When Kay Sexton becomes the proud holder of an allotment, she hopes it will be her first foray towards self-sufficiency for her family. Instead, she finds herself in a strange and hostile world of hosepipe standoffs and arcane rules and regulations. Witty, well-observed and with mouth-watering recipes, this book is for anyone who dreams of a slice of the good life.

When Kay Sexton becomes the proud holder of an allotment, she hopes it will be her first foray towards self-sufficiency. Instead, she finds herself in a strange and hostile world of arcane rules and regulations, and hosepipe standoffs. Witty, well-observed and with mouth-watering recipes, this book is for anyone who dreams of the good life.

With hardly any previous veg-growing experience and even less time, when Gardener's World design guru Joe Swift decided to take on a 250 sq metre allotment in north London, some people thought he was mad. But with hard work and dedication, in less than a year Joe created his very own urban oasis and a source of delicious, fresh, organic produce for himself and his family. In this book Joe takes us through every stage of his education as an allotment gardener, from putting his name on the council waiting list to harvesting his first crops. He reveals everything he's learned about acquiring a plot, clearing the site, planning the beds, and planting, nurturing and protecting his fruit and vegetables. All the techniques he has mastered are described and illustrated, step by step. Joe also introduces us to his Veg Heroes like Monty Don and Geoff Hamilton - fellow plot-holders with years of experience and the crops to show for it - who inspired Joe to take up veg growing in the first place. And he shares with us his enjoyment of allotment gardening, the combination of hard work, fresh air and a sense of community that makes his plot such a special place to be. Whether you are an established allotment gardener or are thinking of putting your name down for a plot, Joe's Allotment will provide you with a wealth of advice and inspiration.

James Dearsley’s wife thought he had lost his mind when he announced his intention to become a beekeeper. Like many interested in self-sufficiency, he loved gardening and growing vegetables and he wanted to teach his little boy where honey came from, so he set himself a goal: to get, in a year’s time, just one jar of honey.

If you want to grow healthy vegetables at home, but have hesitated because it seems too hard and time consuming, Organic Gardening for Everyone is your perfect hands-on guide—an “if I can do it, you can do it” case study that addresses your concerns and gets you started. Loaded with practical advice and step-by-step guidance, Organic Gardening for Everyone takes a very personal and friendly approach to a subject that can be intimidating. It is a first-class primer on organic vegetable gardening, and an inspirational story about how anyone can balance the rigors of gardening with the demands of a modern, family-oriented lifestyle. In 2012, a California mom decided to start an organic vegetable garden. But she went about it in an unusual way: she crowdsourced it by launching a YouTube channel under the name "CaliKim" and asking for help. And then she started planting. As questions came up, she turned to her viewers and subscribers and they replied with answers and advice. As she learned, her garden grew successfully—even in the hot, harsh California climate. Her expertise also grew, and now she answers many more questions than she asks and has become a very accomplished home gardener. And CaliKim has a great story to tell: growing healthy organic vegetables for your family is not difficult, even for today’s time-challenged lifestyles. She provides complete step-by-step information on growing the most popular edibles organically, and also gives sound advice on how to take on the challenges of balancing a hectic lifestyle with successful growing—and how to involve the whole family in the process. You'll be rewarded for your effort every time you place a plate of natural, organic vegetables on the family dinner table knowing exactly what they are, what is in them, and where they came from.

START LOSING YOUR INCHES WITHOUT LOSING YOUR MIND! Lose Your Inches Without Losing Your Mind! is a practical and down-to-earth guide to shed inches in a healthy, balanced way and to keep them off . . . without going completely bonkers! After hitting many roadblocks and becoming frustrated with every diet she tried in an attempt to lose forty-five pounds and four dress sizes, Justine SanFilippo finally found a simple solution to shed unwanted inches and keep them off for good. Like her, you may have already tried countless diets only to find that you can’t keep off the pounds, or even follow the plan. Maybe you are on the verge of losing your mind from all the confusing and conflicting diet information and you are eager for a clear and simple solution to follow. Or, perhaps because you have seen friends and loved ones lose their minds with all sorts of crazy diets, the mere thought of attempting one yourself is almost too much to handle. However frustrated you are right now, SanFilippo’s goal is to show you what worked for her and how it can work for you, too. She will save you the heartache, confusion, and mental exhaustion of dieting while helping you shrink your waistline. If you want to lose inches and keep your sanity, then this is the book for you! Lose Your Inches Without Losing Your Mind! tells you how to lose those inches and keep them off . . . for good!

This updated edition contains new chapters on "baby" vegetables and the modern easy ways to grow food crops. There is an enlarged chapter on herbs, with details of new varieties which have appeared in the past few years.