The British government’s advice has been clear: we’ve all been told to stay at home. None of us have lived through times as uncertain as these before, with family gatherings cancelled and summer events erased from the calendar. Now is the time to hunker down on the smallholding and embrace your inner keep calm-and-carry-on attitude. In the spirit of making the most of it, this is my guide to self-isolation on the smallholding with hints and tips for making do, making feelgood beverages, beating the panic buyers and falling in love with your home all over again.
Immune System Boosting Tea
I’m always putting together home-made concoctions which will, at worst, be a tasty drink, but at best will give your immune system a little boost in the right direction. This is a recipe for my absolute favourite: Sunshine Tea. I call in Sunshine Tea because it tastes delicious and is the colour of a beautiful sunny day, and we could all do with a little bit of sunshine at the moment, even if it is confined to our teacups!
HOW TO MAKE SUNSHINE TEA
This recipe for Sunshine Tea is a home-made twist on the classic lemon and honey health booster. I’m a bee-keeper and I make my own apple cider vinegar, so for me this is the perfect smallholders’ remedy.
You will need
• Lemon — Lemons are full of vitamin C, which is known to boost the immune system. Lemons are said to aid digestion, and their anti-bacterial properties are great for killing off germs. Lemons also contain the vitamin B6, which is said to calm nausea.
Denne historien er fra June 2020-utgaven av Country Smallholding.
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Denne historien er fra June 2020-utgaven av Country Smallholding.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
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 public’s imagination when it first aired in 1975. On Country Smallholding’s 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
‘The hens took shelter under the pig trailer in the paddock'
A tree Armageddon frightens poultry diarist Julian Hammer’s 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 — 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 — both good and bad — to small-scale farming over that near half-century
