Mutton once took pride of place on every dining table up and down the country. It was the nation’s favourite dish. It fed us all, from peasant to King. Whatever happened to it? Bob Kennard explains the decline of this nutritious and lucrative commodity which once made men rich and kept them healthy. But more importantly, he explains why mutton is now poised to make a come-back. Its extraordinary health and environmental benefits are at last being recognised. In Much Ado About Mutton, the author includes all the latest information: • Where to buy mutton today • What to look for in a cut of mutton • Modern and traditional mutton recipes • Appraisal of the best mutton breeds • Directory of UK sheep breeds • Mutton farming around the world • Mutton in literature • Braxy ham, salt marsh mutton, reestit mutton • Mutton’s benefits to the environment • New findings: mutton as a super-meat? Foreword by HRH Prince of Wales

Bind: hardback

Pages: 224

Dimensions: 189 x 246 mm

Publication Date: 20-09-2014

There is increasing enthusiasm for using native plants in gardens throughout New Zealand. This book is aimed at helping gardeners and landscaping professionals to select and care for native ground cover plants in order to create low-maintenance, good-looking and sustainable gardens. As with other forms of gardening, ground cover planting is most successful and satisfying when thoughtfully planned, with plants chosen to fit the design objectives and scale of the area to be planted. Hasty, ill-informed choices aimed solely at easy care can result in gardens that need to be removed a few years later because the area has become overgrown or the plants are unsuitable for the site. The authors show how a carefully considered use of New Zealand native plants as ground cover can reduce maintenance in gardens of all sizes while creating an aesthetically pleasing environment. They suggest suitable ground cover plants, based not only on the species but also on the continuing development of the range of hybrids and cultivars that are now available to gardeners. Accompanied by more than 100 colour photographs, these suggestions will help with your plant selection. The book also covers important topics for preparing the ground, such as: What is a ground cover plant? Designing your garden Propagating New Zealand native ground cover plants Ground preparation - weeds, cultivation and herbicides

Bind: paperback

Pages: 108

Dimensions: 210 x 250 mm

Publication Date: 20-11-2014

Keeping chickens is a trend that just keeps on growing, even for city dwellers. With this book, today's modern farmer will find plans and construction techniques for making seven different chicken coops, along with interesting chicken facts and recipes for eggs. Experienced farmer, woodworker and author Chris Gleason's hip eye for design, combined with sound woodworking techniques make the coops both attractive and sturdy. Practical information such as how to properly size a coop and how to source reclaimed materials is included. Don't miss the authors 'tour de coop' where he visits coops from other backyard farmers to find out why they keep chickens and what lessons they have to share with others interested in doing so. This book offers a whimsical and fresh perspective that reflects today's backyard farmer.

Pages: 160

Dimensions: 190 x 229 x 11 mm

Publication Date: 01-08-2011

'I must be a mermaid… I have no fear of depths, and a great fear of shallow living.' Anaïs Nin Mermaids are magical, beautiful, mysterious and symbolic of freedom. Now you can explore the underwater world of these mythical creatures in this colouring adventure. Relax, take a break and float away in an ocean of pure imagination.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 96

Dimensions: 158 x 205 mm

Publication Date: 11-08-2016

Arguably one of the most influential and original painters of the 20th century, Francis Bacon painted haunting portraits that employed themes of crucifixion, torment, and isolation. Incorporating the insights of The Logic of Sensation, French philosopher Gilles Deleuze’s seminal criticism of Bacon’s work, this volume highlights Bacon’s approach to space as one of the defining forces of his work. By organizing the spatial and dramatic structure of his compositions with barely visible cubic or elliptical cages, his figures become trapped in a kind of invisible room. This sense of confinement creates a direct, unsettling impression on the viewer, and further emphasizes the painter’s dark vision. This book features stunning reproductions of 40 large-scale paintings, including Study for a Portrait (1952), Chimpanzee (1955), Three Studies of the Male Back (1970), and Sand Dune (1983) as well as a selection of rarely exhibited works on paper. This book also contains a series of essays that explore the range of variation in Bacon’s use of isolating constructions over a period of nearly 50 years, as well as the nature of his painting technique and compositions.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 256

Dimensions: 230 x 280 mm

Publication Date: 19-10-2016

Previously announced late 2017. Fresh eggs. Grandmother's pickling jars. Backyard orchards. Return to the good life with this inspiring volume. Living on the land and learning to reap the benefits of nature. From farm-fresh eggs and herb gardens that enrich home cooked meals to beekeeping to aid in the pollination of small crops, there's a lifestyle that exists in harmony with our environments. These locales reveal and embrace the many layers of this way of life. Activities such as canning and marmalade making are given new life in these pages. Whether autumnal foraging for mushrooms or learning the different flavors of varying apple varietals or enjoying the fresh spring leaves of kale and spinach, Farmlife is a cornucopia of inspiration for living more intentionally and more interactively with our surroundings.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 256

Dimensions: 240 x 280 mm

Publication Date: 25-09-2017

This title introduces 44 breeds of chicken which can be seen pecking an preening in Britain today. Jack accompanies each with a description of the animal's appearance and explains the different colours and patterns which appear within the breed. Jack has thoroughly researched the history of each animal and its breeding. He also gives details of their personalities and egg-laying and flying abilities. Among others, Jack introduces the lazy Barnvelder, friendly Belgian D'Uccle, the high-flying Ancona and the 'French Poodle of the chicken world' - the Faverolles. This fascinating range of breeds is sure to make anyone a chicken enthusiast. The book is designed for novices but an established enthusiast will find no shortage of interest.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 64

Dimensions: 155 x 104 mm

This selection of 28 breeds includes pigs of every shape and size from the traditional Tamworth to the exotic Kune Kune and commercial hybrids. Many can be seen in Britain while a few are extremely rare.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 64

Dimensions: 155 x 104 mm

now Your Farm Machinery follows on from the successful publication of Know Your Tractors, Know Your Combines and Know Your Classic Tractors.This pocket-sized book details 43 types of farm machinery most commonly seen on farms today including ploughs, cultivators, drills, spreaders and balers. A photograph of each machine is included.Chris Lockwood is a Suffolk based freelance agricultural journalist and producer of a long list of farming and farm machinery DVDs. This is his fourth book in the popular Know Your series.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 96

Dimensions: 155 x 104 mm

This selection is designed to satisfy the curiosity of people interested in the plant and machinery they commonly see as they travel around the UK. Paul Argent's selection includes diggers, excavators, backhoes, rollers, cranes, demolition machines, loaders, dumpers and a road planer. The author shows products from most of the major manufacturers such as JCB, Caterpillar, Volvo, Case, Komatsu, Hitachi, Kubota and Liebherr. Each of the examples is seen at work in a full-page photograph. Paul's accompanying text gives details of the class of machine represented, the work for which it is suitable and some technical specifications.

Bind: paperback

Pages: 96

Dimensions: 155 x 104 mm