Toresbo, Naturreservat

In Toresbo, a flourishing hay meadow is protected. People have been harvesting hay in the meadow for generations. Today, the hay meadow is a living cultural monument and home to a myriad of plants and animals.

Flower gardening

Haymaking, maidenhair, meadowsweet and sedge. They all belong to the flowering plants of the meadow. A vanishing group that is finding it increasingly difficult to survive in today's agricultural landscape. A landscape where almost all the old hay meadows have been cultivated, overgrown or planted with forest. To thrive, meadow plants need sun and light. If mowing stops, they are quickly replaced by large herbs, grasses and shrubs.

Mowing guild

In the middle of summer, when grass and herbs were in bloom, it was time for haymaking in old agricultural Sweden. Haymaking was a common affair for everyone on the farm. Men walked with scythes and women and children followed with rakes. The hay was dried on simple wooden racks, called hay racks, before it was time to take it home to the barns. When the hard work was over, there was cause for celebration, especially if the hay harvest was good. A real haymaking party included food, drink, music and dancing!

Valuable management

Toresbos meadows are still mown today. The work begins in the spring. Last year's grass is raked away and leaves, twigs and other things are cleared away. In mid-July, it's time for mowing. Nowadays, a machine-driven mowing bar is used instead of a scythe. When the mowing is finished, animals graze on the meadow and in the parts that have not been mowed.