Starting with Condolences

Katie Thear, one of the pioneers of self-sufficiency, and a champion of the free-range chicken movement, died last week, at the age of 70. Her books on raising livestock and poultry, and particularly Starting with Chickens, is the must have seminal book for beginners in poultry keeping. The book was a great encouragement and a mine of useful information when we started with chickens in 2003. Katie wrote some 22 books on small-holding, many of which are still in print, together with a monthly magazine that survives her as Country Smallholding.

Her contribution to the revival of interest in creating harmony with our surroundings lives on.