Sad News

[Bramble-Poultry]

I am sad to report that the great inspirational person, Katie Thear, who helped pioneer the self sufficiency movement has sadly passed away after a long battle with cancer.

She will be greatly missed by us here. Her books on incubation. poultry and livestock are like a bible.

[walldanzig]

terrible news RIP our thoughts are with her family

[Glutton4...]

Oh, that's so sad. I don't have any of her books, but I'm well aware of both her work, and her reputation. I wasn't aware she was ill. My condolences to her family and friends.

[Suechooks]

I have several of her books and they are my"bibles" for chooks. She has been an inspiration and will be missed by Chookdom.
Our condolences to her family.

[MaureenHall]

Oh dear, she was my inspiration too. RIP Katie

[dexterdoglancashire]

Sad news indeed. Her books have been so useful for me.

[Bramble-Poultry]

From her publisher:

Katie Thear died on March 18th after a long battle with cancer. Her contribution to the Self Sufficiency movement and her role in giving practical help to smallholders during the last thirty years has been substantial.

She founded the magazine Practical Self Sufficiency in 1975 with her husband David and it was an immediate success, meeting the needs of a growing number of people who needed information on growing fruit and vegetables organically and raising poultry and livestock on a small scale. The magazine always had a practical focus and, as readers sent in their own contributions, PSS quickly became a forum for people to share ideas and help each other.

Katie also practised the entire range of smallholding activities developing half an acre of fruit and vegetables and over time she and her husband kept a wide variety of poultry and livestock. She constantly experimented to adapt traditional techniques for the present day, being one of the earliest users of raised beds in her vegetable garden in 1976. She also taught herself how to make best use of the produce - including making butter, yoghurt and cheeses from the milk of dairy animals.

After twenty years, Katie stood back from the editorship to concentrate on writing more books on smallholding topics. She had twenty two books published, most of which are still in print. Katie Thear was both a pioneer of the Self Sufficiency movement and a substantial contributor in providing help to smallholders for more than thirty years, throughout which time she would readily help anyone who approached her with problems. The magazine that she founded thirty five years ago continues successfully today as Country Smallholding.

[Nicos]

Very sad news indeed- but thank goodness she wanted to share her knowledge with us!

I too have one of her books...and she produced 22???? I bet they would be very interesting reading.

Thank goodness for peeps like her- thank you Katie.

[ladylottie]

Oh, I'm very sorry to hear that Katie Thear has died. She was my great help and inspiration (through her books) while I was setting up my smallholding - in fact I would have been in a mess many a time if I hadn't had the books to refer to and check out things!
In fact I still have a couple of her books now - I couldn't bear to throw them away.

I'm sure that many people will be saddened by this news.

[vicky]

That's a shame, I'm another who has enjoyed and found her books very helpful.

[msflocks]

blimey how sad. starting with chickens has been a bible for me!