Read more“Plants are the source of the air we breathe and most of the food we eat, yet we often do not pay enough attention to keeping them healthy. This can have devastating results. FAO estimates that up to 40 percent of food crops are lost to plant pests and diseases annually.”
Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.
Grow a New Garden – book review
Grow a New Garden by Becky Searle is a fantastic guide for anyone wanting to create a vibrant, healthy garden, whatever size space. Becky, a qualified ecologist and experienced gardener and garden writer, has moved many times and each time has created a thriving...
ASA 20 Cordless Secateurs by Stihl review
Stihl ASA 20 cordless secateurs are designed for both professional and amateur use in the garden. How would they perform being put through there paces here on a Welsh hillside? I have a lot of fruit trees, ornamental shrubs and other woody plants, and use secateurs...
No Dig Gardening Day Course at Hafod Walled Garden
I am looking forward to teaching a no dig gardening day course at Hafod Walled Garden on Sunday March 9th 2025. Situated on the stunning Hafod Estate, the day has been funded and costs only £35. Running from 10 – 4pm, the day will include: How to create a no dig...
Review: Genus Warm and Dry Gardening Trousers
When Genus offered to send me a pair of their Warm and Dry Gardening Trousers, I was certainly interested to try them out, but must admit that I wasn’t sure whether an kitchen gardener and homesteader like myself would really need such snazzy looking trousers. I...
Homestead update – early February
Oh my goodness, how much wild weather have we had this winter? For a while it seemed as though every few days there was another storm. Thankfully the weather forecast is looking more settled for early February, with more dry days, seasonally appropriate frost and even...
Mangelwurzel Curry Recipe
I have been growing mangelwurzels for over 27 years, mostly to make wine from the roots and use the greens, which resemble chard, in meals. This statuesque easy to grow dual purpose vegetable is delicious in all kinds of meals, and I think should be more widely grown....
Courses here at the Homestead for 2025 – a quick update
Learn how to grow your own food, self sufficient homesteading skills, permaculture and more on the courses at my homestead in Ceredigion. I am looking forward to welcoming you here in 2025. As many of you will know, I do (almost!) everything here myself and so it does...
Permaculture Calendar Review – Being of the Earth
Written by Poppy Okotcha and illustrated by Frances Whitfield, this beautiful calendar is ideal for anyone interested in sustainable living and ecological gardening. The calendar is more than just a place to write down appointments and keep a track of the days. It is...Stephanie Hafferty
photo by Jason Ingram
Welcome to my blog. I’m Stephanie, follow my journey as I create my homestead in rural Wales on around half an acre. Here I grow year round, and teach gardening, homesteading and food courses.
An experienced kitchen gardener, homesteader and plant-based chef, I’ve been growing my own food for decades to feed my family. I am an award winning garden and food writer, write for many publications and am currently working on my third book.
From the garden to the kitchen, explore the categories below to follow the rhythms of life on the homestead.
Publications I write for include:
