Photos of fishermen – because we probably don’t appreciate them enough

June 17, 2015 angling, animal ethics, animal rights, devon, east lothian, eating, environment, fish, fishing, Food, overfishing, scotland, sea angling, sea fishing, seafood, Uncategorized Comments Off on Photos of fishermen – because we probably don’t appreciate them enough
Scott Jago has just started fishing. His real love is his band The Lost Boyz.

Scott Jago has just started fishing. His real love is his band The Lost Boyz.

 

Most of the research for my book is meeting the people who catch and kill the meat and fish we eat on our behalf. I’m learning a lot from these people and since I can’t include them all in the book, here is a rolling blog (that will hopefully be updated) of just some of the characters I have met. Read more

Hitting the target – but not how you think – with the BBC & Scottish Field

May 15, 2015 animal ethics, animal rights, animals, arbroath, bbc, cookery, Country sports, deer, eating, environment, ethics, Farming, field sports, Food, game, highlands, Meat, nature, roe deer, scotland, scottish field, shooting, television, trees, vegan, vegetarian, venison One comment
My rifle skills are improving but does that mean I'll make a clean shot?

My rifle skills are improving but does that mean I’ll make a clean shot?

My year spent only eating animals I have killed myself has featured on the BBC and in Scottish Field, leading to some expected ribbing about ‘glamorous’ photos with guns and some unexpected conclusions about the nature of shooting. Read more

The Easter Bunny: Overcoming Watership Down

May 15, 2015 animal ethics, animal rights, animals, Books, Country sports, dinner party, eating, ethics, field sports, Food, game, Meat, nature, rabbit, recipes, scotland, shooting, Uncategorized, vegan, vegetarian, watership down, wild garlic, wildlife One comment
Rabbit features in much of our childhood literature but it will also feature in the kill to eat diet.

Rabbit features in much of our childhood literature but it will also feature in the kill to eat diet.

I am often asked why I have not eaten more rabbit on this journey. The simple answer is that it takes time to learn to shoot a rabbit properly. There is also the Watership Down problem. Read more

Plenty of fish in the sea?

March 25, 2015 angling, animal ethics, animals, arbroath, cod, eating, environment, ethics, fish, fishing, Food, overfishing, scotland, sea, sea angling, seafood, vegan, vegetarian, wildlife 4 comments
Cod caught off the east coast of Scotland

Cod caught off the east coast of Scotland

During the winter months it was difficult to find something to eat, but there is plenty of life in the sea – or there was. Read more

My first shooting season

February 10, 2015 animal ethics, animal rights, animals, birds, Country sports, eating, environment, ethics, Farming, field sports, Food, game, Meat, nature, pheasant, shooting, vegan, vegetarian, wildlife 6 comments
I spent the winter learning about shooting

I spent the winter learning how to shoot

I grew up in the countryside, so it may seem strange to call this my first shooting season. But this is the first time I’ve actually held a gun. Read more

A Christmas blog on turkeys: I think you know the ending

December 24, 2014 Uncategorized Comments Off on A Christmas blog on turkeys: I think you know the ending
Lucy Beattie with her free-range turkeys

Lucy Beattie with her free-range turkeys

Winter never quite settles in the West Highlands. Snow dusts the top of the mountains and ice creeps around the edge of the black lochs. Read more

Gregg Wallace didn’t like my vegan shepherd’s pie, so I made a real lamb roast

December 10, 2014 animals, Books, chefs, cookery, eating, environment, ethics, Farming, Food, Gregg Wallace, lamb, Meat, nature, shooting, television, Uncategorized, vegan, vegetarian, wildlife Comments Off on Gregg Wallace didn’t like my vegan shepherd’s pie, so I made a real lamb roast

 

Wild soay sheep

Wild soay sheep

This blog is about to get bloody. Sorry, but I did say I was writing a book about only eating animals I have killed myself. This means at some point I will have to kill something. The point is to do it in as humane a way as possible and to educate people about where meat comes from.  Read more

H is for Human too

November 5, 2014 animal ethics, animal rights, birds, Books, ethics, Meat, nature, Rewilding, Uncategorized, vegan, vegetarian, wildlife Comments Off on H is for Human too
H is for Hawk has won the Samuel Johnson prize

H is for Hawk has won the Samuel Johnson prize

The world is going crazy for H is for Hawk, the first memoir to win the Samuel Johnson Prize. I think I know why. Read more

A class bird: Learning how to cook pigeon with MasterChef Natalie Coleman

September 30, 2014 animal ethics, animal rights, Country sports, eating, environment, ethics, Food, Meat, nature, pigeon, shooting, vegan, vegetarian, wildlife Comments Off on A class bird: Learning how to cook pigeon with MasterChef Natalie Coleman
Pan Roasted Pigeon with Orange Braised Lentils, Chicory & Hazlenuts

Pan Roasted Pigeon with Orange Braised Lentils, Chicory & Hazlenuts

If you want to only eat animals you have killed yourself, the traditional place to start is learning to shoot a pigeon. I was fortunate enough to also learn how to cook one with the former winner of MasterChef. Read more

Grouse shooting: The vainglorious 12th

August 25, 2014 animal ethics, animal rights, Country sports, eating, environment, ethics, Food, Grouse, highlands, nature, Rewilding, shooting, trees, vegan, vegetarian, wildlife 6 comments
A walked-up grouse shoot beneath the wind turbines

A walked-up grouse shoot beneath the wind turbines

Since I have pledged to only eat animals I have killed myself, I decide to go grouse shooting on the Glorious 12th and start off the project with a bang. It doesn’t quite go to plan…

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