- Family farm tax latest – The latest news and post-Budget reaction to our long-standing inheritance tax campaign, as government shift is welcomed.
- Foodie foray - Lorna Maybery heads to beautiful Wales in search of good food and scenic countryside at the gateway to Eryri (Snowdonia).
- Feathered Focus - How to tackle bumblefoot in your flock, why chickens have ‘thermal halos’, getting your incubator temperature correct, and spotlight on the New Hampshire Red breed.
What’s in this issue?
We have more than 60 native sheep breeds in the UK, more than any other country in the world, highlighting our rich pastoral heritage. For millennia they’ve grazed our hillsides and provided us with meat, milk and wool. A vital cog in civilisation, farming mainstay, and accompaniment to many a country walk.
And for many smallholders their first tentative steps into managing land will often revolve around the difficult decision of which sheep to buy. So, this month, shepherd Dudley Edmunds has taken a close look at the subject, weighing up all the factors – from where to buy your sheep, to what land and fencing you’ll need - and recommends his five best breeds for smallholders.
On a more serious note, as you might have seen on the news, the NFU has secured important changes to Inheritance Tax thresholds, due to come into force in April 2026. Thanks to 14 months of campaigning by the NFU, the thresholds will be raised from £1m to £2.5 million. You can read more about that on page 8.
Also
in this edition…
- Family farm tax latest – The latest news and post-Budget reaction to our long-standing inheritance tax campaign, as government shift is welcomed.
- Foodie foray - Lorna Maybery heads to beautiful Wales in search of good food and scenic countryside at the gateway to Eryri (Snowdonia).
- Feathered Focus - How to tackle bumblefoot in your flock, why chickens have ‘thermal halos’, getting your incubator temperature correct, and spotlight on the New Hampshire Red breed.
- Great British food - Miranda Gore Browne looks at the nutritional benefits of eating meat, plus there’s recipes for a special Valentine’s Day three-course meal.
- The Adventures of Amos - No dog attracts dirt and mud quite like the Golden Retriever, says Tim Relf.
- Midwinter magic - Dressed to kill in a rich array of colours and patterns, Hellebores flounce onto the horticultural catwalk each winter, captivating audiences with their grace and beauty.
- Beginner’s guide to keeping sheep - Dudley Edmunds guides us through the steps to take if you want to introduce sheep to your smallholding.
- Polytunnel vs greenhouse - So you want an under-cover space to help you grow produce all year round. Should you get a polytunnel or a greenhouse?
- Shop-bought herbs are among the most wasted of fresh ingredients, so if you just need a pinch of this and a sprinkling of that, growing it yourself is the way to go. Clare Hunt shows you how.
- Spirit of Scotland - Charlotte Reather speaks to Sam Heughan – the unceasing, spirited actor who shows no sign of slowing as he conquers new creative frontiers.
- Climate farmer - A farming couple in Chelmsford are grazing their cattle with conservation in mind with mob grazing, herbal ley planting, and then selling their own meat from their farm shop.
- Wassailing - We look at what Wassailing is and why this centuries old of tradition seems to be making something of a comeback.
