The brand new instalment in Frances Evesham's bestselling Ham Hill Murder Mysteries!One unexplained disappearance is strange, but two are sinister. In Lower Hembrow, an idyllic village nestled beneath Ham Hill in Somerset, the villagers are preparing to enjoy the autumn traditions of the rural English countryside until Joe Trevillion, a curmudgeonly local farmer and the father of six children, vanishes. When Adam Hennessy, the ex-detective proprietor of The Plough, the village's popular Inn, investigates, he finds ominous undercurrents beneath apparently harmless rumour and gossip. Meanwhile, a vicious campaign of vindictiveness forces Adam and his three amateur sleuth friends to dig deep into the secret lives of their neighbours to expose the source of a cruel vendetta and prevent another death. As they uncover the disturbing truth, the friends learn they must also lay their own past lives to rest before they can hope to make their dreams for the future come true. A brand new cosy mystery series from the bestselling author of A Village Murder, and A Racing Murder perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Betty Rowlands and M.C. Beaton. Other Books in the Ham Hill Murder Mystery series by Frances Evesham A Village Murder A Racing Murder Also by Frances Evesham - The Exham-on-Sea Murder Mystery Series Murder at the Lighthouse Murder on the Levels Murder on the Tor Murder at the Cathedral Murder at the Bridge Murder at the Castle Murder at the Gorge Murder at the Abbey

In Search of the World's Finest Wools is a photographic search around the world to find the finest wools available and to meet the dedicated people who care for the animals and harvest the raw wool. From this precious commodity comes the unsurpassed wools used around the world. An ethnographic marriage of stunning imagery and authoritative text, this book reveals the nature of the animals, the lives of the farmers and nomadic shepherds that care for them, and the cultures and traditions that have enriched wool-producing societies for centuries, including the use of wool in traditional costume and for utility. In Search of the World's Finest Wools explores these wool-producing regions: *Greenland - Qiviut, the wool of the musk ox.From the stone age comes the rarest and most precious of all wools, a wool 'so subtle with qualities somewhere between the lustre of silk and the softness of cashmere' and a thermal quality eight times that of sheep's wool; *Mongolia - Cashmere goat wool, a wool of 'incomparable lightness and softness, yet with an unmatched body and warmth' and a domesticated history dating to 9,000 BCE; *Kyrgyzstan - Taewit goat wool, the product of a cross of the Kyrgyz goat with the Orenburg cashmere goat, discovered by the wider world only after the fall of the USSR; *Ladakh - Pashmina goat wool, the 'prince among Oriental wools' produced by goats that prefer life at 16,000 feet (5,000 m); *Scotland - Shetland sheep wool, its fine guard hairs, the product of 250 days of coastal wind and rain, give superior thermal, wind and moisture resistance; *Australia & New Zealand - Merino sheep wool, the finest and 'most noble of all wool breeds', the high-maintenance sheep produces the finest of all wools with a fibre as little as 11 microns in diameter; *South Africa - Mohair goat wool, not as fine as other wools but its structure gives it softness, strength, elasticity (no creases), and unparalleled lustre; *Peru - Vicuna wool, once the exclusive preserve of the Inca emperor, almost hunted to extinction in the 1960s, the 'princess of the Andes' produces wool that outranks Musk ox and cashmere. People have used wool in a surprising number of ways for thousands of years, though primarily to keep warm or protect their skin from the sun. The world's wool-producing societies have deep connections to their animals, and anyone who works with wool holds it in the highest esteem for its beautiful practicality. In Search of the World's Finest Wools is an excellent choice for tailors, knitters, weavers, rug purchasers, travellers and anyone interested in wool crafts, ethnography and culture.

'Retire? You can't retire!', Sir David Attenborough told John Bartram, when the man who has been gamekeeper and senior wildlife officer for Richmond Park for the past thirty years announced his intention to step away from the role, bidding farewell to the iconic park which has been his home, the backdrop for a career many would give anything for, and a way of life for so long. During a career spanning four decades John has been the behind-the-scenes mastermind ensuring the welfare and maintenance of Richmond Park's world-famous herd of deer - widely thought of as the finest herd in captivity. Working with these fabled creatures has demanded balancing their needs with the very real, and often fatal, dangers the park's visitors pose to his herd, and John pulls no punches when it comes to his opinion on the deer's place in the scheme of things, the human 'invaders' and the collision of their two worlds. A remarkable diary chronicling the final year of John's charmed life as the guardian of Richmond Park, this memoir tells of the unique demands of each new season, and of the enormous wrench he will feel upon no longer waking up in the midst of so much unchanged and wild beauty.Park Life is a treasure trove of stories and memories, some poignant and moving, others offbeat and hilarious: from the quirk of fate and farcical interview that led to him getting the job, to living in close-quarters with the deer, the tragedy of putting down fatally wounded animals, and the annual ritual of the rut - as dependable as the rising and setting of the sun.

Escape to hills high above the French Riviera with international bestseller Jennifer Bohnet.After tragically losing her husband, Nicola Jacques and her teenage son Oliver relocate to his father's family's olive farm in the hills above the French Riviera. Due to a family feud, Oliver has never known his father's side of the family but Grandpapa Henri is intent that Oliver will take over the reins of the ancestral farm and his rightful inheritance. Determined to keep her independence from a rather controlling Grandpapa, Nicola buys a run-down cottage on the edge of the family's Olive Farm and sets to work renovating their new home and providing an income by cultivating the small holding that came with the Cottage. As the summer months roll by, Nicola and Oliver begin to settle happily into their new way of life with the help of Aunts Josephine and Odette, Henri's twin sisters and local property developer Gilles Bongars. But the arrival of some unexpected news and guests at the farm, force Nicole and Aunt Josephine to assess what and where their futures lie. This book was previously published as The French Legacy.

Curly tails, snouts, trotters, 'oinks', mud and unpleasant smells - these are the cliches of the pig. With their varied roles as sources of food, as pets and in medical testing, pigs have been materially and culturally associated with humans for thousands of years. Today there are more than one billion pigs on the planet, and there are countless representations of pigs and 'piggishness' circulating through the cultures of the world. Pig provides a richly illustrated, compelling look at the long, complicated relationship between humans and these highly intelligent, sociable animals. In his insightful book, Brett Mizelle traces the natural and cultural history of the pig, focusing on the contradictions between our imaginative representation of pigs and the ways in which pigs are actually used as meat, experimental material and the source of hundreds of consumer products. Pig begins with the evolution of the suidae, animals that were domesticated in many regions 9,000 years ago, and points toward a future where pigs and humans are even more closely intertwined thanks to breakthroughs in biomedical research. Pig also examines the widespread art, entertainment and literature that has imagined human kinship with pigs, and the development of modern industrial pork production, which has removed living pigs from our everyday lives. In charting how humans have shaped the pig and how the pig has shaped us, Mizelle focuses on the unresolved contradictions between our imaginary and lived relations with pigs. Pig will appeal to those with a love for all things pig and for animals in general.

Farmers and fanciers keep an astonishing variety of poultry breeds in North America. These birds provide meat and eggs to nourish us and feathers to keep us warm. Their quirky personalities and charming good looks make them barnyard favorites. They inspire passionate devotion from show breeders and provide a living for farmers.
Presented here, breed by breed, are more than 120 barnyard fowl -- from chickens and turkeys to emus and pheasants. For each animal, readers will find stunning color photography, a brief history, and a detailed description. The identifying characteristics included for each breed are: class (standard and bantam); size (for cocks and hens); appearance of comb, wattles, and earlobes; color (everything from black-breasted red to silver laced); place of origin; conservation status; and special qualities (including longevity, size and quantity of eggs, quality of meat, and other relevant uses). Author Carol Ekarius provides enough information to satisfy both the dedicated browser and the serious farmer weighing the pros and cons of multiple breeds.
In 2005, "Storey's Illustrated Guide to 96 Horse Breeds of North America" celebrated horses in a coffee-table reference that captivated enthusiasts of all ages. Now farmers, breeders, backyard chicken keepers, and unabashed poultry fanatics will have a definitive guide of their own. If it's poultry -- fair or fowl -- it's in this book.

The brand new instalment in Frances Evesham's bestselling Ham Hill Murder Mysteries!One unexplained disappearance is strange, but two are sinister. In Lower Hembrow, an idyllic village nestled beneath Ham Hill in Somerset, the villagers are preparing to enjoy the autumn traditions of the rural English countryside until Joe Trevillion, a curmudgeonly local farmer and the father of six children, vanishes. When Adam Hennessy, the ex-detective proprietor of The Plough, the village's popular Inn, investigates, he finds ominous undercurrents beneath apparently harmless rumour and gossip. Meanwhile, a vicious campaign of vindictiveness forces Adam and his three amateur sleuth friends to dig deep into the secret lives of their neighbours to expose the source of a cruel vendetta and prevent another death. As they uncover the disturbing truth, the friends learn they must also lay their own past lives to rest before they can hope to make their dreams for the future come true. A brand new cosy mystery series from the bestselling author of A Village Murder, and A Racing Murder perfect for fans of Faith Martin, Betty Rowlands and M.C. Beaton. Other Books in the Ham Hill Murder Mystery series by Frances Evesham A Village Murder A Racing Murder Also by Frances Evesham - The Exham-on-Sea Murder Mystery Series Murder at the Lighthouse Murder on the Levels Murder on the Tor Murder at the Cathedral Murder at the Bridge Murder at the Castle Murder at the Gorge Murder at the Abbey

What is animal welfare? Why has it proved so difficult to find a definition that everyone can agree on? This concise and accessible guide is for anyone who is interested in animals and who has wondered how we can assess their welfare scientifically. It defines animal welfare as 'health and animals having what they want', a definition that can be easily understood by scientists and non-scientists alike, expresses in simple words what underlies many existing definitions, and shows what evidence we need to collect to improve animal welfare in practice. Above all, it puts the animal's own point of view at the heart of an assessment of its welfare. But, can we really understand what animals want? A consistent theme running through the book is that not only is it possible to establish what animals want, but that this information is vital in helping us to make sense of the long and often confusing list of welfare measures that are now in use such as 'stress' and 'feel good hormones', expressive sounds and gestures, natural behaviour, cognitive bias, and stereotypies. Defining welfare as 'health and what animals want' allows us to distinguish between measures that are simply what an animal does when it is alert, aroused, or active and those measures that genuinely allow us to distinguish between situations the animals themselves see as positive or negative. Sentience (conscious feelings of pleasure, pain, and suffering) is for many people the essence of what is meant by welfare, but studying consciousness is notoriously difficult, particularly in non-human species. These difficulties are discussed in the context of our current - and as yet incomplete - knowledge of human and animal consciousness. Finally, the book highlights some key ideas in the relationship between animal welfare science and animal ethics and shows how closely the well-being of humans is linked to that of other animals. The Science of Animal Welfare is an ideal companion for undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in animal behaviour and welfare, as well as for professional researchers, practitioners and animal welfare consultants. At the same time, it is easily understandable to non-scientists and anyone without prior knowledge but with an interest in animals and the rapidly evolving science of animal welfare.

Heritage breeds matter, and they are often a better choice than conventional breeds for small farms and backyards. Written by three experts from the Livestock Conservancy, this book includes chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, rabbits, pigs, sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys, and horses, detailing each breed's specific needs and characteristics so that you can select the one that's right for you. Whichever breed you choose, you'll find thorough, comprehensive information on how to raise it successfully.

The Backyard Sheep is the go-to reference for anyone interested in keeping two to a dozen sheep on a small plot of land. Even those with no prior experience will learn how to select the right breed, keep sheep safe and healthy, make them strong dairy and fleece producers and bring out their personalities as pets or companion animals. This book is filled with Sue Weaver's infectious enthusiasm for sheep. Readers will learn that sheep are much smarter than they get credit for and how to tell tham apart from goats. With wit and wisdom, Weaver teaches the skills for milking, shows how to tip a sheep to keep it still and discusses sheep behaviour so nothing comes as a surprise to the newly initiated.

It's possible to produce food from your own backyard whatever the size available. Learn to be a beekeeper, a poultry owner and how to provide vegetables for the table. For those with a little more land, progress to pigs, sheep, goats and even alcapas. Living off the Land will point you in the right direction; from the first steps in your garden to how to get an allotment, from keeping laying hens to turkeys, ducks to donkeys - and even how to market your surplus produce. Take control of your food and produce your own using whatever land you have to its best advantage. Whatever size your plot, join the nation's smallholders and live the good life.

A richly recounted memoir of growing up in an Irish farming community in the 1940s A love of Ireland and the Irish is what shines through this little memoir. Growing up amongst the fields, woods and characters of a farming community near Cork, Kathleen Iggulden depicts a world that is both immediate and real, yet belongs to a now-distant past. Here is a pony and trap to church every Sunday, evenings full of fiddle, flute and song, and new shoes and clothes twice a year. Kathleen's childhood in the 1930s involved two or three generations - her parents, her brother and sisters, as well as the daily lives of farmworkers and craftsmen, friends and relations. She beautifully chronicles rural celebrations and forgotten practicalities of country life - all painted with a sensitive touch and a freshness of observation. She saw her people as intensely polite, decent and innocent, with humour and music always ready. She saw them as poets, and poetry as the highest art. Recounted with immense charm and wit, A House for Two Pounds is a wonderful, vivid account of a childhood on an Irish farm - and an enduring people, just on the cusp of change.

Escape the rat race by heading to the Yorkshire Moors in Jane Lovering's funny, warm and magical new novel. Perfect for fans of Our Yorkshire Farm!Needing an escape, Dora swapped city living for life as a shepherdess on her grandad's Yorkshire farm. More than a decade later Dora is still there, now farming the fifty acres and caring for the one hundred rare sheep by herself. She never hears the call of the city, but instead relishes the peace and simplicity of life on the Moors. When Dora's glamorous but quarrelsome sister Cass, her teenage nephew Thor and his handsome tutor Nat, turn up for an unexpected and unreasonably long stay, life on the farm is thrown into chaos. Cass brings with her unwelcome memories from the past, and of someone who once stole Dora's heart. Dora takes refuge in the comforting routine of the farm, the sheep never allowing her too much time to dwell. But, as the seasons change, the snow starts to melt, and as lambs begin to fill the fields, Dora can't keep hiding in the hills. Because even though she's trying, Dora can't run away from a love that never really let her go... Let Jane Lovering whisk you away to the beauty and serenity of the Yorkshire Moors, far away from the noise of the city. Just right for fans of Emma Burstall, Holly Martin and Kate Forster. Please note that HOME ON A YORKSHIRE FARM was previously published as HOME ON FOLLY FARM. Praise for Jane Lovering: 'A funny, warm-hearted read, filled with characters you'll love.' Matt Dunn on A Country Escape What readers are saying about Jane Lovering: 'Jane Lovering has that ability to choose exactly the right words and images to make you laugh, with a wonderful touch of the ridiculous, then moving seamlessly to a scene of such poignancy that it catches your breath.' 'It is very difficult to explain just how wonderful this book is. The power of her words and her descriptive prowess to put it bluntly is amazing... the emotional impact it has had on me will be long lasting.' 'Fall in love with reading all over again with this cracking tale from Jane Lovering. An excellent reminder, if one is needed, of the absolute pleasure of losing yourself in a good book.'

Escape the rat race by heading to the Yorkshire Moors in Jane Lovering's funny, warm and magical new novel. Perfect for fans of Our Yorkshire Farm!Needing an escape, Dora swapped city living for life as a shepherdess on her grandad's Yorkshire farm. More than a decade later Dora is still there, now farming the fifty acres and caring for the one hundred rare sheep by herself. She never hears the call of the city, but instead relishes the peace and simplicity of life on the Moors. When Dora's glamorous but quarrelsome sister Cass, her teenage nephew Thor and his handsome tutor Nat, turn up for an unexpected and unreasonably long stay, life on the farm is thrown into chaos. Cass brings with her unwelcome memories from the past, and of someone who once stole Dora's heart. Dora takes refuge in the comforting routine of the farm, the sheep never allowing her too much time to dwell. But, as the seasons change, the snow starts to melt, and as lambs begin to fill the fields, Dora can't keep hiding in the hills. Because even though she's trying, Dora can't run away from a love that never really let her go... Let Jane Lovering whisk you away to the beauty and serenity of the Yorkshire Moors, far away from the noise of the city. Just right for fans of Emma Burstall, Holly Martin and Kate Forster. Please note that HOME ON A YORKSHIRE FARM was previously published as HOME ON FOLLY FARM. Praise for Jane Lovering: 'A funny, warm-hearted read, filled with characters you'll love.' Matt Dunn on A Country Escape What readers are saying about Jane Lovering: 'Jane Lovering has that ability to choose exactly the right words and images to make you laugh, with a wonderful touch of the ridiculous, then moving seamlessly to a scene of such poignancy that it catches your breath.' 'It is very difficult to explain just how wonderful this book is. The power of her words and her descriptive prowess to put it bluntly is amazing... the emotional impact it has had on me will be long lasting.' 'Fall in love with reading all over again with this cracking tale from Jane Lovering. An excellent reminder, if one is needed, of the absolute pleasure of losing yourself in a good book.'

Backyard chickens meet contemporary design! Matthew Wolpe and Kevin McElroy give you 14 complete building plans for chicken coops that range from the purely functional to the outrageously fabulous. One has a water-capturing roof; one is a great example of mid-Modern architecture; and another has a built-in composting system. Some designs are suitable for beginning builders, and some are challenging enough for experts. Complete step-by-step building plans are accompanied by full-colour photographs and detailed construction illustrations.