Upon discovering and falling in love with a plot of land on the sunny banks of the River Otter in Devon, Mark Diacono set out to do something ambitious: to grow exotic and unusual vegetables and fruit -- treasures that are available only to the home-grower. Salsify, bamboo shoots, apricots, Asian pears, creeping Japanese raspberries, spicy Nepalese pepper and cool Eastern mint: these are just a few of the extraordinary delights that Mark cultivates at Otter Farm, where everything is as enchanting to the eye as it is delicious on the tongue.With a celebration of food at its heart, A Year at Otter Farm follows life on the smallholding month by month. In his warm, evocative writing, Mark charts the challenges and excitements of rural living, from looking after his chickens and pigs, to picking the peaches, pepper and almonds; from pruning the grape vines in freezing February, to the arrival of the sparkling wine. But this is not all: Mark offers practical guidance, tips and advice on how to grow exciting and unusual fruit and vegetables at home, and the book is packed with over a hundred recipes, including wild garlic risotto, fennel sugar plums and quince doughnuts, garlic scape mimosa, walnut and lavender fudge, elderflower delight, and nectarine frangipane tart.With luminous photography capturing the delicate beauty of the changing seasons and vibrantly delicious dishes, this ground-breaking book reveals how the most exotic and exciting tastes can have their roots in British soil.