CATEGORIES

How to Buy a Smallholding in France- Long-time smallholder Lorraine Turnbull looks at the practicalities of moving to rural France

Aspiring smallholders are continually thwarted by the prices of smallholdings and property with land located within the UK. Even the humblest croft in Scotland comes with a substantial price tag and conditions which would make even an adventurous wannabee consider carefully. But all is not lost. For those willing to take the adventure of a lifetime, there is always Europe, and one of the most popular places is France.

Meet the Bournemouth goats and their supporters

These capricious animals are hard workers preserving the natural habitat

Still warm enough to sit outside with a Pizza

Henrietta Balcon uses fresh figs to create an unusual dish at Harvest time

Goodbye to the birds of spring and summer

If you look and listen you might be able to see them preparing to leave says The RSPB

Get ready for the colder weather in the warmth of late summer

Claire Waring advises on doing the best to make sure your colonies survive until next spring

Preparing the Veg Patch for Winter

Lee Senior says, a well-run plot can excitingly continue to produce good quality, tasty, fresh food for much of winter

Time to prepare to plant your orchard

Wade Muggleton, smallholder and author of The Orchard Book, shares his practical experience so you can create your own fruit collection

Choosing feed for the autumn

As autumn approaches, Joanna Palmer, nutritionist at the Smallholder Range, offers advice on choosing the right feed to support your adult birds through their annual moult and ensure your young birds grow and finish well at this time of the year.

Vet advice from an experienced poultry vet

Reflecting on how much the humble hen has helped people world wide plus advice on stopping the scourge of red mite

Give your hens some support

Paul Donovan looks at the right and wrong ways of handling birds

The wonderful world of poultry shows is in full swing

Time to have a go!’ says Grant Brereton who explains how to get the best from your first entry

The Chicken Keepers Nightmare: Red Mite

If you ask chicken keepers what they dread most in terms of poultry pests most will say Red Mite. Fiona and Hugh Osborne have found that they can be treated and controlled with some simple steps.

Wild in Campsea - NIMBYism at its best! (That's Nature In My Back Yard!!)

Sue Field finds out more about this community that Grows Together’

Ruminations of a Yorkshire Vet

Julian Norton chooses an extract from his latest book

Petite but perfectly formed

Rebecca Farner, Editor of Vineyard magazine, visits a small vineyard

Where the City and the Country meet

Michael Wale finds out how farming works in a more urban environment

What is American Foulbrood?

Claire Waring looks at the disease and its consequences.

Miniature Jersey Cattle-the only two in the UK?

Sally Crozer hopes there will be more

You can help protect baby birds this breeding season

The RSBP says you can help all nesters but particularly watch out for ground nesting birds many of which are under threat

Smallholding profile: Pocket House Studio

Helen Babbs visits a thriving Hebridean croft and weaving studio

Grow Your Own refreshing brews

Mel Thomas says there are so many possibilities from your own back garden

Making the most of fresh eggs and summer fruit

Henrietta Balcon celebrates the season of abundance

How to deal with Pests the Natural Way

Lee Senior says create a healthy predator-prey balance in your garden

How to create a hen-friendly garden

The British Hen Welfare Trust share their top tips to strike a perfect balance.

Do chickens really experience empathy?

This month, Paul Donovan turns his attention to the psychological side of poultry behaviour, and investigates whether hens sense empathy – a trait indicative of mammals.

Care of the fleece begins at shearing time

Claire Boley gives a guide to sorting and storing a fleece so it’s in good condition for spinning

We're going on an alpaca walking experience

Cathy Darcey & Stuart Woolley share their journey with alpacas – and other animals – to make a business out of something they love doing

Concerning view of British native breed Pig and Poultry

Mixed picture of British native equine breeds with Welsh Pony Sec B joining the At Risk group

Harvesting the Honey

Claire Waring describes how you can collect and prepare to store your sweet crop

Shropshire farmer creates nature-positive woodland

With funding and expert advice from the Woodland Trust's MOREwoods scheme, Mark Lea and his wife Liz planted 800 trees on an unproductive area of their land to support wildlife and climate adaptation, and supply wood fuel for their biomass boiler.