The Cottage Life reflects our collective desire to escape the chaos of modern existence; to live with more purpose, more compassion and more joy.   The Cottage Life is an essential guide to slow and simple living, inspired by the magical world of cottagecore. To follow the cottagecore aesthetic is to wear secondhand clothes that tell their own stories; to bake fresh bread and cakes, no matter how wonky the outcome; to spend time in nature, to observe and draw the plants, to breathe freshair and to connect with species beyond our own. It is taking the time to notice the seasons change, or to turn off your screen mindfully and pick up an old novel instead. It is lighting a fire on the first cool night of autumn and sipping a fresh cup of tea by the fireplace, or watching the first spring leaves unfurl after the long, dark winter. Celebrating the small joys in life, from the first birdsong of the morning to the taste of ripe plums on a summer afternoon. And, above all else, it is learning to slow down, connect with the world around you and be a more compassionate, conscientious citizen of the earth.   Each chapter explores different ways of embracing the cottagecore lifestyle, such as interacting with nature, eating seasonally and getting creative. Inherently low-impact and green, cottagecore embraces reuse and recycling and celebrates an old-fashioned no-waste ethic. Fortunately for most, possession of a country cottage is not essential to embody the cottagecore spirit. With guidance on nurturing your home and small touches for interior decoration, The Cottage Life brings country living ideals to any space.   Cottagecore is much more than a fashion trend or social media bandwagon. It is a peaceful protest against the darker elements of modern life—The Cottage Life is a gentle embrace with the past, encouraging you to truly enjoy the present and nurture a brighter future.    

This practical pocket guide includes 194 edible fruits, nuts and seeds, flowers, greens and vegetables, herbs, roots, whole plants, fungi, seaweeds and shellfish that you can forage in the UK and Europe.

Each species account includes accurate artworks and concise descriptions outlining essential details to help you identify species in the field, as well as information on where you can find species and helpful tips on how to cook and bake with the food you forage.

The author's introduction offers practical advice on foraging safely and legally and outlines how to prepare and preserve your foraged foods, including making mead and jam, drying herbs, storing mushrooms for later use and how to safely prepare foraged shellfish. The helpful fold-out poster shows common edible species grouped by season and by habitat.

Join expert author Tiffany Francis-Baker on a night-time journey around Britain and Ireland as she reveals the best places for star-gazing. She covers all of the International Dark-Sky Association's Certified Sites (the spots with the darkest skies), as well as the many Discovery Sites (areas where the skies are lighter but are still good for viewing). The first part of the guide introduces the idea of astronomy and why it is such an enticing hobby. It then explores the history behind astronomy, the myths and folklore we associate with the stars, the science behind our horoscopes and star signs, a guide to nocturnal wildlife, information on the issues surrounding light pollution, and practical information on how to stargaze safely and enjoyably. There's also a 'What to Spot' guide to the night sky - an illustrated list of objects visible from the earth's surface and where to find them: constellations, satellites, meteor showers... the Northern Lights. Packed with useful information, it covers everything from easy ways to reduce your light pollution levels to how to identify owls by their calls. The dedicated section of the book lists the best places to visit to observe the night sky clearly, with useful information for visitors included to help you get the most out of your night-sky experience. Geographical coverage ranges from the West Country and South Downs of England to the Scottish Highlands and Ireland. No matter where you are in the country you're never likely to be far from a good place for looking up and gazing at the stars.

Bees existed long before human beings, but our future is perhaps more reliant upon them than any other species. They pollinate 80 per cent of the world's crops and plants, but how much do we really know about them? Small, clever and mysterious, the honeybee in particular has long been celebrated in human culture as a sacred insect, a symbol of the sun, bridging the gap between our world and the next. They are expert communicators, skilled aviators and natural alchemists, turning fresh nectar into sweet, golden honey. They are also in trouble and need our help. This beautifully illustrated guide explores the honeybee's historic relationship with humans, the basics of beekeeping, and how we can help save the bees' dwindling population.

Darkness has shaped the lives of humans for millennia, and in Dark Skies, Tiffany Francis-Baker travels around Britain and Europe to learn more about nocturnal landscapes and humanity's connection to the night sky. For a year, Tiffany travels through different nightscapes across the UK and beyond. She experiences 24-hour daylight while swimming in the Gulf of Finland and visits Norway to witness the Northern Lights and speak to people who live in darkness for three months each year. She hikes through the haunted yew forests of Kingley Vale and embarks on a nocturnal sail down the River Dart. As she travels, Tiffany explores how our relationship with darkness and the night sky has changed over time. In this personal and beautifully written nature memoir, Tiffany Francis-Baker investigates how our experiences of the night-time world have permeated our history, folklore, science, geography, art and literature.

A lively, engaging introduction to the history of goats in Britain, and the recent renaissance of goat-related products. Ever wondered why a goat's eyes have rectangular pupils? Or what happened to Thor's goats each day after they finished pulling his thunderous chariot? Do goat's milk, cheese and meat represent more ethical food choices than cow and sheep products, and if so, can goat farming play an important role in humankind's future? Whether you're an aspiring smallholder, cheese fanatic or simply want to know more about our caprine companions, this guide introduces the fascinating history and folklore of goats and examines the development of goatkeeping in Britain, shedding light on one of our most intelligent, curious and mischievous domestic animals. It also explains the origins and features of the sixteen British goat breeds and the qualities of their products, and even has a few craft and recipe ideas for you to try.

Foraging has seen a surge in popularity over recent years, driven by the organic, natural, local and wholesome lifestyles many now prefer. And knowing how to find food for free in the wild is beneficial whether you want to avoid eating overly processed foods, need to cope with modern dietary problems or would simply like to enjoy a bit more time with your family outdoors surrounded by nature. This brand new guide to foraging for families and amateur naturalists is full of information about natural habitats and where to find food in the wild. It includes descriptions of each edible plant, with accompanying illustrations and photos, as well as recipes and anecdotes. The book is organised by habitats, such as woodland, grassland, farmland or coast, to allow readers to engage with whatever natural landscape they walk through and help them understand why things grow where they do. Each plant entry will be accompanied by a colour artwork to assist with identification. Detailed black-and-white illustrations will provide extra guidance and photographs will bring modern foraging to life in a colourful and engaging way. Every section will also include tried-and-tested recipes from the author allowing readers to use what they forage to make something tasty for the kitchen table.

Tiffany Francis-Baker explores how the relationship between humans and horses has shaped the British landscape, how horses have captured our wild imaginations, and how this connection has evolved and become part of our nation's ecosystems. Most of us have enjoyed walking on a bridleway at some time, but we rarely stop to think about how these old routes came to be. These ancient networks criss-cross the British countryside and are so familiar to walkers and riders that they have become almost invisible as we meander our way along them. From atop a horse and on foot, Tiffany Francis-Baker provides readers with a new perspective on bridleways and a glimpse into their intriguing history. Tiffany discovers how horses have been woven into the fabric of British culture, from street and pub names to trading routes and coaching inns. She visits a horse fair and learns about Traveller communities, discusses the role of equestrian sport and inclusivity, sees rewilding in action on the Knepp Estate in Sussex, and embarks on detective-style work to uncover ancient bridleways lost to time. She watches heavy horses at work, visits an abandoned Dartmoor quarry and meets the closest living ancestors of the truly wild horse. Horses are the only domesticated animal we elevate to pets while also classifying them as vehicles, machinery or tools of farming and conservation. In their hybridity as part-domesticated, part-fiercely independent, horses can teach us a lot about our landscape and our place within it. And they can help us to understand nature through a different pair of eyes. As a nation, we have allowed them far deeper into human society than any other animal, except for dogs and cats. Revealing how deep-rooted horses have been in British culture for thousands of years, Tiffany investigates why this animal, in particular, has captured Britons' attention so much and explores how horses have shaped Britain's landscape, history and heritage.