The Running Hare: The Secret Life of Farmland

The Running Hare chronicles one year of author John Lewis-Stempel's experiment to farm a single field in Herefordshire using traditional methods from the past. He works to cultivate the land without chemicals or modern industrial farming techniques, aiming to restore the wildlife and natural diversity that once characterized British farmland. Lewis-Stempel documents the daily realities and challenges of working the field by hand, from plowing to planting to harvest. The narrative follows the changing seasons and the gradual transformation of the land, while tracking the return of various species - most notably the brown hare that gives the book its title. Through detailed observations and historical knowledge, the author records both the agricultural practices and the interconnected web of plants, insects, birds and mammals that emerge in response to traditional farming methods. The book incorporates passages from nature writers and poets who have chronicled rural life over the centuries. At its core, this is a book about the possibility of balance between human food production and environmental stewardship, raising questions about modern agriculture and our relationship with the land. The author's experiment serves as both practical demonstration and metaphor for an alternative approach to farming.

Readers praise Lewis-Stempel's intimate knowledge of British wildlife and farming, with many highlighting his poetic descriptions of flora and fauna. The book resonates with those interested in traditional farming methods and wildlife conservation. Readers liked: - Detailed observations of changing seasons and wildlife - Clear explanations of traditional farming techniques - Personal, diary-style writing approach - Balance between scientific facts and storytelling Readers disliked: - Some found the pacing slow in certain chapters - Occasional repetition of observations - British terminology can be challenging for international readers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (200+ ratings) Amazon UK: 4.6/5 (300+ ratings) Amazon US: 4.5/5 (50+ ratings) Common review quotes: "Like having a conversation with a knowledgeable farmer neighbor" "Shows what we've lost in modern farming" "Makes you look at fields differently" "Sometimes gets bogged down in details"

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🌾 John Lewis-Stempel farmed the land he writes about in the traditional way, without chemicals, to prove that wildlife-friendly farming can be productive and profitable. 🦋 The running hare of the title has declined by 80% in Britain since 1880, largely due to modern farming practices. 🌺 The author hand-scythed his wheat field - a practice virtually extinct in modern Britain - and discovered numerous wildflowers and insects that thrived in the traditionally-managed space. 🌿 Lewis-Stempel won the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing in 2015 and is the only person to have won this prestigious award twice. 🦅 The book follows one agricultural year, documenting how traditional farming methods attract diverse wildlife, from skylarks and lapwings to brown hares and barn owls, all of which had largely disappeared from intensively-farmed areas.