May issue contents

CON T EN TS
WHAT’S INSIDE?
ontents
03 THE EDITOR’S BIT
Paul ponders…
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06 NEWS AND EVENTS
Home Farmer related news
and events.
61 A SMALLHOLDER’S DIARY
Dot Tyne’s diary includes
preparations for the lambing
course and the installation of
solar panels.
10 IN THE KITCHEN GARDEN
John Harrison’s
COVER
STORY seasonal round-up,
and his top tips for
great runner beans.
66 BUILDING A BEEHIVE ROOF AND FLOOR
Claire Waring builds a flatpack beehive roof and floor.
15 SMALL-SPACE GARDENING
Mike Clark’s ‘back to basics’
easy guide to growing spuds
in tubs.
20 A SALAD FOR ALL SEASONS
Kate Collyns shows how
COVER
STORY to grow fresh salad
leaves all year round.
24 BRITISH SPICE
Elizabeth McCorquodale
COVER
STORY grows exotic spices in the
UK, and creates some
mouth-watering spice rubs.
29 STRAW BALE GARDENING
Mark Abbott-Compton
COVER
STORY creates a basic straw bale
bed to extend his plot
space – and even on hard surfaces!
32 DIY GARDEN PROJECT
Create an attractive garden
COVER
STORY bench with storage using
little more than pallets.
37 ORGANIC PEST CONTROL
Mike Hedges tackles some
principal pests that plague our
plots, armed only with his
organic principles.
40 ONE-POT WONDER
Cinead McTernan prepares a
delicious Blueberry and Rose
Geranium Compote – all grown
in one pot!
42 PRODUCT ROUND-UP
Our pick of some of the latest
gardening innovations for 2015.
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58 THE AUSTRALORP CHICKEN
Stunning in Blue or Black, the
Australorp is officially the
world’s best-laying pure-breed.
72 LIZZIEB’S MOBILE KITCHEN
This month LizzieB visits
Northumberland and
prepares Pan Haggerty,
Pease Pudding and Stotties.
44 MENDING A GATE
Our fixer, John Butterworth, repairs
a damaged gate using traditional
mortise and tenon joints.
76 KOMBUCHA TEA
It’s trendy and is said to be
healthy, but what is it? Seren
Evans-Charrington investigates.
48 FACT OR FABLE?
Elizabeth McCorquodale tests the
belief that watering in the sun’s
heat can burn plants.
80 THE PALEO DIET
The Paleo diet harks back to
foods our ancient ancestors
might have eaten. Dave Hamilton
tests the logic.
50 SEASONAL FORAGING
David Winnard reveals
COVER
STORY some of the equipment
that helps him make the
most of his foraged fare.
54 SUMMER POULTRY
Summertime, and the poultry
keeping is easy… if you follow
Terry Beebe’s guide.
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84 SMOKING AND CURING
Caroline Pilcher looks at
COVER
STORY smoking and curing as a
way of creating new and
innovative tastes and techniques.
P88 – WIN A
SMOKEHOUSE
AND SMOKER
KIT, WORTH
OVER £1,100!
WWW.HOMEFARMER.CO.UK/POSH-SMOKER-COMP
90 NATURE’S MEDICINES
Seren Evans-Charrington creates
an everyday medicine cabinet, with
tinctures, salves and rinses made
using natural ingredients.
93 KITCHENALIA
Heidi M. Sands checks out the
increasing popularity of kitchenware
from both the olden days and the
more recent past.
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98 SMALLHOLDER GROUP LISTINGS
Take out a UK 12-issue subscription
by direct debit – only £35!
99 NEXT MONTH
What’s in next month’s issue?
W W W. H O M E FA R M E R .CO.U K
M AY 2015
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