Natural History Books
Orion Publishing Co The Story of Flowers
Book SynopsisThroughout history flowers have been an integral part of human survival and culture – as food, for medicine, to express feelings, as symbols, to commemorate and celebrate, and to decorate. Their shapes, colors, scents and textures have always attracted us, as they do animals and insects. Flowers are used as luxury spices (saffron), and as coloring and flavoring agents – marigolds fed to chickens make eggs more yellow and lavender was Elizabeth I''s favorite flavor of jam. Flowers are full of symbolic meaning: violets represent modesty, daises purity and daffodils unrequited love. And they have always played an important role in culture through myths and legends, literature and the decorative arts. This delightful new book brings together 100 of the world''s flowers to tell their remarkable stories. Each flower is richly illustrated in color and accompanied by facts about each species and what role it has played in our culture and history.
£22.50
Orion Publishing Co Match a Track Near You
Book SynopsisA fun, simple game for families to play together, and a great way for children to learn about animals
£15.29
Octopus Publishing Group fforest
Book SynopsisCalming to the soul and good for us all, spending time outdoors offers us precious breathing space away from the stresses and strains of modern life. This inspirational guide celebrates the life enhancing effect of nature and encourages you to try the pursuits that would have been second nature to previous generations - from walking in the dark with only the light of the moon and stars to guide you, to wild swimming, forest bathing and sleeping under canvas. It will inspire you to re-discover the joy of sky and clouds, night and tides, stars and silence.Photography by Finn Beales
£15.00
Octopus Publishing Group London in the Wild
Book SynopsisYou don’t have to go to the countryside to experience nature; London’s wild spaces and wildlife are much more diverse than we thinkLondon is usually thought of as a place of cars, concrete, lights, noise and pollution, a harsh, unyielding landscape created to accommodate mankind, not wildlife. We rush through the city, focused on our destination, wrapped up in our thoughts, but if you take the time to stop and look you’ll discover that London is teeming with wildlife ready to be discovered and enjoyed. More than 15,000 species of flora, fungi and fauna have been recorded within Greater London. In 2019, for example, there were 139 seal pups born in the Thames, and Croydon is one of the richest areas for butterflies in the UK.London in the Wild will encourage you to explore the city – from your garden, local parks and community spaces to London’s eclectic wildlife habitats, including wetlands, woodlands and heaths. You’ll discover the secrets of the German Hairy Snail, the day-to-day life of a London tube mouse and the activities of seahorses living in the Thames.
£14.39
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The BeeKind Garden Apian wisdom for your garden
Book SynopsisThe lives of bees are interwoven with our own, but how much do you know about them?Which scents do bees prefer? How do bees transport pollen? How far can bees fly? Do specific colours attract bees? Do bees prefer native flowers? Bees are a delight to see in the garden on warm summer days, buzzing as they flit from flower to flower. They are also vital for the future of the planet and without their dedicated pollinating skills, many crops would eventually fail. Then there is honey a near-miraculous elixir that in earlier generations was an integral part of life as a sweetener and food preserver. It can be fermented with water and yeast to create mead, a drink that has been enjoyed for thousands of years. The Bee-Kind Garden reveals the many facets of the lives of bees, including their hives, flight patterns and defence. It is filled with helpful information on important topics such as which flowers are best for attracting bees to your garden, beekeeping equipment and guidTrade ReviewA charming little book for anyone who wants a gentle introduction to the world of honeybees, with a surprising amount of useful information about gardening for bees. * Ken Thompson, author of No Nettles Required *It is a true feast for the eye and a beautiful stocking filler for anyone interested about bees, their remarkable story and the relationship humans have long had with them * Postive News *The Bee-Kind Garden is a sweet, illustrated book. The information it contains is in nugget-sized chunks and it does not go too in-depth for the bee novice. It certainly illustrates that there is a lot more to bee keeping then just getting their honey! * Wildlife Trust *This book is a godsend to anyone who is stumped about what to buy a beekeeper for a birthday or Christmas present. * The Honey Press *Table of ContentsIntroduction Getting to know bees Attracting bees Where do bees live? Bee-keeping equipment Talking to bees Honey, mead and wax Proverbs, limericks and verse Index
£11.69
Green Books Chicken Nuggets A Miscellany of Poultry Pickings
Book Synopsis
£6.30
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Learning with Nature A Howto Guide to Inspiring
Book SynopsisA beautifully designed book full of creative ideas and fun activities to get your children outdoors, with a foreword by Chris Packham. Spending time outdoors and interacting with the elements gives our senses a host of stimuli that cannot be recreated indoors. Whether you're splashing in muddy puddles, making shelters, foraging blackberries, playing hide and seek or watching birds, experiencing the natural world reduces stress, makes us feel alive and lays critical foundations for a healthy developing brain. Learning with Nature is ideal for parents, teachers and youth workers looking to enrich children's learning through nature and teach them to enjoy and respect the great outdoors. Written by experienced Forest School practitioners, it is packed with more than 100 tried and tested games and activities suitable for groups of children aged between 3 and 16, which aim to help children develop key practical and social skills and gain a better awareness of the world. The booTrade ReviewLearnlng with Nature is a valuable resource to anyone with a passion to create this connection between children and the outside world. With 100 different game and activity ideas, forest school leaders, families, home schoolers, cubs, brownie, scout and guide leaders would all find something here. * Caroline Bennett, Westonbirt Magazine *This book will be invaluable to all gardeners who enjoy creating opportunities to get their younger family and friends excited about being in a garden. I thoroughly recommend it. * The Gardening Times *All three authors are experienced practitioners, and the book speaks with real authority.... The result is a book of outdoor ideas that just beg to be tried. * Make Wealth History *This is a truly inspirational book that will get you and your children running to be outside. * Cathi Pawon, Juno *A creative and easy to read guide of games and activities for the great outdoors which are suitable for all ages, from children of nursery age right through to adults. ... 6 out of 6 stars. * Sandra Kent, Families Magazine *Whether you are a parent or educator, Learning with Nature is full of ideas for fun in the great outdoors. It caters for children and young people of all ages and abilities – and comes with clear instructions and illustrations. So grab a copy, get your boots on, fill your backpack and head to your nearest wild (or not so wild) space for some playful adventures. * Tim Gill, Author of No Fear: Growing Up In A Risk Averse Society *I recommend this book to you all, so ‘get out, play and connect’! * John Cree, Chair of the Forest School Association *This wonderful new book aims to connect children with nature. Through a broad range of outdoor activities and games, young people are encouraged to engage their senses and interact with nature. This not only leads to a better understanding of the natural world but can also contribute to much broader agendas such as personal and social development. Most importantly, the activities are fun. It is through enjoyment and understanding that people will want to conserve and care for their environment and so I encourage everyone to give the book a try. * Andy Naylor, John Muir England Award Manager *This book enables key outdoor experiences to happen. It includes an exciting ‘toolkit’ of well-structured, engaging activities that will inspire, excite and encourage children to reconnect with nature – and to have a whole load of fun in the process! * Amanda Elmes, Learning, Outreach and Volunteer Lead, South Downs National Park Authority *Table of ContentsForeword by Chris Packham Introduction Looking after nature GAMES - Warm-ups - Plants and trees - Animals and birds - Sensory awareness - Team building - Wandering NATURALIST ACTIVITIES - Tool safety - Wild facts - Birds - Animals - Plants - Trees SEASONAL ACTIVITIES - Teas through the seasons - Spring - Summer - Autumn - Winter SURVIVAL ACTIVITIES - Foraging wild plants - Fire safety - Shelter - Water - Fire - Wild food Afterword by Jon Cree Author biographies Resources and bibliography Nature organisations Photograph credits Index
£28.00
Atlantic Books Seven Flowers
Book SynopsisJennifer Potter is the author of four novels and six works of non-fiction, most recently The Jamestown Brides, The Untold Story of England's 'maids for Virginia' (Atlantic, 2018). Other titles published by Atlantic include The Rose, A True History; Seven Flowers And How They Shaped Our World; and Strange Blooms, The Curious Lives and Adventures of the John Tradescants. A long-time reviewer for the Times Literary Supplement and an accredited Royal Literary Fund (RLF) Consultant Fellow, she currently runs writing workshops for students and staff at British universities and was recently appointed one of the first RLF Writing Fellows at the British Library.Trade ReviewThis literary delight will surely become compulsory reading for flower enthusiasts everywhere... Accompanied by magnificent colour plates and botanical etchings, this book is a voyage of discovery. A thoroughly rewarding read. * The Lady *Jennifer Potter is a wonderful writer on the history and culture of plants, plantsmen, and gardens... Any gardener, of the practical or armchair variety, will love this beautifully written survey. * Good Book Guide *Endlessly beguiling... Potter's range of reference is huge, from Dante to Ginsberg, from the flower-and-bird paintings of the Song dynasty to Manet and from early Christianity to Hindu creation myths... Every page yields up some delicious nuggets * Gardens Illustrated *Fascinating and highly readable * The Garden *Anyone who has ever planted a seed or loved a flower can appreciate the author's knowledge and devotion * Kirkus Reviews *
£11.69
Atlantic Books The Age of the Horse
Book SynopsisSusanna Forrest lives in Berlin where she works as a writer and editor. She grew up in Norwich and later studied social anthropology at Cambridge. In 2016, she won the Sophie Coe Prize, which is awarded for writing on food history.Trade ReviewSusanna Forrest is the outstanding writer at the erudite end of horse madness... Forrest, a social anthropologist by training, heart truly pierced, has written a profound historical love story.... Her book is original, cerebral and from the heart. Thinking jodhpur-wearers will love it. -- Melanie Reid * The Times *From Xenophon to Hitler via Chinese polo and the battle of Waterloo, this extraordinary work demonstrates how much better world history looks with a horse in the foreground. * Meg Rosoff *Whether describing the splendours of the haute école, the miseries of the American horsemeat trade, or the horse-thronged streets of 19th century London, Forrest writes with a fine descriptive vigour. Her essayistic approach allows for an exhilarating blend of the historical and the personal, with lively digressions -- Jane Shilling * Evening Standard *A richly informative, lively and elegantly written overview of the horse in human culture and history... Anyone with even the slightest interest in horses and their past, present and future as human companions, allies or victims should be sure to read it and learn from it. -- Peter Mitchell * Fellow in Archaeology - University of Oxford *No animal more deserves a rigorous and deep investigation of its place in human life, and no one is better positioned to provide it than Susanna Forrest. She approaches her subject with both love and lucidity, with a sharp awareness of the limits of what we can know about horses. -- Justin E. H. Smith * Professor of History and Philosophy of Science - University of Paris *The Age of the Horse surprises and delights at every turn. This thoroughly and imaginatively researched, beautifully written book takes us to new destinations and offers new stories from the frontlines of horse-human sociality. -- Donna Landry * Professor of English and American literature - University of Kent *A very detailed, well-researched history of the evolution, domestication, and usage of horses throughout the ages and in different geographic areas. Susanna Forrest travelled the globe to learn about the practices of the past - including the horse at work and in war and religion - and about how people look upon horses today. -- Robert Sommer * Distinguished Professor - University of California *The Age of the Horse takes horses seriously in their multiplicity, in all the different ways they have been and are a part of our lives . . . This is rigorously researched, but accessible. Through the common history of humans and equids, it is a tribute to the adaptability of both species. -- Robin Irvine * University of St Andrews *Susanna Forrest tells the complete story of the horse, from the Mongolian steppes to Victorian coaches and Amish farms, in a book filled with vivid anecdotes and big ideas. -- Boria Sax * Author of CITY OF RAVENS *Many a horse lover would prefer to spend their entire day on the trail or at the race track, with no other human to taint the majesty of the experience. Susanna Forrest goes even further, delivering all of history with a sharp equine focus. Through her fascinating delving she creates a magical world where these exquisite creatures reign supreme. -- Elizabeth Mitchell * Author of THREE STRIDES BEFORE THE WIRE and LIBERTY'S TORCH *The illustrations are beautiful, the facts astonishing * Mail on Sunday *In charting the evolution of the horse, Forrest covers wide sweeps of history and geography with dexterity and panache... The Age of the Horse is full of facts and rich anecdote -- Robin Oakley * Literary Review *Finding a literary horse book, one that is both substantial and presents a staggering use of language, is an impossible task akin to finding a 6-year-old, well-trained, sensible gelding for a reasonable price. Susanna Forrest's The Age of the Horse is just such a miracle... It is a triumph, and one to be enjoyed by anyone looking for a good read. -- Gretchen Lida * Washington Independent Review of Books *
£12.34
University of Canberra Some Time with Eagles Falcons
Book Synopsis
£22.79
John Murray Press Coping with Pet Loss Overcoming Common Problems
Book SynopsisPet loss has grown as an area of concern, with greater awareness of this kind of grief. Pet ownership itself is at an all-time high; half of all UK households own a pet, and 63 percent of all U.S. households, equating to more than 69 million US households. Company and affection are the number one benefits from pets, and three-quarters of dog owners consider their pet as a child or family member. Small wonder that losing a companion animal can be devastating. It can upset a young family, present children with their first experience of death, and may also be an unwelcome rite of passage for teenagers. For older people, it can mean the complete disruption of their daily lives - at least 40 per cent rely on a pet for daily exercise. For some, pet loss evokes unresolved mourning issues from earlier losses and can have serious emotional implications. Subjects in this sympathetic and comprehensive book include: stages of grieving; when mourning mask deeper problems; dealing with those who don
£10.48
Acair William Macgillivrays A Hebridean Naturalists
Book Synopsis
£14.25
Oneworld Publications The Invisible Universe
Book SynopsisA guide to the 99% of the Universe our eyes can’t see from a dazzling new voice in popular scienceTrade Review‘Engaging…this book will be of interest to anyone wanting to know more about how we’ve learned what we know about the Universe.’ -- Chris North, BBC Sky at Night‘Matthew Bothwell’s excellent book is a compelling read. He sets the latest fascinating discoveries in their historical context, and highlights the mysteries that challenge future astronomers. The coverage is comprehensive and clear. The book stands out in a crowded field and deserves very wide readership.’ -- Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal‘Matthew Bothwell has opened a new window onto the night sky for his readers… A unique and compelling read that will open your eyes to the beautiful and multifaceted universe that scientists are exploring today.’ -- Emily Levesque, author of The Last Stargazers‘Matt’s book is an excellent introduction to how astronomers have learnt "what’s out there", particularly using radiation invisible to the human eye. He deftly conveys ideas with a cheerful and infectious enthusiasm, using humour, vivid analogies and personal anecdotes to bring our understanding of the Universe to life, without losing any scientific rigour. Highly readable, it offers an increased sense of wonder at the workings of the cosmos.’ -- Carolin Crawford, Emeritus Gresham Professor of Astronomy‘The Invisible Universe shows everything in a new light. In clear language this book takes you from the familiar to the deeply strange, from blue skies to black holes and beyond, showing how much we’ve learned and the immensity of what we have yet to understand.’ -- Ken MacLeod, author of the award-winning Fall Revolution series‘Matt Bothwell guides us through the world of astronomy and astrophysics with an engagingly written, up-to-date view of some of the key current frontiers. He opens our eyes to wavelengths beyond the light we can see. His journey includes galaxies, black holes, star formation, dust, gravitational waves, dark matter and dark energy – all with interesting historical context, accessible explanations and richly peppered with accurate analogies. A compelling read.’ -- Andrew Coates, Professor of Physics at UCL and Deputy Director (Solar System) at UCL’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory‘This book bursts with information without once becoming dull or over-complicated. Ideas are introduced at an accessible level, and unique analogies put abstract concepts and almost inconceivable quantities into a context that we can understand intuitively… Some of the core scientific content of this book may have been covered in other popular astronomy books, but rarely in such an engaging, warm, and readable way. Readers of all ages who want to gain a better understanding of the unseen Universe will find something here to enjoy.’ -- Astronomy Now‘Intriguing… In Dr Bothwell’s fascinating new book, we are taken on a cosmic journey… beautifully presented in a way that makes for compelling reading and opens up your mind to the unseen. A book that fully deserves to be on any curiously minded person’s book shelf.’ * Astronomy Ireland *‘A fascinating account that particularly stands out in the crowded field of scientific literature… Explaining difficult concepts in a digestible way, The Invisible Universe is a must-read for those seeking a straightforward route into the world of astronomy. One can’t help being attracted to Bothwell’s infectious passion for science, prompting us to stare out at the night sky and wonder what other discoveries lie hidden amongst the stars.’ -- Reaction‘A highly recommended and enjoyable read, especially if this is your first guidebook for this armchair trip… Dr. Bothwell examines each topic with the right mix of history, anecdote, analogy, science and implications… captivating.’ -- Starvind‘Matthew Bothwell has opened a new window onto the night sky for his readers, taking us on a sweeping tour of some of the most cutting-edge phenomena in the cosmos and using his knack for clear, precise, and inventive explanations to help us all see the unseen. A unique and compelling read that will open your eyes to the beautiful and multifaceted universe that scientists are exploring today.’ -- Emily Levesque, author of The Last Stargazers‘Excellent… a great read… Matthew Bothwell has a sense of wonder and joy about the concepts and ideas he is explaining. His enthusiasm and marvel are contagious… definitely the best book we have read and reviewed in 2022.’ -- Simon Cocking, Irish Tech News‘This is a beautifully articulated and informative book all about the wonders of our universe and the history behind it all. I was drawn to this book because the concept of space and all that’s in it interested me, and reading this has made me even more fascinated. It is truly a page-turner and was really hard to put down once I started reading.’ -- SMS Non-fiction Book Reviews
£18.04
Oneworld Publications Life as We Made It
Book SynopsisA leading biologist looks at how humans have meddled with evolution throughout history – and what we will do nextTrade Review‘An accessible, enlightening writer… Big history meets big science – and it’s great entertainment.’ -- The Times, Best Books of 2021‘[Life as We Made It] provides a detailed exploration of some of the most influential technologies of our time. It also offers a tantalising glimpse of what might be in store in the future, when humanity starts to mix things up all over again.’ -- New Scientist‘[A] fun-filled survey… Shapiro’s anecdotes are full of energy… Perfect for fans of Mary Roach, this is science writing with much to savour.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘A brilliant combination of science, natural history, and first-person experience, Life as We Made It shows how our species has been manipulating nature for nearly as long as we’ve been around. Anyone who wants to better understand the future of life – human and otherwise – should read this book.’ -- Jennifer Doudna, winner of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry‘For the past two decades, Beth Shapiro has pioneered using ancient DNA to understand the diversity of life. In Life as We Made It, her twin passions for cutting-edge science and natural history leap from every page. This book will entertain and challenge you to think in new ways about our role in the future of life on Earth.’ -- Neil Shubin, evolutionary biologist and author of Your Inner Fish‘Very few people write about the insane complexities and power of biology with greater clarity, insight and levity than Beth Shapiro.’ -- Adam Rutherford, author of A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived‘In this brilliant new book, biologist Beth Shapiro tells the incredible story of how we’re remaking much of nature and lays out a thoughtful path for how we can survive and thrive by learning to more wisely apply our god-like powers.’ -- Jamie Metzl, author of Hacking Darwin‘Shapiro chronicles the many ways humans have influenced the evolutionary trajectories of other species, from prehistory through the present day. Tools like CRISPR are just the latest way we have shaped the life on this planet. She effectively makes the case that our use of evolution as a tool is ethically acceptable, if done carefully and with informed consent.’ -- Emma Marris, author of Wild Souls‘[Shapiro’s] expansive survey of the hopes and fears – and the hypes and fails – of genetic manipulation is an enjoyable tour of “impossible” species created to solve pressing human problems… She builds a convincing case… there is no doubt that synthetic biology has the potential to help solve some of our biggest global problems. With this clear-eyed account of its humanitarian potential, Shapiro has done the field a great service.’ * Nature *‘Life as We Made It presents a compelling vision that encourages us to be more open-minded.’ -- Philippa Nuttall * New Statesman *‘Thoughtful and entertaining’ -- Adrian Woolfson * Wall Street Journal *‘In an age when “technology” has become synonymous with the information kind, it is worth being reminded that other sorts are available. And with one of them people can, if they so choose, remake themselves.’ -- Economist‘Throughout our existence, humans have been unconscious genetic engineers. In this excellent summary of the most exciting parts of 21st-century biology, Beth Shapiro shows how we have inadvertently shaped the natural world, producing extinctions and slowly altering domestic animals. Above all, she optimistically describes how we might be able to use our new conscious ability to engineer genomes to save species and deliberately change the world for the better.’ -- Professor Matthew Cobb, University of Manchester‘An engaging account of how our ancestors’ actions, over tens of thousands of years, ended up modifying our genomes and those of countless other species, a thanksgiving for the beauty and bounty wrought by these changes, and a thoughtful, refreshingly optimistic anticipation of what is to come as we, one way or another, exert ever greater control over evolution.’ -- Austin Burt, professor of evolutionary genetics, Imperial College London‘Deeply thought-provoking… Around two to three decades ago the protests against genetically modified food types seemed warranted and necessary due to far too many unknowns. Now, with more precise genetic editing, examples such as Golden Rice discussed by Shapiro demonstrate that we are now in more nuanced times, and this is a topic that does need to be examined and more closely debated. Shapiro’s book is timely and well worth reading.’ -- Simon Cocking, Irish Tech News‘The scientific study of ancient DNA preserved in extinct species and the possibility of de extinction make for truly fascinating reading. Employing just the right amount of paleontology, history, genomics, and archaeology, Shapiro warns that we stand on the precipice of fashioning a new, unnatural nature. The risk of messing up the future of other species and even the planet itself looms large.’ * Booklist *‘Shapiro takes readers on a succinct and compelling journey through historical events, inventions, and decisions that have forever changed the course of life on Earth… In what is perhaps the greatest accomplishment of Life as We Made It, Shapiro clearly articulates key questions whose answers will define how we think about and use the power we now yield… Shapiro offers readers a history lesson from which to pull both caution and inspiration. In doing so, she sets the table for a needed conversation about our lasting imprint on the tree of life. It is up to us to take a seat.’ -- Science‘Shapiro is a fantastic science communicator who addresses the many nuances of each topic she touches, and she can be disarmingly funny. I heartily recommend you read this book.’ -- The Inquisitive Biologist‘Beth Shapiro’s unmissable book… My advice is not to waste time on COP26, and read this book instead… She is a thoughtful academic… This book brings readers up to date, assessing the impact on research of the Covid-19 event and the appetite for adopting riskier technologies more quickly… Life as We Made It turns a potentially chilling threat into a promise – so long as those charged with the process are as far-seeing and practical as its author. That’s the challenge upon which readers will be left reflecting.’ -- Reaction‘Beth Shapiro takes readers on a journey of scientific discovery, explaining how symbiotic relationships between humans and the environment around us have changed – but not always for the better…’ * Engadget *
£10.44
Oneworld Publications Black Ops and Beaver Bombing
Book SynopsisFrom central Glasgow to rural Wiltshire, a husband-and-wife team track down Britain’s enigmatic mammalsTrade Review‘Spring has barely ticked over into summer, but I’ve already found the book that I’ll be recommending for the rest of the year.’ -- BBC Countryfile Magazine'If you care about Britain’s beautiful mammals – which of course you do – this hilarious book is a must-read. Weasely my favourite book of the year so far.' -- Dave Goulson, author of Silent Earth'Engaging, humorous and full of fascinating facts you probably never knew, Black Ops and Beaver Bombing celebrates, mourns and champions the wonderful variety of British mammals.' -- Waterstones, Best Books of 2023'You will laugh and learn in equal measure.’ * BBC Wildlife Magazine *‘Delightful… The authors’ sadness is clear, yet the text is more readable because they don’t take themselves too seriously, and scatter the text with memorable details.’ -- Irish Times‘Everything you could hope for in a book about our beleaguered native mammals. Elegiac, informative and funny; some truly magical encounters in the wild; an almost baffled indignation at our institutional and collective failures of policy and imagination; and best of all… some actual solutions.’ -- Peter Fiennes, author of Oak and Ash and Thorn'Packed full of useful information and acutely up to date… As she's one of the ablest mammalogists of our age, it's well worth listening to Fiona Mathews. I would heartily recommend this book to all.' -- Derek Gow, author of Bringing Back the Beaver‘This book is, or should be, a big wake-up call to anyone who hasn’t already realised that Britain’s native mammals are in trouble… Black Ops and Beaver Bombing provides an entertaining and informative look at some of our native mammalian species as well as the wider issues associated with species conservation in Britain. It should be required reading for anyone with a passing interest in our native wild mammals as well as for those who would like to do more to help with conservation. I particularly hope that it will be read by the politicians and other people who are in a position to make positive changes to reverse the decline of our native mammals.' -- GreenSpirit Magazine
£16.19
Floris Books Movement and Rhythms of the Stars
Book SynopsisThis is a comprehensive guide to the basic movements we can observe in the sky. Schultz describes the daily movement of the stars from different parts of the earth (including southern hemisphere throughout). Included are the sun''s pattern of the day and of the year, the moon''s various periods, nodes and eclipses, as well as the planets'' apparent movement and loops, conjunctions and transits.The appendix contains tables of periods and rhythms, and a guide to important occurrences to the year 2010.
£22.50
New Africa Books (Pty) Ltd Wild Deer Africasouth paperbacks
Book Synopsis
£7.95
New Africa Books (Pty) Ltd A Field Guide to the Animal Tracks of Southern
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£13.49
New Africa Books (Pty) Ltd Antarctic impressions Seasons in the Southern
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£24.29
Goose Lane Editions Birds of a Feather
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£14.39
Goose Lane Editions Hurricanes
Book SynopsisIn 1954 Hurricane Hazel caused such destruction around Lake Ontario that it''s a vivid memory half a century later. In 2003 Hurricane Juan so devastated the Halifax, Nova Scotia, area that complete recovery will take decades. In the fall of 2005, Hurricane Katrina, immediately followed by Rita and Wilma, held North America and the world spellbound. In fact, 2005 was a record breaking year for tropical storms, with four Category 5 hurricanes, seven tropical storms before August 1, the strongest hurricane in the Atlantic basin, and the costliest and third deadliest hurricane in US history. Yet few people know more about hurricanes than the horror they witness in the media. What are hurricanes? How are they formed, and where do they get their names? What should you do if a hurricane is headed in your direction? An indispensable reference book, Hurricanes: What You Need to Know answers these questions and more by combining science with handy tips, quick facts, checklists, Trade Review"This book is an excellent source of information." -- Peter Coade"A valuable survival guide." * Bookwatch *
£12.59
Goose Lane Editions Wild Apples
Book SynopsisThere is a dreamlike quality to many of the stories in this new collection from Wayne Curtis. In Wild Apples, he returns to familiar themes of love and longing, and the push-pull emotions which inevitably accompany any attempt to break free of the ties that bind. Simple pleasures abound in these evocative stories, be it fishing on the river, gathering beans for an evening supper (are they beans or has-beens?), or listening to the jukebox at the local diner. Curtis mines the shaft of everyday experiences, turning each one into a meditation on human nature. In the title story, an afternoon drive yields fertile ground as a father and son stop to shake down a gnarled crab apple tree for the sweet-sour orbs of autumn. With a seemingly effortless style, he casts his line into the river of the past, reeling in tales of youthful folly, the Christmastime birth of a little sister, and life on the Miramichi River, which could be any river, anywhere. Curtis also shares his insightTrade Review"Wild Apples is a volume mixed with appropriate portions of nostalgia, memory, and love for a time that will never return." * Daily Gleaner *
£13.49
Goose Lane Editions The Glassblowers
Book SynopsisGeorge Sipos hears the frog song at two in the morning and wonders if it is passion that drives it or the loneliness of spring. In another poem, the wet leaves of fall are described in language that cuts two ways: I work the rake, / you the wheelbarrow. when we get tired we will change. With quiet humour, he writes of nature, the land, and the tasks of an ordinary day. Alive with sublety, The Glassblowers quietly turns images and metaphors the way we might turn a small stone between our thumb and fingers to see its facets and colours.Trade Review"We need more writers turning mind and ear to the world's 'dark solidity.' George Sipos attends 'the calendar of the fields' through squall and leaf-fall and eclipse, offering in The Glassblowers a glittering assemblage, fragments of music and memory." -- Marlene Cookshaw
£12.59
Goose Lane Editions Waterfalls of New Brunswick
Book SynopsisTrade Review"A nature lover's delight." * Chronicle Herald *
£16.99
Goose Lane Editions Mnemonic A Book of Trees
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Mnemonic is a beautiful read. ... Hers is a beautiful, personal memoir." * Maple Tree Literary Supplement *"Her beautiful, original, and meditative book is both a (partial) story of her own life, and a hymn of praise to the trees that have sheltered and nurtured her from girlhood to her present age. ... The essay reaches its fullest flower in mature hands. Kishkan's are practiced and confident, and her prose, while fresh and smooth, also accommodates the knottiness of genuine thought. Mnemonic may seem an easy read, but it richly rewards revisiting. If this book were a tree, it would have deep and thirsty roots; broad and elegrant branches; its leaves would always be tipping toward the light; and its fruit would be tangy and sweet." * The Malahat Review *"Mnemonic: A Book of Trees (Goose Lane), Kishkan's newest collection of essays, contains some of her best writing yet. ... The essays in Mnemonic transcend their autobiographical origins as Kishkan uses the personal as a lens through which to explore a broad range of interests. ... There's a wonderful sense of place throughout, and Kishkan's observant curiosity makes you think of Forster's exhortation in Howard's End: ‘Only connect the prose and the passion and both will be exalted.’ Mnemonic exalts." * Geist *"Whether discussing the olive trees of Knossos, Crete where she once lived or the displaced quercus virginiana she knew as a child growing up in BC, Kishkan's mnemonic exercise and the result — ie, this book — is the consequence of her own evolving, unfolding perspective, told in wonderfully unadorned prose. Like the trees she so loves, her book is a living work." -- Chris Morgan * Scene *"Mnemonic is both tiny and astounding. Loss, life and love between two covers. I can't imagine I'll ever completely let it go." -- Linda L. Richards * January *"Not since I first read Pilgrim at Tinker Creek have I encountered anything like this, any mind like this. These essays are challenging, rich and surprising, and well worth the close attention they demand from their reader. And lack of knowledge of about filbert catkins ceases to matter anyway, though Kishkan leaves you curious, but the point is to follow where she leads, her path through the woods, and there's no doubt you're in the hands of a most capable guide." -- Kerry Clare * Pickle Me This *"Theresa Kishkan invites us into the company of her favourite trees, where memories perch lightly in the foliage. Her words are readied for flight, yet her stories have deep roots in the experience of a life well lived. Mnemonic will nourish your own heart wood." -- Candace Savage
£14.39
Goose Lane Editions Of Earthly and River Things An Anglers Memoir
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Poetic prose and microscopic detail combined with thoughtful reflection and vivid storytelling makes Of Earthly and River Things a celebration and hymn of praise. Curtis is a romantic in the best sense. He evokes a gentler past and offers us a refreshing immersion into a life lived deeply connected to the land, the cycles of nature, and currents of a river." -- Sheree Fitch
£14.39
Goose Lane Editions Home Chronicle of a North Country Life
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Beth's sense of home is not of a static dwelling, but of a place of seasons, cycles, and lifespans, or experiences and memories. This is a book for your soul." -- Freeman Patterson * Telegraph Journal *"Powning takes her camera, her pen and, most important, her spirit into the landscape. . . . The delicate, often beautiful photographs combine with a quietly spirited naturalistic prose in an Annie Dillard-Henry David Thoreau mode to produce a work evocative in both sensual and domestic ways." * Globe and Mail *"Beth Powning's beautiful celebration of natural life is meet and proper for these unnatural times. I think it will be read for years to come." -- E.L. Doctorow
£16.99
Palgrave Macmillan Living on the Wind Across the Hemisphere with
Book SynopsisScott Weidensaul follows hawks over the Mexican coastal plains, Bar-tailed Godwits that hitchhike on gale winds 7,000 miles nonstop across the Pacific from Alaska to New Zealand, and the Myriad Songbirds whose numbers have dwindled so dramatically in recent years.
£16.15
New Society Publishers Aquaponic Gardening
Book SynopsisAquaponics is a revolutionary system for growing plants by fertilising them with the waste water from fish in a sustainable closed system. This definitive do-it-yourself home manual gives you various tools you need to create your own aquaponic system and enjoy healthy, safe, fresh and delicious food.Table of ContentsIntroduction; The Soviet Example; Superpower Similarities; The Collapse Gap; Collapse Mitigation; Adaptation; Career Opportunities; Conclusion; Index.
£20.89
New Society Publishers The Thinking Beekeeper
Book SynopsisA beginner's complete guide to keeping bees in top bar hives, and why. What's the buzz about the growing popularity of backyard beekeeping? Providing habitat for bees, pollinating your garden, and producing honey for your family are some of the compelling reasons for taking up this exciting hobby. But conventional beekeeping requires a significant investment and has a steep learning curve. The alternative? Consider beekeeping outside the box.The Thinking Beekeeper is the definitive do-it-yourself guide to natural beekeeping in top bar hives. Based on the concept of understanding and working with bees' natural systems as opposed to trying to subvert them, the advantages of this approach include: Simplicity, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness Increased safety due to less heavy lifting and hive manipulation Chemical-free colonies and healthy hives Top bar hives can be located anywhere bees have access toTrade ReviewNo matter the box you keep your bees in, if you are a new beekeeper you need solid, practical and most of all accurate information to get started. You'll find that here. And if you are keeping your bees in a top bar hive, you'll find information you need here that's not available anywhere else. Both you and your bees will benefit from Christy's approach, advice and philosophy. ---Kim Flottum, Editor Bee Culture Magazine Christy Hemenway's The Thinking Beekeeper is a very nice book. It provides a blend of the author's philosophy, ranting (about the use of chemicals in beekeeping), and clear practical advice about honey bee culture, especially regarding Top Bar Hives. There has been little written about the specifics of raising honey bees in Top Bar Hives. The bees are the same of course, but the Top Bar Hive is quite different from the traditional Langstroth Hive. At the University of Maine we had plenty of questions when we first embarked upon the use of the Top Bar Hive. NOW there is a good guide. Not only is the book informative, being accessible to all with its clear concise prose and liberal use of photos and data tables, but in addition it is enjoyable to read. ---Dr. Frank Drummond, Pollination Ecologist, University of Maine Christy's passion shines through in this delightful book, which I'm sure will inspire many people to take up top bar beekeeping. I am particularly pleased to see that she has developed her own style, while staying true to the principles of simplicity and minimal interference with the lives of the bees. Having watched Christy's progress so far, I'm sure that Gold Star Honeybees has a great future! ---Phil Chandler, author of The Barefoot Beekeeper It is great to see that top bar beekeeping is alive and well in Maine and that Christy Hemenway is passionate about her top bar hives. The top-bar hive is coming! ---Les Crowder, coauthor with Heather Harrell of Top-Bar Beekeeping Whether you're looking for another argument for keeping your own bees or are already convinced, The Thinking Beekeeper is an excellent resource. Christy knows her stuff and shares her experience and passion on every page. ---Roger Doiron, Founder, Kitchen Gardeners International The Thinking Beekeeper is a unique and exceptional resource for the beginning beekeeper. It will enable the novice to make a successful start in the craft and as he/she progresses all those instructions offer the opportunity to object to something Christy recommends. And that ladies and gentlemen is the badge of an independent practitioner and mature thinking beekeeper. ---Marty HardisonTable of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Part I: Beekeeping Basics 1. How Did We Get Here From There? 2. It's All About the Wax 3. Basic Bee Biology Part II: When To Do What — And Why 4. Your Top Bar Hive 5. On Getting Started with Your Own Top Bar Hive 6. Inspections 7. Overwintering Your Top Bar Hive 8. Treasures of the Hive 9. Bee Pests And Diseases Afterword Endnotes Glossary Appendix A: Sample Hive Inspection Diagram Appendix B: Bee Resources Index About the Author
£20.89
New Society Publishers Mycelial Mayhem
Book SynopsisA comprehensive and personal tome on the production, business, promotion, and problem solving for the independent mushroom grower. Taylor Lockwood, renowned mushroom expert & photographer Most supermarket mushrooms are bland and boring; products of an industrial process which typically relies on expensive equipment and harmful pesticides. Many people would like to add more flavorful and diverse fungi to their diets, but lack the knowledge or confidence to gather or grow their own. Do-it-yourself cultivation is a fun, exciting way to incorporate a variety of mushrooms into a sustainable lifestyle.Mycelial Mayhem is a straightforward, no-nonsense resource for the aspiring mushroom grower. This practical guide cuts through much of the confusion surrounding methods and techniques, helping the hobbyist or farmer to: Select regionally appropriate species for the home garden, farm-scale production, or an edible landscape Practice sTrade ReviewMycelial Mayhem is a comprehensive and personal tome on the production, business, promotion, and problem solving for the independent mushroom grower. Although my interests lean toward "mushroom art" more than mushroom production, I am looking forward to having my own copy for its valuable resources. ---Taylor Lockwood This lively, companionable book demystifies mushrooms for those of us seeking clear explanations and checklists combined with infectious enthusiasm and some stunning photos, to nudge us towards starting out cultivating, wild collecting and marketing this diverse class of crops, which can complement our other gardening and farming ventures. ---Pam Dawling, author, Sustainable Market Farming Usually I'm out in the woods looking for wild mushrooms, not cultivating them, but after reading Mycelial Mayhem's approachable primer to this age-old art I'm ready to invite the mysterious and captivating kingdom of fungi right into my own home. -- Langdon Cook, author, The Mushroom Hunters This is the book that I will recommend for all beginning mushroom growers. Whether you want to grow mushrooms just for your own use or are considering them as a business, you will find this is a practical, down to earth, and enjoyable book to read. It covers everything the beginner needs to know including the basics of mushroom biology, how to grow, wild collecting, incorporating mushrooms into your landscape, cooking, and how start a mushroom business. The niche business and supplement income section is excellent and appropriate for someone considering any kind of small-scale agricultural business. ---Jeanine Davis, PhD., Associate Professor and Extension Specialist North Carolina State University, and lead author, Growing and Marketing Ginseng, Goldenseal and Other Woodland Medicinals Mycelial Mayhem draws us into the wild, weird, and wonderful world of the fungal kingdom with irresistible wit and wisdom. Emphasizing culinary glory, responsible foraging, nutritional and health benefits, the role of fungi in healthy ecosystems, and the barely explored possibilities of profitable business, this charming and very well-informed book is both welcome and indispensable for the beginning cultivator or curious cook. ---Peter Bane, author, The Permaculture HandbookTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Foreword Introduction Dave's Mycelial Mayhem Journey Kristin's Mycelial Mayhem Journey Section I: Mycelia 1. Why Mushrooms? Why Not Mushrooms? Mushrooms Are Part of Our Fabric Mushrooms for the Future On the Mushroom Path 2. Mushroom Basics Fungi: A Kingdom of Its Own Mushroom Structure and Life Cycle Relevance of the Life Cycle to Cultivation and Harvest Facilitating Growth and Reproduction Fungi in Our Ecosystems Mushroom Life Cycle and Ecology as Teacher Section II: The Stem 3. Growing Mushrooms The Assessment Outdoor Cultivation Wine Caps (Stropharia rugoso annulata) Oysters Pink Oyster (Pleurotus djamor) Italian Oyster (Pleurotus pulmonarius) Golden Oyster (Pleurotus cornucopiae) King Oyster (Pleurotus eryngii) Nameko (Pholiota nameko) Pioppino or Black Poplar (Agrocybe aegerita) Lion's Mane or Hericium (Hericium erinaceus) Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) Maitake Black, Yellow, and Grey Morels (Morchella angusticeps, M. esculenta and M. deliciosa) Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) Indoor Cultivation: The Mayhem Within 4. Wild Collecting and Purveying Tenets to Follow When Collecting Wild Mushrooms Tenets to Follow When Purveying Wild-collected Mushrooms 5. Companion Planting and Other Sustainable Methods Systems Thinking: It's Not Just About the Mushrooms What's the Difference? Economics vs. Ecology What's the Difference? Sustainability vs. Resilience Biomimicry Permaculture Principles Putting It All Together: Resilient Design Applications for Mushroom Growing Composting Recycling Spent Growing Medium Materials and Energy Reduction Business Resilience Sharing Your Bounty Section III: The Fruit of Your Labor 6. Umami of Edible Mushrooms What Is Umami? From Harvest to Feast: Handling Mushrooms for the Best Umami Complementary Food Pairings for Umami and Health The Taste, Texture and Presentation of Specific Mushrooms Culinary Supplements Recipes 7. Nutritional Benefits of Mushrooms Nutrition and Medicine Nutritional Content of Mushrooms The Known Benefits The Super Seven Medicinal Mushrooms Mushrooms' Major Health Improvement Functions How to Maximize Nutritional Content Cautions 8. Niche Business or Supplemental Income Mushrooms As a Business? Knowing How to Grow Formulating Your Idea Evaluating Your Market: Conducting a Market Analysis Getting Started 9. Marketing Mushrooms Challenges and Opportunities Developing Your Story Traditional Advertising Target Marketing and Understanding Your Unique Market Crafting Your Online Presence Collaboration Face Time Developing Your Unique Marketing Strategy Evaluating Your Efforts Looking Forward and Anticipating Change Section IV: Spreading the Spores 10. Conclusion: Spread Your Spores Appendix: Marketing and Communications Materials North American Resources by Subject References Index About the Authors
£23.74
New Society Publishers The Modern Homesteaders Guide to Keeping Geese
Book Synopsis Raise a gaggle of geese, the unsung heroes of the small farm While chickens preen in the spotlight, geese are the historic unsung heroes of small farms and homesteads. Providing weed control, large eggs, and entertainment, and acting as security over other animals, geese are the ultimate modern homesteading companion. The Modern Homesteader''s Guide to Keeping Geese covers everything you need to know to raise geese, including: Profiles of breeds and how to select the best one for your needs How to imprint goslings on a person Feeding, housing, animal health, and cold weather care Using geese for weed control, soil improvement, and as watch-geese Cooking with goose eggs and meat Additional coverage includes a look at the rich history of geese on farms in North America and Europe that will enhance any goose keeper''s enjoyment of these intelligent and unique birds. This practical guide is a must-have essential for the kitchen table of homesteaders, small farmers, permaculturists, and professional farmers looking to add the power of geese to their land. Table of Contents Foreword: Lisa Steele, FreshEggsDaily.com Introduction : Why Geese Are Right for Your Farm Chapter One : Getting Goslings Chapter Two : Breeds of Geese Chapter Three : Feeding and Housing Chapter Four : Health and Illnesses Chapter Five : Primary Predators Chapter Six : Keeping the Neighbors Happy Chapter Seven : The Farmer's Alarm System Chapter Eight : Weed Control Chapter Nine : Goose Recipes Chapter Ten : The Joy of Keeping Geese Acknowledgments Resources Index About the Author A Note about the Publisher
£14.39
New Society Publishers The Ever Curious Gardener
Book SynopsisAn irreverent romp through the natural science of gardening, with eye-opening insight and practical guidance for getting the most out of your plants. Curious why caressing your cucumber plants will help them bear more fruit? Or why you should grow oranges from seed even if the fruit is inedible? Or why trees need to sleep and how to help them? Join acclaimed gardener, scientist, and author Lee Reich on a journey through the delights of your garden in this laugh-out-loud treatise on the scientific wonders of plants and soil.The Ever Curious Gardener includes information on: How to maximize both flavor and nutrition in your garden bounty Helping plants thrive during drought Outwitting weeds by understanding their nature Making the best use of compost Tips on pruning and orchard care Why the dead language of Latin can make you a better gardener. Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPropagation and Planting • A bit of deception helps me get some seeds to sprout that under natural conditions would wisely stay asleep • Burial in tundra might be ideal for seed storage but I choose more practical storage for my vegetable and flower seeds • Electricity temporarily suffices when access to sunlight is lacking • In which the pre-plant toughening up of seedlings is shown to be necessary, but with a gentle touch • Plants exhibit all sorts of changes, some sought after, some not, as they go through puberty • A recommendation to plant citrus from seed even if fruit is improbable or not worth eating • Containing some of the ways in which I use a few or many plant cells to conjure up whole new plants • I revisit totipotence, using stems again, this time joining them to existing roots • Neither monstrous nor scary, but often beautiful - yes, real chimeras may be in our midst • Knowing that a bulb is, essentially, a stem lets me multiply them with the same "pinch" that makes stems branchSoil • In which we watch the progress of water traveling through soil, with methods to, at the same time, speed it up and slow it down • A common sense recommendation that turns out not to make sense • Contains a description and an opinion of hydroponics • In which I pay homage to humus, even though it may be a misnomer • Wherein I check my ground's acidity and then tweak it, as needed • On my ostensibly occult practice which turns out to be good gardening • How I manage to tame nitrogen's comings and goings for my plants • Even without squealing like hungry pigs, my plants can tell me if they're hungry, and for whatFlowering and Fruiting • Sex is introduced and its sometime importance is emphasized • In which I make right the products of plants' sexual excesses • Describing the importance of night for coaxing blossoms, and a gardener's trickery • In which a small gas molecule has a big effect on flavor • Contains a question and an answer: is hybrid always high-bred?Stems and Leaves • In which my thumbnails, pruning shears, and branch bending coax plants into bushiness, lankiness, or anything betwixt • Wherein I make designs with the traceries of my fruit plants' branches • Questioning the advice to put the brakes on tree growth with summer pruning • On the genesis, reason for, and propagation of weeping trees • A comfortable seat in a sunny spot gets trees and shrubs ready for winter... • In which it is demonstrated that buds are not boring • How buds become burls and witches' brooms • On entreating and helping trees to stay asleep • About a quick and easy way to hasten spring • Sunlight is important but sometimes shade offers improvementOrganizations • Wherein families migrate together around my garden, and for good reason • How plant families got put in order • On Latin being a foreign tongue but providing a useful understanding of plant relationships • Making up a new category name, fortunately, does not ruin flavor or appearance • Relating a true story about how my plants broke the lawStress • On steps, human and otherwise, to avoid the havoc of icy cells during frigid temperatures • In which hot days bring on a tug of war between hunger and thirst, in plants • No water, no matter - because I take these steps for drought • A very local search for congenial weather • Seedlings' transition to the garden is helped along with tough love, timely and not in excess • Unwanted plants - that is, weeds - are best understood before they are outwitted • A sometime threat that straddles the fence between living and nonliving • In which is clarified a name as a sign, rather than a symptom, of disease • Fire blight, first noted not far from my home over 200 years ago, has the honor of being the first plant disease to be caused by bacteriaSenses • In which I elucidate, abet, and alter the color of leaves, vegetables, and flowers • An Italian who tied together plant growth, art, and other things too innumerable to mention • Here I make sense of scents, equally so for insects and humans • The touch here is that felt by the plants • And finally, the efforts I take to grow the best tasting fruits and vegetablesEpilogue: The Scientific Method Index About the Author About New Society Publishers
£15.29
New Society Publishers So You Want to Be a Modern Homesteader
Book SynopsisThe look before you leap guide to the joys and pitfalls of the rural good life. Dreams of self-sufficiency, independence, and tranquility continue to pull in a new generation of modern homesteaders. While growing your own food and being in charge of your life is the source of much satisfaction, there are many challenges to living away from modern conveniences. Written by an experienced modern homesteader who successfully made the leap, So You Want to Be a Modern Homesteader? offers an in-depth examination of what you need to consider before moving back to the land. Drawing from a deep well of experience, this essential guide covers: Romance versus the reality of rural living Finding the right property Building versus bootstrapping Practical must-have skills Earning an income and farming on a budget Creating community Seasonal living Children and schooling Social media, thTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Preparing for Rural Life 2. Skills and Resources for Rural Living3. Earning an Income4. Finding Property5. Infrastructure and Equipment Basics:Sorting Needs from Wants6. Creating Community7. Seasonal Living 8. Raising and Educating Children on the Homestead 9. Connectivity and Social Media 10. Rewards of Rural Living Index About the Author About New Society Publishers
£12.34
New Society Publishers DIY Mushroom Cultivation
Book SynopsisOffering clear and comprehensive instructions for low-tech growing for a range of budgets, interests, and scales, this book offers practical inspiration and a sense that hey, I can do this! DANIELLE STEVENSON, owner, DIY FungiDIY Mushroom Cultivation is full of proven, reliable, low-cost techniques for home-scale cultivation that eliminate the need for a clean-air lab space to grow various mushrooms and their mycelium.Beautiful full-color photos and step-by-step instructions accompany a foundation of mushroom biology and ecology to support a holistic understanding of the practice. Growing techniques are applicable year-round, for any space from house to apartment, and for any climate, budget, or goal. Techniques include: Setting up a home growing space Inexpensive, simple DIY equipment Culture creation from mushroom tissue or spores Growing and using liquid cultures and grain spawn Growing mushrooms on waste streams Indoor fruiting Outdoor mushroom gardens and logs Harvesting, processing, tinctures, and cooking. Whether you hunt mushrooms or dream about growing and working with them but feel constrained by a small living space, DIY Mushroom Cultivation is the ideal guide for getting started in the fascinating and delicious world of fungiculture.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments IntroductionMushrooms and Humans: Past, Present, and Future A Bit about Me and My Approach to Mushroom Cultivation 1 Mushroom Basics What Are Mushrooms? Mushrooms in Ecosystems What Mushrooms Need to Survive and Thrive 2 Overview of the Cultivation Process Cultivation Flow Preparation 3 Workspaces, Tools, and Equipment Lab Infrastructure and Aseptic Transfer Spaces: Flow Hoods, Still Air Boxes, and More The Lab Environment and Tools Where to Inoculate Bulk Substrates Where to Incubate Growing Mycelium Fruiting Space: Factors to Consider Options for Home-Scale Fruiting Chambers Environmental Control in Fruiting Spaces Other Spaces 4 Sanitation and Techniques to Avoid Contamination Vectors of Contamination and Management Strategies Common Contaminants: Recognition and Management 5 Starting and Maintaining Cultures Get Cultured Liquid Culture Agar Culture Long-Term Culture Storage Methods 6 Making and Using Grain Spawn Making Grain Spawn Using Grain Spawn 7 Fruiting Substrate Formulation and Preparation Containers for Mycelial Growth and Fruiting The Substrates Substrate Treatments Sterilization Pasteurization and Alternatives 8 Outdoor Growing and Mushroom Gardening Growing Mushrooms on Logs and Stumps Mushroom Beds Next-Level Applications 9 Harvest, Processing, and Use When and How to Harvest Basic Cooking Techniques Preservation Methods Mushrooms and Mycelium for Medicine In Conclusion: Substrate for Thought—Toward Further Applications Mycopermaculture Mycoremediation on a Home Scale Mycoarts and Fungi as Functional Materials Community-Based Cultivation Efforts Appendix 1: Species Profiles Agrocybe aegerita— Pioppino Coprinus comatus—Shaggy Mane Cordyceps militaris—Caterpillar Fungus Flammulina velutipes and allies—Enoki Ganoderma lucidum and allies—Reishi Hericium species—Lion's Mane and allies Hypsizygus tessulatus—Shimeji H. ulmarius—Elm Oysters Lentinula edodes—Shiitake Pholiota nameko and allies—Nameko Pleurotus species—Oyster Mushrooms Stropharia rugoso-annulata—Wine Cap Trametes versicolor—Turkey Tail Appendix 2: Resources General Annual Mycology Gatherings Bibliography Index About the Author and Illustrator A note about the publisher
£19.79
New Society Publishers Growing Conifers
Book SynopsisEvergreen your landscape with the beauty and benefits of conifers Growing Conifers is a beautifully photographed, comprehensive gardening guide for selecting and cultivating conifers. Coverage includes: Conifer taxonomy, classification, and geographic distribution Selecting conifers for size, shape, color, and texture Best practices for placement and planting of trees, shrubs, and groundcovers in urban and rural gardens Growing needs and low-input maintenance Building healthy soil, minimizing water stress, and integrated pest management Benefits of conifers including habitat, water and air quality, carbon sequestration, aesthetics, and food. Conifers are often overlooked in gardening and landscaping in favor of deciduous trees and shrubs. Yet conifers come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors and offer tremendous aesthetic and ecological benefits for any garden.GrowinTrade Review"This is a wonderful, fantastic, encyclopedic book, worth owning for the information presented alone. Oh, but Albers writes like a poet and OMG, Perry's are not photos, but stunning photography! What an unusual and extremely winning combo." — Jeff Lowenfels, author, DIY Autoflowering Cannabis "In a world often devoid of beauty and landscapes lacking imagination, tools to correct the drab status-quo are always enthusiastically welcome. David's photography is artistry to the point of motivation and John's prose, based on decades of experience, is much more than sufficient to guide the home gardener to success, both in terms of plant selection and plant husbandry. Growing Conifers is a welcome addition to the bookshelf of any plant enthusiast and a must-add to the arsenal of those specializing in these captivating and collectable cone-bearing plants." —David Olszyk, president, American Conifer Society "Growing Conifers contains an unbelievable amount of information for the reader. John goes into all parts of cultivation about conifers and their use in the landscape. It is an invaluable resource for the novice while also containing a wealth of information for the expert. It cannot go into detail on any one topic, yet it provides a firm foundation for anyone wanting to explore any one aspect of the conifer world in greater depth. It should be a part of the library of anyone working with conifers." — Robert Fincham, co-founder, the American Conifer Society, author of five books on growing conifers "Growing Conifers is a work of love for the subject matter, reflecting a lifetime of devotion and a deep appreciation for the role of evergreens in our natural world. I am tempted to say that it's all here – that you will never need another book on this subject. It answers all questions including many that the reader would not think to ask. You owe it to yourself to wade into Growing Conifers with purpose and with time on your hands. It is thorough and passionately written and gorgeously illustrated. I will read it again and again and make it a centerpiece of my modern gardening library. I will turn the pages, slowly, in search of inspiration for my own garden. Like the best cup of coffee or finest wine you have ever tasted, Growing Conifers is not to be rushed. That would be a waste of a most incredible book." — Mark Cullen, garden columnist, Toronto Star, member, Order of Canada, author, The New Canadian Garden "Growing Conifers is a jewel of a book." — Brent Marcus, owner, Conifer Kingdom "This might be the most practical and handy book I've ever read on gardening with conifers." — Benjamin Vogt, prairie-inspired garden design, author, A New Garden Ethic Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: Conifer Basics Chapter 2: Conifer Families Chapter 3: Evaluating your Garden Chapter 4: Designing with Conifers Chapter 5: Selecting Conifers Chapter 6: Planting Conifers Chapter 7: Propagating Conifers Chapter 8: Sustainably Caring for Conifers Concluding Remarks Appendix Bibliography and Resources Index About the Authors A Note About the Publisher
£27.54
New Society Publishers Wild Plant Culture
Book SynopsisReconnect. Restore. Reciprocate. Repairing landscapes and reconnecting us to the wild plant communities around us. Integrating restoration practices, foraging, herbalism, rewilding, and permaculture, Wild Plant Culture is a comprehensive guide to the ecological restoration of native edible and medicinal plant communities in Eastern North America.Blending science, practice, and traditional knowledge, it makes bold connections that are actionable, innovative, and ecologically imperative for repairing both degraded landscapes and our broken cultural relationship with nature. Coverage includes: Understanding and engaging in mutually beneficial human-plant connections Techniques for observing the land''s existing and potential plant communities Baseline monitoring, site preparation, seeding, planting, and maintaining restored areas Botanical fieldwork restoration stories and examples Detailed profiles of 209 native plants and their uses. Both a practical guide and an evocative read that will transport you deep into the natural landscape, Wild Plant Culture is an essential toolkit for gardeners, farmers, and ecological restoration practitioners, highlighting the important role humans play in tending and mending native plant communities.AWARDS SILVER 2023 Nautilus Book Awards Green, Restorative Practices / Sustainability HONORABLE MENTION 2023 American Horticultural Society Book Awards Trade Review"Jared Rosenbaum explains how our yards, farms, and cities can be optimized for abundance, diversity, and resiliency by the planting of edible, natural systems. A brilliant approach to ecological restoration simultaneous with food production!" — Mark Shepard, author, Restoration Agriculture: Real World Permaculture for Farmers "Jared Rosenbaum's book has arrived at the right time. Understanding how modern European agriculture is ecologically illiterate is the starting point to creating respectful, innovative ecosystems restoration worldwide. Although the plant species in this book are North American, the concepts Jared describes are globally relevant and eye-opening to anyone new to this work. Australian ecosystem restoration, known as Bushcare or Dunecare, have been happening for years. Having worked in this space, I am in full agreement with Jared's work." — Rosemary Morrow, deep green teacher, refugee supporter, and author, Earth Restorer's Guide to Permaculture "Rosenbaum's work is an uncommonly thorough reference book, a primer on plant ecology, restoration biology, and the medicinal and edible properties of the Mid-Atlantic plants from his region. Much more than that, it is thought-provoking, aspirational and the first chapter alone is worth the price of the book." — Doug Tallamy, entomologist, ecologist, conservationist, and author of several books, including Bringing Nature Home "This gorgeous and well-researched book is a delightful must-read for any person interested in restoration of native habitats in cities and beyond, the stories the land tells us, and the edible and medicinal uses embodied in the wild plants around us." — Dr. Lena Struwe, director, Chrysler Herbarium, Rutgers University "This guidebook holds one of many pathways to healing the ecological wounds of colonialism. Rosenbaum outlines a practice that is both revolutionary and ancient: tending native plant communities for the simultaneous benefits of human welfare and wildness. Drawing from his deep knowledge of plant ecology and restoration, Jared points us towards long-term, fulfilling relationships with the natural communities we are entrusted to care for. This message could not be more timely." — Sam Thayer, author, The Forager's HarvestTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Section One: Restoring Reciprocity, Sustaining Sustenance Introduction The Farmer's Quandary Two Human Paths Who Is This Book For? Chapter 1: A Different Way Tending the Wild Eat Local Chapter 2: Plants in Relationship Plant Planet Carbon and Soils Temperature and Water Wild Plants as Food Wild Plants as Medicine Chapter 3: Ecological Restoration Mimesis and the Reference Ecosystem Restoring Plants Chapter 4: In Community with Nature Communities Belonging to an Ecological Community Section Two: Learning Your Land Chapter 5: Reading Geology, Soils, and Water Soils and Geology Water Plants and Hydrology Chapter 6: Land Use History Land Use History and Habitat Quality Post-Agricultural Soils Natural Disturbances Chapter 7: Reading the Story of the Land Historical Aerial Photos and Maps Analyzing the Landscape Indicators of a Remnant Indicators of Disturbed Habitats Making Your Own Map Tend or Mend High-Quality Sites → Tend Low-Quality Sites → Mend Section Three: Plant Communities and Culturally Useful Plants Chapter 8: Plant Communities Plant Community: Riparian Forests Plant Community: Rich Mesic Forest Plant Community: Upland Oak Forest Plant Community: Glades Plant Community: Meadows and Grasslands Plant Community: Forested Wetlands Plant Community: Sunny Wetlands and Shores Plant Community: High Elevation and Northern Forests Plant Community: Sandy Pine and Oak Forests Plant Community: The Seashore Chapter 9: Plant Species Section Four: Restoring Your Land Chapter 10: The Reference Site How to Find a Reference Site Interpreting a Natural Area for Beginners Chapter 11: Repairing Soils Soil Amendments Wood Chips Leaf Compost Mycorrhizal Fungi Biochar Decompacting Soil Restoring Landscape Structure Pit and Mound Topography Structural Repair Methods Chapter 12: Vegetation Control Tillage Smothering and Solarizing The "Lasagna" Mulching Method Herbicides Chapter 13: Burning Indigenous Fire Transitions Ecological Potential Chapter 14: Deer Management and Exclusion Protecting Plantings from White-Tailed Deer Chapter 15: Introducing Plant Materials Planting Seeding Post-Seeding Maintenance for Meadows Meadow Maintenance Conclusion: A Missing Link Belonging to This Place Appendix — Assessment and Monitoring Techniques Assessment and Monitoring Baseline Monitoring Monitoring Methods Photo Monitoring Biological Inventories Floristic Quality Assessment Sampling Units Endnotes Index About the Author About New Society Publishers
£24.64
New Society Publishers Foraging as a Way of Life
Book Synopsis
£24.64
Rlpg/Galleys Underground Storage Tank Management
Book SynopsisThis practical guide to regulatory compliance and good management practice addresses key issues in UST management. The author offers recommendations for developing and maintaining UST management programs that not only minimize the risk of a release but also reduce the potential for costly repercussions. This 5th Edition contains five new chapters that address updates to the EPA''s approval of state regulatory and trust fund programs, soil sampling and analytical guidelines, the evolution of tank testing strategies, National Fire Protection Pamphlet 329, new state-of-the-art technology, and SPCC plans. Chapters cover regulatory highlights, inventory control, leak prediction, tank closure, testing, monitoring and release detection, tank design, secondary containment, installation, maintenance and retrofit, storing hazardous substances, remedial action, and more.
£131.40
MP-NSW NewSouth Publishing A Field Guide to the Fungi of Australia
Book SynopsisThis beautiful book highlights an often overlooked, but remarkable, aspect of our natural world: Australia's fungi. Many are brightly coloured, some fluorescent, some are elegant, others squat, some fragrant, more still are highly toxic. This field guide showcases many of these species in all their splendour.
£19.51
Michigan State University Press Global Bioethics Building on the Leopold Legacy
Book SynopsisPotter's definition of bioethics from Global Bioethics is, Biology combined with diverse humanistic knowledge forging a science that sets a system of medical and environmental priorities for acceptable survival.
£15.82
Michigan State University Press Michigan Wildlife Viewing Guide Watchable
Book SynopsisThe Michigan Wildlife Viewing Guide will lead you to 121 of the best locations in Michigan for viewing wildlife, from wolves and moose on Isle Royale to the thousands of migrating waterfowl along the shores of Lake Erie.
£9.33
Wisconsin Historical Society Press Beyond the Trees Stories of Wisconsin Forests
Book Synopsis
£24.26
Wisconsin Historical Society Press Jens Jensen Writings Inspired by Nature
Book Synopsis
£19.96
Wisconsin Historical Society Press The Bark River Chronicles Stories from a
Book Synopsis
£16.11
Wisconsin Historical Society Press People of the Sturgeon Wisconsins Love Affair
Book Synopsis
£26.21
Wisconsin Historical Society Press The Chippewa Biography of a Wisconsin Waterway
Book Synopsis
£17.00
Wisconsin Historical Society Press Walking Home Ground In the Footsteps of Muir
Book Synopsis
£18.36
