episode 155 | show notes & advice
episode description
Rural life in a farming home owes a great deal to the unsung work of those who support it behind the scenes, a fact that’s captured beautifully in Helen Rebanks’ new book, The Farmer’s Wife.
Sarah chats with Helen this week to hear some of the stories woven from the wider farming community’s work, and a few of the book’s recipes, which follow Helen’s refreshingly honest and simple cooking style.
In this episode, discover
- The inception of Helen’s passion for great, simple recipes
- Helen’s many touching stories from the book that detail the incredible influence of others in the local farming community
- How Helen found adoration for the lifestyle of a farmer’s wife, being an utterly vital part of any farming home
links and references
Follow Helen:
www.instagram.com/theshepherdswife/
Order Helen’s book, ‘The Farmer’s Wife’:
https://linktr.ee/helenrebanks
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Farmers-Wife-My-Life-Days/dp/0571370586
Order Sarah’s new book - A Year Full of Pots
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Flowers
Order Sarah’s book - A Year Full of Veg
Shop on the Sarah Raven Website
Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com
Episode 155 advice sheet
Helen’s moving description of her good friend’s late Mother (2:20)
The Farmer’s Wife is a book brimming with touching stories, and Helen reads us a powerful passage that sings the praises of those who support rural lifestyles from behind the scenes.
The artistic process (8:50)
There is a clear creative streak in Helen, which is evoked not only through her writing, but also through visual art pieces - these, too, tell similar stories to those found in The Farmer’s Wife. We hear how she found the creative spark that led to the writing of this book.
‘In Good Hands’, and giving back to the farming community (14:20)
Another of Helen’s inspiring art pieces accompanies yet another story which sheds light on the good that the farming community can do. A fibreglass sheep that she created was hand-painted by members of the community, with a view to raise money for a local hospice.
Helen’s ‘Non-flashy’ recipe ethos (19:30)
Rounding up the episode, Sarah notes that the book’s recipes are simple, yet remarkably honest, tasty and good. Helen’s initial interest in cooking came from the likes of Ready, Steady, Cook, and has developed into the simple, easy approach that she channels in her recipes.
