Narrowboater wins Smallholder competition

THOUGH living on a narrowboat on the Oxford Canal, Jane Fanner has won the 2009 Smallholder of the Year competition.

The national competition is organised by Country Smallholding, with the emphasis on being 'green', and Jane's philosophy of ‘make do and mend' is at the heart of her self-sufficient lifestyle.

Bicester

Her smallholding near Bicester, has a working pony, an old 'Fergie' tractor, a 1940s bailer, and a 1960s Morris 1,000. And a  Heath Robinson system for heating water with solar power and a home-made incubator for chicks.

Jane was presented with  a £1,000 cheque and a trophy at an awards lunch at a Devon hotel, by James Strawbridge, a presenter of the BBC TV series It's Not Easy Being Green.

Jane also runs a tea garden by her narrowboat on the canal.