Published on 21st June, Mrs Bun’s Allotment Diary and The Culinary Capers of Felix & Pi is an extraordinary little book capturing a magical time when Nina Walsh literally cast back to her roots, tending an allotment in south London and running a mobile catering business with close friend Felix Muckart.

After running record labels through the 1990s with her late DJ-producer partner Andrew Weatherall then making her own music in the 2000s, Nina rekindled her love of gardening in 2005 when she took over the Crystal Palace allotment that led her to contributing her Mrs. Bun’s Allotment Watch column to Caught by the River website between 2011-12.

At the same time, Nina and Felix were running Felix & Pi, keeping diaries pinballing between the uproarious, insightful and hilarious. Along with Nina’s columns and recipes, these are captured in this fully illustrated book that, with Foreword by author Kris Needs, explains Nina’s rare connection with both Crystal Palace’s allotment community and its vibrant music scene that would crystalise in the Moine Dubh record label conceptualised by Andrew Weatherall; all against the poignant back story of her late partner Erick Legrand, who passed away in 2011.

The answer lies in the soil and a unique journey nestles within its pages that manages to be evocative, moving and hilarious (along with some damn fine recipes). Pre-order your copy here from the Caught by the River Bandcamp page (£12.50). The first 100 copies come with a limited edition bookmark.

Selected Mrs Bun’s Allotment Watch events are planned to promote the book, with Felix’s cakes on sale. The programme will include Kris reading his Foreword before talking to Nina and Felix about the book along with relevant music and verse from Nina, allotment earth mother Armorel Weston and green-fingered guitarist Franck Alba.