New books in the post

Lots of parcels have been arriving in the post of late (Christmas presents), but there were 2 that I have been looking forward to receiving.  One of these arrived on Friday - Victorian Farm


You might remember but I wrote a review about the DVD series of the same name - it was brilliant and I highly recommended it.  Finally I got around to buying the book and I am so pleased as it is full of information, recipes, crafts, hints, gardening, farming etc...  Here are some of the chapters:
  • Background history of the Victorian Age
  • Agriculture - advancements in agriculture during this period all the way through to how to grow crops, keeping pigs, sheep shearing, making fertiliser, veg gardens etc
  • Victorian arts and crafts
  • Victorian cookery and domestic life
  • Victorian clothing
  • Health and hygiene
  • Celebrating the seasons
If I was homeschooling, this would be a wonderful resource to have. I am particularly enjoying the gardening and domestic life parts of the book and the recipes all look great.  Many hours of enjoyment to be had!!

The other book I have been eagerly waiting for is this - Wartime Farm (book and DVD), the latest in the "Farm" series - just released in the UK.  It arrived on Saturday:)


Like the Victorian Farm - this covers life on a British farm, but this time it is set during the Second World War. The production of food during the war was essential - Britain, prior to WWII was importing around 40% of all its food (most of its bacon came from Denmark), with much from the USA and Canada.  With the naval blockades and the destruction of the food ships, Britain had very little choice but to double its food production.  Farmers were often exempt from going off to fight as they were considered too valuable in the growing of food that kept Britain going.  This series looks at this very important role (one often forgotten) and how the growing of food changed British farming and domestic life. 

The book contains many interesting recipes, how to be resourceful whilst living on rations (doing lots with very little), farming during those demanding years, keeping animals, entertainment, the change in modern technology, the role of women etc.  Here are some of the chapters:
  • The farm at war
  • Mobilising people
  • The home and garden
  • Wartime food
  • Livestock
  • Home defences
  • Make do and mend
  • Carrying on. . . 
I think many of you would enjoy this one and once again it would make a very good history resource for teaching.  I started watching the DVD on Saturday afternoon, and yes, it is looking brilliant as well.   Pity you all don't live realy close so I could share it around!

The other books on my wish list are Victorian Pharmacy Remedies and recipes and Edwardian Farm (both of these were brilliant DVD series and I would highly recommend them).  But they can wait a little while, or perhaps not!!

A few other books that caught my interest included:
What is on your wish list?

Comments

  1. Jo: one of the fascinating sidetracks to English farms [don't know if your books will cover this] is their hedgrows. With industrialisation & the advent of the tractor the farmers began removing the hedgerows & expanding their fields. They were stunned to find an influx of diseases that the hedgerows had been providing protection from. Many places have begun replacing them but it takes 4oo years to grow a good hedgerow! Not sure the lesson has been learnt but fascinating. Something like 200 different plant & animal species can be found in 1 one hundred metre of hedgerow.

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  2. The hedgerows were very important during the second world war as rural folk could obtain additional food when rations tightened up which put them at an advantage compared to the city people. Even in the Victorian farm series they talk about the repairing the hedgerows (and show how it is done) and the roll they played for centuries. Women gathered the fruits/berries to make into jams and a couple of my preserve/jam cookbooks written only recently have hedgerow recipes in it.

    They were a great refuge for wild animals and certainly played a major role in rural life, they weren’t there for decoration. Sadly modern farmers didn’t look atthe past when they dug them up resulting in these messes:(((

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  3. Those books sound very interesting, Jo.
    Hedgerows always bring to mind jolly rum adventure stories :-)

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  4. I had no idea there were books to go with the DVD series!! They certainly do sound like a wonderful addition to a homeschool library! I might have to make an investment in those someday.....! ;)
    I hadn't seen the Wartime Farm series - it does sound very interesting!
    Thanks for the recommendations - your book list sounds great, too! :)

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    Replies
    1. Wish I could show you mine as you would really enjoy them. Perhaps I could get one for Dolly's next birthday. She really enjoyed the Victorian Farm didn't she?

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  5. Oh yes, she really loved that series! :) That's a lovely idea - thank you (if you decide to do that). :) :) :) I know she would really love that! x

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  6. That is neat! I need to look into the Jane Austen cookbook.

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