Talk:Sheaf (agriculture)

Cutting Counterclockwise
For the record, some have asserted that it is possible, optionally, to cut a field counterclockwise as well as clockwise. The reason why it is always clockwise is that, using right-handed scythe the reaper can only deposit into the swathe on the left. If counterclockwise, the deposit would be into the uncut hay and foul either the team member following or himself as he came around. Left-handed scythes can be purchased under a special order but I have never seen one because even left-handers learn to cut right-handed otherwise they could never find employment in a team. It would be possible for a single, left-handed reaper to cut counterclockwise if he had a left-handed scythe and never wanted to work in a team. If a village,through some strange local genetic phenomenon, were all left-handers and they all had left-handed scythes then they could indeed cut happily together counterclockwise. The big downside to these left-handed village reapers is that they could never be employed in a team on a field away from the the village and could never invite a right-handed reaper in to help with their harvest. Consequently, I very much doubt that this has ever actually occurred. Left or right-handed, if cutting with a right-handed scythe, working either alone or in a team, the cut will always have to proceed clockwise, swathe on the left, uncut on the right. I shall leave it others to make the change because I don't want to get into an edit war, or comment here. Happy scything. E x nihil (talk) : Ex nihil (talk) 08:55, 17 May 2018 (UTC)