Country Matters

Book excerpt: Everything you wanted to know about the countryside, but were too afraid to ask 'A joyful companion with surprises and delights on every page' Tristan Gooley, author of The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs 'Highly readable and scrupulously balanced' John Wright, author of The Forager's Calendar 'Lovely, luminous' Bella Bathurst, author of Field Work Need advice on how to raise a chicken or pluck a pheasant? Wondering how to train your dog, catch a mole or sneak through a field of cows? Perhaps you're after the secret to the fattest pumpkin, the wormiest compost, the classiest snowdrop? Or are you simply in love with our captivating landscapes, keen to unlock the history and culture of our woods and fields, our footpaths and boundaries, our meadows and moors? In this delightful and eye-opening book, Meg Clothier and her father, Jonny, combine decades of practical know-how with a passion for literature and lore - braced up by a keen understanding of the conundrums of the contemporary countryside. From hedges and holloways to henges and ha-has, Country Matters brings the world beyond our towns and cities - its pleasures and perplexities, its dilemmas and delights - to entertaining and illuminating life.