This activity is known to have taken place at Wicken Fen since at least the 15th century and it is assumed for many centuries prior to this.

Historically, as today, the harvested produce was used as a roofing material. In addition, it had other uses such as floor covering and stuffing for mattresses.

Nowadays, Sedge is managed by rotational cutting at 3 year intervals in mid-summer; only a small proportion of the total sedge habitat is harvested in any one year. These cutting rotations take place on Sedge Fen and due to the nature of the harvest, are labour intensive. The sedge is cut with a machine having an offset cutter bar (currently a Mayfield motor scythe), running so that the cut material falls against the uncut face of the vegetation. This uncut face then supports the cut material making it easier to gather. The cut material is gathered up with a long-handled fork, and sorted before being bundled into 'yealms'. These latter stages of the process are carried out by hand. Once the 'row' has been gathered and bundled, the process begins again.

Thatchers require material that has been cut green and then dried. Material which is already brown when cut is brittle and porous and as such is of little use. Once the material has been dried on the field it is then removed and stacked adjacent to Lode Lane to await collection by thatchers.