Megaboere, kykNET se gewilde reeks oor suksesvolle boere in Suid-Afrika, het kykers reeds vir twee seisoene vasgenael gehou, en ’n derde een is op pad. In hierdie boek neem Wynand Dreyer, vervaardiger van die reeks, en sy produksiespan jou na die plaaseienaars op wie die kollig tot dusver in die reekse geval het.

Hy bied nie net interessante profiele oor gevestigde en opkomende boere met uitsonderlike ondernemingsgees nie; hy probeer die suksesresep ontrafel wat hedendaagse boere in staat stel om die aarde op volhoubare wyse te benut. Of jy self aan die stuur van ’n boerderyonderne¬ming staan en of jy bloot nostalgies voel oor jou voorgeslagte se geskiedenis wat op boereplase beslag gekry het, een ding is seker: jy sal verwonderd staan oor die kreatiwiteit en vernuf wat dit verg om Suid-Afrika se voedselmandjie vol te hou.

Volg vir Wynand op paaie wat lei tot die verste uithoeke van die land en ontdek die grond¬beginsels wat van boere pro-aktiewe entrepreneurs en sakemanne met visie maak.

The English naturalist William Burchell set off from Cape Town in June 1811 to explore the flora and fauna of the vast southern African interior. Over a four-year period, and travelling in a custom-built ox wagon, he amassed an astonishing 63 000 specimens of plants, bulbs, insects, reptiles and mammals – many not previously documented for science – as well as over 500 paintings and illustrations.

While the outbound trek is well described in Burchell’s famous Travels in the Interior of Southern Africa, little has been published about the challenges and discoveries made on his return journey to Cape Town, from 1812–1815. This pioneering book traces the homeward leg of Burchell’s epic odyssey – through the arid northern Cape, the Great Karoo, the warravaged eastern Cape, and along the Eden-like southern Cape coast.

Drawing on primary and secondary sources, including Burchell’s letters, his handwritten records archived at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the detailed map he created to record his trek, the authors have crafted a thought-provoking and beautifully illustrated account that encompasses both the genius of the man and the natural history of the region that so intrigued him.

In this fascinating and entertaining memoir, the legendary White Bushman, Peter Stark, writes about his experiences in the former German South West Africa: first as a farm manager and lion hunter, and later as nature conservationist.

Stark's fearless personality and phenomenal knowledge of the veld, combined with an intimate knowledge of the San people and their culture make for stories and experiences that most people can only dream of. Whether it's about lions chasing San trackers, elephants trampling a campsite or the spearing of 32 scorpions with a kebab-skewer - Stark's stories are bound to awe and entertain.

With Peter Stark's unique and genial narrative voice, The White Bushman presents an important cultural-historical perspective on the country that became Namibia. The photographs, taken either by Stark himself or his fellow game wardens, contribute greatly to enhancing the images conjured up by these captivating adventures and anecdotes.

'The remarkable story of an astounding transformation' George Monbiot

Forced to accept that intensive farming on the heavy clay of their land at Knepp in West Sussex was economically unsustainable, Isabella Tree and her husband Charlie Burrell made a spectacular leap of faith: they decided to step back and let nature take over. Thanks to the introduction of free-roaming cattle, ponies, pigs and deer – proxies of the large animals that once roamed Britain – the 3,500 acre project has seen extraordinary increases in wildlife numbers and diversity in little over a decade.

Once-common species, including turtle doves, nightingales, peregrine falcons, lesser spotted woodpeckers and purple emperor butterflies, are now breeding at Knepp, and populations of other species are rocketing. The Burrells’ degraded agricultural land has become a functioning ecosystem again, heaving with life – all by itself.

This recovery has taken place against a backdrop of catastrophic loss elsewhere. According to the 2016 ‘State of Nature’ report, the UK is ranked 29th in the world for biodiversity loss: 56% of species in the UK are in decline and 15% are threatened with extinction. We are living in a desert, compared with our gloriously wild past.

In Wilding, Isabella Tree tells the story of the ‘Knepp experiment’ and what it reveals of the ways in which we might regain that wilder, richer country. It shows how rewilding works across Europe; that it has multiple benefits for the land; that it can generate economic activity and employment; how it can benefit both nature and us – and that all of this can happen astonishingly quickly. Part gripping memoir, part fascinating account of the ecology of our countryside, Wilding is, above all, an inspiring story of hope.

The Meaning of Geese is a book of thrilling encounters with wildlife, of tired legs, punctured tyres and inhospitable weather. Above all, it is the story of Nick Acheson's love for the land in which he was born and raised, and for the wild geese that fill it with sound and spectacle every winter. Renowned naturalist and conservationist Nick Acheson spent countless hours observing and researching wild geese, transported through all weathers by his mother's 40-year-old trusty red bicycle. He meticulously details the geese's arrival, observing what they mean to his beloved Norfolk and the role they play in local people's lives - and what role the birds could play in our changing world. During a time when many people faced the prospect of little work or human contact, Nick followed the pinkfeet and brent geese that filled the Norfolk skies and landscape as they flew in from Iceland and Siberia. In their flocks, Nick encountered rarer geese, including Russian white-fronts, barnacle geese and an extremely unusual grey-bellied brant, a bird he had dreamt of seeing since thumbing his mother's copy of Peter Scott's field guide as a child. To honour the geese's great athletic migrations, Nick kept a diary of his sightings as well as the stories he discovered through the community of people, past and present, who loved them, too. Over seven months Nick cycles over 1,200 miles - the exact length of the pinkfeet's migration to Iceland.

From the acclaimed author of Rewild Yourself comes a brilliant new book that reveals the natural joys to be discovered on your doorstep. In the autumn of 2020, Simon Barnes should have been leading a safari in Zambia, but Covid restrictions meant his plans had to be put on hold. Instead, he embarked on the only voyage of discovery that was still open to him. He walked to a folding chair at the bottom of his garden, and sat down. His itinerary: to sit in that very same spot every day for a year and to see - and hear - what happened all around him. It would be a stationary garden safari; his year of sitting dangerously had begun. For the next twelve months, he would watch as the world around him changed day by day. Gradually, he began to see his surroundings in a new way; by restricting himself, he opened up new horizons, growing even closer to a world he thought he already knew so well. The Year of Sitting Dangerously is a wonderfully evocative read; it inspires the reader to pay closer attention to the marvels that surround us all, and is packed with handy tips to help bring nature even closer to us.

"Curlews give their liquid, burbling call, a call of pure happiness, the music of the fells." Ella Pontefract, 1936, Wensleydale The North of England abounds with beauty, from unspoiled beaches in Northumberland to the dramatic Lakeland Fells, for so long celebrated by writers and artists. Wide estuaries, winding rivers, sheer cliffs, rushing waterfalls, ancient woodland, limestone pavements, and miles of hedgerows and drystone walls sustainably built and rebuilt over centuries - all form part of its rich heritage. But these are, too, contested and depleted landscapes. Today the curlew's call is isolated, and many other species are in decline. Industry, urban sprawl and climate chaos threaten our environment on a previously unimagined scale. And while stereotypes persist - of dark satanic mills or "bleak" moorland - the imperative of conservation is all too often overlooked for short-term economic interests. This essential volume reminds us how and why Northern people have risen to the challenge of defending their open spaces, demanding action on pollution and habitat loss. Contemporary writers including Sarah Hall, Lee Schofield, Benjamin Myers and Lemn Sissay take their place alongside those who wrote in previous centuries. Together, the voices in this one-of-a-kind anthology testify that North Country is a place apart.

Shortlisted for the James Cropper Wainwright Prize 2022 for Nature Writing - Highly Commended Winner for the Richard Jefferies Award 2021 for Best Nature Writing 'A rural, working-class writer in an all too rarefied field, Chester's work is unusual for depicting the countryside as it is lived on the economic margins.' The Guardian 'An important portrait of connection to the land beyond ownership or possession.' Raynor Winn 'It's ever so good. Political, passionate and personal.' Robert Macfarlane 'Evocative and inspiring...environmental protest, family, motherhood and...nature.' Claire Fuller, author of Unsettled Ground, Costa Novel Award Winner 2021 Nature is everything. It is the place I come from and the place I got to. It is family. Wherever I am, it is home and away, an escape, a bolt hole, a reason, a place to fight for, a consolation, and a way home. As a child growing up in rural England, Guardian Country Diarist Nicola Chester was inexorably drawn to the natural landscape surrounding her. Walking, listening and breathing in the nature around her, she followed the call of the cuckoo, the song of the nightingale and watched as red kites, fieldfares and skylarks soared through the endless skies over the chalk hills of the North Wessex Downs: the ancient land of Greenham Common which she called home. Nicola bears witness to, and fights against, the stark political and environmental changes imposed on the land she loves, whilst raising her family to appreciate nature and to feel like they belong - core parts of who Nicola is. From protesting the loss of ancient trees to the rewilding of Greenham Common, to the gibbet on Gallows Down and living in the shadow of Highclere Castle (made famous in Downton Abbey), On Gallows Down shows how one woman made sense of her world - and found her place in it.

Welcome to Berecombe-by-the-Sea for a year of very special celebrations... This year sees the seventy-fifth anniversary of D-Day. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to those brave boys who went to fight on French beaches for our freedom. And now Berecombe is playing host to our American allies once more. All surviving soldiers who were billeted in the town have been invited for street parties, a D-Day parade, a black-tie ball at The Henville and much, much more. So, come along, get dressed up and join in the fun! A second chance...or a new romance? With summer having arrived in Berecombe with sunshiny gusto, and the D-Day anniversary celebrations on the horizon, there's much to keep Ashley Lydden busy as she settles further into her new life by the seaside. So why can't she stop thinking about Eddie McQueen? They came so close to having it all, but now Ashley isn't sure where they stand. With flirty Cornish painter Jake Tremayne taking a shine to Ashley and asking her to sit for a portrait, things get even more complicated. It's shaping up to be a summer of love...but which man will claim Ashley's heart? Readers are LOVING The Great Summer Street Party: 'A delightful escapism read and a beautiful story that brought back lots of memories of my Nan' Helen 'Packed with romance, celebrations, starting life again and lots of see, sun and sand...a lovely friendship and community vibe' Meena 'What a lovely blend of romance and historical fiction surrounding the soldiers involved in the D-Day landings...Get out the bunting!' Norma 'Made me really want to read more after rushing through it' Joanne 'Left me wanting more...the most perfect setting in the West Country, sun, sea and a fantastic welcoming community' Sally

Her first night in a Tanzanian tent began with a prowling lion’s roar. Will the savage terrors open her eyes to an unseen world?

Sue Tidwell lived in awe of Africa’s extraordinary wildlife. After years spent appreciating the animals in her imagination, the tenderhearted American hated the idea of joining her husband on a big game hunt. And getting attacked by blood-sucking tsetse flies the moment she stepped off the plane gave no hint of the mind-blowing change of perspective in her future…

With her initial animosity turning into curiosity as they breathlessly tracked dangerous beasts, Sue formed a surprising bond with their young, government-assigned game scout. And as she became entranced by the tales and wisdom from the Masimba Camp crew, she was humbled by the mystery of the vilified safari and the people who relied on it for survival.

Supplementing her own experiences on the elephant-rutted roads with local insights and scientific research into conservation efforts, Tidwell explores how her preconceived beliefs sluiced away under the deluge of reality. And with an evocative narrative peppered with self-deprecating humor, vivid imagery, and over ninety photos and illustrations, you’ll emerge forever changed by the truths this greenhorn found buried in a rugged and romantic landscape.

Increasing numbers of urban dwellers has led to many of us feeling alienated from the natural world. This is not how we are meant to live, and we don't have to. Even in the most built-up environment, nature makes its presence felt. All we have to do is let it in. This book offers 50 invigorating activities and step-by-step projects to do exactly that, for anyone craving a connection with the natural world, but especially those living in cities and towns with limited daily access to it. Green refuges and outdoor spaces are more important now than ever - a break from our stressful, tech-consumed lives. It is well researched that being in nature radically improves our mental health, just minutes from your doorstep. Nature is waiting for us to discover it, even in the most urban environment. Go on a night safari, make a worm farm or create a one-pot allotment. With 200 smart illustrations, this practical and accessible guide will expand your horizons and increase your appreciation of wild spaces, whether on the street, in the park, or in nearby nature reserves. Chapters include: Be an Urban Naturalist: Go on a night safari, appreciate winter trees, spot moths or build a weathervane Engage with the Elements: Wild swimming, mudlarking, barefoot walking and creating art with found natural objects Look to the Skies: Cloudspotting, the dawn chorus and looking for murmurations Make Space for Nature: Building for biodiversity, make a worm farm, green up all your space Dig for Victory: Grow microgreens or create a one-pot allotment Find Your Wild Tribe: Join a community garden, adopt a street tree or take a city hike

Scotland is a nation of dramatic weather and breathtaking landscapes - of nature resplendent. And, over the centuries, the people who have lived, explored and thrived in this country have developed a rich language to describe their surroundings: a uniquely Scottish lexicon shaped by the very environment itself. A Scots Dictionary of Nature brings together - for the first time - the deeply expressive vocabulary customarily used to describe land, wood, weather, birds, water and walking in Scotland. Artist Amanda Thomson collates and celebrates these traditional Scots words, which reveal ways of seeing and being in the world that are in danger of disappearing forever. What emerges is a vivid evocation of the nature and people of Scotland, past and present; of lives lived between the mountains and the sky.

A Field Guide to Larking is a practical, interactive and inspiring guide to 'larking' from the bestselling author of Mudlarking. LARK (verb): to get out and about, to explore the world around us and to discover the little treasures hiding in plain sight. We think, of course, of mudlarking but there is also beachlarking, fieldlarking or even simply exploring your own home with fresh eyes. In this beautiful field guide, Lara teaches us how to lark for ourselves. There are maps and charts, tips and lists, and colour illustrations throughout to help identify finds. From tide tables for mudlarkers to a flint guide for fieldlarkers, this book is richly informative and yet small enough to pop in a pocket. Like a journal it invites you to interact - to make notes and record finds along the way. If Lara Maiklem's first book was a glimpse into a hidden world, with this field guide she shows us how we can discover it for ourselves.

Life in a castle isn't always a fairytale, as the Duchess of Rutland vividly illustrates in her fascinating, revealing and funny autobiography. When Emma Watkins, the pony-mad daughter of a Welsh farmer, imagined her future, she imagined following in her mother's footsteps to marry a farmer of her own. But then she fell in love with David Manners, having no idea that he was heir to one of the most senior hereditary titles in the land. When David succeeded his father, Emma found herself becoming the chatelaine of Belvoir Castle, ancestral home of the Dukes of Rutland. She had to cope with five boisterous children while faced with a vast estate in desperate need of modernisation and staff who wanted nothing to change - it was a daunting responsibility. Yet with sound advice from the doyenne of duchesses, Duchess 'Debo' of Devonshire, she met each challenge with optimism and gusto, including scaling the castle roof in a storm to unclog a flooding gutter; being caught in her nightdress by mesmerised Texan tourists and disguising herself as a cleaner to watch filming of The Crown. She even took on the castle ghosts . . . At times the problems she faced seemed insoluble yet, with her unstoppable energy and talent for thinking on the hoof, she won through, inspired by the vision and passion of those Rutland duchesses in whose footsteps she trod, and indeed the redoubtable and resourceful women who forged her way, whose homes were not castles but remote farmhouses in the Radnorshire Hills. Vividly written and bursting with insights, The Accidental Duchess will appeal to everyone who has visited a stately home and wondered what it would be like to one day find yourself not only living there, but in charge of its future.

'One of those enthusiasts whose enthusiasm is hard to resist . . . Always beguiling' Daily Mail 'Hugely inspiring even when it is most bonkers' Sarah Bakewell, New Statesman 'A combination of almanac, commonplace book and diary, this is a tasty oddity . . . Richly entertaining' Independent As the pandemic has caused us all to re-evaluate our lives, becoming more self-reliant and dwelling in closer harmony with nature have emerged as important priorities. Many of us have decided to up sticks and leave the city behind for a less frenetic existence in the country. Whether you've already made your move, or are dreaming of doing so one day, this is the book for you. Covering beekeeping, poultry rearing, pig farming, bread-making, wood-chopping, fire-laying, bartering and much more, How to Live in the Country is the perfect source of inspiration for old hand and beginners alike: useful, informative but also refreshingly honest and realistic. Tom Hodgkinson draws on the wisdom of an eclectic range of thinkers and writers as he guides us through each month of the year, giving lists of tasks for both garden and animal husbandry, offering tips and shortcuts, and weaving in stories about his own experience of raising a young family in rural Devon.

'This book deserves a place in your bookcase next to Harari's Sapiens. It's every bit as fascinating and is surely destined to be just as successful' Julian Norton An addictively free-ranging survey of the massive impact that the domesticated ungulates of the genus Ovis have had on human history. From the plains of ancient Mesopotamia to the rolling hills of medieval England to the vast sheep farms of modern-day Australia, sheep have been central to the human story. Starting with our Neolithic ancestors' first forays into sheep-rearing nearly 10,000 years ago, these remarkable animals have fed us, clothed us, changed our diet and languages, helped us to win wars, decorated our homes, and financed the conquest of large swathes of the earth. Enormous fortunes and new, society-changing industries have been made from the fleeces of sheep, and cities shaped by shepherds' markets and meat trading. Sally Coulthard weaves the rich and fascinating story of sheep into a vivid and colourful tapestry, thickly threaded with engaging anecdotes and remarkable ovine facts, whose multiple strands reflect the deep penetration of these woolly animals into every aspect of human society and culture. REVIEWS: 'Sally Coulthard's story of how sheep shaped the human story is full of rich pickings ... She weaves together a detailed story that is full of fascinating social history' Independent 'I absolutely LOVE this ... It's a perfect light-hearted informative history' Philippa Sandall 'This is such a great book: I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in history or sheep - or simply a passion for reading captivating and high-quality prose. It's extremely well researched and written in a very engaging style. It trumped my Clive James memoir, which I put to one side. I read A Short History of the World According to Sheep within two days. (And that's impressive for me. It usually takes me weeks to finish a book.) You'd never imagine the role sheep have played across the centuries: from the egregious rampaging of Genghis Khan to the success of the Medici dynasty during the Renaissance to the Scottish Highland Clearances of the eighteenth century. The trade in their wool has financed wars; lanolin from their fleeces has fuelled the huge industry in beauty products, and ovine intestines even had a hand in controlling both birth rates and the spread of syphilis. And that's before we get onto jumpers. Or cheese...' Julian Norton, the Yorkshire Vet

Welcome to Berecombe-by-the-Sea for a year of very special celebrations... This year sees the seventy-fifth anniversary of D-Day. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to those brave boys who went to fight on French beaches for our freedom. And now Berecombe is playing host to our American allies once more. All surviving soldiers who were billeted in the town have been invited for street parties, a D-Day parade, a black-tie ball at The Henville and much, much more. So, come along, get dressed up and join in the fun! Berecombe's year of commemoration may be coming to a close... but the rest of Ashley Lydden's new life has only just begun! Ashley couldn't have predicted that she'd find herself a whole new - much happier - life in the quiet, seaside town of Berecombe, but now she can't imagine being anywhere else. She knows better than most though that life has a way of surprising you when you least expect it, so when things start going all kinds of wrong for Ashley and her handsome American, Eddie McQueen, she's forced to lean on her new friends for support. Thankfully, the residents of Berecombe learned decades ago that there's no problem that can't be fixed with a little bit of bunting and a whole lot of love... Readers are LOVING The Great Summer Street Party: 'A delightful escapism read and a beautiful story that brought back lots of memories of my Nan' Helen 'Packed with romance, celebrations, starting life again and lots of see, sun and sand...a lovely friendship and community vibe' Meena 'What a lovely blend of romance and historical fiction surrounding the soldiers involved in the D-Day landings...Get out the bunting!' Norma 'Made me really want to read more after rushing through it' Joanne 'Left me wanting more...the most perfect setting in the West Country, sun, sea and a fantastic welcoming community' Sally

Sure, sex is great, but have you ever cracked open a new notebook and written something on the first page with a really nice pen? The story behind Notebook starts with a minor crime: the theft of Tom Cox's rucksack from a Bristol pub in 2018. In that rucksack was a journal containing ten months' worth of notes, one of the many Tom has used to record his thoughts and observations over the past twelve years. It wasn't the best he had ever kept - his handwriting was messier than in his previous notebook, his entries more sporadic - but he still grieved for every one of the hundred or so lost pages. This incident made Tom appreciate how much notebook-keeping means to him: the act of putting pen to paper has always led him to write with an unvarnished, spur-of-the-moment honesty that he wouldn't achieve on-screen. Here, Tom has assembled his favourite stories, fragments, moments and ideas from those notebooks, ranging from memories of his childhood to the revelation that 'There are two types of people in the world. People who fucking love maps, and people who don't.' The result is a book redolent of the real stuff of life, shot through with Cox's trademark warmth and wit.

Chickens are many things: sources of meat and eggs, lovable pets, amusing images on merchandise, and a source of comfort at the end of a hard day. Whether we're considering joining the growing flock of backyard chicken-keepers or simply cheered by leafing through images of gorgeous poultry, our love for chickens is strong. The trend for backyard chickens has surged during the pandemic. Amazon searches for chick supplies are up 758%, with local hatcheries recording a 500% demand increase, as people look to reduce environmental impact, improve food traceability, connect with nature, or simply to relish the pure joy of chicken company. The Collins Backyard Chicken-keeper's Bible is the fourth title in this stunning and engaging series, and the perfect smallholder companion to The Beekeeper's Bible. It is packed with everything you need to fully embrace your new chicken-keeping lifestyle. A sumptuous aesthetic is paired with practical tips on identifying backyard breeds and supporting good chicken health, from basic brooding to common ailments, the best backyard breed for you to the right equipment for starting your own home flock, packaged into a beautiful, illustrative gift book. Discover the soft cuddliness of a bantam Silkie, the superb egg-sitting skills of a Plymouth Rock, the best method for constructing a chicken coop, and how to keep your chickens happy and thriving. With The Collins Backyard Chicken-keeper's Bible, discover more about these magnificent and beloved creatures.

With the benefit of illustrations, the book reveals the foxy meaning behind what you observe. Why do cubs nose the corners of the adults' mouths? What does it mean when the ears are out like wingnuts at the side of the head? Why are the foxes clicking at each other?For this new edition the author has updated his information on how to find, attract and watch foxes, as well as how to photograph them and how, using wildlife cameras, you can gain an insight into what is happening with the foxes when you are not able to observe them. The author also explains how to analyse droppings in order to record the annual diet of your foxes, how to age a fox casualty and how to make casts of their footprints.

Day Walks on the Isle of Skye features 20 routes between 3.4 and 14.5 miles (5.5km and 23.3km) in length, spread across the Isle of Skye with one walk on the neighbouring Isle of Raasay. Researched and written by experienced and knowledgeable authors Helen and Paul Webster, founders of the Walkhighlands website, the walks explore the rugged mountains and wildlife-rich coastline of the islands. The routes are split into four sections - Trotternish and the Braes; North-West Skye; Glen Brittle and Sligachan; and South Skye and the Isle of Raasay. Together with stunning photography, each route features Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps, easy-to-follow directions, details of distance and navigation information, and refreshment stops and local information.