Everything you Wanted to Know about the Countryside

• How many eggs does a hen lay in its lifetime?



• What's a hogget?  

• What is the point of burning heather on moorland?  

• How does grazing help the environment?  

• Can Britain be self-sufficient



• What is a genetically modified crop?  

• When is a pig a gilt?



• Who owns the forests, the mountains, the wetlands and coastline in Britain?



• What is the future for British farming?





All these questions and more are tackled by Jill Mason in this new fact-packed, illustrated book.





It is an invaluable account of the British countryside today, its livestock, its crops and its wildernesses.



Farming: The Big Picture      7

Farming Livestock    17   

Animal Welfare    23

Cattle Farming    29

Sheep Farming    45   

Pig Farming    59   

Poultry Farming    67

Horses and Ponies    86

Arable Farming    103   

Horticulture    123   

Genetic Modification    141   

Organic Farming    145   

Farming Diversification    149   

Landowners and Managers    159   

Forestry    178   

Pest Species    190   

Alien and Invasive Species    206   

Country Sports    216   

Working Dogs    253   

Conservation    259   

Renewable Energy    291   

Countryside Leisure    301

Our Heritage    304

Index    317



Detailed explanations in layman's terms make Everything You Wanted to Know suitable for everyone who'd like a general understanding of the countryside. It is written in a down to earth, realistic manner and dispels urban myths. Some of the facts will enlighten and surprise even those who have lived and breathed a rural life. Bang up to date and well researched, Jill's latest book takes a wide-ranging look at the countryside as it is today. She investigates all the farming sectors and a range of working roles from fruit-pickers to thatchers and professional hedge-layers. …Insights into green energy, forestry, heather moorland and bogs. Well thought-out and sensible.

The book is informatively illustrated throughout.



She explores topics such as green energy, forestry, hay meadows, heather moorland and bogland with a pragmatic approach that is both informative and fascinating.

If you are looking to brush up on your understanding of how the British countryside works today, this book will answer all of your questions in laymen's terms.