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A beautifully written classic of nature writing. 'A masterly account...of supreme interest...a classic' Country Life Long accepted as the best work on the subject, Oliver Rackham's book is both a comprehensive history of Britain's woodland and a field-work guide that presents trees individually and as part of the landscape. From prehistoric times, through the Roman period and into the Middle Ages, Oliver Rackham describes the changing character, role and history of trees and woodland. He concludes this definitive study with a section on the conservation and future of Britain's trees, woodlands and hedgerows.

Richard Adams is a British painter born in Hampshire, England, in 1960. Richard grew up in Wiltshire, where the landscapes of the Cotswold countryside would have a lasting impact on his paintings. In 1979, Richard enrolled to study Graphic Design at the Leicester Polytechnic for two years. After graduation, Richard moved to London and

When it came to healthy living, medieval people were careful on what they ate. It was commonly believed that foods could offer good (and not-so-good) consequences to the body, but it was hard to remember what ailments a certain food could cure. In steps Henry of Huntingdon to offer us a poetic guide to the healthy and medicinal qualities of what you can find in a garden.

Most will have a similar picture in mind when they hear the word "farm". Rolling fields or pastures dotted with sheep/cattle or both. A big red barn with a horse in the paddock. Chickens free - ranging around a hen house and ducks on a pond. Large vegetable gardens bordered by orchards and berry bushes. Okay well maybe not everyone conjures up my dream farm. Since this picture perfect farm is not feasible for us right now - we are MicroFarming. This lifestyle is catching on quickly and many are asking what is it exactly? Well is is pretty much self defining: a tiny farm. It is still debatable in many circles as to what size constitutes a MicroFarm - my definition is a fully functioning farm on less than 5 acres - in our case a whole whopping 1 acre. You will be amazed at what you can produce on 1 acre. As the overwhelming evidence of grossly inhumane treatment of animals in factory farms comes to light and our fruits and vegetables are "pre-poisoned" (genetically/spraying) for our dining pleasure - more and more are resourcing local food options. This includes our own back yard. When considering to take a go at MicroFarming a lot of pre-planning is highly suggested. When working with limited space you do not want to have too many do-overs. It can have a domino effect on everything else already in place. So ask yourself, why do I want to farm? What are your goals? Healthier food options, cut down on grocery spending, create some additional income, shrink your environmental footprint? Usually it is a combination of all of these - at least it was for us. Most farms, of any size, all have similar components: Crops, Livestock/Poultry, Orchards/Berries. So you need to decide which of these components to incorporate - only on a much smaller scale. Crops are usually going to be in the form of vegetable gardens. Although growing a specific flower or herb in more abundance for resale is often done as well. When microfarming, the raised bed method of growing is best for maximum yield in minimum space. I highly recommend learning about Square Foot Gardening and the research behind it. We will be adding square foot beds this year. We are also proponents of using what is available and recycling. So we also use tires with great success. Livestock. So a flock of sheep or herd of cattle are not conducive in a microfarming scenario. Meat, fiber and dairy are usually the reasons to have livestock. Rabbits and goats tend to be the go to microfarming livestock. You can get fiber and meat from rabbits and you can get fiber, meat and dairy from goats. Rabbit manure aka bunny berries/bunny beans, is well known to be the best garden fertilizer. It is almost instant gratification as no composting is needed. Some microfarms even have a dairy cow and raise a couple pigs each year. We have rabbits for meat and eventually will add Angoras for fiber. We will add African Pygmy goats in the future for dairy (goats milk soap). Livestock husbandry needs to be carefully planned as well. Appropriate housing needs to be provided not only for the immediate animals brought in but also future offspring and additions. Research is key to help determine the appropriate numbers to settle on. Are you raising only for self consumption or will you offer offspring for sale as well? Keeping living areas clean and tidy can be time consuming and overcrowding is never a good thing. Healthy and happy livestock must be of priority. There is an absolute plethora of poultry to choose from. Researching each species and breed could make a head spin if you do not have an idea of what you want. Chickens tend to be at the top of the list for fresh and healthy eggs and also as meat option. Best Chicks to Start With is a quick guide that could get you pointed in the right direction based on your poultry desires. If you are planning on raising your own chickens by hatching out eggs to increase your flock or sell chicks or fertile hatching eggs -you will of course need a rooster. So be sure your zoning allows you to have one and that you are not making enemies of your neighbors. When we moved to our new location this is the case for us. So we chose a much quieter alternative. Ducks - depending on the breed will provide an abundant supply of eggs and some breeds are considered dual purpose for meat as well. We have Pekins and are very pleased with them. We will be adding the endangered heritage Ancona in the spring. We will post an entry on raising ducks in a northern climate later on. ***We beg anyone who is obtaining poultry to do your diligent research on commercial hatchery common practices. Once one is educated on the inhumane conditions and treatment - it is unfathomable to me how we can continue to support them with our patronage. There are reputable breeders of every species and breed all across the country that will ship hatching eggs, chicks, ducklings, poults and keets. They care about the quality, health and preservation of what they are shipping to you.*** We are currently researching dwarf and semi dwarf fruit trees. Both are considered great options for microfarms. Will do an update once we make up our minds - so many to choose from. Berries of course are a great add on as well. You can use the bounty from both to make jam. Here is a little known shortcut: Bread Machine Jam Yum! Most fruit and berries freeze well so you can enjoy them year round and everyone pulls over for a roadside berry stand. Of course make sure that whatever you choose will do well in your growing region. Make sure to obtain what is needed for cross pollination as well or you will be waiting, literally, forever for a yield. There is an elderly lady in our community that has some very mature blueberry bushes that the yield pays her property taxes each year. Last year we planted 4 blueberry bushes obtained from our friends over at Bass Hill Gardens and raspberry bushes from our friends over at Wee Acre Farm . Last but not least - Honey Bees - are making their way onto all sized farms. They are a fabulous addition to a microfarm and it just makes sense. Hives take up very little room and the benefit is endless. Pollination equals better crop yield. Having your own honey source is beyond wonderful and it can be an added income from sales. This is how we are laying out our microfarm. (Above) Our property is shaped like this and our house just happens to be situated almost as pictured as well. I have no idea where the picture came from so as to give it credit. Here is another one from Mother Earth News (below) based on a 1 acre property size: I hope this overview on microfarming was helpful. I would love to hear from anyone who is considering or is already microfarming. Please share where you are in your journey and let us know what topics you would like to see for future entries. This post was shared on The Homesteaders Blog Hop http://www.theeasyhomestead.com/homestead-blog-hop-12/

The Dulwich Picture Gallery celebrates the work of Winifred Knights by reuniting all of her completed paintings for the first time since their creation – but it can leave you feeling slightly…

David Hockney, English painter, draftsman, printmaker, photographer, and stage designer whose works were characterized by economy of technique, a preoccupation with light, and a frank mundane realism derived from Pop art and photography. Notable works included Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) (1972).

Signed art print of 'Summer Grazing' from original artwork by Caroline Smith. Featuring a typical British Summer Valley country landscape with cottages, church and horses in the paddock. A bright and cheerful piece of art to add a little colour to your home. Created and printed in our studio in rural Scotland, this print would look great in your home or make the perfect gift for home lovers. The print comes unframed and printed on quality art paper. Three Sizes available: Finished size 297 x 297 mm – Print size 246 x 246 mm Finished size 210 x 210 mm – Print size 175 x 175 mm Finished size 148 x 148 mm – Print size 120 x 120 mm Prints are supplied with a white border and can be placed directly in a frame or used with a mount. Framed versions available here: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1212692072/framed-prints-three-sizes-ready-to-hang/ *Note: The large 297 x 297 prints will fit in the mount of 16 x 16 inch frame with a mount from The Range or a 50 x 50 Ribba frame from Ikea – with a border. The small 148 x 148 prints will fit in the mount of a 23 x 23 Ribba frame from Ikea. https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/ribba-frame-white-00378403/ Our prints are high-quality giclee prints on archival quality 316gsm art paper using archival inks. Each print is made to order for you and individually printed, these are not mass-produced prints. Each print is signed by the artist. Prints are supplied flat in a card envelope or postal box depending on size, wrapped in tissue paper and just need framing. PLEASE NOTE **You are buying a UNMOUNTED and UNFRAMED print only**. Colours may differ slightly from the images on screen due to differences in screen calibration. If you require a size, colour etc that is not available here, please do not hesitate to get in touch, we are more than happy to meet your needs wherever possible. Copyright © Galloway Art 2022: All designs are copyrighted and are not to be reproduced, altered or distributed without prior written permission. Purchase of a print does not transfer copyright or reproduction rights, all print designs, images and files remain property of Galloway Arts.

Rosa Roberts Works by London-based British artist, Rosa Roberts, born in 1984--