The Country Smallholder Magazine - June 2024

In this issue

Creating woodland for nature
The Woodland Trust show how it can be done and highlights funding opportunities.

Goat health in the summer
A vet tells us what to look for in the warmer weather.

Gardening without chemicals
How to get the balance right for effective pest control...

Concerning view of British native breed Pig and Poultry

Mixed picture of British native equine breeds with Welsh Pony Sec B joining the At Risk group

2 mins

Shropshire farmer creates nature-positive woodland

With funding and expert advice from the Woodland Trust's MOREwoods scheme, Mark Lea and his wife Liz planted 800 trees on an unproductive area of their land to support wildlife and climate adaptation, and supply wood fuel for their biomass boiler.

3 mins

Getting started with Alpacas

Welcome to our Alpaca Special where we focus on this versatile and attractive animal! In this in-depth feature, we look at management, explore the many reasons to keep alpacas and highlight understanding behaviour.

3 mins

We're going on an alpaca walking experience

Cathy Darcey & Stuart Woolley share their journey with alpacas – and other animals – to make a business out of something they love doing

6 mins

Care of the fleece begins at shearing time

Claire Boley gives a guide to sorting and storing a fleece so it’s in good condition for spinning

2 mins

Do chickens really experience empathy?

This month, Paul Donovan turns his attention to the psychological side of poultry behaviour, and investigates whether hens sense empathy – a trait indicative of mammals.

8 mins

How to create a hen-friendly garden

The British Hen Welfare Trust share their top tips to strike a perfect balance.

5 mins

How to deal with Pests the Natural Way

Lee Senior says create a healthy predator-prey balance in your garden

6 mins

Harvesting the Honey

Claire Waring describes how you can collect and prepare to store your sweet crop

9 mins

Making the most of fresh eggs and summer fruit

Henrietta Balcon celebrates the season of abundance

2 mins

Grow Your Own refreshing brews

Mel Thomas says there are so many possibilities from your own back garden

5 mins

Smallholding profile: Pocket House Studio

Helen Babbs visits a thriving Hebridean croft and weaving studio

5 mins

You can help protect baby birds this breeding season

The RSBP says you can help all nesters but particularly watch out for ground nesting birds many of which are under threat

2 mins

Miniature Jersey Cattle-the only two in the UK?

Sally Crozer hopes there will be more

3 mins

Read all stories from The Country Smallholder

The Country Smallholder Magazine Description:

The Country Smallholder is aimed at the ever-increasing UK audience interested in living a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable way of life. From people already living on a smallholding, to allotment owners; from those with a couple of acres of land, to those aspiring to get more out of their garden or even window box. With 73% of UK residents claiming to want to live more sustainably post Covid, The Country Smallholder has something for everyone.

Every issue will carry; free vet advice; helpful practical features on all aspects of smallholding, from keeping chickens to crop rotation; information on poultry, pigs, sheep, goats, cattle, and alpacas; rural crafts; property; small tractors and machinery, as well as keeping readers up to date with all the latest news and innovations.