BBC Countryfile Magazine

Countryfile Magazine inspires you to explore forgotten corners of the great British countryside and provides knowledge of the people and wildlife that inhabit it. We want to tempt you into trying new things, seek out new places and make the most of Britain’s beautiful landscapes.

Time to take stock

THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS

SEPTEMBER IN THE COUNTRY • PICTURES › WILDLIFE › PEOPLE & PLACES › COUNTRY KNOW-HOW › FOOD

Ups and downs

On the plot • Jobs for the garden with Rekha Mistry

SIX AUTUMN BUTTERFLIES TO SPOT • Discover which butterflies to look for this season with our handy guide

This month on the Plodcast • A Taste of the Countryside

9–18 SEPTEMBER HERITAGE OPEN DAYS • Every September, thousands of volunteers organise free events to celebrate England’s fantastic history and culture. The theme for this year’s open days is Astounding Inventions. Here are a few suggestions; find out more at heritageopendays.org.uk

Wise buys MICROGREEN MAGIC

Countryfile on TV • BBC One, 11 September

A taste of September PLUM, GINGER AND ALMOND ICE CREAM CAKE

Adam Henson • HIGH TEMPERATURES TAKE THEIR TOLL ON CROPS

Nicola Chester • Our local pond holds a deeply valued treasure – our communal heritage

WILD ISLANDS • Amanda Thomson escapes to the spectacular Hebridean isles of Eigg and Uist, where seabirds soar above silver shores

NOW GO TO EIGG AND UIST • How to get there and what to bring, by Amanda Thomson

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BUFFALO COUNTRY • In the soft green pastures of the Somerset Levels, you may be surprised to see an exotic creature quietly grazing. What are water buffalo doing here? Steph Wetherell investigates

Perfect harvest picnic • Celebrate the season of gathering by feasting outdoors with friends and family. Claire Thomson creates four delicious recipes that embrace the flavours of autumn

JOHN CRAVEN • A NEW WATCHDOG TO CLEAN UP OUR WATERWAYS

TOWN vs COUNTRY • Growing up on a farm then working in the city has given Anna Jones a rare insight into the gulf of understanding between urban and rural Britain. But where does this divide originate and can it be healed?

Dazzling dahlias • Flamboyant, vibrant and exuberant, the dahlia is the late-summer flower of cottage gardens and country-house borders. It’s come a long way from its wild origins in the hills of Mexico, writes Susie White

Lost village • On the shores of Loch Broom in the north-west Highlands lie the crumbling remains of an abandoned village. Richard Else meets a local man determined to uncover the full story of Inverlael Glen – and bring a terrible injustice to light

WONDER WEED • From one miraculous plant, we can make food, clothing, rope, paper, fuel and even building materials. It flourishes in British soils and could help save the planet. There’s just one problem: it’s cannabis

Great days out www.countryfile.com/walks

LIVING LIFE ON THE VEG • Over thousands of years of British farming, techniques have changed. Organic farming focuses on the whole system, from the welfare of people and animals to plant health and taste. Fi Darby visits an organic farm in Devon to find out more

FARMING THE WILD WAY • Dave Hamilton visits the farm of BBC Radio Norfolk presenter Chris Skinner, who has spent the past 10 years transforming a struggling farm near Norwich into a wildlife haven

SUPER SWALEDALE • Home to more than 1,000 sheep, this traditional Yorkshire Dales hill farm is one of the country’s best rural attractions for outdoor enthusiasts with restricted mobility, says Debbie North

OH, TO HEAR A PIG SNORE… • The serenity of this farm is infectious; the sounds, smells and textures of the surrounding countryside spill into...