Home Farmer Magazine December 2017 Back Issue

Welcome to the December issue of Home Farmer – the one where I always get a funny hat ‘photoshopped’ on to represent Christmas cheer. We do of course have a few Xmas features, but not too many as life still goes on – I do have an undeserved reputation as a Bah Humbug sort of guy, but it’s really just a childhood liking of well-known sweets of that name. We’ve gone for familiar territory as regards our festive features, with delicious Christmas puddings and some traditional but natural decorations, however all else remains as normal, with gardening, livestock and recipes all uninterrupted. This month we look at new garden ideas for 2018 and answer some common polytunnel queries; as regards the holding we look at safety and security for your chickens and check out how a tractor might make life easier when it comes to certain chores; and as regards recipes we cover patés, celeriac and puddings. In addition we also feature a profile this month of the Humane Slaughter Association which has been working for over a hundred years to improve the welfare of animals at their most vulnerable, and we look at how residents of the Isle of Gigha off the west coast of Scotland bought their island in 2002 then set up the UK’s first grid-connected community energy scheme to fund much-needed improvements. And alongside all these features you’ll still find our regulars, including Dot Tyne’s smallholder diary, David Winnard’s foraging feature, and Sylvia Kent’s wonderful tipples – and this time she provides recipes that will be ready for the Christmas and New Year festivities!