Nicola Baker publishes her debut book to spark passion for farming
4th April 2024
Our Farm in the Dales star, Nicola Baker, has just published her first children’s book with the goal of “sparking passion for farming and the countryside” in younger generations.
Mrs Baker, her husband Matt, and their two children, Molly and Luke, took part in the well-known TV programme that showcases their life on an organic sheep farm in the Durham hills.
The physiotherapist-turned-author said that positive feedback from audiences and people’s overall interest in farm life have inspired her to publish the book.
Mrs Baker’s debut children’s book, A Whistledown Farm Adventure: Finding Hope, hit UK shelves on 29th February.
Passion for writing
Mrs Baker said: “I’ve always loved writing, especially when I was a child. I stopped for a while as I didn’t have a lot of time, but finally, about 10 years ago, I found my passion for writing again.
“When we did the series, Our Farm in the Dales, we received lovely feedback from the audience. And here we are now… I’ve got four books coming out.”
The mum-of-two said that her concept was to write a book for each season, explaining nature’s calendar and what it brings to farms.
Four books for four seasons
She added: “The first book for spring has just been published, the next one for autumn is coming out in September, then there will be another two published next year, which are summer and winter.
“I’d like to put a little bit of a spark of passion about the countryside and farming in children who will read my books. I do think that your interests from childhood stay with you into adulthood.
“Growing up on a farm provides children with many important life lessons. Animals teach you a lot, whether you live on a farm or have pets at home.
“Taking care of animals teaches kids responsibility and resilience. It is also an important lesson about life and death. Then, if you can learn those things as a child, you take that through to being an adult.”
Family time
Mrs Baker underlines the importance of reading to children, which can be a great way to spend quality time with kids.
She said: “These days family time is very precious. Everyone’s so busy with life, so something as simple as reading a book together may be a perfect way to spend time as a family.”
You do not know until you try
Mrs Baker is a firm believer that “you do not know what you will like until you try it” and this is a message she wanted to send to her readers.
A Whistledown Farm Adventure: Finding Hope tells a story about ten-year-old Ava, who swaps city life for mud, wellies and animals on her aunt and uncle’s farm.
Mrs Baker added: “The book is all about Ava finding where she belongs. Until she started looking after the animals and being part of the farm, she didn’t realise how much she was going to love it.
“I hope children and parents will enjoy reading the book and will take something from it. I also hope it will spark their interest in farm life.”
The series is illustrated by Rachael Dean, Jacqueline Wilson’s new illustrator. It’s perfect for 7+ readers.
The Bookseller Magazine recently gave A Whistledown Farm Adventure: Finding Hope a rave review and said it “harks back to classic farm stories such as those written by Dick King Smith and Michael Morpurgo”.
The Baker family have a 100-acre farm in the Durham Hills and take care of a whole array of animals, including Herdwicks, Cheviots and Black Welsh Mountain sheep, miniature Mediterranean donkeys, pygmy goats and chickens.
Our Farm in the Dales is available to watch on Channel 4.
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