A lovely book full of all emotion

Absolutely loved this book, so full of love happiness and true to life stories. The author made me laugh, cry, empathise, and be angry.
The recipes within was
an ingenious idea and will be trying lots of them.

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What a revealing book

I will recommend this to all my rural communities as it describes the endeavours and perseverances that rural people have to endure

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Not enough material for an engaging book

Sadly I have given up on listening to this with a couple of hours to go. It just does not grab me in the way that James Rebanks' books do. He is driven with strong opinions and a real story to tell, whereas Helen, who initially comes across as a determined and resourceful woman, lapses into tediousness once in her Cumbrian farmhouse. It seems there is just not sufficient material to merit an entire book. As other reviewers have mentioned the recipes that pop up frequently are a distraction and irritation. I hope that whoever at Audible thought it a good idea to include these recipes in the main narrative is now working in accounts. The inclusion of the recipes as an appendix would have been fine for anyone who had wanted them. I also had difficulty with the fact that Helen never mentions where in Cumbria she is. I understand why that is, but I just found it a tad bewildering when she says 'I went to the nearest town'' or 'we moved 17 miles away'. I like a sense of place. And whoever thought it was a good idea to include a detailed account of Helen in labour should think again. The only people interested in childbirth stories are your Mum and best friend. The rest of us really don't want to know. A theme that sounded worth pursuing (Helen's health visitor was concerned about her mental health after childbirth) was never mentioned again. As I said at the beginning maybe Ms Rebanks would be better telling us about herself after a few more years of Cumbrian living. This book smacks of a publishing opportunity, hence the padding of recipes and elongated descriptions of not very much.

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honest record of farm life

too short could have kept listening to Helens life so easy to identify with
let people see what farm life is truly like

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Absolutely Beautiful

Very real, beautifully told, definitely worth a read/listen! A rollercoaster of feelings! Love it!

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Guardian reader.

I loved both The Shepherds life & English Pastoral & was really looking forward to this.
Well I was thoroughly engaged with this book. I both appreciate & sympathise with Helen’s open account of growing up, & what families go through striving to make what they desperately want to be the ‘perfect’ home.
And I’m so glad the recipes were included. I hate to hear about delicious food cooked, & not be told how you make it. So thank you.
I cook, but many people are embarrassed to admit that they struggle, or know where to start or what to choose. Well I’m going to buy a written copy just for the recipes.
So this book might not read quite like ‘All Creatures Great & Small, that’s true; (Guardian) though Alf Wight gave us several dark insights into farming & his life as a vet; but then, we were never told what the other Helen ( Joan Wight’s ) own account would have been, were we?
I recommend this book.

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Female perspective of farm life

Interesting listen, if I’d known there were going to be all those recipes I’d have got a hard copy. Story jumps around a bit. Good description of female perspective of raising a family in the farming setting. I bet the rebanks family get more income from writing than they do from farming.

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A beautiful telling of a life on a Lake District farm.

I really enjoyed this book. A beautiful mix of memoir and present day. For me, it was both familiar, (the parenting aspects,) and different, (life on the farm.)

It was a lovely escape, but also quietly political in its discussion of farming and the environment. It was optimistic and full of love and hope.

It took me a while to settle into the way the recipes are included, but I just relaxed into them in the end. The narrator has such a warm, tone, that they ended up becoming part of the experience.

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An important narrative, told beautifully

The narrative of the ‘village’ that is required to support any family and especially a farming family is one too often untold and passed by. This is an honest and open account of everyday life for Helen. A lesson in appreciating the everyday, those who we love and the countryside around us.
I am incredibly proud to be a woman working in agriculture and for me there is nothing better than to listen to the narrative of others who make up the ‘village’ within which we live and work. Thank you Helen

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Remarkable Farmers Wife

Helen Rebanks brings alive her childhood life on the farm in the Lake District, in Oxford and as a farmer’s wife back in the Lake District. She is insightful and honest in whatever she describes and most of all brings the scenes vividly to life.
I have removed one star overall as the recipes don’t work so well on audio as they do in the book.
Despite this, I strongly recommend. It is a great companion to James Rebank’s books and a must for those who care about our farming and land management practices, our wildlife and our food.

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