B

B is for Bee Luxury Hotel! We were all set to clear out the log shed and use it for the chickens. As I leaned into the shed I heard a distinct buzzing! Our neighbour is a bee keeper so he came over to assess the situation. Bumble bees! We will leave them to their luxury accomodation! This is why the new hen house was built. The arrival of the chickens is imminent! I am sure you can guess what my C is going to be next week!

B is for my Baskets. I used the seeds produced by my nasturtiums from last year! I love colourful baskets and at a cost of nothing the results are Beautiful!

B is for Brocolli....sprouting type. This is one of my favourite vegetables which I am growing in my raised bed.

Next year I will grow more vegetables, this is my first attempt! Although we have nearly 1/3 of an acre the size does daunt me and I have to make separate areas easier to manage. My ABC Round 5 is all about our efforts to lead a more sustainable way of life. The great inspiration for this came from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, a talented writer, broadcaster and campaigner, widely known for his uncompromising commitment to seasonal, ethically produced food. His books, journalism and series for Channel 4 have earned him a huge popular following. Hugh started living in the original River Cottage in rural Dorset in 1998, determined to start growing and rearing some of his own food. His steep learning curve was documented in the Escape to River Cottage series (1999), which won him a big audience. Following this success, and the publication of The River Cottage Cookbook (2001) which won several awards, he was able to establish River Cottage HQ near Bridport in 2004. Originally a collection of mucky cow sheds, the property was transformed into a rustic, welcoming venue with a professional kitchen, thriving vegetable garden and small collection of livestock. It became the location for a range of River Cottage events and courses designed to promote the “grow your own” philosophy and provide an environment where people could discuss, eat and learn about really good, well-produced food. It was the base for the fourth series, Beyond River Cottage (2004) In 2004, Hugh published The River Cottage Meat Book to wide acclaim. It has become the definitive meat cookery manual for a new generation and won the André Simon Food Book of the Year Award in 2004. Hugh and the team are now moving onwards and upwards. In 2006, we relocated to a new, permanent home on the Devon-Dorset border – Park Farm. Until recently, this was a traditional, family-run farm. It had fallen into disuse, but the River Cottage team are restoring it to its former state of busy productivity, raising livestock and growing a huge range of fresh produce to supply the kitchen and the new, improved range of events. The latest River Cottage series, The River Cottage Treatment was broadcast in November 2006, to much acclaim, and The River Cottage Fish Book will be published shortly. Hugh's latest project could involve taking on the supermarket giants as he opens his own River Cottage shop and canteen, near Park Farm, selling local, seasonal food. Hugh continues to write journalism, including a weekly column in The Guardian. He lives in Dorset with his wife Marie and their children, Oscar, Freddie and Chloe. He is Patron of the National Farmers’ Retail and Markets Association (FARMA). He is passionate about animal welfare and his Chicken Out Campaign brought awareness to the plight of intensive farming!