What It Is

A defence of British traditional farming, told through the lives of a goat in Devon, a bull in Herefordshire, and a ewe on a Lake District fell. Plus an alpaca in the Brecon Beacons, a bison in Denbighshire, a Tamworth pig in Monmouthshire, and a Light Sussex hen called Beatrice in a Yorkshire back garden.

The Ruminati is not a manifesto. It is a year’s worth of arguing with the dietary guidelines from inside a field, distilled into seven characters and the people working alongside them.

The Cast

Keith, Anglo-Nubian goat. Three years old. Cleared a twelve-year knotweed stand for the cost of bramble and the gate budget. Currently on the barn roof.

Gerald, Hereford cross bull. Six hundred kilos. Permanent pasture near Ledbury. Has been in the south corner every morning for four years. Has never read Marcus Aurelius. Has not needed to.

Doris, Texel ewe. Lake District fell at 400 metres. Predicts the weather more accurately than the Met Office. Currently in Brian’s field.

The Honorary Ruminati

Eduardo (Huacaya alpaca, Brecon Beacons), Freya (European bison, Denbighshire), Marged (Tamworth gilt, Monmouthshire), and Beatrice (Light Sussex hen, Yorkshire). Plus Dave, Brian, Steve, the Farmer’s Wife, the Reverend, the Man at 7:15, an ecologist, a Defra inspector, and a postman whose sandwich has been partially eaten.

What You Get

• 220-page digital PDF, full-colour illustrated throughout
• Fourteen character portraits, four atmospheric landscapes, a hand-drawn field map of Ruminati Britain
• The Permanent Record. The Inspector’s report. Doris’s Lambing. Christmas at Brian’s Field.
• Five Parts, an Epilogue, and a Letter from the Editor
• Approximately 35,000 words
• Instant download after purchase. Mobile-friendly. Yours to keep forever.

What It’s Not

It is not a nutrition guide. It is not a training programme. It is not a policy paper. There is a glossary at the back, but the book does not assume you’ve been to agricultural college and does not assume you haven’t.

If you’ve never been outside, this is a book about what’s out there. If you’ve been outside your entire life, this is a book about why it has been worth it.

Volume Two

A second volume is in progress, covering seasonal arcs, more of the supporting cast, and the parts of the universe that didn’t fit in Vol 1. Subscribers will get first access when it ships. Existing Vol 1 buyers will get a discount.

£12 one-off payment. Instant PDF download. Yours to keep forever.