In the first of a new series of articles in the Shire Journal I will take a peek at the stories and blogs that have caught my eye recently relating to our monthly theme. This month we will be looking at the online world of farmers, small-holders, gardeners and anyone involved with rural life.

In the world of the blogosphere it is quite refreshing to see some good old fashioned plain speaking in the form of Anton Coaker who you can read here. Indeed there are a whole host of interesting and informative blogs hosted by the NFU With the recent cold snap effecting everyone it is interesting to read about how it impacts upon those who rely on the countryside to make their living. For a more business minded view of the effect the cold weather conditions have had on agribusiness you can read more here.

As society becomes an increasingly urban affair the work of those interested in Rural history becomes more and more important. The museum of English Rural Life is well worth a visit online as well as in person. The Garden History Society is an excellent resource featuring events, publications and opportunities to get involved in much needed conservation work.

Whether it be garden history, forthcoming events or growing tips the RHS website is always worth a visit. For those devoted to growing their own vegetables you could do a lot worse then look into high density gardening or for those on twitter you could always follow the Jolly Gardener.

Obviously this is just a snapshot of the many wonderful resources available. If anyone has any suggestions please do comment at the bottom of this page.