Above, the sparrowhawk is “a twisting blade of badness”. In October, “the leaves of the service trees flutter, flicker, flame, in pseudo fire” and in March he discovers “primroses leaking spots of sun out of the earth”. He has a distinctively brisk, muscular style of writing that has a poetic intensity and concision. But it’s his observation of the natural world – the sight, the sound, the smell of it – that is so memorable. The diary form is perfect for conveying the shifting moods of the seasons and allows Lewis-Stempel to delve into the history, lore, poetry and even the language of woods.
He considers himself to be a “countryside writer”, not a nature writer: “I give the view of the countryside from someone who works there.” There’s a powerful sense in his books of the land as something to be worked and managed. His family come from “farm stock” dating back to the 13th century. The wood also supplied him with logs for his fire (“the released sunlight of years gone by”), wild plants, mushrooms for his table (the book includes recipes, from elderflower champagne to chestnut soup) and the occasional pheasant and wood pigeon: “I farm for wildlife. In the summer he harvested “tree hay”, leaf fodder from ash, oak and elm, storing it as winter feed to which he added vitamin-rich upper branches of holly (whose leaves don’t have spines). Lewis-Stempel kept pigs, cows and Hebridean sheep (“small, black and primitive”) to control what would otherwise be a “sea of briars crashing around the trees”, allowing wild flowers to grow and attracting wildlife. If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase then please return the item(s) within 28 days of purchase in perfect condition for a full product refund or a replacement.For this reason, Cockshutt is a working wood, an example of “agroforestry”.
Please note that we remove VAT from all international orders before purchase and that customers may then be liable for VAT & custom duties in their own home country. Please see our Delivery Policy for rates on sending parcels internationally. Please note that due to customs restrictions, we are unable to deliver alcohol to Northern Ireland addresses. Orders placed at weekends or on bank holidays will be despatched the next working day. There is a discount of £3 on Express Delivery costs for card-only orders. We offer FREE standard delivery for all UK orders of £60 or over (*not including bulky items or alcohol). Click & Collect from our warehouse (behind Broadway store) FREE.*Alcohol items (tracked & signed-for service, 18s or over only, UK) £4.95.*Bulky Items UK Delivery, Tracked service (UK mainland only) £8.95.
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