Sustainable agriculture Books

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Book SynopsisThis edited book brings out a comprehensive collection of information on the modern omics-based research. The main focus of this book is to educate researchers about utility of omics-based technologies in rapid crop improvement. In last two decades, omics technologies have been utilized significantly in the area of plant sciences and has shown promising results. Omics technology has potential to address the challenge of food security in the near future. The comprehensive use of omics technology occurred in last two decades and helped greatly in the understanding of complex biological problems, improve crop productivity and ensure sustainable use of ecosystem services. This book is of interest to researchers and students of life sciences, biotechnology, plant biotechnology, agriculture, forestry, and environmental sciences. It is also a useful knowledge resource for national and international agricultural scientists.Table of ContentsChapter 1. Integrating phenomics with breeding for climate-smart agriculture.- Chapter 2. Application of ‘omics’ technologies in crop breeding.- Chapter 3. Omics Technologies and Molecular Farming: Applications and Challenges.- Chapter 4. Omics to understand drought tolerance in plants: An update.- Chapter 5. Recent Advances in Transcriptomics: An Assessment of Recent Progress in Fruit Plants.- Chapter 6. Harnessing Perks of MiRNA Principles for Betterment of Agriculture and Food Security.- Chapter 7. Potential of Metabolomics in Plant Abiotic Stress Management.- Chapter 8. Integrating Pan-Omics Data in a Systems Approach for Crop Improvement: Opportunities and Challenges.- Chapter 9. Application of nanobiotechnology in agriculture: Novel strategy for food security.- Chapter 10. Understanding and manipulation of plant microbe interaction signals for yield enhancement.- Chapter 11. Next generation biofuel production in the omics era: Potential and prospects.- Chapter 12. Multi omics technologies and genetic modification in plants: Rationale, opportunities and reality.- Chapter 13. Social acceptance and regulatory prospects of genomics in addressing food security.

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Book SynopsisThis book highlights the environmental footprints and best practices in sustainable agriculture. This first volume includes forty-four interesting chapters that present agriculture in the light of food security, circular economy, sustainability, food exports and imports written by leading experts in the field. It provides and interesting read for researchers, policy makers and professionals in the area of agriculture and economy.​Table of ContentsSection 1. Environmental Footprint of Sustainable Agriculture Chapter 1. Sustainable agriculture as the basis for ensuring food security Chapter 2. Extended reproduction as the basis for sustainability of agriculture Chapter 3. Advantages of circular agriculture for the environment Chapter 4. Ecological efficiency as a criterion of sustainability of agriculture Chapter 5. Methodological approach to the multicriterial assessment of sustainability of agriculture Section 2. Current best practices of sustainable agriculture Chapter 6. Agriculture in developed countries: a review of circular practices Chapter 7. Agriculture in developing countries: a view from the perspective of sustainability Chapter 8. World’s biggest food producers on the way toward sustainable agriculture Chapter 9. Best practices and prospects of sustainable agriculture in food exporting countries Chapter 10. Problems relating to agricultural development in food importing countries​

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Book SynopsisOffers solutions to the issues and concerns of waste generated from industry. This book aims to conserve the natural resources by approaching 100 % utilization of various types of wastes by cradle-to-cradle concepts, using Industrial Ecology methodology documented with case studies. It reveals technologies for conservation of natural resources.Table of ContentsCHAPTER 1 CURRENT PRACTICE 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Waste Management 1.3 Treatment 1.4 Incineration 1.5 Landfill 1.6 Zero pollution CHAPTER 2 CLEANER PRODUCTION 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Promoting cleaner Production 2.3 Benefits of Cleaner Production 2.4 Obstacles and Solution of Cleaner Production 2.5 Cleaner Production Techniques 2.6 Methodology for Cleaner Production Assessment 2.7 Case Studies CHAPTER 3 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Industrial Ecology 3.3 Industrial Ecology Barriers 3.4 Industrial Ecology tools and indicators 3.5 Cradle ? To ? Cradle concept 3.6 Eco-Industrial Parks 3.7 Kalunberg Industrial farm CHAPTER 4 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL REFORM 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Sustainable development tools and methodology 4.3 Environmental Reform Structure 4.4 Sustainable Development Proposed Framework 4.5 Summary and Conclusion CHAPTER 5 MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Transfer station 5.3 Recycling of plastics 5.4 Recycling of Food waste 5.5 Recycling of rejects 5.6 Recycling of Composite material 5.7 Recycling of bones 5.8 Recycling of glass 5.9 Recycling of aluminum and tin cans 5.10 Recycling of textile CHAPTER 6 CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTES 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Construction Waste Management 6.3 Proposed guidelines for Construction Waste 6.4 Proposed guidelines for Demolition Waste CHAPTER 7 CLINICAL SOLID WASTE 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Management of Clinical Waste 7.3 Disinfection of Clinical Wastes 7.4 Current Experience of Clinical Wastes 7.5 Cradle ? to - Cradle For Clinical Waste 7.6 Electron Beam Technology 7.7 Electron Beam for Sterilization Of Clinical Wastes CHAPTER 8 AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL WASTES 8.1 Introduction 8.2 ABBC technologies 8.3 Animal fodder 8.4 Briqutting 8.5 Biogas 8.6 Composting 8.7 Integrated Complex 8.8 Environmentally balanced Rural Waste Complex; EBRWC CHAPTER 9 INDUSTRIAL SOLID WASTES 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Sugarcane Industry 9.3 Metal Industry 9.4 Textile industry 9.5 Marble industry 9.6 Oil and soap Industry 9.7 Petroleum Industry 9.8 Food Industry 9.9 Cement Industry 9.10 Tourism Industry 9.11 Industrial estate

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisIncrease in global population, drastic changes in the environment, soil degradation and decrease in quality and quantity of agricultural productivity warranted us to adapt sustainable farming practices. This book focuses on soil health management and creating biased rhizosphere that can effectively augment the needs of sustainable agriculture.Trade Review"This book is well designed with six broad areas explaining the approach for sustainable agriculture which include soil basics, soil management, plant nutrients and biological protection, soil organisms, soil–water–plant relationships and rhizosphere engineering. In the recent past, it has been observed that drastic global agricultural transformations have taken place in the farming systems due to modern cultivation practices and nutrient management. The book also mentions the methods and practices of sustainable agriculture, suggesting their benefits and importance. This book should be in every library and will prove useful to soil scientists, agronomists, environmental scientists, biochemists and those involved in natural resource management."— K. P. Voswanatha, Current Science, Vol 118, 2020Table of ContentsSoil BasicsIntroduction to Sustainable AgricultureSoil Formation and ClassificationPhysical Properties of SoilChemical Properties of SoilIntroduction to Soil Water SystemSoil management for sustainable agricultureHealthy Soils for Sustainable AgricultureSoil Erosion and its ConservationSoil Pollution: causes, effects, and preventive measuresSoil Testing for Better Nutrient ManagementSoil Preparation and TillageComposting for Sustainable AgricultureOrganic Farming and Precision Agriculture for Sustainable FarmingPlant Nutrients and BiopesticidesPlant Mineral NutrientsChemical Fertilizers and FertigationOrganic FertilizersBio-fertilizers for Integrated Nutrient ManagementBiopesticides for Integrated Pest ManagementSoil Organisms in Sustainable AgricultureSoil Biology Management for Sustainable Soil HealthSoil, Water, and Plant RelationsPlant Forms and FunctionsPlant Growth and DevelopmentMechanism of Mineral Nutrient Uptake in PlantsWater Absorption and Transport in PlantsAbiotic Stress: Plant response to moisture and salt stressesRhizosphere Engineering for Sustainable AgricultureRhizosphere Structure and Rhizodeposition.Rhizosphere Interactions: Network of plants, microbes and soilRhizosphere Engineering: Enhancing sustainable plant ecosystemBioremediation: A promising rhizosphere technology

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisBy 2050, the world population is expected to reach nine billion. And the challenge of feeding this rapidly growing population is being made greater by climate change, which will increasingly wreak havoc on the way we produce our food. This title tells the stories of the people who are working against time to create a fresh and hopeful future.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[A]n important study that contributes to the recentring of climate-change narratives, from those of international policymakers, post-colonial states and lowland populations to those of upland groups most vulnerable to human-induced climate change that is not of their own making." * South East Asia Research *"Clearly and sensitively thought-out exposition. The book should be recognized as a rare work of oral history and ethnography that throws down a legitimate challenge to listen to the struggling folk who live in and with “mountains of blame."" * Pacific Affairs *

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Book SynopsisJoin the permaculture revolution! Author Angela Ferraro-Fanning (Axe & Root Homestead) shares techniques and tips for a homestead with synergy between soil, plants, animals, and trees. If you’re like most homesteaders, the dream is to make the most of your land by working with it, not against it. From capturing water and building strong soil to helping your animals live their best lives, The Sustainable Homestead is about making your homestead stronger by achieving synergy between what can seem like different parts. In this book, new and veteran homesteaders alike can find detailed information to put to use this year, this month, even this week! Angela—also the co-host of the HOMESTEADucation podcast and author of the Little Homesteader/Little Country Cottage series of children’s books—has spent more than a decade building and strengthening her small acreage homestead and shares the lessonsTable of ContentsForeword Introduction Chapter 1: Site Assessment Chapter 2: Soil Chapter 3: Growing Chapter 4: Incorporating Animals Chapter 5: Designing a Pasture Chapter 6: Compost Chapter 7: The Sustainable Orchard Chapter 8: The Role of the Homesteader Resources Acknowledgments About the Author Works Cited Index

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Book SynopsisThe Backyard Beekeeper, 5th Edition is your complete honey bee resource, loaded with essential information for beginning and maintaining healthy hives. Table of ContentsPreface New Challenges To Sum It All UpIntroduction In the Beginning Evolution: Moving OnCHAPTER 1: Starting Right Getting Started Beeyards Other Than Your Backyard Extreme Urban Beekeeping The Right Tools of the Trade And Yes, the Right BeesCHAPTER 2: About Those Bees Queens Workers Drones Seasonal ChangesCHAPTER 3: About Beekeeping Review and Preparation Lighting Your Smoker Package Management Summertime Chores Keeping Records Opening a Colony Honeycomb and Brood Combs Summertime Chores Fall and Winter Management Early Next Spring InspectionsCHAPTER 4: About Honey Honey Flow Time Honey Harvest Time Comb Honey and Cut-Comb HoneyCHAPTER 5: Maladies, Problems, and Solutions IPM FundamentalsVarroa Nosema Chalkbrood European Foulbrood American Foulbrood Wax Moth Small Hive Beetle Other PestsCHAPTER 6: Beeswax Be Safe Melting Beeswax Using BeeswaxCHAPTER 7: 25 Rules of Modern Beekeeping Queen’s Rules Bees’ Rules Beekeeping RulesVarroa Rules Beekeeper Rules Glossary Resources Photographer Credits About the Author Acknowledgments Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Knowledge Rich Ranching will expose you to what you need to understand when you sit down to the kitchen table on winter nights to determine how not only to make it through another year, but to develop a long-term economically sustainable farm or ranch. From goal setting to the harsh realities of the cattle cycle, from financial planning and business structure to the successful mindset, Nation’s book brings knowledge into once convenient, concise and readable package."–David W. Morrison, Rural Papers"Allan Nation makes an interesting declaration early in his book, Knowledge Rich Ranching. “A basic principle of ranching,” Nation says, “is that land ownership and cattle are two separate businesses. Going out and purchasing a ranch and then buying some cows in hopes that they will pay off the note is a sure ticket to financial disaster.” Nothing equivocal about that. The rest of his book carries the same tone. His points have been echoed by others in economic digressions but the points too often are missed or ignored. Throughout the book Nation ends each chapter section with what he labels “profit points.” Even people who don’t farm or ranch will find interesting points to think about. Most of the book is about the skills needed to run a cattle ranch, and the philosophical observations are just asides or bonuses."–Virgil Rupp, Agri-Times NW

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Book SynopsisSepp Holzer farms steep mountainsides in Austria 1,500 meters above sea level. His farm is an intricate network of terraces, raised beds, ponds, waterways and tracks, well covered with productive fruit trees and other vegetation, with the farmhouse neatly nestling amongst them. This is in dramatic contrast to his neighbors' spruce monocultures.In this book, Holzer shares the skill and knowledge acquired over his lifetime. He covers every aspect of his farming methods, not just how to create a holistic system on the farm itself, but how to make a living from it. Holzer writes about everything from the overall concepts, down to the practical details.In Sepp Holzer's Permaculturereaders will learn: How he sets up a permaculture system The fruit varieties he has found best for permaculture growing How to construct terraces, ponds, and waterways How to build shelters for animals and how to work with them on the land How to cultivate edible mushrooms in the garden and on the farm and much more! Holzer offers a wealth of information for the gardener, smallholder or alternative farmer yet the book's greatest value is the attitudes it teaches. He reveals the thinking processes based on principles found in nature that create his productive systems. These can be applied anywhere.Trade Review"A fascinating book written by a man who has devoted a lifetime to working with nature and creating extraordinarily diverse polycultures. His work is breathtaking."--Maddy Harland, editor of Permaculture Magazine "There, at an altitude which everyone else has abandoned to low-value forestry, what is probably the best example of a permaculture farm in Europe stands out like a beacon."--Patrick Whitefield, permaculture author and teacher ForeWord Reviews- Holzer's beautifully designed and illustrated book is essential reading for all who care about the land and the vast interrelated web of living beings who inhabit it, and it is especially timely, since small and organic farmers in the United States are being threatened by agribusiness, chemical companies, and others who view nature as something to conquer and ravish rather than honor and learn from. Large- and small-scale farmers, home gardeners, and even those who only have room to grow in a few pots on a city balcony will find Holzer's methods applicable and effective, his reasoning and knowledge impeccable, and his spirit pure and honest. -- Kristine Morris"The real story of a 110+ acre commercial permaculture farm featuring 14,000 fruit trees with diverse understory plants, complete integration of rotationally grazed livestock, terraces and rainwater harvesting, and so much more. Anyone interested in taking permaculture to a larger scale in a cold climate will benefit from Sepp Holtzer's 40 years of practical experience implementing permaculture principles."--Eric Toensmeier, author of Perennial Vegetables and co-author of Edible Forest Gardens Here's great news for fruit-loving gardeners everywhere! Most of the work of establishing, pruning, and tending fruit trees by 'modern' methods is unnecessary and even counterproductive. Sepp Holzer's Permaculture is the One-Straw Revolution for tree crops.--Carol Deppe, author of The Resilient Gardener: Food Production and Self-reliance in Uncertain Times "After reading this book, all I can say is Sepp Holzer is a Superstar Farmer. Holzer turns out an absolutely remarkable volume and variety of food products, all without one smidgen of chemical fertilizer, and on land in Austria that an Illinois corn farmer would pronounce too marginal for agriculture. American farmers and gardeners will be particularly interested in Holzer's raised beds--which are quite different in construction from ours in the U.S.--as well as his inventive water well irrigation systems, unique methods for integrating livestock into his fruit and vegetable gardens, and practical, low-labor way to grow mushrooms. A fascinating book for anyone who aspires to become the ultimate, champion professional of sustainable farming."--Gene Logsdon, author of Holy Shit: Managing Manure to Save Mankind, and The Contrary Farmer "As the era of cheap energy, stable climates and surplus fertilizer stocks comes to a close, the principles of permaculture will become increasingly attractive as one way to design our future food and agriculture systems. Sepp Holzer's Permaculture provides important insights for applying these principles, for both rural farming and emerging forms of urban agriculture."--Frederick Kirschenmann, President, Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture Table of Contents1. Landscape design 2. Alternative agriculture 3. Fruit Trees 4. Cultivating mushrooms 5. Gardens 6. Projects

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Book SynopsisDroves of people have turned to local food as a way to retreat from our broken industrial food system. From rural outposts to city streets, they are sowing, growing, selling, and eating food produced close to home—and they are crying out for agricultural reform. All this has made "local food" into everything from a movement buzzword to the newest darling of food trendsters. But now it's time to take the conversation to the next level. That's exactly what Philip Ackerman-Leist does in Rebuilding the Foodshed, in which he refocuses the local-food lens on the broad issue of rebuilding regional food systems that can replace the destructive aspects of industrial agriculture, meet food demands affordably and sustainably, and be resilient enough to endure potentially rough times ahead. Changing our foodscapes raises a host of questions. How far away is local? How do you decide the size and geography of a regional foodshed? How do you tackle tough issues that plague food systems large and small—issues like inefficient transportation, high energy demands, and rampant food waste? How do you grow what you need with minimum environmental impact? And how do you create a foodshed that's resilient enough if fuel grows scarce, weather gets more severe, and traditional supply chains are hampered? Showcasing some of the most promising, replicable models for growing, processing, and distributing sustainably grown food, this book points the reader toward the next stages of the food revolution. It also covers the full landscape of the burgeoning local-food movement, from rural to suburban to urban, and from backyard gardens to large-scale food enterprises.Trade ReviewPublishers Weekly- For a somewhat wonky book about food policy, Rebuilding the Foodshed is unusually humorous and open-minded. Vermont farmer and professor Ackerman-Leist ruminates his way through the conundrums and possibilities of local food, demonstrating how words and their definitions can shed light on and transform our understanding of the rapidly evolving, often confusing, emotion-fraught questions of what people eat, where the food comes from, who has access to what, and how the answers to these questions affect the lives of eaters and growers. Let’s call food production farming, he suggests. “Farming is about energy flows. ‘Food production’ is about a terminal point in the act of agriculture.” He finds solutions in the actions of pioneers of food production, distribution, and education, including D-Town Farm—a “step into transcendence” in a deteriorating Detroit suburb that recycles waste to grow vegetables and mushrooms, harvest honey, and help revitalize the devastated local economy. Ackerman-Leist also examines New North Florida Cooperative’s farm-to-school program. With insight, he demonstrates how communities can bridge and transcend the “false divides” he pinpoints in the local-food conversation: urban/rural, small-scale/large-scale, local/international, and all/nothing.ForeWord Reviews- From the Acknowledgements section on, Philip Ackerman-Leist’s newest book is highly enjoyable, sincere, and informative. An associate professor at Vermont’s Green Mountain College, Ackerman-Leist heads up the Farm and Food Project at the college and has years of experience in homesteading. So, when he asks questions about sustainable and local food, it is from a deeply personal perspective. Readers will appreciate the well-researched arguments and examples, as well as the academician behind them. Ackerman-Leist embarks on a personal challenge to define these buzzword categories of “local” and “sustainable.” He exhaustively tackles all of the logistics of creating a truly local food system as he engages and entertains readers. Key to Ackerman-Leist’s goals is engaging more members of the community in local food initiatives. Addressing the growing problem of food insecurity as it relates to underutilized or lack of local food systems, as well as taking on the food justice issue, must be priorities for concerned locavores. In searching for answers, he highlights several groundbreaking citizen/producer-owned programs as well as problematic status quo operations. Getting healthy food into the hands of all people requires that we pull the elitist label off of anyone who has an interest in healthy, local food. The author’s writing style entirely succeeds in making an academic line of questioning feel fun, relevant, and accessible to all who are interested. Ultimately, this is a great book that will catapult readers into a highly critical understanding of the many complex issues with food and localized agriculture in the United States, as well as offer possible solutions. Ackerman-Leist writes with lively panache, an unlikely but somehow well-suited style for talk of such serious problems. This book is highly recommended for anyone who hopes to be part of the evolution.Choice- "The third volume in the Community Resilience Guide series, this book explores themes similar to those in Michael Bryan's Food Security and Paul Roberts's The End of Food. Just as Michael Carolan recognizes in The Real Cost of Cheap Food, Ackerman-Leist (environmental studies, Green Mountain College) acknowledges the complex, confusing issues associated with local food, without detracting from its counterpoints. Much of Ackerman-Leist's argument focuses on how a locavore approach is articulated within a larger food production cycle. The book is divided into three sections. Part 1, 'Dilemmas,' presents several questions related to the meaning of local food. Sections titled 'Drivers for Rebuilding Local Food Systems' and 'New Directions' follow. 'Drivers' provides excellent discussions of energy and the environment and a fresh look at the implications of food security and food justice, addressing topics such as equitable access, agricultural workers, and different agricultural commodities. The concluding section examines sometimes neglected areas, including current agricultural education or the role of incubator farms, before expanding the concept of local food into community-based food. Ackerman-Leist's task is not simple, but his approach is stimulating and worthwhile. Summing Up: Recommended.""Now that it’s not just acceptable but fashionable to write about local food systems, lots of people do it. Few pay close attention, however, as Ackerman-Leist does in this volume, to the variously shaped components successful local systems will require and the multiple efforts around the country working to create them. A wise, informed, and thoroughly useful book."--Joan Gussow, author of Growing, Older and This Organic Life"By now we have all learned that local food is about much more than food miles. Philip Ackerman-Leist has eloquently helped us to understand just how comprehensive the concept is: how our food system must be redesigned if it is to be reliable and resilient, how that design must be guided by principles of ecology, justice, health, and humility, and how to put such theories into practice for farmers, chefs, consumers, and communities. A practical guide for anyone interested in imagining our food systems of the future."--Frederick Kirschenmann, author of Cultivating an Ecological Conscience: Essays from a Farmer/Philosopher"The future of food is local. But how do we transition from our current globalized, supermarket-centered food world to one that's human-scaled and ecosystem-friendly? This book shows how communities across America are reclaiming the ability to feed themselves. It's inspiring as well as informative. If you eat, you really should read it."--Richard Heinberg, author of The End of Growth and Peak Everything"Rebuilding the Foodshed introduces readers to local food systems in all their complexities. In moving from industrial to regional food systems, communities must consider an enormous range of factors, from geographic to socioeconomic. Difficult as doing this may be, this book makes it clear that the results are well worth the effort in their benefits to farmers and farm workers as well as eaters."--Marion Nestle, professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University and author of What to Eat "Phillip Ackerman-Leist has been in the trenches of food-systems change for well over a decade, from farm to school. Now he has elegantly laid out the principles of how to redesign foodsheds for greater food security, justice, and energy efficiency, while engaging communities in making tangible innovations on the ground. He is undoubtedly in the best place to address these issues, since Vermont communities have accomplished more food relocalization than those in any other state."--Gary Paul Nabhan, pioneer in the food relocalization movement, author of Coming Home to Eat and Renewing America's Food Traditions Table of Contents1. Location, location, values 2. The geography of local 3. How far should local go? 4. Energy 5. Environment 6. Food security 7. Food justice 8. Biodiversity 9. Market value 10. Marketplace values 11. Bringing it all back home 12. Collaborative possibilities 13. Farmland security 14. Bridging the divides

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Book SynopsisThe Tao of Vegetable Gardening explores the practical methods as well as the deeper essence of gardening. In her latest book, groundbreaking garden writer Carol Deppe (The Resilient Gardener, Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties) focuses on some of the most popular home garden vegetables—tomatoes, green beans, peas, and leafy greens—and through them illustrates the key principles and practices that gardeners need to know to successfully plant and grow just about any food crop. Deppe’s work has long been inspired and informed by the philosophy and wisdom of Tao Te Ching, the 2,500-year-old work attributed to Chinese sage Lao Tzu and the most translated book in the world after the Bible. The Tao of Vegetable Gardening is organized into chapters that echo fundamental Taoist concepts: Balance, Flexibility, Honoring the Essential Nature (your own and that of your plants), Effortless Effort, Non-Doing, and even Non-Knowing. Yet the book also offers a wealth of specific and valuable garden advice on topics as diverse as: • The Eat-All Greens Garden, a labor- and space-efficient way to provide all the greens a family can eat, freeze, and dry—all on a tiny piece of land suitable for small-scale and urban gardeners. • The growing problem of late blight and the future of heirloom tomatoes—and what gardeners can do to avoid problems, and even create new resistant varieties. • Establishing a Do-It-Yourself Seed Bank, including information on preparing seeds for long-term storage and how to “dehybridize” hybrids. • Twenty-four good places to not plant a tree, and thirty-seven good reasons for not planting various vegetables. Designed for gardeners of all levels, from beginners to experienced growers, The Tao of Vegetable Gardening provides a unique frame of reference: a window to the world of nature, in the garden and in ourselves.Trade ReviewPublishers Weekly- "This thoughtful book is a guide for growing tomatoes, squash, and greens, but its most significant contribution is Deppe’s approach to gardening. She encourages the gardener to cultivate an intuitive relationship with plants and almost a sixth sense about when to actively work in the garden, and when to stand back and let the plants do the growing they need to do. She calls it the Tao of gardening, a form of 'non-doing' or 'doing that which gives maximum effect for the minimum effort,' so that unnecessary action has been eliminated. It is about balance: not watering too much, not fertilizing too much. She further enjoins the gardener to create a relationship with the garden, knowing what needs tending what needs to be left alone. The advice for raising tomatoes and greens will benefit the gardener, but the magic of the book is the way it teaches the gardener how to grow with the garden.”“With the insight of a skilled breeder Carol Deppe has drawn together the best of ancient wisdom and traditional crops. Gardeners rejoice! The past has never promised us a better future than in these pages.”--Roger B. Swain, host of PBS’s “The Victory Garden”"In The Tao of Vegetable Gardening Carol Deppe uses Taoist philosophical concepts to communicate gardening wisdom learned through longtime practice and experimentation. She seemlessly integrates excellent how-to advice with her reflections on cultivation, plants, soil, the elements, and life. This book is as profound as it is practical, and will be a great source of information and inspiration for both experienced gardeners and those just starting out."--Sandor Ellix Katz, author, The Art of Fermentation“There are many knowledgeable gardeners but very few wise ones. Carol Deppe is both. Her excellent new book, The Tao of Vegetable Gardening, serves up generous portions of homegrown know-how gleaned from three decades worth of experimentation. It will, no doubt, make you a better gardener. What sets this book apart, though, is its potential for making us into happier gardeners by sharing the deeper life lessons our gardens have to teach. The Chinese word tao can be defined in different ways but my favorite is "path," and Carol Deppe shows us that the timeless path to health, happiness and wholeness cuts right through our own backyard, if we choose to take it.”--Roger Doiron, Founding Director, Kitchen Gardeners International “Why do different ripe tomatoes harvested from the same plant in the same season taste different? What does bean seed color have to do with vigor and flavor? After nearly forty years in the seed business, I still learn amazing things from each new book by Carol Deppe. The Tao of Vegetable Gardening melds the observational skills and curiosity of a molecular geneticist with the sheer joy and inner harmonies of a practicing participant in the garden's dance of life.”--CR Lawn, founder, Fedco Seeds“The Tao of Vegetable Gardening is another absolutely brilliant book from Carol Deppe. It’s smart, ultimately sensible, refreshing in the way old assumptions get questioned, vastly informative about gardening—plus it’s a really good read. I mean, how many gardening books make you laugh out loud and get you to pick up the phone and order a tool from a place called Red Pig? I’m so grateful for this book—I will have it memorized by the time the soil is ready to work.”--Deborah Madison, author, Vegetable Literacy “If you want to read the complete, deepest-down lowdown on how to grow organic vegetables successfully, this is the book. It also stands as a guide to the most genuine, independent lifestyle possible, relying only on nature and the author's awesomely detailed knowledge of plant life to achieve successful food production and a contented way of life. The reader learns not only how to grow and cook vegetables, but how to breed new varieties and save the seed. And while you read her book, you are also charmed with the Tao philosophy of living--something I have come to believe is a sure path to tranquility.”--Gene Logsdon, author, Gene Everlasting and The Contrary FarmerBooklist- "Biologist and plant breeder Deppe (The Resilient Gardener, 2010) shares principles and practices that will 'allow a gardener to do nothing whatsoever after sowing the seed until it is time to come back and harvest.' Such wonderful pragmatism does not mean that this is a cut-and-dried how-to. Far from it. Deppe is lively, thoroughly engaged, and cheerfully direct, and her use of the tao is no gimmick. She infuses her in-depth, hands-on guide to growing, harvesting, preparing, and eating the most popular and nutritional vegetables with pithy and resonant philosophical observations, including such aphorisms as these, which preface the weeding section: 'Deal with the small before it is large. Deal with the few before they are many.' Age-old wisdom graces comprehensive, clear, and timely instructions on every aspect of vegetable cultivation and enjoyment, including Deppe’s guidance in avoiding late blight, the disease now threatening heirloom tomatoes, and her 'eat-all greens' strategy for growing succulent kale, mustard, and other leafy greens. Whether writing about squash or serenity, Deppe is pleasurable and enlightening company, and this is a vegetable gardener’s treasury.”

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Book SynopsisThe stat sheet on hemp sounds almost too good to be true: its fibers are among the planet’s strongest, its seed oil the most nutritious, and its potential as an energy source vast and untapped. Its one downside? For nearly a century, it’s been illegal to grow industrial cannabis in the United States–even though Betsy Ross wove the nation’s first flag out of hemp fabric, Thomas Jefferson composed the Declaration of Independence on it, and colonists could pay their taxes with it. But as the prohibition on hemp’s psychoactive cousin winds down, one of humanity’s longest-utilized plants is about to be reincorporated into the American economy. Get ready for the newest billion-dollar industry. In Hemp Bound: Dispatches from the Front Lines of the Next Agricultural Revolution, bestselling author Doug Fine embarks on a humorous yet rigorous journey to meet the men and women who are testing, researching, and pioneering hemp’s applications for the twenty-first century. From Denver, where Fine hitches a ride in a hemp-powered limo; to Asheville, North Carolina, where carbon-negative hempcrete-insulated houses are sparking a mini housing boom; to Manitoba where he raps his knuckles on the hood of a hemp tractor; and finally to the fields of east Colorado, where practical farmers are looking toward hemp to restore their agricultural economy—Fine learns how eminently possible it is for this misunderstood plant to help us end dependence on fossil fuels, heal farm soils damaged after a century of growing monocultures, and bring even more taxable revenue into the economy than its smokable relative. Fine’s journey will not only leave you wondering why we ever stopped cultivating this miracle crop, it will fire you up to sow a field of it for yourself, for the nation’s economy, and for the planet.Trade ReviewAcres U.S.A.- “Fine covers a remarkable amount of ground in his book, so much so that it’s hard to believe that he does it in fewer than 200 pages. He talks to a dizzying variety of people who have special knowledge and experience, whacks his hand on a tractor hood made from hemp, and drops in plenty of historical facts for context. (Humanity has an 8,000-year history with this plant.) If you need a crash course in a commodity that could well turn American agriculture on its head over the next few years, look no further.” Booklist- "Little noticed on the sidelines during the recent media controversy over Colorado’s decision to legalize marijuana was a groundbreaking movement in Congress to lift a decades-long ban on the popular intoxicant’s psychoactively inert cousin, hemp. As elucidated in this witty and informative overview of hemp’s enormous agricultural potential, New Mexico-based author and radio reporter Fine argues that not much has ever made sense about the stigma U.S. lawmakers have heaped upon this incredibly versatile plant since it was made illegal back in 1937. Although it bears a strong resemblance to the smokable form of cannabis, hemp is almost completely lacking in THC, the ingredient that bestows marijuana’s much sought-after ‘high.' Hemp’s incredibly strong internal fibers have been used in making everything from rope and paper to durable clothing and eco-friendly housing. In 11 engaging, myth-busting chapters bearing titles such as 'Grow Your Next Home' and 'Patriots Ponder Planting,' Fine makes clear that hemp legalization, assuming it happens, could both boost the American economy and spawn a mini hemp based industrial revolution.”“Hemp Bound is informative, entertaining, and chock full of stories about hemp farmers, wannabe hemp farmers, passionate activists, and savvy business people. It is a fun book to read and hopefully, alongside aggressive legalization at the state level, it will help break down the roadblocks to production that the cotton, vegetable oil, plastics, lumber, and paper corporations constructed and maintained since shortly after the Second World War. Doug Fine is right: this incredible plant could be a boon to large and small farmers and rural communities—one that we have been prohibited from growing in this country for more than fifty years. Hemp’s time has come again.”--Will Allen, organic farmer; author, The War on Bugs“In Hemp Bound, Doug Fine convincingly describes the proven value and amazing potential of the nonpsychoactive variety of the cannabis plant. You can eat it, drink it, read it, tie it, wear it, drive it, live in it, and make money growing it, all while saving the soil and protecting the climate. This is an important story, engagingly told.”--William Martin, senior fellow, drug policy, Rice University’s Baker Institute“If ever anyone needed proof that government meddling in markets is injurious to innovation, Hemp Bound dispels all doubt. With science and humor, Fine paints an alternative and optimistic future—one that makes growing hemp seem as exhilarating and necessary as clean air. Fine’s style and storytelling ability make this one of the most fun books you’ll ever read about the future of farming.”--Joel Salatin, author of Everything I Want to Do Is Illegal“Doug Fine’s engrossing and eye-opening book reveals hemp’s role as a new source of food, energy, and raw materials. This absurd war on one of the world’s most useful plants is about to end, and everyone can declare victory.”--Mark Frauenfelder, founder, Boing Boing“Hemp is our ancestral ally, one that long provided us with food, shelter, clothing, and medicine. Hemp Bound reveals that now is the time to remember this alliance with hemp after years of prohibition, and that although it won’t save us, it can help us. That’s what earth medicine does.”--John Trudell, poet, recording artist, actor, activist, and cofounder of Hempstead Project HEARTKirkus Reviews- "What might come back along with legalized pot? Only one of the strongest, most versatile plants in the world: hemp. In his latest, self-described “comedic investigative journalist” Fine (Too High to Fail: Cannabis and the New Green Economic Revolution, 2012, etc.) focuses on the enormous potential applications for industrialized hemp. As the author ably explains, the plant is the government-designated name for all strains of cannabis that have negligible amounts of THC, meaning it can’t get you high. However, it can be used as a wildly strong fiber; when the U.S. government passed the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, suddenly the U.S. Army found itself lacking in decent ropes. It can also create incongruous benefits, like creating nutritious products based on its oil, and can even be used as a potential energy source. To prove his point, Fine chronicles his trips across North America, visiting and profiling entrepreneurs, advocates, farmers and innovators. In Denver, he took a test drive in a hemp oil–powered Mercedes-Benz; in Winnipeg, Canada, he visited a factory where enthusiasts are crafting composite materials from hemp that could potentially be used in automobiles, airplanes or industrial tools like tractors. The author also makes the point that the United States is the largest market for Canada’s thriving hemp industry, which is regulated smoothly and profitably by its government. Fine is, of course, an accidental activist, too, but it’s hard not to admire his enthusiasm. A short, sweet, logical and funny argument for the potential of one of the world’s most dynamic cash crops.”“The issue is simple: farmers need hemp, the soil needs hemp, forests need hemp, and humanity needs the plant that the good Lord gave us for our own survival—hemp. The benefits are too many to name, but if hemp was a crop that could be monopolized by industrial Ag corporations it would already be legal. Hemp Bound tells us with detail and humor how to get to the environmental Promised Land. Doug has created a blueprint for the America of the future.”--Willie Nelson“I never dreamed industrial hemp had so much promise until I read Doug Fine's Hemp Bound. The book is not only fun to read, but it passes along fascinating insights about a farm crop that produces many food and fiber products and is adapted to areas where corn and soybeans are rarely profitable. As the author points out with gracious good humor, industrial hemp is not medical marijuana, and it should become a major farm crop in America as it has elsewhere.”--Gene Logsdon, author of Gene Everlasting and Holy Shit: Managing Manure to Save Mankind

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Book SynopsisIncluding information on cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep, and goats, and exotics like bison, rabbits, elk, and deer How can anyone from a backyard hobbyist to a large-scale rancher go about raising and selling ethically produced meats directly to consumers, restaurants, and butcher shops? With the rising consumer interest in grass-fed, pasture-raised, and antibiotic-free meats, how can farmers most effectively tap into those markets and become more profitable? The regulations and logistics can be daunting enough to turn away most would-be livestock farmers, and finding and keeping their customers challenges the rest. Farmer, consultant, and author Rebecca Thistlethwaite (Farms with a Future) and her husband and coauthor, Jim Dunlop, both have extensive experience raising a variety of pastured livestock in California and now on their homestead farm in Oregon. The New Livestock Farmer provides pasture-based production essentials for a wide range of animals, from common farm animals (cattle, poultry, pigs, sheep, and goats) to more exotic species (bison, rabbits, elk, and deer). Each species chapter discusses the unique requirements of that animal, then delves into the steps it takes to prepare and get them to market. Profiles of more than fifteen meat producers highlight some of the creative ways these innovative farmers are raising animals and direct-marketing superior-quality meats. In addition, the book contains information on a variety of vital topics: • Governmental regulations and how they differ from state to state; • Slaughtering and butchering logistics, including on-farm and mobile processing options and sample cutting sheets; • Packaging, labeling, and cold-storage considerations; • Principled marketing practices; and • Financial management, pricing, and other business essentials. This book is must reading for anyone who is serious about raising meat animals ethically, outside of the current consolidated, unsustainable CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) system. It offers a clear, thorough, well-organized guide to a subject that will become increasingly important as the market demand for pasture-raised meat grows stronger.Trade Review“If you’ve ever wanted to know what it takes to raise, market, and sell animal products, The New Livestock Farmer is the book for you. Rebecca Thistlethwaite and Jim Dunlop have put together a complete guide for raising everything from poultry to goats and rabbits to beef. The book provides a wealth of information about breeds, animal husbandry, processing, and the business side of livestock farming. It’s a valuable resource for anyone new to farming or curious about how to start.”--Carrie Balkcom, executive director, American Grassfed Association“The real question for the reform of livestock agriculture in the US is whether we can move from a media saturated with images of what we can’t stomach—digestively or culturally—to a more sophisticated understanding of practical and ethical alternatives that make ecological and economic sense. As a farmer and a teacher, I have yet to find a guiding text that does it so well or so comprehensively. Thistlethwaite and Dunlop take us step by step from the open-ended question of breed selection to the finality of slaughter options, providing clear pathways of decision-making for farmers, students, consumers, and advocates.”--Philip Ackerman-Leist, professor, Green Mountain College, and author, Rebuilding the Foodshed"The livestock farmer of today must master not only the vast skills necessary to be an ethical rancher but also marketing, sales, processing, packaging and so many others. Rebecca and Jim’s book is a humble and deeply informative guide from a couple that has been deep in the metaphorical and literal weeds of this challenging work. Without thriving agricultural-based communities, resources like this book are invaluable substitutes, creating a network of like-minded land stewards. Rebecca and Jim have done a good turn in sharing their knowledge in this straightforward and honest primer."-- Marissa Guggiana, co-founder, The Butcher’s Guild, and author, Primal Cuts: Cooking with America’s Best Butchers“My husband and I have farmed for a living all of our adult lives, and farmed with our parents before that. So we had the good fortune of being surrounded by people with deep generational knowledge when we started out. I can’t imagine how new farmers are making it today without that kind of support. Recently we added Large Black hogs to our small farm in north-central Kentucky. The New Livestock Farmer came to us just when we needed it. It is what my father Wendell Berry would call the best of books because it is a tool. It fills a cultural need, and will give beginning farmers just the information they need, just the way they need it.”--Mary Berry, executive director, The Berry Center“Great practical advice on choosing the species to raise, humane treatment, and marketing. Informative chapters on processing, regulations, and starting a business.”--Temple Grandin, author of Humane Livestock Handling and Improving Animal Welfare: A Practical Approach“When it comes to raising healthy livestock in harmony with the land and the local community, this book shows why the old ways are new again… and why they work better than the industrial methods that are all too popular today. The detailed instructions in these pages are all you need to start raising livestock ethically and sustainably. In fact, I’d say it’s a better investment than an agricultural degree from a land grant university.”--Mike Callicrate, owner, Callicrate Cattle Co. and Ranch Foods Direct“Responsible and healthful meat consumption starts on the farm, literally from the ground up, with solid and ethical animal husbandry practices. The New Livestock Farmer provides a clear understanding of how to achieve fulfilling and delicious results. The authors share their proven wisdom to help small-scale, grass-based farmers avoid the pitfalls of an often confusing and intimidating agricultural landscape.”--Adam Danforth, author of Butchering Beef and Butchering Poultry, Rabbit, Lamb, Goat, and Pork

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Book SynopsisThe Bio-Integrated Farm is a twenty-first-century manual for managing nature’s resources. This groundbreaking book brings “system farming” and permaculture to a whole new level. Author Shawn Jadrnicek presents new insights into permaculture, moving beyond the philosophical foundation to practical advanced designs based on a functional analysis. Holding his designs to a higher standard, Jadrnicek’s components serve at least seven functions (classical permaculture theory only seeks at least two functions). With every additional function a component performs, the design becomes more advanced and saves more energy. A bio-integrated greenhouse, for example, doesn’t just extend the season for growing vegetables; it also serves as a rainwater collector, a pond site, an aquaponics system, and a heat generator. Jadrnicek’s prevalent theme is using water to do the work. Although applicable in many climates, his designs are particularly important for areas coping with water scarcity. Jadrnicek focuses on his experience as farm manager at the Clemson University Student Organic Farm and at his residence in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. These locations lie at the cooler northern edge of a humid subtropical climate that extends west to the middle of Texas and north along the coast to New Jersey. He has created permaculture patterns ranging from raising transplants and field design to freshwater prawn production and composting. These patterns have simplified the operation of the 125-share CSA farm while reducing reliance on outside resources. In less time than it takes to mow his two-acre homestead, Jadrnicek is building a you-pick fruit farm using permaculture patterns. His landscape requires only the labor of harvesting, and the only outside input he buys is a small amount of chicken feed. By carefully engaging the free forces of nature—water, wind, sunlight, convection, gravity, and decomposition—Jadrnicek creates sustenance without maintenance and transforms waste into valuable farm resources. The Bio-Integrated Farm offers in-depth information about designing and building a wide range of bio-integrated projects including reflecting ponds, water-storage ponds, multipurpose basins, greenhouses, compost heat extraction, pastured chicken systems, aquaculture, hydroponics, hydronic heating, water filtration and aeration, cover cropping, and innovative rainwater-harvesting systems that supply water for drip irrigation and flushing toilets.Trade ReviewPublishers Weekly- "Jadrnicek, a farmer, educator (he teaches at and oversees Clemson University’s organic student farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains), and perpetually tinkering designer and inventor, implements the permaculture principle of 'stacking functions’—'Every component of a design should function in many ways'—and pushes its limits. 'Something very special happens when a component within the design exceeds seven functions,’ he writes. 'Once the odd magic number of seven is breached, the design takes on a life of its own.' With curiosity, imagination, and exuberant obsession, he shares his successful manifestations and ongoing experiments and shows readers how to implement them in their own agricultural pursuits, whether a market farm or steep urban yard. He provides both broad conceptual overviews and comprehensive specifics. Less committed growers may balk at the complexity of these living designs and the basic physics, chemistry, and algebra needed to realize them, but permies and others committed to developing a regenerative agriculture—as well as ambitious weekend gardeners dreaming of an in-town, self-sufficient aquaculture greenhouse—will likely be impatient to try it themselves.”“The Bio-Integrated Farm provides practical solutions for farmers and homesteaders facing the dual challenges of sustainably feeding an expanding global population and building resilience into their systems in response to climate disruption. Shawn Jadrnicek’s designs for greenhouses, irrigation, composting systems, and more are based on the most enduring answer: let’s look to nature. From experience, Jadrnicek knows how to create organic, resilient, and highly productive systems based on creative use of water, solar energy, and other free forces of nature.”--Courtney White, author of Two Percent Solutions for the Planet“The Bio-Integrated Farm is an invaluable resource for market farmers, homesteaders, and serious gardeners who are interested in improving their relationship with the land. Shawn Jadrnicek’s creative use of materials, animals, and space, which he clearly and thoroughly explains in this book, will inspire and teach you how to improve the efficiency and resiliency of your farm or garden. I can’t wait to implement some of Shawn’s designs at my site. While reading through this book, I was reminded of the ancient gardening techniques mentioned in F.H. King’s Farmers of Forty Centuries. Shawn has integrated these simple and effective technologies into his modern-day working farm; his book will allow readers to access some of that ancient wisdom, too.”--Jerome Osentowski, author of The Forest Garden Greenhouse“Harvesting, multiplying, capturing, conveying, sloping, fertilizing, irrigating, heating, cooling… ‘at least seven functions’ is the genius of Shawn Jadrnicek’s stacked systems in The Bio-Integrated Farm. Shawn turns almost everything we think we know about farming on its head, beginning with the notion that the odds are stacked against the small farmer and permaculturist. Instead, he stacks the odds in our favor by requiring every component of a farm to serve at least seven functions. These stacked systems create biological and mechanical efficiencies that maximize production and ecological diversity. While innovators abound in the permaculture world, Shawn is unparalleled in the practicality and detail of his innovative designs. As a connoisseur of college farms, I’ve visited several dozen such operations across the United States, and I have yet to see another academic farm demonstrate the level of careful design and innovation found on the Clemson University Student Organic Farm, one of several permaculture masterworks Shawn has helped create. As much an engineer as he is an ecologist, Shawn teases out nature’s secret systems with a covey of collaborators—students, prawns, soldier flies, chickens, and thermophilic bacteria to name but a few—and he shares all his best designs in this paradigm-altering guide. Be prepared to have your vision of a farm’s limits shattered. Fear not, Shawn shows you how to reassemble those broken pieces into a ‘7-plus mosaic’ that can take any homestead or farm to the next level.”--Philip Ackerman-Leist, professor, Green Mountain College; author of Rebuilding the Foodshed“What is unique about permaculture, at its heart, is integration of elements like fish ponds, greenhouses, chickens, and crops. The Bio-Integrated Farm highlights real-world farm management experiences, including particularly innovative practices such as raising freshwater shrimp in greenhouse tanks that also provide thermal mass. The authors also respect and acknowledge the ancient roots of many of these ideas.”--Eric Toensmeier, author of The Carbon Farming Solution“Nature knows no waste, and cutting-edge farmers should start today to incorporate the bio-integration principles that Shawn Jadrnicek describes in detail in this book. Shawn shares his in-the-field experience using easy-to-understand formulas and charts to encourage the reader to develop a plan and translate project descriptions into hardworking results. I have seen Shawn’s transformational power in person at Clemson University, and his visions are addictive, teaching you not just to think outside the box by harmonizing natural systems but to act outside the box to create inexpensive and highly functional growing environments that are much more profitable and efficient than traditional growing systems. Even at our mushroom farm, we are incorporating Shawn’s design approach with aquaponics, black soldier fly composting, and passive heating. Farmers need all the financial help they can get, and The Bio-Integrated Farm will help readers prevent costly experimental failures. Every farm's needs and layouts are unique, and this book allows the reader to customize and hybridize systems that harness the power of nature to transform ordinary farms into models worthy of world-class learning centers for permaculture.”--Tradd Cotter, author of Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation“As climate change drives increasingly challenging weather variability and extremes, ecosystem-based strategies such as those presented in The Bio-Integrated Farm will be crucial to successful adaptation efforts. In this practical, clearly written, and beautifully designed book, Shawn Jadrnicek shares his unique ability to conceptualize, design, and manage water for whole-system benefits at multiple scales. A must read for anyone interested in design and management of water systems for resilient homesteads and farms.”--Laura Lengnick, author of Resilient Agriculture“Shawn Jadrnicek has spent the last decade getting his hands dirty and taking risks, experimenting with how to create systems that actually work. The Bio-Integrated Farm covers areas often neglected in the current permaculture literature. Shawn's systems-based designs show permaculture's relevance beyond typical gardening scenarios. He offers a load of detailed practical advice based on personal experience, demonstrating how to make connections that result in greater yields and ease. His zeal for making the most out of the resources on hand has inspired to me to find ways to further integrate my own permaculture homestead!”--Rain Tenaqiya, author of West Coast Food Forestry

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Book Synopsis"A thorough and generous guide to shaping your world not only to your own happiness, but the world’s as well.”—John Hodgman, host of Judge John Hodgman; author of Vacationland Carving Out a Living on the Land tells the story of how author Emmet Van Driesche navigated changing life circumstances, took advantage of unexpected opportunities, and leveraged new and old skills to piece together an economically viable living on marginal farmland, while at the same time respecting the land’s complex ecological relationships. Van Driesche’s adventure began when he recognized that he could do much more with his land than simply tend rows of perfectly sheared Christmas trees. From spoon carving to scything, coppicing to wreath-making, Carving Out a Living on the Land proves that you don’t need acres of expensive bottomland to start your land-based venture, but rather the creativity and vision to see what might be done with that rocky section or ditch or patch of trees too small to log. You can lease instead of buy; build flexible, temporary structures rather than sink money into permanent ones; and take over an existing operation rather than start from scratch. What matters are your unique circumstances, talents, and interests, which when combined with what the land is capable of producing, can create a fulfilling and meaningful farming life.Trade Review"The lessons here, cleanly told, serve the aspiring farmer, small business owner, and demonstrate not just how to run a farm, but how to build a sustainable and deeply satisfying life with the skills you have, and the ones you can learn."—Boston GlobePublishers Weekly, Starred Review— "Van Driesche’s charmingly pragmatic account of running a Christmas tree farm in Western Massachusetts with his wife, Cecilia, resembles a mini-MBA for farmers in its breadth and depth of insight. . . Filled with a practical and open-minded approach to problem-solving that agrarians and urbanites alike will find refreshing, [this] book provides an invigorating paean to seizing opportunities, finding one’s strengths, and working hard."“In this no-nonsense resource for novice Christmas Tree farmers (and all farmers), Van Driesche shares his sustainable success story in pragmatic and engaging detail.”—Forrest Pritchard, farmer; New York Times best-selling author of Gaining Ground“A couple of years ago I bought a Christmas tree from Emmet Van Driesche’s little family in the woods. I immediately wanted to move in with them. They radiated the kind of peaceful contentment that comes with doing work that makes sense to you and that you are good at. But since moving in with them would be creepy, I am glad to have this book, a thorough and generous guide to shaping your world not only to your own happiness, but the world’s as well.”—John Hodgman, host of Judge John Hodgman; author of Vacationland“Carving Out a Living on the Land describes the joy of living a simpler life in tune with nature, without skipping on the nitty gritty of hard work and paying the bills. Along the way, Emmet shows that spoon carving is not just a wonderful pastime but can be part of a thriving modern business, filling one’s time between the hustle and bustle of childcare and tree cutting with calm, spoon-y industriousness.”—Barn the Spoon, founder, Spoon Club and The Green Wood Guild; author of Spoon

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Book SynopsisOne farm’s decades-long journey into regenerative agriculture—and how these methods enhance biodiversity, pollinators, and soil health Northern Vermont’s Nancy and John Hayden have spent the last 25 years transforming their draft horse–powered, organic vegetable and livestock operation into an agroecological, regenerative, biodiverse, organic fruit farm, fruit nursery, and pollinator sanctuary. In Farming on the Wild Side they explain the philosophical and scientific principles that influenced them as they phased out sheep and potatoes and embraced apples, pears, stone fruits, and a wide variety of uncommon berry crops; turned much of their property into a semi-wild state; and adapted their marketing and sales strategies to the new century. As the Haydens pursued their goals of enhancing biodiversity and regenerating their land, they incorporated agroforestry and permaculture principles into perennial fruit polycultures, a pollinator sanctuary, repurposed greenhouses for growing fruit, hügelkultur, and ecological “pest” management. Beyond the practical techniques and tips, this book also inspires readers to develop greater ecological literacy and respect for the mysteries of the global ecosystem. Farming on the Wild Side tells a story about new ways to manage small farms and homesteads, about nurturing land, about ecology, about economics, and about things that we can all do to heal both the land and ourselves.Trade ReviewPublishers Weekly— "Married couple Nancy and John Hayden bring together her degrees in biology, ecology, and creative writing and his in entomology in this remarkable biography of The Farm Between, their 18 acres in the foothills of Northern Vermont’s Green Mountains . . . [They] will delight anyone interested in modern-day organic agriculture with this detailed history of one farm's progress."“I love this book, which is an incredible and inspiring ray of hope. Farming on the Wild Side shows both experienced and aspiring farmers how to build a highly productive, biodiverse, and profitable family farm and have a fulfilling lifestyle. This is the future of farming.”—André Leu, international director, Regeneration International; author of Poisoning Our Children“As a fellow farmer and longtime member of the organic community, the journey Nancy and John Hayden take us on with their new book resonates in my mind and carries me back through similar transitions with my own farm. While the book touches gently on many topics, I appreciate the realistic view of farming and rural life and their very real commitment to the concepts of soil health.”—Jeff Moyer, executive director, Rodale Institute“With Farming on the Wild Side, Nancy and John Hayden have delivered an inspiring story of shepherding an old, tired Vermont dairy into a new, diversified organic farm that serves the needs of the twenty-first century. It covers their journey step-by-step with new crops, new markets, and new farming methods, modeling an ecological balance that farms must achieve in the future. But the book is more than their personal experience with innovation over three decades; it’s also a philosophical and practical guide to restoring land to health, which benefits the farmer, one’s community, and all living things. Given the pace of climate change and the importance of regenerative agriculture as a key solution, this book is very timely!”—Will Raap, founder and chairman, Gardener’s Supply“This amazing book details how Nancy and John are living the new farming paradigm, one that maximizes ecosystem functionality and values soil, biodiversity, human well-being, and long-term resiliency. Their farming journey and philosophical evolution provide practical and science-based solutions for how the backyard gardener, hobby farmer, or large-scale grower can be part of the pollinator, food, and climate solution.”—Heather Holm, pollinator educator; author of Bees and Pollinators of Native Plants“Good farmers learn how to listen to the land. Nancy and John Hayden work with Nature to produce wholesome food for their family and community. Life doesn’t get better than this. Farming on the Wild Side provides plenty of practical advice and green inspiration to up your growing game.”—Michael Phillips, author of The Holistic Orchard and Mycorrhizal Planet“An inspiration—Farming on the Wild Side lays down an ecologically justified path for others to follow for a biodiverse farm.”—Jo Ann Baumgartner, executive director, Wild Farm Alliance“This intelligent book is written by two people who have a pure love and appreciation for the land and its inhabitants. Farming on the Wild Side serves as an authentic account of the farmers’ personal transformation, a practical guide to agroecological transition, and an inspiration to live in greater harmony with nature. The farm that was created and described in detail here truly embodies the concept of a multifunctional landscape, supporting productive, ecological, and cultural functions.”—Dr. Sarah Lovell, H.E. Garrett Endowed Chair Professor and director of the Center for Agroforestry, University of Missouri“Nancy and John use a forensic but accessible approach to explore their personal journey from scientists to farmers. New crops and enterprises are approached with careful planning, and their successes, or otherwise, are carefully observed to inform future decisions. Even non-farmers will enjoy reading about how they gradually adapted their farm to create a diverse farming system suited to their character and their geography. Farming on the Wild Side is a masterclass in working with nature to create abundance.”—Ben Raskin, Head of Horticulture, Soil Association“In telling the history of a farm and its farmers, Farming on the Wild Side addresses issues of great relevance to the future of agriculture. John and Nancy Hayden remind us that an ecologically based and socially just agriculture needs to involve deep and diverse relationships between people and landscapes. The Haydens present a true example of co-evolution between the Farm Between and its stewards, documenting their use of agroecological principles to transform a conventional dairy into a diversified farm, which takes full advantage of its ecological processes. Each one of the stages of transformation—from dairy to organic vegetables to a regenerative fruit farm and nursery—offer valuable lessons to reflect on. I have been working on research and education with the Haydens for a decade, and they have generously taught me and my students how to fully integrate the science and practice dimensions of agroecology.”—V. Ernesto Méndez, PhD, professor of agroecology and environmental studies, University of Vermont“We need many, many more farmers like Nancy and John Hayden, and this book will go a long way toward inspiring them. In these pages the Haydens share twenty years of wisdom, weaving together equal measures of story, philosophy, and practice about resilient and sustainable farming.”—Taylor Ricketts, director, Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont“It’s no secret that the way in which we feed ourselves and inhabit the land must change, but few of us truly know how to make that happen. The beauty of this book is that John and Nancy Hayden do know; even better, they’ve graciously shared their knowledge in these pages.”—Ben Hewitt, author of The Nourishing Homestead“I love this book. It takes me back to a time and a place my grandparents used to talk about—a good time and place—when farmers and growers worked with nature instead of against it. Farming on the Wild Side inspires, informs, and fills me with hope that we can heal our relationship with the wild. Just reading this book is healing, and I can’t wait to put some of Nancy and John Hayden’s ways into practice on our own little plot of land.”—Brigit Strawbridge Howard, author of Dancing with Bees“This lavishly illustrated book follows the Hayden family as they bring nature back to their farm, and in the process, it tells a story of learning, testing, observing, and creating an agroecological model of how to farm with nature, not against her. They combine the science of biodiversity management, the practices of good farming, and the transformative change humans need in order to return to the kinds of food systems that will feed the land as well as feed us.”—Steve Gliessman, professor emeritus of agroecology, UC Santa Cruz“In easy, conversational prose, Nancy and John Hayden offer the aspiring regenerative farmer a compendium of wisdom on the practicalities of establishing, developing, surviving, enjoying, and profiting from the small farm without losing sight of bigger ecological and political issues. Their warts-and-all history of their own farming practice rings true and is full of inspiration for those seeking a better future while dealing with present realities—which is hopefully all of us. We need more books like this.”—Chris Smaje, writer, Small Farm Future; farmer, Somerset, UK

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Book SynopsisAs seen on the BBC's This Farming Life The inspirational story of Lynbreck Croft--a regenerative Scottish farm rooted in local food, community, and the dreams of two women. A ripping good account of the guts, luck and perseverance it takes to create a productive and healthy farm or croft that jumps the rails of our conventional industrial agriculture.--Nick Offerman, New York Times bestselling author of Where the Deer and the Antelope Play I raced through this beautiful story with mounting awe and excitement. . . . Pragmatism, honesty and openness to new and old ideas shines through on every page. I hope it inspires legions of new farmers.--Isabella Tree, author of Wilding Lynn and Sandra left their friends, family, and jobs in England to travel north to Scotland to find a bit of land that they could call their own. They had in mind keeping a few chickens, a kitchen garden, and renting out some camping space; instead, they fell in love with Lynbreck Croft--150 acres of opportunity and beauty, shrouded by the Cairngorms and deep in the Highlands of Scotland. But they had no money, no plan, and no experience in farming. In Our Wild Farming Life, Lynn and Sandra recount their experiences as they rebuild their new home and work out what kind of farmers they want to be. They learn how to work with Highland cattle, become part of the crofting community and begin to truly understand how they can farm in harmony with nature to produce wonderful food for themselves and the people around them. Through efforts like these, Lynn and Sandra have been able to combine regenerative farming practices with old crofting traditions to keep their own personal values intact. Our Wild Farming Life is what happens when you follow your dreams of living on the land; a story of how two people became farmers--and how they learned to make a living from it, their way. [This] is a warm yet realistic chronicle of the world of the small-time farmer, sharing a vision of how we humans can feed ourselves sustainably and ethically while living in harmony with the natural world.--Booklist For anyone who has ever sat in a city office dreaming of . . . living off the land, this book will inspire them to take the plunge.--The Telegraph

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Book Synopsis"The Organic Grain Grower is the best resource we’ve seen for small-scale grain growers everywhere. . . . [Lazor's] passion comes alive in this fine guidebook’s depth of detail."—Mother Earth News The ultimate guide to growing organic grains on a small and ecological scale The Organic Grain Grower is invaluable for both home-scale and commercial producers interested in expanding their resiliency and crop diversity through growing their own grains. Longtime farmer and organic pioneer Jack Lazor covers how to grow and store wheat, barley, oats, corn, dry beans, soybeans, pulse crops, oilseeds, grasses, nutrient-dense forages, and lesser-known cereals. In addition to detailed cultivation and processing information, Lazor argues the importance of integrating grains on the organic farm (not to mention for the local-food system) for reasons of biodiversity and whole farm management. Including extensive information on: The history of grain growing and consumption in North America The twenty-first century and the birth of the local-food movement Considering your farm's scale and climate Understanding soil fertility and structure Planting your crop (including spring vs. fall cereals and preparing your soil) The growing and ripening process (reproductive, milk, hard-and-soft dough stages) The grain harvest Preparing grain for sale, storage, or end use (drying, cleaning seed, grain handling) Seed breeding and saving Machinery, infrastructure, and processing (both home-scale tools and larger farm equipment) Grinding grains for livestock rations (including how to put together a ration based on protein content) and sample rations for dairy cows, pigs, and chickens Processing grains for human consumption Additional resources and information for new grain farmers, and more... Beginners will learn how to grow enough wheat for a year's supply of bread flour for their homestead, and farmers will learn how to become part of a grain co-op, working alongside artisan bakers and mills. Never before has there been a guide to growing organic grains applicable both for the home-scale and professional farming scale. This will be a classic for decades to come and a crucial addition to any farmer's, homesteader's, gardener's, agronomist's, or seed-saver's library.Trade ReviewMother Earth News- "The Organic Grain Grower is the best resource we’ve seen for small-scale grain growers everywhere. The book covers necessary equipment and cultivation techniques for many types of crops: corn, wheat, barley, oats, rye, spelt and triticale, buckwheat, soy, dry beans, and oilseeds. Lazor describes himself as 'a grain-processing nut,' and his passion comes alive in this fine guidebook’s depth of detail.""Jack Lazor writes about grain growing with passion and experience. With this wealth of background and insight, readers will want to do it themselves, and with the lode of detailed information Jack provides, they will be able to do so. Although his focus is on medium-scale commercial production, many of the tips he shares are applicable to the backyard grain-grower as well."--Will Bonsall, Khadighar Farm; director, Scatterseed ProjectForeWord Reviews- "Longtime farming pioneer Jack Lazor has progressed from a back-to-the-land idealist to the co-manager, with his wife, of a profitable dairy and grain business, Butterworks Farm in Westfield, Vermont. In The Organic Grain Grower, he shares his considerable experience and expertise with new generations of holistic home and market grain producers. Lazor’s book starts with the history of grain production in his local region; early settlers found that northern New England offered a good climate for wheat, vital for animal fodder and bread making. Today, “the rebirth of grain growing” is not just common sense, but fun, Lazor enthusiastically reports. He takes readers through soil fertility and tillage, to the crucial matter of storage (“mice … have an uncanny ability to … burrow into bags that you can’t see from the outside of the pile”), drying, screening, grinding, and grading. He recommends equipment, including less expensive “retired” machinery. Grains covered are corn, wheat, barley, oats, rye, spelt, triticale, buckwheat, and flax, plus soybeans and other legumes. The book is very well organized, including a large section of clear, helpful photos. Though he is not averse to employing newfangled machinery if it does the job well, Lazor takes pride in using older farming equipment that is less complicated than modern counterparts, and some examples of these are illustrated. The Organic Grain Grower is more than 500 pages, with a colorful, informative cover. Anyone seriously considering growing grain for animal feed, human consumption, or sale will find value in this manual. It would also be beneficial for those interested in any aspect of organic farming, since the sound advice given for grains could apply to any crop. The foreword by author Eliot Coleman (The Winter Harvest Handbook) praises Lazor as the person “who inspired the movement” back to the “small farm’s grain heritage.” Lazor is as handy with a pen as with a plow, making even grain diseases sound interesting (“there is nothing like a mid-June thunderstorm to set up wheat plants for an invasion of … rust”). His flowing style demonstrates both hard knowledge and old world graces, as he modestly expresses the hope that the book “will help people avoid some of the mistakes that I have made.” Another outstanding offering from Chelsea Green Publishing, Lazor’s guide will doubtless plant the seeds of inspiration among beginners and old hands alike as they tackle the complexities of grain growing and organic agriculture, and will do its part to propagate more general interest in the subject."“The Organic Grain Grower is quite possibly the most complete and extensive text ever written on grain production in the Northeast. Jack Lazor’s deep passion and knowledge creates an astounding story, and he shares his wisdom and experience generously. If you have ever wanted to grow grain, this is a book to own and cherish.”--Dr. Heather Darby, University of Vermont Extension Agronomist“Jack writes from the top of a mountain—the mountain of his life. His long years of experience are longer than his very beard, and the wisdom and distillation of his farming life are written here with clarity and graceful articulation. As he says in the book, ‘people are hungry for meaning as well as food.’ In this classic book, Jack provides not only the meaning, but also the methods required to succeed as a small-scale grower of organic grains."--Jeffrey Hamelman, director, King Arthur Flour Bakery, and author of Bread: A Baker’s Book of Techniques and Recipes"Given our industrial agriculture, most of us assume that grain can only be grown in huge monocultures devoted to producing as much as possible, unmindful of the quality. But in The Organic Grain Grower, Jack Lazor provides us with a practical and attractive alternative. As a farmer he has demonstrated that one can provide an emerging market with a diversity of superior quality grains, grown on a small scale, using heirloom varieties and modest investment. This book is (as Eliot Coleman puts it) “like acquiring hundreds of years of knowledge in one book.”--Frederick Kirschenmann, author of Cultivating an Ecological Conscience“I believe I can safely say, without losing any money, that if you know of one fact truly necessary to growing grains organically in the United States that is not in this book, I'll pay you five bucks out of my own pocket. Plus there's a whole bunch of stuff about how to process and use grains in the barn or on the table that I have not found all in one place before.”--Gene Logsdon, author of Small-Scale Grain Growing

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Book SynopsisA nutritionist and a renowned organic farmer explore and explain the art of eating well. Do you want to be healthy, happy and free? But find yourself stuck in your healing journey and want some guidance and encouragement? Perhaps you are overwhelmed by all of the conflicting diet advice. Maybe you don’t know where to start or who to trust. Or, maybe you just need a little motivation. You’re not alone. We’re constantly bombarded with ever-changing diet recommendations and the latest diet crazes: Paleo, Keto, Whole 30, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, and the list goes on. Eggs are bad one day and good the next. Kale is good for you today. Tomorrow it contains high levels of thallium and is toxic to your thyroid gland. How do you know what to put on your plate that will bring you toward greater health and wellness? In Beyond Labels, Joel Salatin, a farmer who is blazing the trail for regenerative farm practices, and Sina McCullough, a Ph.D. in Nutrition who actually understands unpronounceable carbon chains, bring you on a journey from generally unhealthy food and farming to an ultimately healing place. Through compelling discussions leavened with a dose of humor, they share practical and easily doable tips about: What to eat How to find it and prepare it How to save money and time in the kitchen How to stay true to your principles in our modern culture Whether you are just starting your health journey or you grow all of your own food, this book is designed to meet you where you are and motivate you to take the next step in your healing journey – ultimately bringing you closer to health, happiness, and freedom. “The ideas, evidence and takeaways from this book have the power to reshape America's declining health. This is the most-fascinating, inspirational, and flat out most useful book I've ever read. Joel and Sina have done what no other authors have managed to do. They've created a survival guide for the war on our gut microbiome.” -Andy Snyder, Founder of Manward PressTrade Review"Dr. Sina McCullough and Joel Salatin bridge the gap between producer, consumer and healthcare practitioner in their amazing book Beyond Labels. Whether you are just embarking on your health or you are a nutrition ninja, this book is for you." --Robb Wolf, New York Times bestselling author of The Paleo Solution and Wired To Eat“Do you count yourself among the bewildered? Think you should eat better but don't know where to start? Then Beyond Labels is the book for you! Sina McCullough, PhD and Joel Salatin, Celebrity Farmer, lead the way with fascinating discussion coupled with Practical Bites to help you start over with a more nutritious diet and better health.” --Sally Fallon Morell, President of The Weston A. Price Foundation, author of Nourishing Traditions“The labels we put on ourselves as eaters are as mired in dogma and misinformation as the labels on our packaged food: paleo, vegan, keto, pescatarian and beyond. Beyond Labels makes the complex simple, but more importantly, it is an opportunity for our unity and reconnection to the land, our communities, and our humanity through real food. Let the feast begin…” --Zach Bush MD, Triple Board-Certified Physician & Founder of Seraphic Group, Inc. “Beyond Labels is the best possible investment you can make to guide you on your way toward optimal health. Don't expect a book that will lecture you or make you feel badly about your current eating habits. Joel and Sina offer budget-friendly tips and break down the choices into easily manageable changes that anyone can make. You won't be overwhelmed by confusing technical jargon or grim warnings that you're going to die if you don't throw away everything in your kitchen right this very moment. Instead, you'll be warmly encouraged to nurture and heal yourself with high-quality food.” --Daisy Luther, Founder of Luther Inc. & TheOrganicPrepper.com“Most folks know there's something wrong with our food. And this book proves it unequivocally. But it doesn't stop there. It offers dozens of proven, practical ways to beat a system that seems rigged against us. The ideas, evidence and takeaways from this book have the power to reshape America's declining health. This is the most-fascinating, scariest and flat out most-useful book I've ever read. Joel and Sina have done what no other authors have managed to do. They've created a survival guide for the war on our gut microbiome.” --Andy Snyder, Founder of Manward Press “Liberating! Fascinating! Transformational! The farmer, world-renowned Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm, and nutritionist Sina McCollough, PhD, are exactly what the world needs right now. Their conversational story-telling style in this delightful book is not only informational, pertinent, crucial and fascinating….it is transformational.” -- Zen Honeycutt, Moms Across America“This is a remarkably well-structured book, which unusually educates consumers on the simple steps they need to take to improve their diets rather than just outlining the problems surrounding the products on grocery store shelves. A must read for everyone who cares about food!”--Henry Rowlands, Director of The Detox Project“Beyond Labels tackles the very root of the cause of most modern diseases: diet! In this time of “food-like substances” as Joel likes to say, we need a return to home-cooked meals. Reading this book will help you better understand how real food can truly heal. We need more collaboration like this between food producers and healthcare providers.” --Diana Rodgers, RD, director of the film and co-author of the book Sacred Cow: The Case for Better Meat“The beauty of this book is that it addresses both ends of the value-chain and builds stronger connections between the plight of both growers and eaters. We share that goal on the Land to Market team at the Savory Institute - cultivating new market opportunities for farmers while empowering consumers with real-world data about environmental impact and soil health that allows them to vote with their dollar, in a transparent food democracy, like never before.”–Chris Kerston, Chief Commercial Officer of Land to Market - Savory Institute“In their groundbreaking book, Beyond Labels, Dr. Sina McCullough and Joel Salatin offer a thought-provoking network of strategies to take charge of our health and well-being through food choices adapted to individuals. You get to build your own pathway. You won’t find the magic bullet or any prescribed, mindless fad diets here, rather a complete atlas-makers toolkit for drawing custom pathways to the modern Mecca of good health through a diversity of whole foods. This book should be on the shelves of all eaters.” --Hank Will, Editor At Large, Mother Earth News & food farmer at Prairie Turnip Farm“Only solutions at the intersection of the food system and community health have the potential to deliver the lasting, sustainable cure we are desperately searching for. This book is a roadmap to that future.” --James Maskell, Founder of Evolution of Medicine“Beyond Labels unpacks one of the most undervalued powers humans possess: the ability to choose what we eat. With practical advice and no judgment, the authors provide clear entry points to an authentic organic food system, bringing our plates closer to our ideals.”—Michele Marchetti, Co-director of Communications, The Cornucopia Institute“A successful, all-natural farmer and a savvy PhD nutritionist/scientist get together to write a book about food. What a concept! Finally, a story about eating that invites you, the reader, to co-create your own personalized roadmap to finding the best food options for you and your loved ones.”--Will Winter, DVM, Holistic Veterinarian“Hands down, the best book I’ve read in years. As a mother, wife, meal planner, and budget calculator, I have found myself overwhelmed standing in the grocery checkout line with the multitude of fad diets or quick mental health fixes available. The colorful pictures with seemingly happy healthy people conflict with what the grocery store offers in their coupons or incentives for me as the grocery shopper. Beyond Labels has given me a simple guided approach for success not only nutritionally, but mentally and emotionally.”–Christine Fauver, mother of two“This book has the power to change the way the food industry operates and thus, MOST IMPORTANTLY, the health of Americans! We have been gifted, by Joel and Sina, a transparent look into the way food is grown and handled, and the information is packaged in bright, amusing, swirls of color, that left me feeling that this gift could keep on giving. I finished this book feeling empowered to make simple, step by step changes in my personal life and in my business. This book should be included in every high school and university health and wellness class.” --Michelle Walrath, Producer of FedUp & Co-Founder of Organic Krush

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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