It seems a strange way to begin the story of a new ‘eco house’, with the tale of felling a tree. But in terms of construction, building out of wood is one of the best things you can do for storing and absorbing carbon, and I did hug this tree first… Read more
Workers at Angus Soft Fruits, mostly from Eastern Europe, gather strawberries from dawn on a farm by the sea. © Angus Blackburn, Scottish Field
Over the past year, in a series of columns published in Scottish Field, I have explored an ethical issue about a fruit or vegetable grown in Scotland every month. It has been a privilege to meet the farmers growing our food and I hope to go into more detail about some of the challenges of feeding the world without destroying the environment in my next book. If there is a subject you would like me to explore please post comments below. Read more
Aspen planted in 1.8m tubes by Loch Torridon.
Over the past year I have been involved in a project to plant 3,500 native trees on Ben Damph Estate in the Highlands of Scotland. It was a part of a Forestry Commission Scotland grant to improve woodland in an area previously infested with rhododendron ponticum. This blog is an attempt to exchange knowledge on the challenges of planting in a landscape shared with red deer and rhoddies, and a little bit of philosophy about the joys of planting trees…
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Rankins’ in Tollcross in 1978. The year I was born! Can you remember any Rankins’ greengrocer shops in Edinburgh? © The Scotsman Publications Ltd.
The first step in my new project is to consider the history of the fruit and vegetable trade. I am particularly interested in my Great Grandfather’s chain of shops Rankins’ greengrocers in Edinburgh and would like to hear from anyone who can remember the shops. Read more
Louise Gray investigating fruit and veg at Blochairn Fruit Market in Glasgow © Angus Blackburn, Scottish Field
I have officially started a new project, and it’s all about where our fruit and vegetables come from…. Read more
A pine marten looking for danger – and peanuts.
A few weeks ago I spent a very enjoyable evening in the hide at Aigas Field Centre, where BBC Springwatch is filmed, watching a pine marten happily munching peanuts – until a badger came along… Read more
I have recently written a piece for Spectator Life on why goose are back in fashion this Christmas – following the news Theresa May favours goose over turkey. Here is a photo story about how I plucked and gutted my own goose for Christmas, making sure to save the fat for the roast potatoes – just like our Prime Minister likes them. Read more
Free-range turkeys raised with care by farmer Lucy Beattie
Writing The Ethical Carnivore taught me how to shoot, fish and butcher animals. Most importantly, it taught me to be grateful for the meat we eat. Read more
This 8-pointer stag is in the height of the rut, roaring to demonstrate his willingness to fight for the chance to mate with the hinds.
If you have already read chapter 14 of The Ethical Carnivore, you will understand this is a little bit of a postscript… Read more
The cover of The Ethical Carnivore published by Bloomsbury September 2016
After much deliberation, The Ethical Carnivore has a cover and the build up to publication has begun. Read more
