Farmers Wife

An honest portrait of rural life and an authentic exploration of both the hard work and reward of keeping a home and raising a family.

Helen Rebanks’s beautifully written memoir takes place across a single day on her working farm in the Lake District of England. Weaving past and present, through a journey of self-discovery, the book takes us from the farmhouse table of her Grandmother, and into the home she now shares with her husband, four kids and an abundance of animals.

Helen shares, with rare truthfulness, her life in days, sometimes a wonder and a joy but others a grind to be survived. It’s a story about food and love; the need we all have for simple, honest, nourishing dishes and relationships. A heartfelt, unvarnished meditation on the power of domestic life, the book includes recipes, lists and gentle wisdom to help us get through our days, whatever they throw at us.

Along with her husband, farmer/author James Rebanks (The Shepherd’s Life), Helen and her family work as a tight-knit team. Their farm has become globally important through their nature-friendly farming practices. They host events regularly at the farm to share their expertise and encourage others to farm sustainably.

This is Helen Rebanks’s debut.