Simon Dawson – författare

This is the true story of a Londoner who gives up his job as an estate agent in the city, moves to the wilds of Exmoor, starts a smallholding and becomes self-sufficient, with a few bumps along the way. Simon's journey from urbanite to self-sufficient smallholder is brimming with incidents - some funny and some tragic - leading him to question Mother Nature, himself, the food he eats, and his role in it all. Which makes the transition from city life to self-sufficient smallholder slow, emotional and, for him, often confusing, but it is also beautiful, warming and laugh-out-loud funny.So if you would like to spend time with an accidental smallholder who completely changed one drunken night in Devon, then join Simon, his wife and their extended family as they learn the truth of what it takes to live a self-sufficient life, before eventually becoming as happy as the proverbial pigs in clover.

'An amazing story of love, laughter and the challenges of living from the land ... Simon's self-sufficient rural life is an inspiration to us all' - Ben FogleFollowing a drunken misunderstanding Simon Dawson gave up his job in the city, moved to the wilds of Exmoor and became an accidental self-sufficient smallholder with an array of animals. But that was years ago now. Following up on his first book, PIGS IN CLOVER, this is the story of what happens when he suddenly realises that his life is changing all over again. He's not quite the spring chicken that he used to be: he is, horror of horrors, getting older.With a cast of best friends (some more helpful than others) including Ziggy, a panicked soon-to-be father desperate to grow up, Garth, an annoying teenager, and a rather handsome pig called The General, a plan is hatched to help each other mature (or immature). Heartfelt discoveries and hilarious endeavours ensue as they work through their age-related angsts, all with a fair dose of pigs, chickens, lambs and animal madness along the way. This is Exmoor's uplifting laugh-out-loud antidote to middle age in the mud; a place where you truly realise that the sty's the limit!

If it's fun, funky, jazzy and is to do with butter, it's in this book. From how to make butter at home, to where to use it, and if that raises your 'yeah, sure, I know about butter, pal' eyebrows, this book is going to surprise and delight you into next week.Split into four sections:· What you need to know· Making butter· Getting creative· RecipesMake Your Own Butter will· Whip you into a frenzy so you can't wait to start churning· Thrill and surprise with its sheer range of buttery creations like cocktails and beauty products· Enthral with QI style buttery facts· Equip you with a life skill to be passed on to others

"A treasure-trove of brilliant ideas and easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions" – Adam Henson, BBC One's CountryfileIn our current era of pandemic and environmental crisis, self-sufficiency is a means of taking control of our lives and safeguarding for the future – and this new, fully updated edition of the sustainability classic will help every householder do just that. You’ll find all the practical information and expert guidance you need on every aspect of self-sufficiency, from gardening and baking through health, beauty and cleaning to foraging and livestock, whatever your needs, circumstances and resources. This means that the gardening chapter, for example, is appropriate both for people with an urban back yard or a more substantial plot of land. Written in a down-to-earth, engaging and often amusing style, and charmingly illustrated with line drawings, the book will appeal to anyone who wants to be more creative, resourceful and independent, who wants to rediscover their inner hunter-gatherer, to single people as much as to large families, and to parents looking to equip their children with basic life skills.