Category: books

Whole Farm Management: Growing A Sustainable Business

As you probably already know, the GROW BIOINTENSIVE (GB) Sustainable Mini-Farming method I developed with Ecology Action over the past 48 years of research and fieldwork is designed primarily to grow a complete diet, along with soil-building compost crops for sustainability. But it also… Continue Reading “Whole Farm Management: Growing A Sustainable Business”

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies: The Healing Power of Plant Medicine

The lost book of herbal remedies - the healing power of plant medicine

Progress is a funny thing. Every real advancement in agriculture or medicine that we enjoy today is rooted in the deep knowledge that kept our ancestors alive. But over time, as we “improve” we tend to lose touch with the traditional knowledge and practices… Continue Reading “The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies: The Healing Power of Plant Medicine”

Small is Beautiful: Compact Farms

Compact Farms - post header

Have I mentioned that I think small farms are the best farms? Well, I’m not alone, and I have the perfect book to prove it. According to Josh Volk, author of Compact Farms: 15 Proven Plans for Market Farms on 5 Acres or Less… Continue Reading “Small is Beautiful: Compact Farms”

Exotic Additions: Perennial Vegetables

Perennial Vegetables by Eric Toensmeier

With winter setting in and visions of lush spring gardens already dancing in our heads, here is something to intrigue and inspire you or your favorite gardener: a book/DVD combination on how to grow 100+ perennial vegetables. From asparagus, rhubarb, and ramps to taro,… Continue Reading “Exotic Additions: Perennial Vegetables”

Miraculous Abundance: 1/4 Acre, Two French Farmers, and Enough Food to Feed the World

Miraculous Abundance Book Cover

For years, scientists and practitioners of sustainable agriculture have been aware that our food chain is vulnerable. Soil depletion, resource scarcity, population growth, and the many and varied impacts of global climate disruption can and do impact our ability to grow and source food.… Continue Reading “Miraculous Abundance: 1/4 Acre, Two French Farmers, and Enough Food to Feed the World”

Growing Strong: What’s Wrong with My Plant? (and how do I fix it?)

🌻🌞Happy Summer to the Northern Hemisphere!🌞🌻 A new gardening season is here, and we want it to be an excellent one! The COVID-19 lockdown experience is a difficult for us all, but one of the silver linings that I can see is that so… Continue Reading “Growing Strong: What’s Wrong with My Plant? (and how do I fix it?)”

What to Read Now: Warm Climate Gardening

Warm Climate Gardening Book Cover

It’s winter here in the northern hemisphere, and farmers and gardeners everywhere are dreaming and planning about what to plant in the spring and summer! While all gardens have their challenges, those who grow food and flowers in warm and/or arid climates need a… Continue Reading “What to Read Now: Warm Climate Gardening”

Eye Spy: A Book for the Budding Naturalist

Eye Spy: A Book for the Budding Naturalist

William Hamilton Gibson was an American illustrator, author and naturalist (1850-1896), well-known for his work in Harper’s Monthly. He also wrote several books including Pastoral Days: Or, Memories of New England and Highways and Byways. Eye Spy, — Afield with Nature Among Flowers and… Continue Reading “Eye Spy: A Book for the Budding Naturalist”

Foraged Flavor: Finding Our Culinary Roots in Wild Food

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that everything we buy or grow to eat now was once a wild species. Our ancestors have done the bulk of the work identifying and domesticating the foods we now take for granted in our gardens and stores. But… Continue Reading “Foraged Flavor: Finding Our Culinary Roots in Wild Food”

The Book of Barley

In 1981, while Ecology Action was preparing to relocate its GROW BIOINTENSIVE farming program to from Palo Alto to Willits, CA in 1982, I received a letter from Lorenz Schaller, an amazing grainsman, noting that the Kusa Seed Society—”a voice for the precious edible… Continue Reading “The Book of Barley”