Our Farm: A Year in the Life of a Smallholding by Rosie Boycott, published by Bloomsbury 2007. Distributed in Australia through Allen and Unwin.

Pigs have personalities, moods and a sense of humour and are generally adorable, something that I did not realise before I read Rosie Boycott’s account of A year in the life of a smallholding. Reading “Our Farm” will probably have the same effect as viewing the film “Babe” did for the pork industry – sales of bacon and pork will plummet for a while. (For sensitive readers I would suggest skipping out the pages which describe in some detail the slaughter of her pigs by electrocution, so be warned.)

The complex politics of trying to battle the arrival of a major supermarket chain (being promoted by the local town council) from ruining the livelihoods of small shopkeepers in her adopted community is the other recurrent theme. If ever there was a case for shopping at farmer’s markets and small local shops with local produce, then Boycott makes it in spades. This unusual book is somewhat like a diary of “how we did it” more than “how to do it” The exact and frightening costs of setting up the mixed farm are listed in detail to the last penny, and would be very useful for any prospective self sufficiency enthusiast to know in advance.

According to the jacket, the author has been many things in her past life, including mother, magazine editor, TV presenter, junky, alcoholic, divorcee and hippy. The book starts with the acquisition of a property in Somerset and brief allusions to the past, including her marriages, the accident that nearly cost her a leg and a too brief skim through her somewhat murky past, I expected details would be expanded upon, but were not. Perhaps much of it was too painful to recall in detail or even difficult to remember. The venture into farming is a real attempt to reinvent herself and get away from the poisonous life style that had nearly claimed her life.

After a big investment in capital, very hard work and lots of paid and unpaid help, the farm finally yields a modest profit, more than a year after beginning. The sense of achievement is enormous and Boycott finds the peace to appreciate life again. She experiences the surrounding nature with wonder and delight and gets pleasure from simple small everyday events and the friendship and acceptance of locals. While I quite enjoyed the book - the interesting agricultural and political content, unfortunately I thought it was rather hastily put together.

About the Reviewer: Dace Shugg is an editor and researcher, she spends her retirement on various projects - from working with the Cystic Fibrosis Organisation in Tasmania to sewing for her grandchildren and looking after her extensive garden - she resides in Tasmania Australia.

I was curious as to what you guys think, but does it seem like crafting/ homemade projects are more popular lately than they have been in years? For example, I’m in my early twenties, and everyone around me (that is also in their twenties) is knitting! (okay, some are croqueting…)[crocheting] Men and women alike.

I wanted to hear some feedback on this. Why do you think it’s having it’s own… renaissance… if you will. I’m more interested in knitting, since it’s something that i usually associate with my grandmother and pregnant aunts (no offense!!) but really, overall, I’m intrigued. I’d love to hear what you have to say, or if you know any good articles that are related.

[read more and comment on this discussion at the forum]