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Product Description
Entire series 1-3 of the Channel 4 series following broadcaster and food writer Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall as he leaves the city to live in a smallholding in the Dorset countryside and tries to become self-sufficient. Series are 'Escape to River Cottage', 'Return to River Cottage' and 'River Cottage Forever'.
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Subtitles ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Biographies, Box Set, Cast/Crew Interview(s), Deleted Scenes, Interactive Menu, Multi-DVD Set, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Escape To River Cottage (1999): It is Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's dream to escape the urban sprawl and find a little place in the country where he can live off the fat of the land. When Hugh finds River Cottage nestling in the heart of the beautiful Dorset countryside he sets about turning his dream into a reality. The first casualty to self-sufficiency is the flower bed which makes way for terracing to grow edible crops. Once the vegetables have been taken care of Hugh sets off in his 1965 Ford Corsair in search of livestock. The first arrivals at the cottage are a pair of eight week old Gloucester Old Spot pigs but more animals soon follow. Hugh also finds time to show how sumptuous meals can be prepared from the local produce be it sea fish, pigeons or freshly caught pike. Return To River Cottage (2000): The second series looking at the life of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall who continues to live in River Cottage in Dorset. River Cottage Forever (2002): The rolling hills and rugged countryside of Dorset provide the perfect backdrop for Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's experiment to leave the rat race behind to live off the fat of the land. Tucked away at the bottom of one of the county's valleys he finds his ideal home: River Cottage. In his first year Hugh had just the cottage and the garden but he soon found he needed more land so, in his second year, he did a deal with a neighbour to rent four acres. His smallholding now boasts a polytunnel for growing vegetables, fox proof high rise chicken accommodation and pastu...The River Cottage Collection - 6-DVD Box Set ( Escape to River Cottage / Return to River Cottage / River Cottage Forever )
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
By Urban Roy
If you don't get on with the latest incarnation of H F-W, these earlier series may be the antidote. Over the course of three years you watch him grow his own vegetables, raise livestock and integrate himself into the local community. Of course some of this is probably set up to make good TV but it's still appealing. He shows his skill at the traditional pastimes of huntin', shootin' and fishin', but leavens that with a willingness to learn and take part. As he gets involved with things from farmers markets, to cider circles to mouse whisperers, he relates his tale with wit and charm.
For your money you get three double DVD boxes:
- River Cottage Forever: 6 episodes + the Christmas special + goose recipes + a H F-W Bio;
- Return to River Cottage: 6 episodes + Q&A (from a conference) + outtakes + (the same) H F-W Bio; and
- River Cottage Forever: 8 episodes + a made-for-DVD Q&A + a H F-W Bio (again).
For me, the extras, other than the Christmas special, were a little dull (although the made-for-DVD Q&A is around 30 mins long and may appeal to aficionados) but they aren't the reason to buy this box set. This box set is about watching one man live the dream of giving up the city, moving to the country and trying to become self sufficient. And, as such, it's inspiring for those who daydream about doing the same.
For your money you get three double DVD boxes:
- River Cottage Forever: 6 episodes + the Christmas special + goose recipes + a H F-W Bio;
- Return to River Cottage: 6 episodes + Q&A (from a conference) + outtakes + (the same) H F-W Bio; and
- River Cottage Forever: 8 episodes + a made-for-DVD Q&A + a H F-W Bio (again).
For me, the extras, other than the Christmas special, were a little dull (although the made-for-DVD Q&A is around 30 mins long and may appeal to aficionados) but they aren't the reason to buy this box set. This box set is about watching one man live the dream of giving up the city, moving to the country and trying to become self sufficient. And, as such, it's inspiring for those who daydream about doing the same.
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
This series is amazing, I first watched an episode of River Cottage on Sky, was at home with a friend zapping through numerous channels and landed on this, my friend insisted it was a brilliant TV show and we should watch the episode.
My friend is not into cooking that much so it got me interested!
Anyhow the stories, the recipes and the adventure got me hooked, i had to buy them.
I have watched the two first seasons and i love it, kind of makes me dream of a house in the coutryside, although i guess a lot of aspects of self-sufficiency are not covered he looks at the food side of things with a lot of attention.
The only negative i have about his show is that he uses railway sleepers in his vegetable garden, most of those are full of chemicals and really should not be used for that purpose!
Anyway I highly recommend this DVD Boxset, watch it, love it and live it! :-)
My friend is not into cooking that much so it got me interested!
Anyhow the stories, the recipes and the adventure got me hooked, i had to buy them.
I have watched the two first seasons and i love it, kind of makes me dream of a house in the coutryside, although i guess a lot of aspects of self-sufficiency are not covered he looks at the food side of things with a lot of attention.
The only negative i have about his show is that he uses railway sleepers in his vegetable garden, most of those are full of chemicals and really should not be used for that purpose!
Anyway I highly recommend this DVD Boxset, watch it, love it and live it! :-)
59 of 61 people found the following review helpful
By A. Symes
Whether you wish to call Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall a journalist, cook, smallholder, entrepreneur of story teller, after viewing the River Cottage Box Set one could argue that he trancends every one of these traits in one way or another throughout the three volumes.
Fearnley-Whittingstall takes you through a journey, starting at the beginning where he purchases his first two pigs, some chickens and plots out his vegtable garden, to the end of his experiment at down sizing where the series ends with Hugh posessing a thriving polytunnel, pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens and numerous amusing tales of his journey from being a 'city downsizer' to an established 'dorset smallholder'.
The 3 series' all include amusing anecdotes about Hugh's relationship wih his animals to even the smallest critters such as mice and slugs. It also provides great information about animal walfare and cooking (with some great recipies included) and conveys a great sense of nostalgia and takes one back to the 'Great Britain' era where food was sourced locally and there was a great sense of community.
After viewing the River Cottage Box Set it would be naive to assume that Hugh's smallholding operated soley down to his quaint bartering technique but it does provide an intrinsically warming and a humerous approach to the idyllic, country life and asks questions of the quality of food the general public consume. Overall this Box Set comes highly recommended, is well worth the money and highly compulsive.
Fearnley-Whittingstall takes you through a journey, starting at the beginning where he purchases his first two pigs, some chickens and plots out his vegtable garden, to the end of his experiment at down sizing where the series ends with Hugh posessing a thriving polytunnel, pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens and numerous amusing tales of his journey from being a 'city downsizer' to an established 'dorset smallholder'.
The 3 series' all include amusing anecdotes about Hugh's relationship wih his animals to even the smallest critters such as mice and slugs. It also provides great information about animal walfare and cooking (with some great recipies included) and conveys a great sense of nostalgia and takes one back to the 'Great Britain' era where food was sourced locally and there was a great sense of community.
After viewing the River Cottage Box Set it would be naive to assume that Hugh's smallholding operated soley down to his quaint bartering technique but it does provide an intrinsically warming and a humerous approach to the idyllic, country life and asks questions of the quality of food the general public consume. Overall this Box Set comes highly recommended, is well worth the money and highly compulsive.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Grass roots!
Loved rewatching it. It is miles better than latest series hes done. It actually shows him doing smallholding things rather than all the commercial things hes doing now.
Published 23 days ago by Emma An Cutts
5.0 out of 5 stars
great
Hugh is funny and informative if your in to this lifestyle this is for you the only problem was a couple of spots would skip when playing
Published 1 month ago by kevin pieschke
5.0 out of 5 stars
For all good life fans
An amusing easy to watch series with some very unusual recipes thrown in. Thoroughly enjoyable and i will definitely be getting more of the River Cottage series.
Published 1 month ago by Mr Nigel T H Roche
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thoroughly Enjoyable
I gifted this to a friend of mine on his birthday. His feedback upon receipt of the gift - "you made my day"! Read more
Published 2 months ago by MA. ESPERANZA DIAZ
5.0 out of 5 stars
We love the River Cottage Collection
We have watched this series so many times on line here in Canada and now we can watch it anytime we want. Read more
Published 5 months ago by karenanncote
5.0 out of 5 stars
River Cottage, What a Ripper...
I must say I enjoy watching the river cottage series. Every dvd I've watched has been entertaining and I can watch them over and over again. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Scotty
3.0 out of 5 stars
River Cottage feedback
The idea of the escape from the corporate driven rat-race is quite appealing. The series makes interesting viewing, but I feel there are a few shortcomings in order to make it... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Paul L. Zietsman
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great fun and awesome education
Love this. I can watch it over and over again. The mood, the atmosphere is just great, and the message is just what we need at this point in time. Well done, Hugh et al!
Published 23 months ago by Jeppe Morgenthaler
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very Good
Entertaining DVD set. Very easy to watch. Bought as a present for my wife but I'm enjoying the episodes as much as she does. Read more
Published on 19 Mar 2011 by siman
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable TV about living the "Good life"
We live abroad and have seen the odd program by Hugh when visiting the UK. We both enjoyed these TV series' and have tried out a few of the recipies. Read more
Published on 26 Feb 2011 by Badger
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