Super Short Summary

In his non-fiction book Meadowland: The Private Life of an English Field (2014), British author and farmer John Lewis-Stempel chronicles a year of activity in a meadow on his farm in Herefordshire, England near Wales. He details his preference for traditional haymaking with a scythe, the interactions with wildlife, and the daily farm life including shearing sheep and occasionally herding cows. The narrative blends agricultural practices with observations of the natural world's cycles, touching on themes of life, death, and the impact of modernity on traditional farming. Sensitive topics include the death of animals and the complexities of hunting.