Country Life 10 February 2021

Country Life 10 February 2021 looks at letter writing, vintage tractors, anchovies and much more.

LIBRARIES: For the literary-minded Regency gentleman, no room was more beloved than a well-stocked library, says John Martin Robinson.

TRACTORS: Riding a vintage tractor is to be at one with the countryside, working the soil with the lightest of touches, believes John Lewis-Stempel.

RURAL CLERGY: From genetics to natural history and terrier breeding, rural clergy have shaped all our lives, reveals the Revd Fergus Butler-Gallie.

ANCHOVIES: Nothing packs a more pungent punch than the humble anchovy, notes Tom Parker Bowles.

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AMETHYST: Hetty Lintell on February’s regal birthstone, amethyst.

ORCHARDS: Planting an orchard will bring you and future generations joy and sustenance. Mark Diacono offers his guide to making one.

SIR TIM SAINSBURY: The philanthropist chooses a scholarly masterpiece.

CARLA CARLISLE: Carla  reflects on the act of remembering, at a time when precious rituals are curtailed.

SNAIL MAIL: No email can ever bring such cheer as a handwritten letter, especially in these strange times, discovers Harry Wallop.

BIRDS: Irrepressibly jaunty, the pied wagtail and the long-tailed tit with their myriad names were justly celebrated by John Clare, explains Ian Morton.

And much more