LAST WORD
In my backyard
In west London ’ s suburban Brentford , Sara Ward has turned her back garden into a rural idyll where chickens cluck , honeybees buzz and grateful visitors get a taste of the good life
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IT ALL BEGAN WITH A QUESTION Where does food come from ? I didn ’ t like what I discovered : intensive farming , animal welfare , unfair trade and food miles . Alongside making informed choices , I wanted to start producing my own food . I grew strawberries and beans in my flower beds , potatoes in a dustbin . I wanted to grow a whole meal in our garden .
MY FIRST HENS WERE A GIFT Pepsi and Shirlie were named after Wham !’ s backing singers . They both had the most beautiful iridescent feathers . It was a surprise . I mean , I ’ d asked , but my husband Andy always said no . I opened the door one day and there was a hen house .
I WON ’ T MOVE TO THE COUNTRY I have a little slice of heaven right here . We have 22 chickens , three bee hives , fruit and nut trees that yield everything from apples for cider to almonds for nougat , as well as berries
“ I like the certainty of nature . Winter has passed and now spring will come . It ’ s part of the never-ending rhythm of life . When the bees start pollinating you know there will be a harvest ”
for jam and an allotment . And we ’ re just a short walk from a train station .
I LOVE EVERY SEASON Spring marks the end of winter . The sun is shining and there are signs of life in the garden . It ’ s as if a light has come on and a stage has come to life . First we get the almond , peach , plum and apple blossom then the bees start to fly and the hens come out .
MY LIFESTYLE IS MY PASSION We were trying to pursue a dream for our family , and wanted to share what we learnt . It wasn ’ t a plan to turn it into a business . That started when the man we got our chicken
coop from suggested we run a henkeeping course to show people how easy it is .
IF I CAN DO IT , YOU CAN DO IT During term time , we run courses for adults and invite schools to book sessions with us . In the school holidays we run family courses where children can learn alongside grownups . That ’ s been on hold during Covid but we ’ ve gone international , teaching people from all over the world from my kitchen on Zoom !
If you ’ d like to join Sara for a lesson – on anything from bread baking to bee-keeping – in real life or on Zoom , get in touch at hencorner . com
Don ’ t forget ! You can shop with us online or visit us virtually in-store with our live video call service .
HOMELIFE