A farmyard full of animals, a hundred backpackers in the house, thousands of tourists in the garden, millions of bees in the air - and one family. What could possibly go wrong? This funny and poignant memoir also includes original organic balm and farmhouse recipes.

Dreaming about a tree change? Ready to get out of the rat race to run your own race? Already farming but not sure how to make the most of your venture? Read this book and be inspired by the experiences of more than 25 Australian farmers and industry leaders who will show you how you too can make a life and a living on the land. This book will answer key questions including:- Why farm?- Have you got what it takes to be a farmer?- How do you decide the what and where of farming?- What ways can you value add your produce?- How do you fast track your knowledge?- What regulations do you need to be across?- How do you market and sell your produce?- What are the best ways to tap into agritourism?- What will farming mean for your family?

'Perfect escapist magic' Good Housekeeping 'Jo's book is as rich and sweet and moreish as baklava' Milly Johnson Perfect for fans of Jill Mansell and Carole Matthews, Jo Thomas's irresistible, sun-filled novel transports you straight to the mountains of Crete. Sometimes you have to go back before you can move forwards... One magical summer Nell fell in love in the mountains of Crete and her life changed for ever. Eighteen years later, Nell is ready for a new beginning. When she sees a honey farm in the same hilltop town has lost its bees, the opportunity is impossible to resist. Welcomed back to Greece by the warm sun and aroma of wild thyme, Nell finds memories of her past at every turn. But much has changed since she's been away. As Nell throws herself into restoring the honey farm, she starts to unlock the truth of what happened all those years ago. She soon learns that the course of true love - just like Cretan honey - can be wild and sweet. And well worth the wait... Jo Thomas takes you there. Readers are raving about THE HONEY FARM ON THE HILL: 'Jo Thomas has the ability in her writing to take you right there' I Read Novels 'Incredibly enjoyable ... could practically smell the herbs in the air' Rachel's Random Reads 'I absolutely loved this book ... a darned good story' Julie's World of Books 'So richly imagined and so wonderfully written - highly recommended!' On My Bookshelf 'Superb escapism! ... the way the views, smells, sounds of the island are captured are spectacular' Be Reader Books 'Jo Thomas is a purveyor of dreams. I defy anybody to read this book and at the end of it not to dream a little of the Cretan life' Short Books and Scribes 'Warm, sensual and heartwarming' Books, Life and Everything 'A charming and delightful slice of escapist romantic fiction' Heat 'The ultimate cheery tale' Sun

Honey bees—and the qualities associated with them—have quietly influenced American values for four centuries. During every major period in the country's history, bees and beekeepers have represented order and stability in a country without a national religion, political party, or language. Bees in America is an enlightening cultural history of bees and beekeeping in the United States. Tammy Horn, herself a beekeeper, offers a varied social and technological history from the colonial period, when the British first introduced bees to the New World, to the present, when bees are being used by the American military to detect bombs. Early European colonists introduced bees to the New World as part of an agrarian philosophy borrowed from the Greeks and Romans. Their legacy was intended to provide sustenance and a livelihood for immigrants in search of new opportunities, and the honey bee became a sign of colonization, alerting Native Americans to settlers' westward advance. Colonists imagined their own endeavors in terms of bees' hallmark traits of industry and thrift and the image of the busy and growing hive soon shaped American ideals about work, family, community, and leisure. The image of the hive continued to be popular in the eighteenth century, symbolizing a society working together for the common good and reflecting Enlightenment principles of order and balance. Less than a half-century later, Mormons settling Utah (where the bee is the state symbol) adopted the hive as a metaphor for their protected and close-knit culture that revolved around industry, harmony, frugality, and cooperation. In the Great Depression, beehives provided food and bartering goods for many farm families, and during World War II, the War Food Administration urged beekeepers to conserve every ounce of beeswax their bees provided, as more than a million pounds a year were being used in the manufacture of war products ranging from waterproofing products to tape. The bee remains a bellwether in modern America. Like so many other insects and animals, the bee population was decimated by the growing use of chemical pesticides in the 1970s. Nevertheless, beekeeping has experienced a revival as natural products containing honey and beeswax have increased the visibility and desirability of the honey bee. Still a powerful representation of success, the industrious honey bee continues to serve both as a source of income and a metaphor for globalization as America emerges as a leader in the Information Age.

Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin, this is the emotional third instalment in The Cordwainers series by bestselling author Iris Gower. READERS ARE LOVING THE CORDWAINERS! "I have really enjoyed reading this whole series...I would recommend the reading of any of the books by this author." - 5 STARS "Loved these books [-] definitely recommend this series: once you start you will want to read them all" - 5 STARS "One not to miss..." - 5 STARS "Yet another brilliant Iris Gower book..."-5 STARS "You finish one book and you just have to start the next one." - 5 STARS ************************************************************* CAN SHE OVERCOME THE PERILS FACING HER AND WIN THE HEART OF THE MAN SHE LOVES? Fon Parks isn't surprised when farmer Jamie O'Conner asked her to marry him - he trusted her and could rely on her: she had nursed his wife until her death and knew his son and the ways of Honey's Farm. She adores Jamie, but her love is unrequited. When the future of the farm is threated by people who want to destroy Jamie and his wife, she determines, with the support of her friend Eline Harries, to take action, stand strong against the dangers confronting her and earn the love of her husband. Honey's Farm is the third title in Iris Gower's Cordwainers series. Have you read The Shoemaker's Daughter and The Oyster Catchers, the previous two books?

It's December 24th, and the old farmer settles down for a winter's nap, wondering how Christmas can come when there is no snow! In his dream he imagines a snowstorm covering him and his animals—named One, Two, Three, Four and Five—in a snowy blanket. But when the farmer awakens, he finds that it has really snowed outside, and now he remembers something! Putting on his red suit, he goes outside and places gifts under the tree for his animals, bringing holiday cheer to all. "Few in number are the parents who have made it through their toddler's years on just one copy of Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Dream Snow has similar ingredients: a simple story, lively collage-like illustrations and a fun gimmick for little hands . . ." —Time "This is a simple, well-told story about a simple farmer. . . . Viewers. . . will want to get their hands on it." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Carle fans and toddlers learning the basics will . . . enjoy the gentle text and creative design features." —Booklist "The pictures are in Carle's trademark richly colored and textured collages that capture the snowy magic of Christmas." —Kirkus Reviews

At the heart of every bee hive is a queen bee. Since her well-being is linked to the well-being of the entire colony, the ability to find her among the residents of the hive is an essential beekeeping skill. In QueenSpotting, experienced beekeeper and professional “swarm catcher” Hilary Kearney challenges readers to “spot the queen” with 48 fold-out visual puzzles — vivid up-close photos of the queen hidden among her many subjects. QueenSpotting celebrates the unique, fascinating life of the queen bee chronicles of royal hive happenings such as The Virgin Death Match, The Nuptual Flight — when the queen mates with a cloud of male drones high in the air — and the dramatic Exodus of the Swarm from the hive. Readers will thrill at Kearney’s adventures in capturing these swarms from the strange places they settle, including a Jet Ski, a couch, a speed boat, and an owl’s nesting box. Fascinating, fun, and instructive, backyard beekeepers and nature lovers alike will find reason to return to the pages again and again. This publication conforms to the EPUB Accessibility specification at WCAG 2.0 Level AA.