses and herbaceous growth. Not cheap at €1000 but this is year three and largely trouble free. The grass shoot gets clogged, particularly in wet grass.

The other option is a falciatrice - what used to be called an Allen scythe - a walk behind self-propelled cutter bar. Good for small scale hay making but a problem if you don’t want the hay or don’t want to rake it up and shift it as new growth comes up through lying dead growth.

I did see a big green eyed horsefly yesterday and the little flies are a pain already and plenty mosquitoes.

Resurrected the 4m swimming pool last night.I don’t leave it up over winter as not recommended and can lead to weakening of liner and sudden bursts! But a pain to erect and clean but a helluva lot cheaper than a €60-70,000 built in pool