BY ALLISON LEE Tommy Banks is a multi-award-winning chef who champions hyper-local, sustainable, and seasonal produce. As Chef Patron and Co-Owner, he oversees The Black Swan, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Oldstead, North Yorkshire. Born and raised in the small village of Oldstead, Tommy comes from a farming background and has watched his family farm the local land throughout his life. In 2006, the family bought … Continue reading The Black Swan
BY ALLISON LEE Colne Valley Museum – a Grade II listed building – is housed in four cottages built in the 1840s by the Pearsons, a family of independent cloth manufacturers whose relatives still live in Golcar today. These weavers’ cottages, named ‘Spring Rock’ by James and Sally Pearson, were built into the steep hillside, with the traditional entrance for the lower rooms (like our modern … Continue reading Colne Valley Museum
BY ALLISON LEE Coxwold is a picturesque village in North Yorkshire, not far from where I live, and I have visited it on numerous occasions. Although small—there are fewer than 300 inhabitants and around 100 dwellings—it has a lot to offer visitors. Many of the houses in the village still retain their garths: long strips of land behind each property. (A little bird tells me the … Continue reading Coxwold
BY ALLISON LEE Tim Barker started pressing apples for juice and cider with a friend way back in 2015. What initially began as a hobby steadily grew into an annual tradition in which the two would harvest apples from local trees and hedges and press them along with those donated by well-meaning people. As the years progressed, the two friends honed their skills, acquired equipment, … Continue reading Masham Cider Press
BY ALLISON LEE Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary started in 2009 when Alexandra Smith recognised a growing need for a safe, permanent place for injured, orphaned, sick and displaced wildlife in the local area. Alexandra’s journey began when she started volunteering at her local veterinary practice and chose to care for two pigeons that needed long-term care. As most veterinary practices are unable to house wild animals … Continue reading Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary
BY ALLISON LEE The Wainwrights have farmed the rolling countryside of Ryedale in North Yorkshire since 1962. The farm consists of a mixture of arable land and livestock. Henry Wainwright works alongside his father; however, shortly after Henry returned to the family farm from agricultural college, the family realised that in order for it to be viable for him to work full-time, they needed to … Continue reading The Flower Belt
BY ALLISON LEE Raby Castle, Park and Gardens is set in picturesque parkland where both red and fallow deer roam near Staindrop in County Durham. Today, Raby Castle’s custodians are Lord and Lady Barnard and with the team around them, they were the driving force behind an exciting three-year major development in the castle grounds to create a new leading lifestyle destination for the north … Continue reading Raby
BY ALLISON LEE Regular readers know I’m a passionate advocate for genuine animal charities. I deeply admire those who dedicate their time and resources to rescuing, rehabilitating, and providing homes for neglected or abandoned animals. This week, I want to highlight the remarkable work of an animal sanctuary in the US. Arthur’s Acres Animal Sanctuary is a nonprofit charity in Parksville, New York, nestled in … Continue reading Arthur’s Acres
BY ALLISON LEE Dogs are a massive part of many people’s lives, mine being no exception, and, whatever role the dog has, be it on the farm or smallholding, hunting, protecting and guarding, search and rescue, therapy and emotional support or quite simply as pets, all owners want their dogs to be warm and comfortable. United in their passion for dogs’ welfare, mother and son, … Continue reading Ruff and Tumble
BY ALLISON LEE Farming is classed as one of the most dangerous jobs in the United Kingdom, with a higher death rate than any other profession—and it is not difficult to see why. The agricultural sector involves a range of serious risks, including those from heavy machinery, hazardous environments, livestock injuries, contact with harmful substances, and falls from height, among the most common dangers. It … Continue reading The Wheelchair Farmer
BY ALLISON LEE In October 1930, Dorothy Brooke and her husband, Geoffrey, relocated to Cairo following his appointment to command the British Cavalry Brigade in Egypt. Horses already featured heavily in the Brookes’ lives — Geoffrey was the author of several books on horsemanship, and Dorothy had been a devotee of all things equine since childhood. Born in Melrose, in the Scottish Borders, on 1st … Continue reading The Brooke Charity
BY ALLISON LEE Lately, my social media feeds seem increasingly filled with fundraising posts. While I fully appreciate that charities depend on donations—and that, as cash disappears from daily life, traditional collection methods are dwindling—I can’t help but feel uneasy about the sheer volume of personal online appeals. I wonder if this approach is becoming too normalised, and whether it might sometimes channel money to … Continue reading Animal Crowdfunding – Should We Fall For it?
BY ALLISON LEE There can’t be many dogs that own a wardrobe to rival their owners. However, for Monti, owning luxury clothing isn’t something he has to worry about—thanks to his owner, Toni Walker, and her business, Wag and Wool. Toni Walker became a dog owner in 2018 when Monti came to live with her and her partner, and they quickly found him to be … Continue reading Wag and Wool
BY ALLISON LEE I am constantly in awe of the number of farmers who have diversified to protect their incomes. I have spoken to numerous farmers who, for various reasons, have had to tap into an alternative income to keep their farms afloat. They do this without complaint or blame, quite simply because they have no choice. Many of today’s young farmers have been brought … Continue reading Smiths
BY ALLISON LEE What happens when a young local lad with common sense but no hospitality experience takes on a place that he knows has the potential to be something special? That was the question Jake Dinsdale asked himself when, at the tender age of 26, he took on Simonstone Hall, a traditional country-style hotel situated in the pretty village of Simonstone, just a few … Continue reading Simonstone
BY ALLISON LEE When my husband and I moved our smallholding from West to North Yorkshire in 2024, one of the most worrying factors for me was having to find a new farrier. I had used the same farrier since acquiring my miniature Shetland ponies and miniature Mediterranean donkeys, and they knew him well. Initially, as they were all very young, they were nervous of … Continue reading The World Champion Farrier
BY ALLISON LEE Roger Payne and his wife Lesley bought a traditional hill sheep and cattle farm in the Snowdonia National Park (Eryri) many years ago however, with just 60 acres they knew it wasn’t large enough to make a living from and therefore they had to think of alternatives to make money. Diversification came in a variety of ways such as converting barns into … Continue reading Diversifying – Baavet
BY ALLISON LEE It wasn’t all that long ago when keeping chickens as pets was seen as being rather eccentric, despite the fact that the bird was first domesticated around 8000 years ago and is now one of the most common and widespread domesticated animals in the world. Chickens do make good pets. They are social, friendly and are adept at forming bonds with humans. … Continue reading Chickens as Pets
BY ALLISON LEE I came across Grace Olson for the first time when I watched The Yorkshire Vet, Channel 5’s documentary series that follows the lives and work of veterinary teams in Yorkshire, as they treat a wide variety of animals in both rural and urban settings, and I was immediately interested in her work as a sheep therapist. Grace is trained in deep tissue massage … Continue reading Meeting Grace Olson
BY ALLISON LEE Jake Ratcliffe has always loved animals, so it is perhaps no surprise to those who know him that he now runs his own animal rescue sanctuary. Millington’s Magical Barn is an award-winning sanctuary situated in West Yorkshire, where Jake, his wife, and their small team of helpers rescue animals in need. Jake told me how his dream became a reality. He opened … Continue reading Millington’s Magical Barn
