Organic gardening / Sustainable gardening Books

Book SynopsisThe evergreen classic on ecological gardening, whatever size your garden! Over a quarter of a million copies sold worldwide! Working with Nature, not against her, results in more beautiful, abundant and resilient gardens. In the revised, second edition of Gaia’s Garden, Toby Hemenway extends his expert knowledge of permaculture to urban and suburban landscapes. A perfect beginner’s guide to ecological gardening, Gaia’s Garden dispels the notion that meaningful gardening can only take place on a large piece of land with lots of space to grow. Readers can expect step-by-step instructions on: Building and maintaining soil fertility and structure Catching and conserving water in the landscape Providing habitat for beneficial insects, birds and animals Growing an edible forest that yields seasonal fruits, nuts and other foods Whatever size garden you have to work with, you can apply basic permaculture principles to make it more diverse, more natural, more productive and more beautiful. Rewild your garden today with the ecological tools/principles for a better tomorrow!Trade Review"Become a sustainable producer of resources instead of a wasteful consumer. This wonderful book shows you how by helping you create and enhance beautiful backyard ecosystems within the garden. Put this book into action, and you'll begin to live an example that positively shifts your own community and beyond. Best of all, doing so with this book is simple, juicy, and fun."--Brad Lancaster, author of Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond and http://www.HarvestingRainwater.com"Toby's fun, well-grounded, and engaging book is fast becoming a classic, and deservedly so. Practical yet visionary, broad-ranging yet focused on the basics one needs to know, this is a great place to start on the permaculture path. The new edition builds solidly on the success of the first. Congratulations!"--Dave Jacke, co-author of the two-volume Edible Forest Gardens "The world didn't come with an operating manual, so it's a good thing that some wise people have from time to time written them. Gaia's Garden is one of the more important, a book that will be absolutely necessary in the world ahead."--Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy and Hope, Human and Wild "Permaculture gardens are no longer a thing of the future. They are here to stay and flourish. Gaia's Garden is enlightening and required reading for all people who desire to make their home's landscape healthy, sustainable, and healing."--Robert Kourik, author of Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape--Naturally "Gaia's Garden is simply the best permaculture book ever written, and is in the running for best gardening book ever written. No one should be without it."--Sharon Astyk, author of Depletion and Abundance: Life on the New Home Front"Toby Hemenway's Gaia's Garden will be recorded in history as a milestone for gardeners and landscapers--a fusion of the practical and the visionary--using the natural intelligence of Earth's symbiotic communities to strengthen and sustain ecosystems in which humans are a partner, not a competitor. An amazing achievement showing how we can and must live in harmony with nature!"--Paul Stamets, author of Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the WorldTable of Contents1. Introducing the ecological garden 2. A gardener's ecology 3. Designing the ecological garden 4. Bringing the soil to life 5. Catching, conserving, and using water 6. Plants for many uses 7. Bringing in the bees, birds, and other helpful animals 8. Creating communities for the garden 9. Designing garden guilds 10. Growing a food forest 11. Permaculture gardening in the city 12. Pop goes the garden

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisI don’t often share a resource in this way but when a gem of a resource like this crosses my path I have to let you all know about it. Huw Richards, author of Grow Food for Free Palmer’s book is full of recipes using locally sourced material to create mineral and biological extracts to feed plants. the Guardian Perfect for fans of Charles Dowding and Huw Richards! In The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments, experimental gardener and author Nigel Palmer provides practical, detailed instructions that are accessible to every grower who wants to achieve a truly sustainable garden ecosystem – all while enjoying better results at a fraction of the cost of commercial fertilisers. These recipes go beyond compost by allowing you to make your own biologically diverse inoculants and mineral-rich amendments using leaf mould, weeds, eggshells, bones and other common materials available for little or no cost. Recipes include: Extracting nutrients from plant residues using simple rainwater techniques Extracting minerals from bones and shells using vinegar Fermenting plant juices and fish Culturing indigenous microorganisms (IMO) Inspired by the work of many innovative traditional agricultural pioneers, especially Cho Ju-Young (founder of the Korean Natural Farming method), The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments also includes a primer on plant-soil interaction, instructions for conducting a soil test, and guidance on compost, mulching and so much more!Trade ReviewPublishers Weekly— "For the dedicated organic farmer, [this book] is a gold mine of astonishing methods and new possibilities for growing and maintaining a sustainable and truly organic garden.”“Nigel Palmer has come up with a terrific new ‘cookbook’ for the regenerative (and any other) gardener who desires to build and maintain soil and plant health. The easy-to-follow recipes are designed to satiate any plant’s appetite for the appropriate microbiology and nutrients. This guide to ‘using locally sourced materials to make mineral and biological extracts and ferments’ is to gardening what Julia Child’s classic guide is to cooking.”—Jeff Lowenfels, author of Teaming with Fungi and Teaming with Nutrients“Nigel Palmer’s new book is filled with fermentation methods for the garden. It’s an exciting new DIY resource for soil regeneration and plant health.”—Sandor Ellix Katz, author of Wild Fermentation and The Art of Fermentation“In a world seemingly focused on the newest miracle from the chemist’s laboratory, it is refreshing to find a book that unveils the power of nature in gardening and equips savvy growers with proven tools and formulas to move their practices to a new level. Nigel Palmer makes the art and science of life-enhancing amendments accessible to gardeners everywhere.”—Fred Walters, ACRES U.S.A. magazine“The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments is a wonderful book, giving the reader new insight into regenerative horticulture at home—preserving the soil, enhancing biodiversity, and producing healthy food.”—Jake Fiennes, general manager of conservation, Holkham Estate“Attention, gardeners! The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments will instruct and inspire. Learn to make targeted mineral and biological garden amendments and sprays with this comprehensive and easy-to-understand manual. Nigel Palmer’s guide is a classic in the making!”—Sally Fallon Morell, president, Weston A. Price Foundation“Herbal brews and probiotics keep us in good stead . . . so why not the plants we grow for food and medicine as well? Nigel Palmer offers an enthusiastic exploration of fermented plant extracts and organism cultures to keep our gardens and orchards productive and healthy. Indigenous wisdom presented in a scientific light rocks! Making one’s own garden amendments not only saves money but is truly the most effective way to grow. Phytonutrients prime plant immunity and friendly microbes protect from disease. Heed this advice and become a savvier grower today.”—Michael Phillips, author of Mycorrhizal Planet and The Holistic Orchard“In The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments, Nigel Palmer offers a careful, thorough approach to creating abundance and health in and from the garden. The specifics of innovative and useful techniques, as well as the supporting concepts, are well presented for diligent gardeners to utilize. Nigel’s new garden model does a great service in moving forward our ability to feed ourselves in a cooperative effort with nature.”—Bryan O’Hara, author of No-Till Intensive Vegetable Culture“Easy, affordable, and garden-tested amendment recipes to help grow nutrient-dense food? Yes, please! The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments made me wonder why I hadn’t started making my own amendments years ago. I was barely past chapter 2 before I started collecting egg and oyster shells to submerge in vinegar; comfrey and nettles were already fermenting by the end of chapter 3. Every gardener needs this knowledge!”—Chris Smith, author of The Whole Okra; director, The Utopian Seed Project“This book empowers readers to observe nature’s processes at work in the food garden, and to become aware of natural resources, such as weeds and leaf litter, that they can use to make their own mineral and biological amendments. Brilliant! Beautifully crafted by a first-rate teacher able to convey his in-depth understanding, passion, and knowledge, The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments will inspire many growers to embark on a never-ending journey of discovery; to grow nutrient-dense food by creating an abundance of healthy ecosystems in the garden.”—Matthew Adams, cofounder, Growing Real Food for Nutrition; former director, Good Gardeners Association

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn updated edition of an underground classicThis is the 4th edition of a self-published book that no respectable publisher would touch with a ten-foot shovel. The 1st edition was published in 1994 with a print run of 600 copies, which the author expected to watch decompose in his garage for the rest of his life. Now, 24 years later, the book has sold over 65,000 print copies in the U.S. alone, been translated in whole or in part into 19 languages and been published in foreign editions on four continents.The previous editions won numerous awards, including the Independent Publisher Outstanding Book of the Year Award, deeming the book Most Likely to Save the Planet. The book has been mentioned on such diverse media outlets as: Mother Earth News, Whole Earth Review, Countryside Journal, The Journal of Environmental Quality, Natural Health, NPR, BBC, CBC, Howard Stern, The Wall Street Journal, Playboy Magazine, Organic Gardening Magazine, the History Channel, Tree House Masters, and many other national and international venues.The 4th edition is a completely revised, expanded, and updated version of what has become an underground classic bestseller. The author draws from 40 years of research, experience, and travel, to expand and clarify your knowledge and understanding of... your poop!Not only does the book address what to do with human turds, but it is also a priceless manual for anyone involved in composting or gardening, or looking for basic survival skills. There is no other book like this in print!Trade Review"This is a cult classic which might strike those without an outhouse as disgusting. But the methods outlined within have the potential to change the ecological fate of the world."–New Yorker Magazine"Despite all the books on manure and how to use it, human manure composting is not covered elsewhere, making the Humanure Handbook a fine reference for any who would learn these basics. If you're an avid composter, there's nothing like this on the market."–Midwest Book Review"Finally we have a comprehensive book on recycling human excrement without chemicals, high technology, or pollution. Well written, practical, and thoroughly researched . . ."–Whole Earth Review"Almost certain to become a classic in its field. This book should be required reading. . . ."–Countryside Journal"We think The Humanure Handbook ranks right up there with Rachel Carson's Silent Spring . . ."–HortIdeas

Read more less

Book SynopsisNo dig organic gardening saves time and work. It requires an annual dressing of compost to help accelerate the improvement in soil structure and leads to higher fertility and less weeds. No dig experts, Charles Dowding and Stephanie Hafferty, explain how to set up a no dig garden. They describe how to: Make compost, enrich soil, harvest and prepare food and make natural beauty and clean ing products and garden preparations. These approaches work as well in small spaces as in large gardens. The Authors' combined experience gives you ways of growing, preparing and storing the plants you grow for many uses, including delicious vegetable feasts and many recipes and ideas for increasing self reliance, saving money, living sustainably and enjoying the pleasure of growing your own food, year round. Charles' advice is distilled from 35 years of growing vegetables intensively and efficiently; he is the acknowledged no dig guru and salad expert both in the UK and internationally. Stephanie, a kitchen gardener, grows in her small, productive home garden and allotment, and creates no dig gardens for restaurants and private estates.She presents truly delicious seasonal recipes, made from the vegetables anyone can grow. She also explains how to use common plants you can grow and forage for to make handmade preparation for the home and garden.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBuild a self-sufficient life with these 60+ photo-illustrated projects for growing and preserving your own food, keeping animals, harnessing alternative energy, and more. Learning to do more things yourself is healthy, rewarding, and fulfilling, and benefits the environment. Whether you live in the suburbs or have 80 acres in the mountains, Step-by-step Projects for Self Sufficiency guides your way with clear plan drawings, precise instructions, and detailed photos. Organized into the categories Chickens & Other Creatures, Nourishing Your Garden, Garden Projects, Food Preparation & Preservation, Homestead Amenities, and Outbuildings & Fences, projects in this volume include: A portable chicken ark Two types of beehives Solar cookers Firewood storage A potato-growing box Hoophouses and greenhouses Raised planting beds Rain barrels A cider press Compost bins Drying racks And more With these easy-to-follow projects, make progress, step by step, toward your goal of more independent living.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA practical book to take you through the stages of creating a new vegetable garden from scratch - using any plot of land. Filled with useful advice and and guidance, it will help you to realise the full potential of your garden.Trade ReviewAnother inspiring yet practical book from Charles Dowding. -- Rozie Apps * Permaculture Magazine *It is impossible not to feel inspired by the unique combination of helpful guidance and enthusiastic encouragement of experimentation. As Charles proves, there is no plot of land too wild to tame, a building site too overgrown with weeds or an unwanted lawn that can't be turned into a productive and beautiful garden area. -- Chris Allen * Gardening TImes *This is yet another book that will, as a manual, be on my bookshelf, but it will sure spend more in my hand than on the shelf. -- Michael Smith * Green (Living) Review *How to Create a New Vegetable Garden is the best vegetable gardening book I have read for a long time. -- ThePottingShed.co.ukIf this doesn't encourage more of us to turn our gardens into productive and beautiful spaces, I don't know what will. -- Anne Swithinbank, broadcaster and gardening writerWhether you're a dedicated gardener or a newcomer to the word of growing, take a look: Charles's methods work beautifully. -- Mark Diacono, gardener, food writer and broadcasterHow to clear weeds and grow great plants: Charles explains from a wealth of experience. -- Sarah Raven, journalist and garden writerTable of ContentsForeword by Steve Mercer Introduction Part One: Clearing ground and preparing soil 1. Starting points 2. Beauty in the food garden 3. The setting 4. Clearing ground 5. Mulching 6. Building beds 7. Dig versus no-dig (with compost) 8. Dig versus no-dig (without compost) Part Two: Sowing and growing 9. Raising plants under cover 10. Early sowing and plantings 11. Successional sowings and plantings 12. One bed, one year 13. Growing under cover 14. Hot beds 15. Perennial vegetables Appendix: Seasons and climate zones Glossary Resources Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis Elevate your backyard veggie patch into a work of sophisticated and stylish art. Kitchen Garden Revival guides you through every aspect of kitchen gardening, from design to harvesting.Author Nicole Johnsey Burke, founder of Rooted Garden, one of the leading US culinary landscape companies, and Gardenary, an online kitchen gardening education and resource company, leads the way with expert advice.Participating in the grow-your-own movement is important to both reduce your food miles and control what makes it onto your family’s table. If you’ve hesitated to take part because installing and caring for a traditional vegetable garden doesn’t seem to suit your life or your sense of style, Kitchen Garden Revival is here to show you there’s a better, more beautiful way to grow food.Instead of row after row of cabbage and pepper plants plunked into a patch of dirt in the middle of the yard, kitTrade Review“One of the other things I really loved about Kitchen Garden Revival is Nicole’s new takes on established garden ideas.” * The Kitchen Garten *“Whether the reader is a novice or experienced gardener, Kitchen Garden Revival offers information that is practical and helpful. Eric Kelley’s 230 color photos add clarity and beauty to the written word.” * OregonLive.com *“Burke’s book is filled with witty, easily-read information. The facts are intermixed with humorous stories of her mistakes while attaining her self-taught expertise.” * Triangle Garden *Not only will you learn about what crops to grow and when, but the book also guides readers through the process of building a garden and its benefits. * LifeSavvy.com *Table of ContentsPREFACE INTRODUCTION What’s a Kitchen Garden and Why It’s Time for a Revival Part One: Creating the Kitchen Garden CHAPTER 1: SITE Find the Perfect Kitchen Garden Spot CHAPTER 2: GATHER Select Your Kitchen Garden Elements CHAPTER 3: FRAME Install the Kitchen Garden Structures CHAPTER 4: FILL Add Soil and Water Part Two: Growing the Kitchen Garden CHAPTER 5: PLAN Create Your Kitchen Garden Calendar CHAPTER 6: PLANT Begin to Grow In Your Kitchen Garden CHAPTER 7: TEND How to Care for Your Kitchen Garden CHAPTER 8: HARVEST Ways to Enjoy Kitchen Garden Growth Appendix One: How to Take the Next Step in the Kitchen Garden Revival Appendix Two: Garden Listing Appendix Three: Celebrate Local Resources About the Author About the Photographer Acknowledgments Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis"Brimming with ingenuity, hope, and eminently practical advice, The Winter Harvest Handbook is an indispensable contribution."—Michael Pollan "Useful, practical, sensible, and enlightening information for the home gardener."—Martha Stewart With The Winter Harvest Handbook, everyone can have access to organic farming pioneer Elliot Coleman’s hard-won experience. Gardeners and farmers can use the innovative, highly successful methods Coleman describes in this comprehensive handbook to raise crops throughout the coldest of winters. Building on the techniques that hundreds of thousands of farmers and gardeners adopted from Coleman's The New Organic Grower and Four-Season Harvest, this book focuses on growing produce of unparalleled freshness and quality in customized unheated or, in some cases, minimally heated, movable plastic greenhouses. Inside, you'll find Coleman's clear, concise, and meticulous details [including many accompanying illustrations] on: Greenhouse construction and maintenance Planting schedules Crop management Harvesting practices Marketing methods Coleman’s painstaking research and experimentation with more than 30 different crops will be valuable to small farmers, homesteaders, and experienced home gardeners who seek to expand their production seasons. A passionate advocate for the revival of small-scale sustainable farming, Coleman provides a practical model for supplying fresh, locally grown produce during the winter season, even in climates where conventional wisdom says it "just can’t be done." "The incomparable Eliot Coleman is back."—The New York Times "A Renaissance man for a new generation."—Dan BarberTrade Review"If we are going to create a good, clean, fair food system, we've got to learn how to grow affordable, local food year-round and make a living at it. Eliot Coleman knows more about this than anyone I've met. Here he gives the detailed information needed to make it work. The only way to learn it better would be to follow him around for a few seasons. And he won't let you."--Josh Viertel, President, Slow Food USA"How do you produce first-rate food all year-round in northern places? This is the big question facing the local food movement, and Eliot Coleman, one of America's most innovative farmers, has come up with excellent answers. Brimming with ingenuity, hope, and eminently practical advice, The Winter Harvest Handbook is an indispensable contribution."--Michael Pollan "The Winter Harvest Handbook is a treasure trove of practical, proven techniques for producing crops on a year-round basis in any climate. Based on decades of on-farm research, this book is packed with useful ideas, tips and practices that anyone can use in pursuing the increasingly vital dream of local, organic food production using a minimum of precious resources. A masterful book from a master organic farmer. I wish I had had a copy 35 years ago!"--Amigo Bob Cantisano, President, Organic Ag Advisors "'Attention to detail is the major secret to success in any endeavor,' writes Eliot Coleman on page 156 of this absorbing and happily detailed report on his ongoing efforts to grow flawless vegetables without hothouses on the frozen 'back side' of the year. In chapters covering everything from The Yearly Schedule and Greenhouse Design to Weed Control and Marketing, Coleman tracks his own constant search for perfection, a quality that has led more than one young farmer to exclaim 'I'd follow him anywhere.' Well worth reading even if you don't grow vegetables, just to watch a master's mind at work."--Joan Dye Gussow, author of This Organic Life "Eliot Coleman's books have been called Bibles for small farmers and home gardeners. I suspect that's because he writes about not just gardening but about everything that connects to good food and pleasure; a Renaissance man for a new generation, he'll quote Goethe in the same breath as Ghandi, and as a result, you'll dig, weed, eat, think, and live more fully."--Dan Barber, Chef, Blue Hill and Blue Hill Stone Barns "I just finished picking my first carrots, beets, and radishes from my new 'cold house' in Bedford, New York. It is so rewarding to harvest fresh vegetables and salads in the middle of winter and I grow them following the techniques of Eliot Coleman. I have been a devotee of Eliot's for years, fully agreeing with his methods for growing in winter, spring, summer, and fall, tasty, nutritious produce with a minimum consumption of fossil fuels. Congratulations on another volume of useful, practical, sensible, and enlightening information for the home gardener."--Martha Stewart"When does gardening become farming? When are you no longer having dinner parties and running a restaurant instead? For those who are ready to graduate beyond coffee-can retail, the incomparable Eliot Coleman is back with THE WINTER HARVEST HANDBOOK: Year-Round Vegetable Production Using Deep-Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses (Chelsea Green, paper, $29.95). I'm not one to quibble over the details of a "T-post anchor and homemade attaching bracket for securing the corners of a new rolling greenhouse design." Suffice it to say that this serious, meticulous, inspiring farmer and writer solves the problem of growing lettuce in Maine -- in January. Anyone living near Coleman's Four Season Farm is thrice blessed -- 1) to live in intense denial of the back-breaking effort he or she is 2) being spared in order to acquire what is surely 3) the tastiest, most wholesome and pure food available. Coleman's opus is as much a call to action for town planners to embrace local farms as it is a bible for small farmers. This book is for people who know what they're doing."-- The New York Times Book Review "Eliot Coleman is widely recognized as the 'master' of the master gardeners. His new book, The Winter Harvest Handbook--which tells us how to produce local food even in winter in cold climates like Maine, without a lot of energy--now joins his other delightful books as another lovely read, packed with powerful and practical ideas that every gardener will treasure."--Frederick Kirschenmann, Distinguished Fellow, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, and President of Stone Barns Center for Food and AgricultureTable of Contents1. The winter harvest 2. Historical inspiration 3. Getting started 4. The yearly schedule 5. Sunlight 6. The "cold" greenhouse 7. The "cool" greenhouse 8. Winter crops 9. Summer crops 10. Greenhouse design 11. Year-round intensive cropping 12. Soil preparation 13. Sowing 14. Weed control 15. Harvesting in winter 16. Marketing and economics 17. Pests 18. Insects and diseases 19. Tools for the small farm 20. Deep-organic farming and the small farm

Read more less

Book Synopsis?“Gets deep into the weeds, so to speak, of the microscopic architecture of plants and the biochemical processes at play.” —Washington Post Most gardeners realize that plants need to be fed, but many of us know little about the nature of the science involved. In Teaming with Nutrients, Jeff Lowenfels explains the basics of plant nutrition from an organic gardener’s perspective. In his trademark down-to-earth, style, Lowenfels explains the role of both macronutrients and micronutrients and shows gardeners how to provide these essentials through organic, easy-to-follow techniques. Along the way, Lowenfels provides easy-to-grasp lessons in the biology, chemistry, and botany needed to understand how nutrients get into the plant and what they do once they’re inside.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLearn about the incredible range of useful shrubs for many different situations, large and small. World renown expert, Martin Crawford, includes common fruit bushes like currants and gooseberries, and many other less-known shrubs with edible fruits, nuts, leaves, or other parts. He takes us on a journey into the world of exotic spice trees, shrubs with medicinal parts, and plants that fix nitrogen to help fertilise other plants. All these can be grown in temperate climates, diversifying our diets, enabling us to design beautiful, productive gardens, as well as showing us how we can integrate agroforestry into our smallholdings and farms to create new income streams. Despite increasingly urgent calls from scientists, the not-fit-for-purpose economic and political systems we live in cannot be relied upon to implement the carbon emission reductions needed. This where we come into it: Whether we are farmer, gardener or plant dabbler, by planting shrubby plants that sequester carbon, we can minimise our carbon footprint and ideally live a carbon-negative life. On a broadscale, perennial and woody species are the way forward to reduce carbon emissions in agriculture. Woody crops sequester carbon in their biomass, but can also be grown in systems which allow for sequestration of large amounts of carbon into the soil.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLiving With The Earth is a three volume series bringing together years of hands-on organic growing experience and research from the world-renowned Bec Hellouin Farm in France. In 2006, Perrine and Charles Herve-Gruyer set out on a mission to discover a new form of agriculture that provides organic crops, creates healthy soil and brings meaningful employment to the local community. A combination of biointensive methods and permaculture design, which they have named 'ecoculture', and backed by scientific research, has resulted in a highly abundant market garden that sequesters carbon and frees up land for Nature. This beautifully illustrated, comprehensive first volume shows you how natural systems work, and explains how a wide range of simple and effective techniques can create ecologically diverse gardens or highly productive farms. The in-depth chapters on weather patterns, soil types and ecosystem services, give the reader a sound understanding of the environment they are growing in. The book covers everything you need to design a farm and implement a high-yielding food system from scratch, from understanding permaculture and its tools to the full design process, using the successful systems at Bec Hellouin as examples. Chapters on composting, mulching, fertilisers, green manures and working with beneficial microorganisms offer the reader a selection of tools for creating healthy soil within the farm ecosystem. This is a unique, groundbreaking book for gardeners, homesteaders, farmers, agronomists and permaculture designers.Trade Review"Goodness, this book sings! Living With The Earth braids ecological farming, scientific rigor and ancient wisdom with all the practicalities of a manual that actually helps you do the work. The immense beauty of this book, with its lyrical writing, photos and illustrations, pulls you into the world of miracles ... our world tended with loving hands in a simple, effective and regenerative way. This is ecological farming at its best." Erik Ohlsen, Author of The Regenerative Landscaper

Read more less

Book SynopsisA gathering of information and source of inspiration for homesteaders everywhere. With over thirty-five years of combined experience, homesteaders Stephanie Thurow and Michelle Bruhn have taught thousands of people across the globe how to garden, preserve food, tend backyard chickens, cook from scratch, and care for their families with natural homemade alternatives. Now, their homesteading knowledge and instruction can be found in one place with Small-Scale Homesteading. In this sustainable guide, learn how to grow your own food, tap maple trees to make gallons of homemade syrup, successfully raise a small flock of laying hens, and more. Other topics include: The benefits of small-scale homesteading and its local impacts Soil health and composting Keeping chickens Planning a vegetable garden using annuals and perennials DIY recipes and projects for the home and garden Seed saving and planting tips Handmade candles, soaps, lotions, and cleaning solutions Companion and succession planting How to extend your growing season Explanation of approved food preservation methods and supplied needed Maple sugaring And so much more! Merging insight from two homesteaders proves to be twice the fun and reminds us that working together is always better. Trade Review"From integrated pest management and companion planting, to setting up a chicken coop that will keep a flock safe and happy, to homemade natural lotions and salves, Small-Scale Homesteading provides anyone eager to be a bit more self-sufficient and take control of what's going into (and onto!) their bodies a road map for success. Broken down into easily digestible sections conveyed in a friendly, conversational manner, this book is a must for aspiring homesteaders."—Lisa Steele, author of Fresh Eggs Daily and 101 Chicken Keeping Hacks "Cultivating a relationship with your food is more important than ever, and doing so in a small space or urban setting never felt so approachable!"—Crystal Schmidt, creator of Whole-Fed Homestead and author of Freeze Fresh "This knowledgeable guide is chock-full of practical advice for homesteaders, small farmers, or anyone interested in doing more for themselves."―Rodney Wilson, senior editor at Hobby Farms "This book is the inspiration you need for embracing the homestead lifestyle without acreage. The authors’ love of gardening shines through as they share techniques for making the most of limited space, proving that small-scale food production is possible, even when you have space restraints. They also delve into other methods of finding good quality, locally grown food, helping you bring your meals closer to home. Chapters on tapping for maple syrup, keeping chickens, and food preservation round out the book, highlighting many facets of homesteading that can be tackled no matter where you live.”―Kris Bordessa, author of Attainable Sustainable: The Lost Art of Self-Reliant Living "Experienced homesteaders Stephanie Thurow and Michelle Bruhn have created a guide packed with authoritative advice and practical projects that anyone can tackle at home, whether their property is rural or urban."—Rebecca Martin, technical editor at Mother Earth News "Small-Scale Homesteading is an absolutely indispensable guide for anyone wanting to maximize their success in the garden and beyond. In a clear, concise style, it offers comprehensive solutions, smart strategies, beautiful photos, and the warm voices of the authors sharing their ambitious homesteading adventures in compact urban settings. Sustainable home growing has never been explained better."—Cynthya Porter, editor at Northern Gardener magazine "Small-Scale Homesteading is a must for noncommerical growers, from urbanites to hobby farmers. Be it planting, composting, or permaculture, this beautiful book provides much needed advice and solutions for getting the most out of flower, herb, and vegetable gardens."—Roger Sipe, group editor at Hobby Farms "If you are thinking of growing your homesteading skills, you could not find more encouraging guides than Stephanie Thurow and Michelle Bruhn. In Small Scale Homesteading, they offer a smorgasbord of ideas, how-tos, and inspiration for creating a more sustainable and fruitful home, no matter the size of your yard. A great guide and a wonderful gift for budding homesteaders."—Mary Lahr Schier, author of The Northern Gardener "In the almost thirteen years I have been running an urban farm store I have never seen a book quite as much up our alley as this one. Inspiring and informative pictures, practical advice, DIY projects, and recipes are all presented in a warm, accessible style. From backyard chicken keeping (our fave!) to maple tapping (another fave!) to seed starting to food preservation, this is small-scale homesteading gold."—Audrey Matson, owner of Egg|Plant Urban Farm Supply

Read more less

Book SynopsisThere is a fantastic array of vegetables you can grow in your garden, and not all of them are annuals. In Perennial Vegetables the adventurous gardener will find information, tips, and sound advice on less common edibles that will make any garden a perpetual, low-maintenance source of food. Imagine growing vegetables that require just about the same amount of care as the flowers in your perennial beds and borders—no annual tilling and potting and planting. They thrive and produce abundant and nutritious crops throughout the season. It sounds too good to be true, but in Perennial Vegetables author and plant specialist Eric Toensmeier (Edible Forest Gardens) introduces gardeners to a world of little-known and wholly underappreciated plants. Ranging beyond the usual suspects (asparagus, rhubarb, and artichoke) to include such "minor" crops as ground cherry and ramps (both of which have found their way onto exclusive restaurant menus) and the much sought after, anti-oxidant-rich wolfberry (also known as goji berries), Toensmeier explains how to raise, tend, harvest, and cook with plants that yield great crops and satisfaction. Perennial vegetables are perfect as part of an edible landscape plan or permaculture garden. Profiling more than 100 species, illustrated with dozens of color photographs and illustrations, and filled with valuable growing tips, recipes, and resources, Perennial Vegetables is a groundbreaking and ground-healing book that will open the eyes of gardeners everywhere to the exciting world of edible perennials.Trade ReviewBooklist- Part of the allure of perennial gardening is the fact that a gardener can plant something once and enjoy it for several years, a benefit that has rarely been extended to vegetable gardeners. Save for such stalwarts as asparagus and rhubarb, most edible crops can be used only annually. Thanks to Toensmeier, gardeners need no longer be frustrated by such limitations. From air potatoes to water celery, Turkish rocket to Malabar gourd, there are more than 100 new species of edible plants. After addressing such cultural basics as site selection and preparation, Toensmeier explains why each plant is an excellent perennial vegetable crop. Now that such items are making their way onto trendy restaurant menus and health-store shelves, Toensmeier's groundbreaking guide is destined to become the bible for this new class of edible gardening. -- Carol Haggas"This book is itself a perennial polyculture of multipurpose plants. Toensmeier's adventurous yet sober palate blends with his observant eye and plant-geek mind to yield a varied harvest that should produce for years to come. He is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide for explorations of this largely unmapped territory. Let's hope gardeners everywhere follow his lead and join the fun!"--Dave Jacke, coauthor Edible Forest Gardens"That there are more perennial vegetables than asparagus is no surprise, but that there are more than 100 species we North American gardeners can choose from is news. Toensmeier's Perennial Vegetables, the first comprehensive guide to growing them, will have all of us reexamining our plans for next year's vegetable plot." --Karan Davis Cutler, author of Burpee—The Complete Flower Garden"Eric Toensmeier has comprehensively filled a huge gap in the sustainable landscape. Perennial Vegetables lets you put away your tiller, and covers everything you need to grow, harvest, and eat vegetables and greens that will keep coming back year after year."--Toby Hemenway, author of Gaia's Garden"Toensmeier's knowledge of edible plants is impressive and inspiring. His excitement for a sustainable landscape helps us focus away from buying food to harvesting it naturally. Perennial Vegetables offers an excellent range of edible plants for long-term cultivation and enjoyment."--Ellen Ecker Ogden,co-founder of The Cook's Garden seed catalog, author of From the Cook's Garden"Growing perennial vegetables is a true pleasure. This fine book gives the knowledge to successfully add variety to both the garden and the table while also enhancing the home environment."--Miranda Smith, author of The Plant Propagator's Bible and Complete Home GardeningTable of ContentsPreface Part 1: Gardening With Perennial Vegetables 1. New class of food plants 2. Design ideas 3. Selecting species 4. Techniques Part 2: Species Profiles Using this book -- Alismataceae: the water-plantain family -- Arrowhead -- Alliaceae: the onion family -- Multiplier onions -- Ramps -- Other perennial alliums -- Amaranthaceae: the amaranth family -- Sissoo spinach -- Apiaceae: the celery family -- Arracacha -- Article: Lost crops of the Incas -- Lovage -- Water celery -- Skirret -- Araceae: the aroid family -- Edible aroids (taro, belembe, tannier) -- Article: Calcium oxalate -- Araliaceae: the spikenard family -- Udo -- Asteraceae: the aster family -- Chicory and dandelion -- Globe artichoke -- Okinawa spinach -- Sunchoke -- Article: Inulin -- Fuki -- Scorzonera -- Yacon -- Basellaceae: the malabar spinach family -- Malabar spinach -- Ulluco -- Brassicaceae: the cabbage family -- Perennial brassicas (cabbage, kale, and broccoli) -- Article: Pests and diseases of the brassica family -- Turkish rocket -- Sea kale -- Sylvetta arugula -- Watercress -- Cactaceae: the cactus family -- Nopale cactus -- Cannaceae: the canna family -- Achira -- Caricaceae: the papaya family -- Papaya -- Chenopodiaceae: the goosefoot family -- Saltbush -- Article: Oxalic acid -- Sea beet -- Good King Henry -- Convolvulaceae: the morning glory family -- Water spinach -- Sweet potato -- Cucurbitaceae: the squash family -- Perennial cucumber -- Malabar gourd -- Bitter melon -- Chayote -- Article: Extending the range of chayote and other day-length-sensitive plants -- Cyperaceae: the sedge family -- Chufa -- Water chestnut -- Dioscoreaceae: the yam family -- Air potato -- Article: Air potato: an ecological conundrum? -- Yams -- Dryopteridiaceae: the wood-fern family -- Ostrich fern -- Euphorbiaceae: the spurge family -- Chaya -- Bull nettles -- Cassava -- Katuk -- Fabaceae: the pea family -- Groundnut -- Basul -- Hyacinth bean -- Water mimosa -- Perennial beans -- Winged bean -- Lamiaceae: the mint family -- Chinese artichoke -- Liliaceae: the lily family -- Asparagus -- Yellow asphodel -- Camass -- Daylily -- Giant Solomon's seal -- Malvaceae: the mallow family -- Edible hibiscus -- Cranberry hibiscus -- Musk mallow -- Meliaceae: the neem family -- Fragrant spring tree -- Moraceae: the mulberry family -- Breadfruit -- Moringaceae: the moringa family -- Moringa -- Musaceae: the banana family -- Plantain and green banana -- Nelumbonaceae: the lotus family -- Water lotus -- Oxalidaceae: the wood-sorrel family -- Oca -- Phytolaccaceae: the pokeweed family -- Pokeweed -- Haitian basket vine -- Poaceae: the grass family -- Clumping bamboos -- Running bamboos -- Article: Rhizome barriers for aggressive running bamboos -- Pitpit -- Polygonaceae: the smartweed family -- Rhubarb -- Sorrel -- Solanaceae: the nightshade family -- Wolfberry -- Ground cherry and goldenberry -- Pepino dulce -- Peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, and potatoes -- Article: Pests and diseases of the nightshade family -- Tetragoniaceae: the New Zealand spinach family -- New Zealand spinach -- Tiliaceae: the linden family -- Linden -- Tropaeolaceae: the nasturtium family -- Mashua -- Urticaceae: the nettle family -- Stinging nettle and wood nettle Part 3: Resources Perennial vegetables for each climate type Recommended reading Helpful organizations and Web sites Sources of plants and seeds Sources of gardening supplies and materials Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe UK''s leading no-dig gardening expert, Charles Dowding, shares his organic approach to growing healthy, vibrant crops.The no-dig approach to gardening based on the key principle of leaving the ground as undisturbed as possible has gained popularity in recent years as a more efficient, economical and sustainable way to grow healthy plants.Packed with easy-to-follow advice, Organic Gardening reveals the art of the no-dig approach and the techniques required to grow organic crops while enhancing soil structure.By employing the simplicity of the no-dig technique and using a system of permanent, slightly raised beds, Charles Dowding shows how to grow a delicious variety of fruit and vegetables sustainably and organically: what to choose; when to sow, plant and harvest; and how best to avoid pests and diseases.From sowing seeds and making compost to harvesting summer salads and winter vegetables, this accessible guide is an essential resTrade ReviewCharles's crops positively glow with health, in testament to his methods... he conveys a deep reverence for the soil, which has fuelled his no-dig ethos. * Kitchen Garden magazine *If anyone can convince gardeners that vegetable plots do not need digging, it is this author - his methods are at times contrary to standard advice, but he is not dogmatic and has a gift for clear explanation. * Sue Stickland, RHS The Garden *Charles is a passionate and accomplished gardener, who grows vegetables of amazing flavour. * Raymond Blanc OBE World renowned chef and restaurateur *One of our most respected vegetable growers... Now ordinary gardeners can benefit from his years of practical experience. * Joy Larkcom, author of Grow Your Own Vegetables *This book will undoubtedly become the 'no-dig' bible, as was its predecessor. * Pushing Up Dandelions website *Table of ContentsForeword by Patrick Holden, CBE, Founder of the Sustainable Food Trust & ex-director of The Soil Association Introduction Part 1: Letting Nature Nurture your Garden The art of not digging The basics Deciding what to grow What’s in season? Living with pests Sowing seeds, raising plants Making compost The moon Part 2: Healthy Harvests Summer salads Winter salads Alliums Choice of roots Savouring summer Brassicas Tomatoes, greenhouse vegetables and unusual vegetables Perennial vegetables Herbs and edible flowers Tree fruit and nuts Soft fruit (berries) Postscript Appendix: Dig/no-dig experiment at Lower Farm Resources Bibliography Main index Index of recipes

Read more less

Book SynopsisScientist/gardener Carol Deppe combines her passion for organic gardening with newly emerging scientific information from many fields — resilience science, climatology, climate change, ecology, anthropology, paleontology, sustainable agriculture, nutrition, health, and medicine. In the last half of The Resilient Gardener, Deppe extends and illustrates these principles with detailed information about growing and using five key crops: potatoes, corn, beans, squash, and eggs. In this book you’ll learn how to: •Garden in an era of unpredictable weather and climate change •Grow, store, and use more of your own staple crops •Garden efficiently and comfortably (even if you have a bad back) •Grow, store, and cook different varieties of potatoes and save your own potato seed •Grow the right varieties of corn to make your own gourmet-quality fast-cooking polenta, cornbread, parched corn, corn cakes, pancakes and even savory corn gravy •Make whole-grain, corn-based breads and cakes using the author’s original gluten-free recipes involving no other grains, artificial binders, or dairy products •Grow and use popbeans and other grain legumes •Grow, store, and use summer, winter, and drying squash •Keep a home laying flock of ducks or chickens; integrate them with your gardening, and grow most of their feed. The Resilient Gardener is both a conceptual and a hands-on organic gardening book, and is suitable for vegetable gardeners at all levels of experience. Resilience here is broadly conceived and encompasses a full range of problems, from personal hard times such as injuries, family crises, financial problems, health problems, and special dietary needs (gluten intolerance, food allergies, carbohydrate sensitivity, and a need for weight control) to serious regional and global disasters and climate change. It is a supremely optimistic as well as realistic book about how resilient gardeners and their vegetable gardens can flourish even in challenging times and help their communities to survive and thrive through everything that comes their way — from tomorrow through the next thousand years. Organic gardening, vegetable gardening, self-sufficiency, subsistence gardening, gluten-free living.Trade ReviewLibrary Journal- "Resilient" gardeners adapt to challenging health, dietary, weather, or financial situations to produce food that can sustain a family through adverse times. In this guide to becoming such a gardener, plant breeder Deppe (Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties) details her methods for safe and reliable food production-and covers more than strictly gardening-no matter your state of health or what climate you are in. She focuses on five crops with calorie, nutrient, and storage values: potatoes, corn, beans, squash, and, yes, duck eggs. In each chapter, Deppe describes her experiences with specific varieties of crops (with particular reference to her own climate in coastal Oregon), specific techniques for success, and unusual recipes suited to the varieties she grows (all are designed for those with gluten intolerance). VERDICT Deppe's idiosyncratic personality shines through her writing-this is as much a series of personal anecdotes by a lifelong expert gardener as a gardening book that will appeal to readers of a similar bent. Ideal for dedicated, independent gardeners who want to focus on food production despite dietary challenges, poor health, or other issuesForeWord Reviews- In The Resilient Gardener, scientist and author Carol Deppe offers readers an inspiring approach to gardening. For many, gardening is a hobby-a source of solace and an experiment in self-sufficiency. Gardens are designed to offer up good things during good times-handfuls of bulbous tomatoes after weeks of careful watering, weeding, and monitoring for invading insects, for example. But what happens when gardeners-along with the rest of society-face uncertain times? Uncertain times, caused by an unstable economy, changing weather patterns, or personal injury, result in an expanse of time when the "garden suffers because people have other priorities." With this premise in mind, Deppe introduces the concept of resilient gardening. In Deppe's world, gardening transcends the world of leisurely pursuit and transforms into an act of empowerment. In twelve intensely detailed chapters, The Resilient Gardener empowers readers with the knowledge they need to design, build, and maintain gardens that can withstand intense hardship and thrive despite periods of complete neglect. The first half of the book marries the practice of gardening with emerging global issues, such as climate change, increasing attention to weight control, and the rise of food allergies. Readers must first achieve a firm grasp of how these issues intersect with the process of gardening in order to fully benefit from the hands-on guidelines provided later in the book. Deppe's analysis is thorough; her research delves deep. By discussing the interaction between gardening and prevalent world issues, she establishes gardeners as hubs of sustainability and survival, their individual efforts producing movements of resilience that can benefit society as a whole. One of the major strengths of this book-and what sets it apart from the deluge of gardening books currently on bookstore shelves-is the union of Deppe's scientific knowledge with her personal gardening experience. The second half of the book details the five essential crops of self-reliance-potatoes, corn, beans, squash, and eggs-and how to grow them. Though these sections are largely "dip and skip" depending on the reader's level of knowledge, they are expressed in crisp, detailed, and incredibly fluid prose. Deppe is able to transmit the nitty-gritty of gardening through invaluable parcels of personal anecdotes that make the material relatable and a pleasure to read. Deppe's unique approach to her topic makes The Resilient Gardener an appealing selection for both experienced and beginner gardeners, as well as readers interested in issues of sustainability and global reform.Permaculture Activist- "This book presents an in-depth seed-to-table understanding of five culturally significant and life-sustaining crops: corn, beans, squash, potatoes, and eggs. Its power and promise are rooted in Deppe's lived experience and revealed in the careful detail by which she shares it. This book is frank, plainspoken, and intimate. The basis for the author's diet is her intolerance for grain. She has celiac disease and cannot digest wheat or any of its near relatives in the grass family: rye, barley, oats, or triticale, and so has learned from much difficult experience to exclude completely from her table the foods most people depend upon for their daily bread. The basis of the book, however, is her determination to provide a reliable supply of staple food for her kitchen and to be responsible for every aspect of that from breeding and selecting the crops she uses to stabilizing and sharing the seed, to understanding the genetics, to exploring, cooking, and relishing the palate of flavors she nurtures and the rich and deeply satisfying foods that in turn nurture her, It is this quality of determination and careful empirical and practical work that recommends The Resilient Gardener to serious gardeners and home economists. Deppe is doing what many of us aspire to do.” "The Resilient Gardener is so essential, timely and important, and I will recommend it to everyone I know. It doesn't matter if you garden or if you don't-this is practical wisdom good for humans to know, passed on by a careful student who has deeply studied her life. Carol Deppe's lens is the garden-which is great for gardeners, but really, she speaks clearly to all of us. If you try to think like Deppe, you will find you have a new view of your life no matter who you are. This is a wise and intelligent book. Hats off to Carol Deppe!"--Deborah Madison, Author of Local Flavors and Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone "In the years since Carol Deppe wrote the classic Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties, she has continued to grow in deep wisdom and experience. The Resilient Gardener is brilliantly timely, and shows us how to create gardens that can survive our increasingly erratic weather, while supplying key nutrition lacking in most vegetable gardens. This book fills a critical niche, and I recommend it unreservedly."--Toby Hemenway, author of Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture "The Resilient Gardener is the most comprehensive and detailed book about gardening that I have read to date, and I could not find one sentence that I would quibble with. Not only does Deppe discuss all the immediate, nose- to- the- grindstone kind of information about producing and using homegrown food, but also all the surrounding environmental and cultural aspects of gardening that are so vital to success. A must read for beginning gardeners, and full of details even the most experienced will find invaluable."--Gene Logsdon, author of Small-Scale Grain Raising and Holy Shit: Managing Manure to Save Mankind "The Resilient Gardener gives concrete examples of how to deal with diet, climate, and economic changes before the need arises. Deppe challenges us to experiment with and practice all aspects of gardening, seed saving and food storage, and advises on the growing need to meet special food and climate requirements in the face of our food system's fragility. This book is an invaluable tool for gardeners and farmers as we experience more and more volatility in our food systems."--Suzanne Ashworth, author of Seed to Seed "Carol Deppe is informative, funny, and intriguing as she guides us through every phase of gardening--dispelling myths while also orienting us to the technical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of growing food. The Resilient Gardener is the quintessential guide to gardening from an authority who also knows how to enjoy herself."--Didi Emmons, author of Vegetarian Planet "Carol Deppe's celiac-friendly approach to gardening and nutrition provides a wealth of information on how to overcome food intolerances many are confronted with each day. If you struggle with food allergies or sensitivities--or want to use natural resources to create a healthy world for you and your family--this book is for you."--Peter H.R. Green, MD, Director, Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University "Growing food is among the most positive changes anyone can make in the face of uncertainty about the future. The Resilient Gardener is an information-packed resource for people starting or expanding a garden practice. This book empowers readers with skills and understanding, as did Deppe's previous book, Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties."--Sandor Ellix Katz, author, Wild Fermentation and The Revolution Will Not Be MicrowavedTable of Contents1. Gardening and resilience 2. The plant-gardener covenant: 33 golden gardening rules 3. Gardening in an era of wild weather and climate change 4. Diet and food resilience 5. Labor and exercise 6. Water and watering 7. Soil and fertility 8. Potatoes 9. The laying flock 10. Squash and pumpkins 11. Beans 12. Corn

Read more less

Book SynopsisKew Gardens' beautiful, practical and contemporary guide to rose-growing for all gardeners. Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION TO GROWING ROSES PLANTS ‘Alba Semiplena’, ‘Albéric Barbier’, Amber Queen, Anne Harkness PROJECT 1: USING ROSES IN A MIXED BORDER OR BED ‘Arthur Bell’, Avon, Lady Banks’ rose, Berkshire, Blue Moon, Bonica PROJECT 2: USING ROSE HIPS Dog rose, Centifolia, Centre Stage, ‘Cerise Bouquet’, Charles Darwin, Claire Austin PROJECT 3: ROSES FOR A SHADY SPOT Claude Monet, ‘Climbing Cécile Brünner’, ‘Compassion’, ‘Comtesse du Caÿla’, ‘Constance Spry’, Darcey Bussell, Double Delight, ‘Felicia’ PROJECT 4: PROPAGATING ROSES IN WATER ‘Kiftsgate’, ‘Frau Karl Druschki, Rosa gallica ‘Versicolor’, Red-leaved rose, Graham Thomas, Happy Days, Helen’s rose, Iceberg, Kew Gardens, ‘Kew Rambler’ PROJECT 5: ROSES FOR AN EXPOSED SITE ‘La France’, ‘Lady Hillingdon’, Lady of Shalott, ‘Lavender Jewel’ PROJECT 6: CARING FOR MINIATURE ROSES ‘Little Flirt’, Himalayan rose, ‘Mrs John Laing’, Munstead Wood, ‘Nevada’, ‘New Dawn’, Olivia Rose Austin, Oranges and Lemons PROJECT 7: TRAINING AS A STANDARD FORM ‘Para Ti’, ‘Paul Neyron’, Peace, Pheasant, Pink Flower Carpet, ‘Rambling Rector’ PROJECT 8: TRAINING A ROSE AGAINST A WALL ‘Reine des Violettes’, ‘Roseraie de l’Haÿ’, Rosy Cushion, Chestnut rose PROJECT 9: GROWING ROSES FROM SEED Rugosa rose, ‘Sally Holmes’, Scepter’d Isle, Bristly-stalked rose, ‘Shropshire Lass’, ‘Silver Jubilee’ PROJECT 10: PRESERVING ROSE PETALS ‘Soleil d’Or’, Sophy’s Rose, ‘Souvenir de la Malmaison’, ‘Souvenir du Docteur Jamain’, Scotch rose, ‘Stars ’n’ Stripes’ PROJECT 11: GROWING ROSES IN A CONTAINER Sweet Dream, The Albrighton Rambler, The Generous Gardener, The Lady Gardener, The Poet’s Wife, ‘The Queen Elizabeth’ PROJECT 12: PLANTING A ROSE HEDGE Trumpeter, ‘William Lobb’, Hugo’s rose, Zéphirine Drouhin’ Troubleshooting What to do when Index Acknowledgments

Read more less

Book Synopsis‘Build resilience and create a low maintenance edible haven with this accessible guide.’ Kim Stoddart Learn how to create an edible forest garden from canopy to groundcover, modelled after nature – perfect for gardeners and growers at any scale! In The Home-Scale Forest Garden, gardener Dani Baker provides a practical, in-depth guide to creating a beautiful, bountiful edible landscape at any scale – from creating a foundation planting to developing an edible hedge to planning an acre or more. Discover how to create a resilient forest garden ecosystem, including: Observing and mapping your space Grouping fruit trees, berry bushes, and perennial vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers in diverse layers that attract and shelter beneficial insects and birds Creating microclimates to increase the range of plants you can grow Expending less energy for greater reward Along with over 200 photographs taken over 10 years of forest garden development, you’ll find illustrated designs of plant groupings for a range of conditions, including hot, dry sites and shady, moist sites. This book is the perfect guide for gardeners of all experience levels who want to embark on their own forest garden adventure.Trade Review"Experienced gardeners with a serious interest in sustainability would do well to check this out."—Publishers Weekly“The Home-Scale Forest Garden is a thoroughly enjoyable read, with lots of good photos and illustrations. I particularly enjoyed reading about forest gardening in a colder winter climate and found Dani’s strategies for dealing with wet flooded ground, very heavy soil, deer attacks, and many other challenges both fascinating and inspirational. This book should be of great use to anybody making a forest garden on any scale.”—Martin Crawford, author of Creating a Forest Garden and founder, Agroforestry Research Trust“Dani Baker enriches cold-climate forest gardening with candid details of successes and (importantly) failures in her decade-old forest garden. The Home-Scale Forest Garden serves as a guide to anyone who wishes to plant one, and includes valuable experience with challenges including some very wet soils. Featuring over 200 beautiful color photographs from the garden.”—Eric Toensmeier, author of Perennial Vegetables and co-author of Edible Forest Gardens“Dani Baker generously shares the gems of her forest garden journey, offering insights of her successes, mishaps, and inspirations that culminate in the delicious fruits of her labor. Her vision, supported by a depth of teachers and study, guides readers in learning the art of edible abundance. Whether your goals include greater harvests, landscape beauty, or diversity of species, I highly recommend The Home-Scale Forest Garden as a resource for the land steward in us all.”—Katrina Blair, author of The Wild Wisdom of Weeds“We need many more examples of forest gardens, food forests, and permaculture orchards, and The Home-Scale Forest Garden will help inspire and direct you on the adventure of planning, planting, and tending your garden abundance. Dani Baker does a wonderful job introducing the uninitiated to permaculture principles in a clearly understandable way. Once you experience abundance from your forest garden, your life changes. A forest garden, as Dani explains so simply and beautifully, will get you to that abundance.”—Stefan Sobkowiak, permaculture educator and YouTuber; owner, Miracle Farms: The Permaculture Orchard“This book brings to life the visual beauty and the diverse productivity a perennial landscape can offer to anyone looking to get started or improve on what they’ve created. Forest gardening can often feel intimidating, but Dani Baker’s unique experience coupled with her friendly tone and plenty of details on the best plants, placement, and companions provides anyone interested in building a food forest with a plethora of material to help them succeed.”—Steve Gabriel, co-author of Farming the Woods; author of Silvopasture; extension specialist, Cornell Small Farms Program“Working with the natural world in our gardens has never been more important with the challenges we now face through climate change. Forest gardening offers hope, inspiration, and solutions for the future, and Dani Baker shows gardeners how to embrace this important method on a smaller scale. Build resilience and create a low maintenance edible haven with this accessible guide.”—Kim Stoddart, editor, The Organic Way magazine; co-author of The Climate Change Garden"Dani Baker is the dreamer and planner behind the Enchanted Edible Forest. She shares experienced, friendly advice for gardeners of all experience levels....With fun stories, a methodical organization, and helpful appendices, this is a great primer full of gardening expertise."—Foreword Reviews

Read more less

Book SynopsisBeyond organic-- a practical guide to nutrient-dense food.Trade ReviewThis practical step-by-step guide shows all is not lost as Steve Solomon shows us the link between healthy soil, healthy food and healthy people. - Sandra Barrera, The Daily Breeze If you garden, no matter if you're an omnivore, vegetarian, or carnivore I think this book is a good read., blogger, Throwback at Trapp Creek The nutrient density of the crops we grow and the remineralization of our soils have been almost constantly on our minds and usually on the tips of our tongues. Our biggest inspiration has come from reading Steve Solomen's new book The Intelligent Gardener. - Shannon Jones and Bryan Dyck, bloggers, Broadfork Farm Any agriculture or home gardening library will find this an accesible, popular lend. James Cox, Midwest Book ReviewTable of Contents Acknowledgments Preface - Erica Reinheimer Introduction Chapter 1: Why Nutrient-Dense Food? Chapter 2: History from a Nutritional Viewpoint Chapter 3: The Shit Method of Agriculture (SaMOA) Chapter 4: Complete Organic Fertilizer Chapter 5: Remineralization Chapter 6: Le Batterie de Cuisine Chapter 7: The Soil Prescription Chapter 8: Soils with Excesses Chapter 9: Compost Chapter 10: Epilogue Appendices Index About the Author

Read more less

Book Synopsis"A breakthrough book. No comprehensive horticultural library should be without it." -American Gardener When we use chemical fertilizers, we injure the microbial life that sustains plants, and then become increasingly dependent on an arsenal of toxic substances. Teaming with Microbes offers an alternative to this vicious circle, and details how to garden in a way that strengthens, rather than destroys, the soil food web. You'll discover that healthy soil is teeming with life-not just earthworms and insects, but a staggering multitude of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. This must-have guide is for everyone, from those devoted to organic gardening techniques to weekend gardeners who simply want to grow healthy plants without resorting to chemicals.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNancy Birtwhistle is a Sunday Times bestselling author of Clean & Green, lifelong gardener and Hull-born baker who won the fifth series of The Great British Bake Off in 2014. Motivated by protecting the planet for her ten grandchildren, Nancy decided to change how she used plastic, single use products and chemicals in her home. Sharing her tips online, she amassed an engaged international following of devoted fans interested not only in her delicious recipes, but also her innovative ideas and time-saving swaps that rethink everyday house and garden tasks to make as little an impact on the environment as possible. Nancy worked as a GP practice manager in the NHS for thirty-six years until she retired in 2007. She lives in Lincolnshire with her husband, dogs and rescue hens.Trade ReviewNancy has done it again! The perfect read taking us back to basics in our gardens. As a beginner gardener I am now excited to get started, I'll be a pro by the end of the year! -- Sophie Liard, The Folding LadyI, like Nancy, am happiest in my garden. But I am yet to properly venture into growing food we actually eat because I am never quite sure if I am doing it right. Having Nancy's reassuring voice guide me through it all will fill me with the confidence needed to give it a whirl! When in a home or garden pickle, I often think, "What does Nancy say about this?" and there is always something to try! Everyone should have her collection of books at home! -- Daisy Upton, The Five Minute MumA readable chomp through the edible garden, this instant bestseller mixes sustainable hints, household tips and, as you’d expect, quick and tasty recipes. Warmly encouraging and bursting with good sense, there’s a lot to take-away from Nancy’s ‘good life’ garden. -- RHS (Royal Horticultural Society)

Read more less

Book SynopsisWonderlands of bounty and beauty, orchards offer an abundance of fruit in a wildlife haven full of diversity. A well-managed orchard works with nature to provide maximum harvest for minimal effort. Wade Muggleton has distilled 20 years of orchard know-how into this practical handbook to help you plan, plant and manage your orchard, whatever your garden size or budget. With his expert guidance you can have an orchard on any plot-garden, yard, allotment or smallholding-and both maximise your harvest and minimise your outlay. The book covers: Rootstocks and fruit varieties Planting plans Maintenance strategies Pruning Propagation Eco-friendly pest and disease management Harvesting Storing Preserving the harvest The diversity, history and heritage of apples and other fruit trees is fascinating, and Wade's passion for them is infectious. Let him draw you into a world of apples and pears, walnuts and cobnuts, cherries and plums; of ancient varieties such as quince, medlar and mulberry; and even of juicy apricots, figs and peaches. Imagine having organic fruit all year round from your own little nature haven and use Wade's tried and tested experience to create your perfect orchard.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWinner of the American Horticulture Society Book Award "Phillip’s first-hand knowledge anchors this innovative and highly readable book in practical wisdom that both beginner and long-time fruit growers will find invaluable."—Toby Hemenway, author of Gaia’s Garden Many people want to grow fruit on a small scale but lack the insight to be successful orchardists. As The Holistic Orchard illustrates, growing tree fruits and berries is something virtually anyone can do. A holistic grower knows that producing fruit is not about manipulating nature but more importantly, fostering nature. The Holistic Orchard demystifies the basic skills everybody should know about the orchard ecosystem, focusing on: Orchard design Soil biology Organic health management Grafting Planting Pruning Choosing the right varieties for your climate Includes a step-by-step instructional calendar to guide growers through the entire orchard year! Fruit profiles include: pome fruits (apples, pears, asian pears, quinces) stone fruits (cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums) berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, gooseberries, currants, and elderberries) Phillips completely changed the conversation about healthy orcharding with his first bestselling book, The Apple Grower, and now he takes that dialogue even further by exploring: The connections between home orcharding and permaculture The importance of native pollinators Plantings with shade-tolerant berry bushes and other insectary plants Information on cover crops and biodiversity Safe, homegrown solutions to pest and disease challenges All along the way, Phillips' expertise and enthusiasm for healthy growing shines through, as does his ability to put the usual horticultural facts into an integrated ecology perspective. With The Holistic Orchard in your hand you have every reason in the world to confidently plant that very first—or next—fruit tree!Trade ReviewBooklist- With the rising popularity of farmers’ markets and ever-increasing availability of organic foods in mainstream grocery stores, more and more gardeners are catching the urge to go pesticide-free. For fruit lovers wanting to tend an orchard on a small scale, Phillips, author of the gardening best-seller The Apple Grower (2005), offers a wealth of tips and tricks here on growing berries and tree fruits without resorting to toxic sprays. Eight information-packed chapters cover such basics as orchard design, seeding and growing schedules, and soil varieties, all using natural methods of cooperating with nature to resist attacks by garden pests and plant diseases. Phillips also provides an exhaustive directory of fruit varieties, from pome fruits, such as apples and pears, to stone fruits, such as cherries and nectarines. Although the guide is aimed primarily at home growers with a little yard space and a yen for organic produce, professional orchard managers can certainly benefit and will hopefully be prompted to shy away from pesticides as well.Choice- The Holistic Orchard is a breath of fresh air in a genre too often characterized by occult mysticism and/or an air of moral superiority. Phillips (The Apple Grower, 2005), a farmer/orchardist with many years of experience, is a pragmatist, not a polemicist; he successfully covers topics ranging from plant biology and ecology to the realities and economics of niche markets. The author presents a challenge to backyard fruit growers and community orchardists to produce healthy, quality fruits organically. Phillips begins by discussing the soil and finishes with marketing his fruit at the production site. The text reflects his infectious enthusiasm, his deep understanding of the positive and negative impacts of natural organisms on his trees, and his commitment to hard work and critical thinking. The author addresses the challenges of dealing with disease and insect and animal pests along with the need to accommodate trees' annual needs for nutrients; he uses approaches that seek to promote within orchards a diversity of beneficial organisms as well as methods that promote the plant's immunological response via phytoalexins. This book is richly photographed and contains well-placed sidebars with pertinent information. It was a delight to read. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All undergraduate students, general readers, and professionals/practitioners. ForeWord Reviews- Despite a wealth of information available about grafting, soil health, tree planting, and pruning, there’s one major area of orchard management that’s tough for any beginner to learn: confidence. That’s where Michael Phillips comes in. As a farmer in northern New Hampshire, and author of The Apple Grower, he provides gentle-but-sure advice on holistic orchards in a way that’s encouraging and valuable. Beginning with a fascinating explanation of forest-edge ecology—which defines where fruit trees thrive best—Phillips moves into topics like fungal dominance, haphazard mulching, pulsing agents, and more. For those moving to the next level of orchard management, Phillips delves into the specifics of three major categories of fruits: pome, which includes apples and pears; stone, which encompasses cherry, peach, plum, and apricot; and woody berries, including blackberry, currant, gooseberry, and raspberry. Throughout, Phillips adopts a genial tone that blends farmer-next-door friendliness with a more academic approach. The mix works, giving the scientific descriptions more weight while keeping the material accessible. In general, the sheer breadth of information presented can seem overwhelming, particularly for a beginner, but it’s likely that those who are interested in getting started in holistic orchard practices will appreciate having such a thorough reference guide.Publishers Weekly- The author of the classic guide for small-scale fruit cultivation, The Apple Grower, returns to the orchard. Phillips, who grows apples and herbs in New Hampshire, concedes early on that growing fruit that is both attractive and delicious is more challenging than cultivating vegetables and herbs. What distinguishes this book from other organic guides is the author's ecological approach. He argues that orchard success begins with a deep understanding of soil health and forest-edge ecology. The chemistry lessons may challenge many, but he translates most of the science basics into practical routines that any gardener could use. Straightforward information on selecting trees and horticultural basics such as pruning and pest management follows. For those who intend to invest significant time and resources into growing fruit, this is a comprehensive guide to managing a healthy and bountiful orchard. Color photographs and illustrations throughout.Amazon.com Editorial Review- The demand for high-quality, organically grown food is skyrocketing with people's gradual understanding of the health risks and dangers of chemical pesticides and "industrialized" farming, yet good organic apples are still hard to find in many places. Phillips has employed hard work and keen observation of nature to make the best use of our great-grandparents' experiences and techniques. He then examines the latest scientific knowledge of apple pests and their life cycles to produce a thorough guide to growing wonderful, delicious varieties of apples in an orchard that is safe for animals, birds, and children playing under its tree branches. Each chapter has practical advice for the backyard fruit grower, and while this book is filled with useful facts and tactics, Phillips also adds a gentle, Earth-friendly, philosophical writing style that makes for quite an enjoyable read."Rooted in the author's many years of organic orcharding experience, this book blends ideas from soil science, holistic health, permaculture, and traditional fruit growing into a powerful new approach to orchard design and care. Phillips' first-hand knowledge anchors this innovative and highly readable book in practical wisdom that both beginner and long-time fruit growers will find invaluable."--Toby Hemenway, author of Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture"Michael Phillips' Holistic Orchard is a seminal work, to be compared with Sir Albert Howard and J.I. Rodale's classic books on soil and organic gardening. This is deep horticulture at its best, showing just how and what we must do to orchard sustainably and ecologically."--Bill MacKentley, St. Lawrence Nurseries"The words 'holistic' and 'comprehensive' barely do honor to Michael Phillips' scope in The Holistic Orchard. The author has woven multiple strands of orchard knowledge -- based on his expansive vision and a lifetime of experience, together with the wisdom of researchers and fellow fruit growers -- into a brilliant web that captures the wonderful complexity of the orchard ecosystem. A sparkling joy to behold!"--Guy Ames, orchardist and tree fruit specialist with ATTRA, the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service"The Holistic Orchard is a stimulating account of fruit production from a biological rather than chemical approach. Phillips' orchard philosophy- learned from keen observation and reflection- will fall and clobber you like a giant Newtonian apple; then, your walk through the orchard will never be the same. Digesting this book is like tasting a delectable new apple variety for the first time."--Tom Burford, Orchard Consultant, Author, Apple Historian"For decades experts have insisted that organic orcharding is an impossibility. Michael Phillips has led the effort to show that the truly sustainable, organic orchard is something we all can have. His example has been an inspiration. His tireless research has provided a road map to creating our own holistic orchards."--John Bunker, apple historian and author, Not Far from the Tree"Michael Phillips does it again! His ability to understand and explain the parts, interactions and emergent properties of orchard systems is unparalleled. The Holistic Orchard integrates fundamental biology with the practical realities of ecologically sound management. The book describes the trek from healthy soil to healthy people, with great fruit all along the way. This is done in a way that can only be achieved by a highly experienced orchardist-practitioner-author-philosopher."--George W. Bird, Professor of Nematology, Michigan State University "A new way of thinking is called for given the failure of chemicals to solve problems and feed the world. Mixing up dozens of organic thoughts, Michael Phillips ushers us into the 21st century and virtually creates a new language so we can really understand what is happening in our orchards. Shake off those 20th century blues and let's move on with The Holistic Orchard as a guiding light."--Tim Bates, biodynamic orchardist, The Apple Farm, Philo, California

Read more less

Book SynopsisCharles Dowding is the leading proponent of No Dig gardening with a huge following, borne out of more than 40 years of growing, analysing, and recommending. He is revered in the gardening world - Monty Don (BBC Gardeners' World presenter) says "Charles has become the guru of no-dig gardening. He's a really good grower, organic, and has fabulous produce."

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisCharles Dowding is the leading proponent of No Dig gardening with a huge following, borne out of more than 40 years of growing, analysing, and recommending. He is revered in the gardening world - Monty Don (BBC Gardeners' World presenter) says "Charles has become the guru of no-dig gardening. He's a really good grower, organic, and has fabulous produce."Trade ReviewNo-dig expert Charles Dowding helps you grow bumper crops in harmony with nature, by preserving soil structure and nurturing fungal mycelium, in this inspiring all-new guide. There's step-by-step advice and photography to illustrate each part of the process, and calenders show what time of year to sow and harvest over 80 crops. -- Margaret Bartlett * BBC Countryfile Magazine *Growing flowers is a joyous activity. But for many of us, tending vegetables brings another level of satisfaction. I've been a practitioner of the 'no dig' method championed by Dowding. His latest title will inspire and educate those who aspire to vef-growing, and encourage seasoned gardeners to explore different methods. -- Rachel de Thame * The Sunday Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisEnjoy bushels of crispy apples and baskets of juicy blueberries from your own backyard. Authors Lewis Hill and Leonard Perry provide everything you need to know to successfully grow delicious organic fruit at home, from choosing the best varieties for your area to planting, pruning, and harvesting a bountiful crop. With tips on cultivating strawberries, raspberries, grapes, pears, peaches, and more, this essential reference guide will inspire year after year of abundantly fruitful gardening.

Read more less

Book SynopsisGardening for Everyone is a sustainable guide to growing vegetables in five simple steps: planning, building, planting, tending and harvesting. With the same wisdom and stunning aesthetic as Simply Living Well, Julia''s beautiful new book is a guide to creating and growing a garden simply and sustainably with profiles of essential vegetables and herbs, ecological tips, and fun and creative projects.Growing food in your backyard (or even on a porch or windowsill!) is one of the simplest and most rewarding ways to nourish yourself, be self-sufficient and connect with nature in a hands-on way. Here sustainability expert Julia Watkins shares everything you need to know to grow your own vegetables, fruits and herbs, as well as wildflowers and other beneficial companion plants.The book covers all the nuts and bolts of creating and caring for your garden - planning, building, planting, tending and harvesting - followed by a deeper dive into the plants Trade ReviewJam-packed with beautiful colourful photographs and helpful tips, this is just right for aspiring eco-friendly gardeners * Publishers Weekly *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis wonderful little book covers everything you need to know about the types of plants known as weeds. Ehrenfried Pfeiffer discusses the different varieties of weeds, how they grow and what they can tell us about soil health. The process of combatting weeds is discussed in principle as well as in practice, so that it can be applied to any situation. First written in the 1950s, this is still one of the best overviews of the subject available.Trade Review'The author was a pinoeer of biodynamic farming in the USA, and knows a thing or two about weeds ... For gardeners, there is also some good advice on weeds in compost heaps.'-- Network ReviewTable of ContentsForewordIntroductionWeeds and What They Tell UsThe Battle Against WeedsThe Biological CombatWeedy WeedsMorning Glory and CoGoosefoot or ChenopodiaceaeParsleyPlantainPoisonous WeedsPleasant-looking WeedsMore Pleasant-looking WeedsSummer- and Fall-Flowering WeedsGood WeedsDynamic Plants

Read more less

Book SynopsisGrow better not bigger with proven low-tech, human-scale, biointensive farming methodsTrade Review"Jean-Martin's book is very well done and should be of great use to market growers everywhere. Exchange of ideas and information is so important because when we pass ideas on, the next person gets to start where we got to and take the ideas to another level."--Eliot Coleman, organic farming pioneer and author of the Winter Harvest Handbook "I've read this book in French and all I can say is that, if you want to engage yourself in the market gardening, The Market Gardener is far more than a simple manual, it's the story of a life and a major giveaway of knowledge without the shadow of a secret. A must have, nothing else."--Michel Michiels, Arlon / Belgium "We are so excited that Le Jardinier-Maraicher is finally translated in English! This book was an inspiration for many of our French members (we are a farmers' co-op) and now we can recommend it to all ... especially to the new generation interested in small scale farming...Thank you!"--Nicole Briand Communications, La Recolte de Chez Nous / Really Local Harvest "In his revolutionary book, JMF brings about a change of paradigm that couldn't come any sooner. New gardeners will find in this book a step-by-step recipe that almost guarantees success, while the more seasoned ones can use it as a steppingstone for future achievements. Ever since its release in Quebec, it has reached thousands of readers and caused a ripple of benefits: people of all ages, especially the young, can now aspire to buy or rent their own land and live a fulfilling--and profitable--life in the countryside, which a few years back was still a wild dream for most of us. Aside from being very technically dense, it offers viable solutions to social problems such as land access, unemployment in regions, and the unsustainable nature of modern agricultural practices. It has literally been training an entire army of Davids that is now starting to address the bulk of these problems, or Goliath. And it's happening all across the province! Most importantly, this book deeply inspired me and gave me hope for the future without having to consult an eco-therapist."--Alexandre J-Nicole, Biologist, graphic designer and illustrator "Jean-Martin Fortier extols the virtues of being small-scale, and expertly details the use of such scale-appropriate tools as broadforks, seeders, hoes, flame weeders, low tunnels, high tunnels, and many other unique tools, specifically designed for this brand of farming. He picks up right where Eliot Coleman has left us, applying many of his core principles, but doing it in such a brilliant way as to provide beginning farmers a solid framework of the information they need to start up and become successful small-scale organic growers themselves.--Adam Lemieux, Product Manager of Tools & Supplies, Johnny's Selected SeedsTable of Contents Acknowledgments Foreword Preface 1 Small Is Profitable Can You Really Live ff 1.5 Acres? Not Just Making a Good Living, but Making a Good Life 2 Succeeding as a Small-Scale Organic Vegetable Grower A Biologically Intensive Approach Minimizing Start-Up Costs Minimizing Production Costs Direct Selling Adding Value to the Crops Learning the Craft 3 Finding the Right Site Climate and Microclimate Market Access Growing Space Needed Soil Quality Topography Drainage Access to Water Infrastructure Assessing Possible Pollution Problems 4 Designing the Market Garden Buildings and Foot Traffic Standardizing the Garden Layout Locating the Greenhouse and Tunnels Protection against Deer Windbreaks Irrigation 5 Minimum Tillage and Appropriate Machinery Permanent Raised Beds The Two-Wheel Tractor The Broadfork (Grelinette) Tarps and Pre-Crop Ground Cover To Till or not to Till 6 Fertilizing Organically Soil Tests Crop Requirements Managing Soil Fertility Good Compost Relying on Natural Fertilizers - Why? Establishing Crop Rotation Crop Rotation at Les Jardins de la Grelinette Green Manure and Cover Crops Connecting with Soil Ecology 7 Starting Seeds Indoors Seeding in Cell Flats The Soil Mix Filling Cell Flats The Seedling Room The Evolving Plant Nursery Heating and Ventilation of the Nursery How to Water Seedlings Potting up Transplanting into the Gardens 8 Direct Seeding Precision Seeders Seedbed Preparation Record Keeping 9 Weed Management Cultivating with Hoes Weeding with Tarps The Stale Seedbed Technique Flame Weeding Mulching Weed Control Technology 10 Insect Pests and Diseases Scouting Disease Prevention Using Biopesticides 11 Season Extension Floating Row Cover and Low Tunnels Caterpillar Tunnels Hoophouses 12 Harvest and Storage Harvesting Efficiently Harvest Help The Cold Room 13 Crop Planning Setting Farming Objectives Determining Production Establishing a Crop Calendar Making a Garden Plan Record Keeping Conclusion: Farming for Ecology, Community, and Lifestyle Appendix 1: Crop Notes Appendix 2: Tools and Suppliers Appendix 3: Garden Plan Appendix 4: Annotated Bibliography Appendix 5: Glossary Index About the Author

Read more less

Book SynopsisFirst published in 1977, this book—from one of America’s most famous and prolific agricultural writers—became an almost instant classic among homestead gardeners and small farmers. Now fully updated and available once more, Small-Scale Grain Raising offers a entirely new generation of readers the best introduction to a wide range of both common and lesser-known specialty grains and related field crops, from corn, wheat, and rye to buckwheat, millet, rice, spelt, flax, and even beans and sunflowers. More and more Americans are seeking out locally grown foods, yet one of the real stumbling blocks to their efforts has been finding local sources for grains, which are grown mainly on large, distant corporate farms. At the same time, commodity prices for grains—and the products made from them—have skyrocketed due to rising energy costs and increased demand. In this book, Gene Logsdon proves that anyone who has access to a large garden or small farm can (and should) think outside the agribusiness box and learn to grow healthy whole grains or beans—the base of our culinary food pyramid—alongside their fruits and vegetables. Starting from the simple but revolutionary concept of the garden “pancake patch,” Logsdon opens up our eyes to a whole world of plants that we wrongly assume only the agricultural “big boys” can grow. He succinctly covers all the basics, from planting and dealing with pests, weeds, and diseases to harvesting, processing, storing, and using whole grains. There are even a few recipes sprinkled throughout, along with more than a little wit and wisdom. Never has there been a better time, or a more receptive audience, for this book. Localvores, serious home gardeners, CSA farmers, and whole-foods advocates—in fact, all people who value fresh, high-quality foods—will find a field full of information and ideas in this once and future classic.Trade ReviewThe Ethicurean- In Small-Scale Grain Raising, Logsdon lays out clearly just how easy it can be to grow grains for your family and your livestock, from his beloved "pancake patch" up to acre-sized plots. Interspersed with good-humored vintage anecdotes and his usual Contrary Farmer commentary, this primer elevates the status of grain-growing on farms of all sizes (from the backyard on up) to a happy essential. As he states repeatedly, there's nothing so delicious -- or so economical -- as home-baked goods made with fresh grains you grew and milled yourself. And when those same home-grown grains can also feed your animals and build soil fertility… well, what's stopping you?Logsdon's book covers all of the well-known grains and several of the lesser ones: barley, buckwheat, corn, millet, oats, rice, spelt, sorghum, triticale, wheat, and others. He also devotes a chapter to soybeans and dried beans, despite their classification as legumes, because they partner so well with grains both in growing and in eating. For at least the major grains he discusses varieties, yields, nutritional value, and uses (both for human and animal consumption as well as other farm uses). He describes how to prepare the soil, how to plant the grain seeds (including optimal space requirements), what diseases and pests to watch for and how to deal with them, how to harvest and dry the grains, how to store them, and, finally, how to turn those seeds into food for your family.Drawing on his personal experience growing almost all of the major grains, Logsdon describes "how we do it" even when it contrasts with conventional wisdom. He touts the value of open-pollinated seed, despite advances in hybrids, because of their superior taste and the satisfaction of not being beholden to agribusiness. He also demonstrates that old hand tools and techniques can sometimes be the most efficient when growing on a small scale. For example, though corn may be harvested by machine, he outlines how to bundle corn stalks into shocks for easy, inexpensive drying and storage (and aesthetic value). He claims to keep a basket full of old socks to slip over ripening ears of corn to prevent wild animals from dining on his crops. (I'd like to see that!) And for his money, the best weed control -- the one to which pests never develop resistance -- is the hoe."Gene Logsdon could just say, 'I told you so.' Instead, he has revitalized Small-Scale Grain Raising with bushels of new information, thirty additional years of insight, and the welcome leavening of his wonderful and cranky (with a wink and a nod) voice. He makes sowing sexy, and shifts the food revolution from his back 40 to your back yard."--Michael Perry, author of COOP: A Year of Poultry, Pigs and Parenting"Small-Scale Grain Raising, 2nd ed., is the definitive book on how to grow, thresh, process, and use grains in the amounts that matter to a family--from enough wheat for a single batch of pancakes up to an acre or two--all the grain needed for a family with a cow, a pig, a few sheep, and a flock of chickens. The first edition has long been a cult classic, decades out of print, decades before its time, eagerly begged, borrowed, and handed around in bootleg copies. The second edition is updated and expanded to include virtually every grain grown in North America. Particularly useful is the state-of-the-art information about threshing and dehulling of various grains for those without access to specialized equipment. Even more useful than the specific information, however, is the portrayal of the overall pattern--the full integration of appropriate grain-growing, appropriate cover-cropping, appropriate livestock keeping, appropriate economics, and appropriate philosophy, all woven together into a powerful model of a coherent framework for gardening, farming, and living. This book is the Small is Beautiful of grain growing, by Gene Logsdon, one of the founding curmudgeons of modern garden farming and sustainable agriculture."--Carol Deppe, author of Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties: The Gardener's and Farmer's Guide to Plant Breeding and Seed Saving "Home bakers rejoice! Gene's book is back just in time to help you grow those flavorful, old, heirloom grain varieties you have always wanted to try. Bon appétit!"--Eliot Coleman, author of The Winter Harvest Handbook and The New Organic Grower "Interspersed with good-humored vintage anecdotes and his usual 'Contrary Farmer' commentary, this primer elevates the status of grain-growing on farms of all sizes (from the backyard on up) to a happy essential."--Jennifer McMullen, reviewed in The EthicureanTable of Contents1. Homegrown grains: the key to food security 2. Corn: America's amazing maize 3. Wheat: the main source of the staff of life 4. The sorghum family 5. Oats: the high-protein cereal grain 6. Dry beans: the "poor man's meat" 7. Rye and barley 8. Buckwheat and millet 9. Rice: the oldest garden grain 10. Some uncommon grains, old and new 11. Legumes: the overlooked partner in small-scale grain raising 12. Feeding grain to animals

Read more less

Book Synopsis“An invaluable resource” Huw Richards If you want to grow your own food, become more self sufficient, zero waste or eco friendly, or even go fully off grid, Liz Zorab is the perfect guide to help you explore the world of green living and permaculture. Grounded is the story of her gardening journey: from bare field to bountiful feast; from poor soil to fertile abundance; from rookie errors to successful sustainability. Liz and her husband, Mr J, transformed a tired 0.8 acre field into a fertile homestead that provides 80% of their food and drink – with enough left over to stock a community veggie box scheme! An inspiring blend of practical tips and ideas with personal narrative and a good smattering of humour, Grounded will show you how to: ` Fill your garden without emptying your pocket ` Make the most of the space you have ` Be creative with resources ` Achieve more without exhausting yourself ` Become more resilient ` Enjoy the process as much as the results This is a tale of courage and imagination that will inspire you to grow your own productive paradise and live your dreams.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor anyone already practicing, or turning to, biodynamic gardening and farming methods, numerous detailed questions arise, such as:* How do you make and use the key preparations, such as horn manure and horn silica?* How do you develop living, fertile soil?* Which treatments are best for controlling weeds, pests and disease?This manual, fully illustrated with explanatory diagrams and photographs, provides the answers. The book covers* all aspects of making and using biodynamic preparations and composts* managing the health of plants* controlling weeds and pests* working with cosmic rhythms* combatting common diseases such as mildew* working with seeds, pastes and root dips* care of fruit trees and vinesThis second edition also has extensive new chapters on large-scale farming, including livestock and cereal cultivation, and vegetable farming. The whole book has also been completely revised and updated.Although the technical aspects of biodynamic growing are exhaustively covered, the author also considers the human qualities necessary for this kind of agriculture to succeed.This is an invaluable guide for all biodynamic growers to have to hand daily.Trade Review'The definitive practical manual for biodynamic farmers and gardeners, with a section on viticulture.'-- David Lorimer, Scientific Medical Network Review

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor decades fruit growers have sprayed their trees with toxic chemicals in an attempt to control a range of insect and fungal pests. Yet it is possible to grow apples responsibly, by applying the intuitive knowledge of our great-grandparents with the fruits of modern scientific research and innovation. Since The Apple Grower first appeared in 1998, orchardist Michael Phillips has continued his research with apples, which have been called "organic's final frontier." In this new edition of his widely acclaimed work, Phillips delves even deeper into the mysteries of growing good fruit with minimal inputs. Some of the cutting-edge topics he explores include: The use of kaolin clay as an effective strategy against curculio and borers, as well as its limitations Creating a diverse, healthy orchard ecosystem through understory management of plants, nutrients, and beneficial microorganisms How to make a small apple business viable by focusing on heritage and regional varieties, value-added products, and the "community orchard" model The author's personal voice and clear-eyed advice have already made The Apple Grower a classic among small-scale growers and home orchardists. In fact, anyone serious about succeeding with apples needs to have this updated edition on their bookshelf.Trade ReviewNorthern Woodlands (Review)- As anyone who has ever planted a few apple trees knows all too well, growing apples can be a perplexing and frustrating endeavor. The trouble is that apples are very attractive to many of nature's creatures besides humans. And at least one of these creatures, from deer to apple maggot flies, and from the roundheaded apple tree borer to mice (not to mention the long list of diseases that also affect apples), is sure to be working for its share of the fruit (and in some cases the tree) every day of the year. But if you've ever baked a pie made from your own apples, or pressed a batch of cider from them, the trials and tribulations all seem worth it with that first bite or sip. Michael Phillips' revised The Apple Grower has as much help as you'll find anywhere to get you to that first bite of pie or sip of cider. The previous edition, published in 1998, was the bible for many backyard orchardists and commercial organic growers. The new edition, boasting color photos and expanded and better-organized chapters, is a real treat for anyone interested in apples. The new edition's chapter on diseases and pests will be helpful to those left scratching their head about who or what is eating the apples or trees they are trying to grow. Phillips sprinkles tributes to other apple growers throughout the text. These persistent and dedicated souls, along with Phillips, are exploring uncharted territory: they are trying, without the use of traditional pesticides and chemicals, to keep ever-evolving pests and diseases away from trees that are themselves not evolving. All named apple varieties are genetic dead ends. A Macintosh today is genetically identical to a Macintosh from a century ago, but the bugs and diseases have spent that time evolving to break through the trees' defenses. Phillips presents intriguing ideas about orchard soils. Since people started growing apples in orchards, those orchard soils have largely been bacterially based, meaning that fertility has been maintained by the addition of bacteria-laden manure. Sheep and cattle were allowed to graze the grass and eat dropped apples, adding manure to the soils, and often the orchard was formerly pasture or hayfield, where manure was regularly added to maintain fertility. Bacteria-based soils are great for grasses and hay crops, but not necessarily for trees. Phillips argues that apple trees are still, well, trees, and like other trees, they prefer forest soils, which rely mainly on fungi to break down organic matter such as bark, wood, and other plant matter to maintain soil fertility. Phillips believes that this soil is what apple trees naturally want, and that it makes them healthier and better able to deal with pests and diseases. He has been experimenting with using fast-growing comfrey in his orchard, cutting it down to add rotting plant matter and to stifle the growth of grass, which can rob an apple tree's surface feeder roots of nutrients. He advocates adding composted branches, bark, wood chips, and even excess chunks of sheetrock to your orchard to promote the fungi in the soil and deter grasses. Phillips' style is more writerly than reference. His homespun stories about his many years of trying to outwit and outmaneuver the legions of apple-loving creatures are both entertaining and packed with tips. Phillips' extremely handy compendium of orchard tasks has always served as my basic plan of attack for what to do in my orchard, and the revised and expanded edition will be a welcome addition to my library. I have no doubt that over time it will take on the grimy, thumbed-through, and well-used look of my copy of the first edition of The Apple Grower. -- by Carl Demrow"A must read for anyone who grows apples or is contemplating doing so."--Lee A. Reich, garden author and Associated Press syndicated columnistNorthern Woodlands- “Michael Phillips’ revised The Apple Grower has as much help as you’ll find anywhere to get you to that first bite of pie or sip of cider. The previous edition, published in 1998, was the bible for many backyard orchardists and commercial organic growers. The new edition, boasting color photos and expanded and better-organized chapters, is a real treat for anyone interested in apples. The new edition’s chapter on diseases and pests will be helpful to those left scratching their head about who or what is eating the apples or trees they are trying to grow. Phillips’ style is more writerly than reference. His homespun stories about his many years of trying to outwit and outmaneuver the legions of apple-loving creatures are both entertaining and packed with tips. Phillips’ extremely handy compendium of orchard tasks has always served as my basic plan of attack for what to do in my orchard, and the revised and expanded edition will be a welcome addition to my library. I have no doubt that over time it will take on the grimy, thumbed-through, and well-used look of my copy of the first edition of The Apple Grower.”Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Chapter One Growing Apples Locally Apple Growing a Hundred Years Ago Today's Integrated Pest Management Bringing It All Together Conventional Wisdom The Small Commercial Orchard in Context Chapter Two The Orchard Site and Its Climate Sacred Slopes The Four Points of the Compass Dry Ground Zone Hardiness Windbreaks Biodiversity in a Fruit Orchard Proximity to Markets Chapter Three The Enriching of Fruit Lands The Living Soil Compost Forever Soil Amendments Foliar Feeding Biodynamic Teachings Cover Cropping Ponderable Mulch Soil Tests and Leaf Analysis Trace Minerals for Every Tree Chapter Four The Trees and the Planting Cultivar Selection Rootstocks and Tree Spacing Nursery Sources and Varietal Collectors Grafting and Propagation The Setting of the Trees Orchard Size and Layout High-Density Plantings Down to the Nitty-Gritty Chapter Five Care of the Orchard Intuitive Pruning Training the Apple Tree Pollination and Fruit Set Frost Protection Thinning the Fruit The Great Grass Debate Mowing Options Summer Care Preparing for Winter Restoring Neglected Orchards Chapter Six Apple Pests and Diseases The Beginning of Understanding Good-bye, Foliar Pests Insect Identification Bug-by-Bug Profiles Beneficial Insects Good Sanitation Fungal Diseases Other Diseases of the Apple Four-Legged Considerations Chapter Seven Spraying for Balance The Complexities of Nature All the Answers Aren't Known, but We're Gaining Timing Is Everything The Orchard Calendar Botanicals, Elementals, and Forbidden Fruit Gentler Sprays Spray Equipment for the Small Commercial Orchard Matters of Concern Chapter Eight Reaping the Harvest When to Pick Harvest Equipment The Apple Picker's Reel Hiring Help Windfalls and Fat Sheep From Orchard to Packing Shed Grading Revisited Cider Making The Juice of the Apple Apple Storage Chapter Nine Marketing in the Local Economy Getting a Fair Price Apple Economics Niche Marketing Value-Added Products Organic Certification Advertising Marketing Innovations Long-Term Vision Chapter Ten The Last Organic Frontier The Sustainable Orchard Tree Spirit, Community Spirit Organic Perseverance Here We Come a-Wassailing Esopus Spitzenberg and a Better Tomorrow Appendix I Compendium of Orchard Tasks Appendix 2 Apple Grower's Source List Appendix 3 Lost Nation Apple Recipes Appendix 4 Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisSoil is the basis not only for all gardening, but for all terrestrial life. No aspect of agriculture is more fundamental and important, yet we have been losing vast quantities of our finite soil resources to erosion, pollution, and development. Now back in print, this eminently sensible and wonderfully well-focused book provides essential information about one of the most significant challenges for those attempting to grow delicious organic vegetables: the creation and maintenance of healthy soil. Chapter 2, "Understanding the Soil System," is alone worth the price of admission. Gershuny and Smillie give lay readers and experts a clear explanation of subjects--soil life and nutrient cycles--that have confounded most authors. Nowhere will the reader find simpler and more coherent descriptions of key concepts including cation exchange capacity and chelation. There are other books about soil available, including Grace Gershuny's comprehensive Start with the Soil, and there are books that feature chapters on soil building. What distinguishes The Soil of Soilis the authors' concise presentation; they give readers important information, including technical essentials, without getting bogged down in scientific or quasiscientific mumbo-jumbo. In addition, useful tables list specific compost materials, green manures, and other resources that allow growers to translate into action the more general information provided by the book. The soil-building techniques featured include: Organic matter management Building and maintaining humus On-site composting Green manures and rotations Cultivation and weed control Nutrient balances and soil testing Using mineral fertilizers Planning for organic certification Updates to the 1999 edition include analysis of Proposed Rules for the National Organic Standards, and expanded recommendations for private testing services and soil-testing equipment for home gardeners and organic farmers. All of us involved in the cultivation of plants--from the backyard gardener to the largest farmer--need to help regenerate a "living soil," for only in the diversity of the soil and its creatures can we ensure the long-term health of ourselves and our environment. The Soul of Soil offers everyone a basic understanding of what soil is and what we can do to improve our own patch of it. Seen in this light, this practical handbook will be an inspiration as well.Table of Contents1. Understanding the Soil Ecosystem Organic matter and humus Physical factors: Soil structure and tilth Chemical factors: nutrient cycles and balances biological factors; The living soil community 2. Observing and Evaluating Your Soil Recordkeeping Monitoring tilth: reading the field Looking beneath the surface Evaluating biological health: looking at life forms 3. Soil Management Practices Managing physical factors: drainage, irrigation, tillage, and cultivation Organic matter and humus management Animal manures Composting Green manures and other soil-improving crops Rotations Using off-farm nutrient sources 4. The Marketplace and Organic Certification

Read more less

Book SynopsisPlanting your own garden can cut down your grocery bill, but few people have the time to cultivate a big harvest every year. Self-sufficiency expert Caleb Warnock shares his expertise in creating a permaculture food forest: a garden that you plant once and then leave in the hands of Mother Nature for years to come. Best of all, this natural, sustainable, and low-maintanance garden can succeed in any climate, and Growing a Permaculture Food Forest can show you how.This compact guidebook includes: ·Lists of the best flowers & herbs for food forests ·Wild edibles for food forests ·What NOT to plant ·Sustainable harvesting, and ·So much more!Seasonal planting and constant weeding are things of the past! With a permaculture food forest, you can feed your family with homegrown vegetables without all the fuss.Trade Review"This fantastic book explains which plants will not only come back each year, but many that will reseed and multiply themselves. A great book for anyone wanting to be a little more self reliant." —Texas Kitchen and Garden and More

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe UK's leading no-dig gardening expert, Charles Dowding, draws on his years of experience to show how easy it is to start a new vegetable garden.Any plot - whether a building site, overgrown with weeds or unwanted lawn - can be turned into a beautiful and productive vegetable area. Charles''s no-nonsense and straightforward advice is the perfect starting point for the beginner or experienced gardener.The book takes you step-by-step through everything - from planning, clearing the ground and the early stages of starting a vegetable garden, to growing in polytunnels and greenhouses. There is also helpful guidance on how to use mulch, ways to minimise digging, and planting/sowing tips across the seasons.Filled with labour-saving ideas and the techniques that Charles uses to garden so successfully, How to Create a Vegetable Garden is illustrated throughout with photos and tales from Charles''s first year in his new vegetable garden.Trade ReviewAnother inspiring yet practical book from Charles Dowding. -- Rozie Apps * Permaculture Magazine *It is impossible not to feel inspired by the unique combination of helpful guidance and enthusiastic encouragement of experimentation. As Charles proves, there is no plot of land too wild to tame, a building site too overgrown with weeds or an unwanted lawn that can't be turned into a productive and beautiful garden area. -- Chris Allen * Gardening TImes *This is yet another book that will, as a manual, be on my bookshelf, but it will sure spend more in my hand than on the shelf. -- Michael Smith * Green (Living) Review *How to Create a New Vegetable Garden is the best vegetable gardening book I have read for a long time. -- ThePottingShed.co.ukIf this doesn't encourage more of us to turn our gardens into productive and beautiful spaces, I don't know what will. -- Anne Swithinbank, broadcaster and gardening writerWhether you're a dedicated gardener or a newcomer to the word of growing, take a look: Charles's methods work beautifully. -- Mark Diacono, gardener, food writer and broadcasterHow to clear weeds and grow great plants: Charles explains from a wealth of experience. -- Sarah Raven, journalist and garden writerTable of ContentsForeword by Steve Mercer Introduction Part One: Clearing ground and preparing soil 1. Starting points 2. Beauty in the food garden 3. The setting 4. Clearing ground 5. Mulching 6. Building beds 7. Dig versus no-dig (with compost) 8. Dig versus no-dig (without compost) Part Two: Sowing and growing 9. Raising plants under cover 10. Early sowing and plantings 11. Successional sowings and plantings 12. One bed, one year 13. Growing under cover 14. Hot beds 15. Perennial vegetables Appendix: Seasons and climate zones Glossary Resources Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiscover everything you need to know to kick-start your composting journey! Dig into compost basics and get to grips with the many benefits of composting and the tools you''ll need to get the job done. It''s time to let your garden grow! You don''t have to be a horticulture expert to get started, this indispensable compost gardening book for beginners will take you through every single step! It includes: - Gardening tips on how to make compost at home- Packed with practical, jargon-free advice, and simple DIY composting techniques- Easy-to-follow format to help grow your gardening knowledgePerfect for first-time gardeners, this is your no-fuss guide to composting! From making your own fertiliser for plants to building your own compost bin, this sustainable gardening book will help you give your vegetable and flower garden a boost. Gorgeous, full-colour photography provides plenty of inspiration to get you started! Expert

Read more less

Book SynopsisGood soil leads to thriving gardens, and it's easy to create! Elizabeth Snell shows you how to properly use composted plant materials and animal manure to make soil that is perfectly suited to your growing goals. She provides all the information you need to give your garden a healthy foundation of rich, nutrient-filled soil that will ensure bountiful harvests and beautiful plants.Table of ContentsWhat kind of soil do you have?; creating fertility with nutrients and organic matter; the gardener's toy cupboard - soil-building tools; compost - the gardener's ultimate treasure; more soil-boosting secrets - mulches, soil amendments and green manures; demystifying fertilizers; improving what you've got - new sites and problem soils; fine-tuning tips for specific plants; the four seasons of soil building - a soil care calendar.

Read more less

Book Synopsis"Eliot is the reason I’m cooking. . . . I’ve followed that path because Eliot made it possible, and exciting, to farm in the four seasons."—Dan Barber, chef "There is hardly a more well-known or well-respected name among organic farmers than Eliot Coleman."—Civil Eats Learn season-extending techniques and eat the best food—garden fresh and chemical free—all year long, with little effort or expense. If you love the joys of eating home-garden vegetables but always thought those joys had to stop at the end of summer, this book is for you. Eliot Coleman introduces the surprising fact that most of the United States has more winter sunshine than the south of France. He shows how North American gardeners can successfully use that sun to raise a wide variety of traditional winter vegetables in backyard cold frames and plastic covered tunnel greenhouses without supplementary heat. Inside, you’ll also learn: Composting techniques Simple Mineral Amendments Planning and preparing your garden site Seeds for four seasons How to build cold frames, high tunnels, and mobile greenhouses How to cope with snow How to create a root cellar and other storage techniques And much, much more! Coleman expands upon his own experiences with new ideas learned on a winter-vegetable pilgrimage across the ocean to the acknowledged kingdom of vegetable cuisine, the southern part of France, which lies on the 44th parallel, the same latitude as his farm in Maine. This story of sunshine, weather patterns, old limitations and expectations, and new realities is delightfully innovative in the best gardening tradition. Four-Season Harvest will have you feasting on fresh produce from your garden all through the winter. "The man, the farmer, the legend, is Eliot Coleman."—The Atlantic To learn more about the possibility of a four-season farm, please visit Coleman's website www.fourseasonfarm.com.Trade ReviewPublishers Weekly- From first sentence to last, Coleman's ( The New Organic Gardener ) book is a delight--an earnest guide written with an impish sense of humor. It will refresh anyone who wants to get the most from a vegetable garden yet doesn't want to devote too much time and energy to the process. Apparently Coleman thoroughly enjoys every phase of gardening--from planting crops to weeding. Who else has ever suggested, only half in jest, dancing with a hoe? Or keeping a pair of ducks for pest patrol? This is that kind of book. It's also a book full of valuable information on how to harvest fresh vegetables and salad ingredients literally year-round--yet without an expensive greenhouse or indoor light garden set-up. Coleman combines succession planting (small sowings three or more times, rather than one big endeavor) with cold-frame growing in the winter months. He includes how-tos for building simple cold-frames. Given the fact that he lives in Maine, his advice seems all the more reliable. He believes in simplicity ("If what I am doing in the garden seems complicated, it is probably wrong"), seasonality (tomatoes in summer, broccoli in fall, mache in February) and diplomacy in the garden (which "has more to teach us than just how to grow food"). Here, his philosophy of organic growing is shared easily. The book concludes with an extensive chapter on the vegetables that comprise his "cast of characters." Illustrated. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title."Four-Season Harvest is a magnificent work. It's enticing, inspiring, sensible, and it opens a whole new world for the home grower."--Peter Fossel, Country Journal

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less