The Complete Countryman: A User's Guide to Traditional Skills and Lost Crafts

By Alan Titchmarsh

In a comprehensive and practical guide to the countryside, passionate and hugely knowledgeable countryman Alan Titchmarsh explores the heritage of rural Britain, its landscapes and wildlife, and its traditions, customs, and crafts. He looks at the beauty of chalk downland, offers a checklist of British butterflies and where to find them, and shows how to make moth traps and wildlife ponds. He identifies the best breeds of cattle for meat and milk, explains how best to look after a pig, and shares the secrets of a successful small holding. From keeping chickens to dressing a stick, from dry-stone walling to creating a wildflower meadow, the essence of country life and the best places to encounter it are identified in this celebration of the British countryside and its delights, skills, and treasures. Lavishly illustrated, beautifully produced, and information-packed, this is an inspirational showcase for all that is best about rural Britain and a primer on how to reconnect with its wonderful wise ways.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1846073936
• ISBN13: 9781846073939
• Release Date: December 2011
• Publisher: BBC Books
• Length: 312 Pages
• Weight: 3.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 8.6" x 10.9"