What's Christmas without books? Here are some great gift ideas.

English Pastoral: An Inheritance by James Rebanks (published in the US as ‘Pastoral Song’)

James’ family has farmed in the unforgiving hills and valleys of the Lake District for decades. If you have heard of him at all then you know just how much he loves his Belted Galloways and Herdwick sheep; breeds that are both beautiful and hardy. 

In this book he talks honestly and sympathetically about developments in farming, and their motivations, seen through his eyes: as a boy trotting around after his grandfather; as a young man butting heads with his father; and, as a grown man tending his own patch of land with his family. 

One of the moments that struck me was when his family realized that they didn’t need to grow their own food, they could just go to the supermarket! I’m 45, and I can’t remember there ever not being supermarkets - though mum made sure to use local shops as well. He also explains the challenges farmers face with ever increasing push for productivity and how this has affected the land. At the end of it all he is returning to a style of farming his grandfather would recognize, and he loves it. He is passionate about encouraging nature back to his little patch of England. A great book.

And if you aren’t sure that you, or one of your loved ones, would read a whole book on farming, however beautifully and thought provokingly written, then here is a 30 minute radio programme he recorded with the BBC on regenerative agriculture.

Native: Life in a Vanishing Landscape by Patrick Laurie (published in the US as ‘Galloway’)

This is a beautiful book. I would say find yourself a farmer who talks (or at least thinks) about their land and their animals the way Patrick does! This book is about Galloway, Galloway cattle (another beautiful hardy breed), curlews and the slow erosion of ‘the old ways’, which are, thanks in part to books like this and the one above, becoming more popular again. 

Note to farmers: according to Patrick a black Galloway bull will always produce polled (unhorned) black offspring. Potentially useful information.  

I think I spotted both lapwings and curlews on the farm this year, so hopefully with sympathetic grazing (skipping paddocks from our grazing plan where we spot them nesting) we can help hatch some little ones.

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Klimmerer

A book to be savoured. I still have a chapter left to read as I can’t quite bear to finish it! It’s written by an American botanist reconciling her university learning with the practical knowledge, infused with reciprocity and generosity, as handed down through the generations of the Citizen Potamatomi Nation of which she is a member.

A quote from the book, “If one [pecan] tree fruits, they all fruit—there are no soloists. Not one tree in a grove, but the whole grove; not one grove in the forest, but every grove; all across the county and all across the state. The trees act not as individuals, but somehow as a collective. Exactly how they do this, we don’t yet know. But what we see is the power of unity. What happens to one happens to us all. We can starve together or feast together. All flourishing is mutual.”

Don’t know much about pecan trees but ‘all flourishing is mutual’? Love this.

Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations by David R. Montgomery.

Truly important book about just how precious the little bit of top soil we have is and how the care we show it, or otherwise, can directly determine the success of civilizations. Shows the impact of soils on Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greeks and Romans right through colonialism and the US Dust Bowl. It is both fascinating and mildly terrifying.

From the first chapter: “Modern society fosters the notion that technology will provide solutions to just about any problem. But no matter how fervently we believe in its power to improve our lives, technology ca simply not solve the problem of consuming a resource faster than we generate it: someday we will run out of it. The increasingly interconnected world economy and growing population make soil stewardship more important now that anytime in history. Whether economic, political or military in nature, struggles over the most basic of resources will confront our descendants unless we more prudently manage our dirt.”

Donnie the Doubtful Dung Beetle written by Mark Eischen illustrated by Greg Warmbradt. 

I am so pleased that this book exists. It’s funny and beautifully illustrated. (NB: If any of you have kids that I buy Christmas pressies for expect them to receive this this Christmas!)

Dung beetles play such a crucial role when it comes to recycling nutrients in the soil, but dewormers, often used on cows and sheep, kill them as well as the worms they are targeting. By moving the cows onto a fresh bite of grass each day at Littleton Farm, we break most of the parasite cycles, so Dad hasn’t had to treat for worms in about 8 years. (Liver fluke is a far more difficult one to crack, but we keep trying.) We are lucky enough to have lots of hardworking dung beetles, but would always love more.

Non-farming related recommendations.

I loved Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell - which incidentally gave me useful guidance on the design of apple storage facilities - wonderfully written as you would expect from her. Also Circe by Madeleine Miller. Just perfect. Jane Casey’s Maeve Kerrigan series on audiobook kept me company while reeling out many kilometers of e-fence. An enjoyable crime series with an engaging heroine. And I’ve just finished Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse Duology - Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom. They are aimed at young adults (approx 13 years +) but I love me a some teen fiction and these were great.

And one to avoid - which would seem to be an unpopular opinion so you might want to ignore!

I didn’t enjoy Piranesi by Susanna Clarke at all. Thankfully it was short. Lots of people love it though so it could very well just be me, it’s just possible I was put off by the hype …