For most people it is probably true that a walnut is the nut which is hard to crack at Christmas, a treat on top of a cake, a walnut whip, or an ingredient in ice cream. For many years I had no idea where they came from, their history, or what you can do with them. I had seen walnut trees in gardens, but hadn’t seen them in groves. I had read very little about them and had certainly been told nothing about nut trees at the Royal Agricultural College where I had done a farming course.
Then one day a friend told me that he was going to France to collect a quantity of grafted walnut trees and would I like to join in a sort of co-operative to produce nuts? The idea appealed because we had few realistic projects with any prospect of economic success on our 70 acres of poor, clay, grade three East Sussex agricultural land.
I had listened to dire warnings in the early years of the 21st century about climate change from the world’s climate experts. The opinion these scientists put forward was that this change threatened to turn the South of England into a dryer climate similar to that common in the South of France during the last few centuries. Yet in England I have heard the comment that our walnut trees never grow very large. The reason for this could be because of soil conditions, varieties that grow here and the weather. There are indeed areas of the country where walnuts are not often found. One notable garden and tree expert in Cornwall said that there are few examples in the county because the climate is too wet. It is true that a wet climate isn’t ideal for this tree.
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The Secret World Of The Honey Bee
Who knew that honey bees are the best builders? Nicola Bradbear from Bees for Development reveals how they build their parallel wax combs with extraordinary accuracy
Tip the light fantastic
The latest offering from Ifor Williams Trailers is the Single Axle Tipper, which is simply perfect for small-scale farmers
The legacy of The Good Life
The Good Life captured the publicâs imagination when it first aired in 1975. On Country Smallholdingâs 45th birthday, Jeremy Hobson looks at this and other programmes with a self-sufficiency slant that have captivated urban and rural dwellers alike over nearly half a century
âThe hens took shelter under the pig trailer in the paddock'
A tree Armageddon frightens poultry diarist Julian Hammerâs flock and leaves him with a mammoth clear-up job
Tools of the trade
In the second part of his mini-series on tools that are useful around the holding, Kevin Alviti takes an in-depth look at the iconic scythe, a thistle paddle and forks that were once virtually indispensable to small-scale farmers
The nightclub bouncer of the sheep world
Adam Henson waxes lyrical about the Texel, which boasts such a stocky body that it resembles a box of muscle on four legs
Buying on a tight budget
As demand for smallholdings increases and prices continue to rise, is there a way to achieve your dream without forking out a fortune? In the first part of a new mini-series, Liz Shankland explores the possibilities
Crazy for crafts
In an ordinary back garden and single paddock near Kidderminster, Kay Dalloway has created both a thriving smallholding and a successful fibre business â all while working full time for the NHS. Helen Babbs drops by to find out about her ventures
Game on
A little preparation in the autumn months will help to make the transition into winter smoother and put your garden and tools on a better footing come the spring, says Stephanie Bateman
1975 And All That
Country Smallholding is 45 this month. To celebrate, Jeremy Hobson takes a look at some of the changes â both good and bad â to small-scale farming over that near half-century