Slice of Organic Life Review

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(More customer reviews)Not only is this book a completely shallow coffee table book, it gives actively bad advice. For example, taking a cruise is in no way an environmentally-friendly alternative to flying (pg. 74). Furthermore, I wouldn't be surprised if a few people get botulism or other kinds of food poisoning after following her lackadaisical advice about canning - jar sterilization gets half a sentence in a sidebar. The author cheerfully offers 2-4 page guides on buying chickens, bees, ducks, geese, and goats when any livestock purchase requires significantly more research - not a fact she mentions; it all sounds very easy and pleasant.
I guess it's pretty, though. Just make sure you actually get some proper instruction on things that are a bit more serious than "buying natural fabrics".

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Featuring over 90 self-contained projects, from growing your own food organically, cooking home-grown produce, keeping selected livestock, and leading a more sustainable lifestyle, this down-to-earth, yet practical guide is the perfect start for someone looking to go "green." The team of experts offer options for city dwellers with little space, for those living in the suburbs with a bit of land, and for those who have acres of land and no ideas on how to use them.The book includes a foreword by alice Waters. AUTHOR BIO: Concerned by the poor quality of food on offer, Sheherazade Goldsmith started up an organic delicatessen that soon began to specialize in home-cooked food for babies and young children.

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The Gardener's Table: A Guide to Natural Vegetable Growing and Cooking Review

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(More customer reviews)Rich Merrill knows what he is writing about! His details regarding various garden crops are totally on the mark. I am an avid gardener, and I consult this book weekly to assist me in gardening decisions. The food part, with the recipes from Joe Ortiz, is absolutely the best if you're a gardener, with a huge harvest of anything from your garden. I love this book, and and consider it a true text for anyone who really wants to succeed at gardening and at eating!

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Learn to Garden Review

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(More customer reviews)If you are new to gardening or love reading about how to make leaf mold or want to learn how to recycle carrot peels and eggshells, then this is your book. I loved the quick introduction to topics like photosynthesis, pollination and other topics of interest that reminded me of my favorite Biology class in high school.
Learn To Garden will also teach you how to:
Make a Compost Pile
Figure out where to place plants according to sun/shade
Organize a Pet Friendly Yard
Plant bulbs at the proper depth
Transplant without harming plants
Prune Roses
Analyze Soil
Take Care of a Lawn
Plant Trees, shrubs and Climbers
Organize plants in containers, beds and borders
My favorite part of the book was actually how to make leaf mold. It is fascinating to think that you can make nourishing items by letting things decay. I will never look at raking leaves in the same way again. My father was an excellent gardener when we lived in Africa and I observed the way he made compost piles and nourished the dry sandy soil. Soon, we had lovely vegetables and were happily enjoying fried squash blossoms and other such gourmet luxuries.
When I was a child, the garden was were I was the happiest, getting lost amongst the corn, shelling peas on the back steps and digging up carrots to see if they were ready to eat. If you are trying to recreate some childhood memories or even just create a beautiful space to eat breakfast, this book has many ideas. This book gave me a lot of ideas, but now I'm going to have to think about moving because there is an "secret garden" idea in this book on page 77 that will need more than a deck!
What I miss most about my childhood home, is the scent of the soil and the fresh peaches we used to pick to make ice cream. The authors also discuss fruit trees, growing strawberries and those types of delicious topics.
If you have cats and have wanted to grow an herb garden, a two-tiered plant stand works very well. I'm finally growing herbs high enough off the ground so the cats don't nibble on them. Planting catnip in the lower tier is the next idea...
~The Rebecca Review


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This primer provides everything the new gardener needs to know to create a garden, whether beginning with an existing garden or starting a brand new plot. With its practical and un-intimidating approach, Learn to Garden takes the bafflement out of gardening for the novice.

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Solar Home, The (How-To Guides) Review

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(More customer reviews)As a compliment to other books on the subject this one would suffice to add some detail, but I certainly am glad it's not the only book on solar home building I own. The material seems to be presented from a limited, but technical, scope of understanding. Although some technical and accurate information has found it's way into the pages of this book, I have found it on all levels to be missing what ever mysterious combination of qualities makes a good user friendly how to book. From my reading of other books on the subject what fresh material and/or thought this book brings to the subject seems to be either contrary or obsolete. The methodology in this book seems particularly biased to a very limited way of covering the concerns of anyone interested in passive solar homes. Again this book could potentially supplement a reasonible collection, but I'm glad it's not my only book on the subject, and I'm certainly glad that it wasn't my first book on the subject! I'm not saying that this book is all wrong, but I find it to be far from alright! If you haven't bought a book on this subject yet, keep looking...I reccomend THE PASSIVE SOLAR HOUSE by James Kachadorian instead, it is more complete and more in touch!

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The Non-Toxic Farming Handbook Review

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(More customer reviews)This book discusses how many current land management principles have created an imbalance in the soil, creating more problems than we realize. The authors discuss how we can use natural resources to deal with or eliminate soil erosion, and the need for herbicides and insecticides. The book explains how our soil is a living organism, and requires a good balance of nutrients to allow for proper energy transfer between nutrients, soil, and plants. The points that are brought up are very thought provoking; things that we often overlook. One such point is that weeds and insects are not so much pests, but indicators of soil and plant life. Being a cash crop farmer, wanting to know how to restore our depleted farmland, and get away from "toxic" chemicals and fertilizers, this book has been a great teacher, and no doubt will be referenced in the future.

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In this readable, easy-to-understand handbook the authors successfully integrate the diverse techniques and technologies of classical organic farming, Albrecht-style soil fertility balancing, Reams-method soil and plant testing and analysis, and other alternative technologies applicable to commercial-scale agriculture. By understanding all of the available non-toxic tools and when they are effective, you will be able to react to your specific situation and growing conditions. Covers fertility inputs, refractometers, weeds, insects, tillage, livestock nutrition, Moon cycles and subtle energies, and more. Extensive discussions of what's wrong with conventional agriculture, and the importance of proper soil testing and analysis and foliar feeding. The Non-Toxic Farming Handbook presents a lifetime of eco-consulting knowledge. The result will be an ever-improving soil fertility, healthy crops that provide their own insect and disease resistance, fields without the curse of weeds, and the satisfaction that you are a true steward of the land.

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Secrets to Great Soil (Gardening Skills Illustrated) Review

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(More customer reviews)I went to the library today to see if they had anything new. I've read about every book our small library has which pertains to gardening. Out of the corner of my eye I happened upon "Secrets to Great Soil." It looked interesting; I checked it out. I am now here at amazon.com to purchase this book. I've been organic gardening for 25 years and in all these many years have not found a book which thoroughly lists organic, inorganic, and synthetic fertilizers in a format which is easy to discern. It is easy to read for anyone, regardless the experience. Both novice and advanced gardeners will enjoy this journey of soil science along with the explanation. I am deeply moved by all the work which went into this highly recommended publication.

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The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower's Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers, Revised and Expanded Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been growing flowers for personal use for some time, and have recently decided to begin selling at Farmer's Markets, but where to begin? Ordering this book was probably the best beginning I could have happened upon - it is packed full of useful and realistic information covering all aspects of beginning a flower business, not only on growing but how to get started, marketing, how to price, where to buy supplies, how to learn more about the business, even where to purchase a canopy for using at the market and how to build a flower cooler. Also, the farmer profiles were informative, frank, and uplifting and the pictures were beautiful and helpful.
I read this book from cover to cover, including the appendicies, which is rare for me - I usually pick out the interesting chapters and focus on them, but all chapters here were interesting!
Thank you Lynn for a marvelous reference. Although I know I have hard work ahead of me, I am even more inspired to begin my small flower business after reading your book.

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Acre-for-acre, flowers are the most profitable--as well as the most beautiful--crop on the farm. In The Flower Farmer expert flower grower Lynn Byczynski provides a complete introduction to raising a cornucopia of cut flowers for home use and for sale to retail customers, florists, and other markets.The book offers detailed, manageable plans for flower growing on a scale ranging from a backyard border to a half-acre commercial garden. It will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers, including:
Home gardeners who want growing tips from professionals, so that they can enjoy an abundance of flowers year-round in fresh and dried bouquets
Passionate gardeners and small-scale growers who want to raise and sell cut flowers in season for additional income
Small commercial farmers who want to increase farm revenue or even make a living from selling field-grown, specialty cut flowers. The Flower Farmer provides a clear, realistic look at both the benefits and the challenges of growing flowers organically for local markets. Chapters include information on:
The best varieties of cut flowers--an A-Z list of more than one hundred recommended annuals and perennials, spotlighting the cultivars that are grown by professional flower farmers
How to cut, store, and preserve flowers for long-lasting beauty
How to dry flowers for crafting or for a dried-flower business
Flower-arranging basics from a designer's perspective
Extending the season with woody shrubs and trees
Marketing options for commercial growers, including sales at farmer's markets, supermarkets, florists, and wholesalers.Sprinkled throughout are profiles of successful flower farmers--from Vermont to California, Texas to Wisconsin--each of them providing a unique perspective proving that growing flowers can be as profitable as it is satisfying.

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The Organic Lawn Care Manual: A Natural, Low-Maintenance System for a Beautiful, Safe Lawn Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the first organic gardening book I've purchased. And I literally read it the same way I read fiction - cover to cover. I found Paul's narrative style, with family pictures and hardcore science simply fun to read. While many of the statistics are scary (e.g., more gasoline is spilled refilling lawn and garden equipment than was spilled from the Exxon Valdez!) Paul avoids being preachy. The book follows a logical sequence with chapters focused on specific steps -e.g. evaluating what you have, pros and cons of different transitions, watering, weeds, pests, and even games to play on nice grass! He provides plenty of warnings of how initially your lawn may not look as good, but the end result is worth it. Although Paul's base is in Maine, he seemed to cover the country pretty well. As a result of reading this book, I plan to make the transition this year.

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Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web, Revised Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)I've always known that there was more than meets the eye in all that dirt, and now I know what it is. It's life. Between the tiny pieces of rock (minerals) and the decaying plant matter, right next to the roots of plants and the above the clay level, lives billions of organisms. Each one, be it bacteria, fungi, nematodes, protozoa, worms, grubs or rodents, has a function in the soil.
Teaming with Microbes: A Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web by Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis is bursting with information helpful to gardeners. Using a science-based approach they characterize the roll of each inhabitant and component of soil and explain its contribution to the "soil food web." They even include 19 helpful rules to keep your soil fertile without fertilizers and to recover the life in damaged soil.
Questions about the type of compost (brown or green) needed to rebuild damaged soil are fully answered. They make a compelling argument against rototilling soil have step by step recipes for producing healthful compost teas.
I loved their thorough approach and because I've only been gardening for a few years, I finally feel like I have a place to go for definitive answers that eluded me before. My veggie garden needed something and I hope that the I can boost my soil and my output this year based on the information in this book. Time will tell, but this was a great book to point me in the direction that I hope fills my freezer and my stomach with food from my garden this summer.

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Smart gardeners know that soil is anything but an inert substance. Healthy soil is teeming with life - not just earthworms and insects, but a staggering multitude of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. When we use chemical fertilizers, we injure the microbial life that sustains healthy plants, and thus become increasingly dependent on an arsenal of artificial substances, many of them toxic to humans as well as other forms of life. But there is an alternative to this vicious circle: to garden in a way that strengthens, rather than destroys, the soil food web - the complex world of soil-dwelling organisms whose interactions create a nurturing environment for plants. By eschewing jargon and overly technical language, the authors make the benefits of cultivating the soil food web available to a wide audience, from devotees of organic gardening techniques to weekend gardeners who simply want to grow healthy, vigorous plants without resorting to chemicals.

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Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is written as if Steve Solomon is the grandfatherly type telling those who know nothing of gardening what's what. Initially, I was a bit put-off by this tone, but the author has earned a right to that tone and his opinions. I quickly became very interested in what he has to say, in that he rejects many ideas and fads on intensive, hyper dense garden production. Steve Solomon has been around long enough to have tried some of the high density, intensive gardening ideas and found them wanting.
I had to really chuckle when I read his rudimentary back to basics tool list consisting of a shovel, a bow rake, a hoe and a file to keep them sharp and useful. A simple wheelbarrow, buckets, knife and stone fill out his recomendations. He's so very right when he suggests that it doesn't take an armada of gadgets and do-hickies and specialty tools to make a very sucessful garden. And his comments on using some commonly sold garden gadgets make for humorous images for those who have suffered too short handles, stooped backs and the associated aches and pains. Many folks pondering the latest garden knick-knack catalog could do well to remember Solomon's basic tools will get the job done advice. Admittedly, he does sound like what MY grandfather would've said in the tool chapter. ("Put down that dreambook, pick up that hoe, and get to doing something useful." ... )
What I particularly thought useful was the idea of returning to planting based on choosing plant spacing not for intensity of harvest if thoroughly irrigated, but rather choosing less dense spacing based on potential for drought. In the drought chapter, Solomon makes the case that earlier gardeners more concerned with crop survival than sheer bulk of harvest knew to choose spacing that allows for stronger, more durable plants that better survive droughts. There's a lot more to it than that. I'm oversimplifying his points to make a point, and that is that there is something useful in this book for everyone; from those who've never dug their hands in dirt to those who think that they have a "better way".
I'm currently recommending this book as a good solid intro to veggie gardening that will produce the produce for those interested in delving beyond the picture books. Frankly, I've got lots of gardening and permaculture books and yet this was the first that I've seen fit to review, as I think it bears some recommendation to a wider audience.

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The decline of cheap oil is inspiring increasing numbers of North Americans to achieve some measure of backyard food self-sufficiency. In hard times, the family can be greatly helped by growing a highly productive food garden, requiring little cash outlay or watering.

Currently popular intensive vegetable gardening methods are largely inappropriate to this new circumstance. Crowded raised beds require high inputs of water, fertility and organic matter, and demand large amounts of human time and effort. But, except for labor, these inputs depend on the price of oil. Prior to the 1970s, North American home food growing used more land with less labor, with wider plant spacing, with less or no irrigation, and all done with sharp hand tools. But these sustainable systems have been largely forgotten. Gardening When It Counts helps readers rediscover traditional low-input gardening methods to produce healthy food.

Designed for readers with no experience and applicable to most areas in the English-speaking world except the tropics and hot deserts, this book shows that any family with access to 3-5,000 sq. ft. of garden land can halve their food costs using a growing system requiring just the odd bucketful of household waste water, perhaps two hundred dollars worth of hand tools, and about the same amount spent on supplies — working an average of two hours a day during the growing season.

Steve Solomon is a well-known west coast gardener and author of five previous books, including Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades which has appeared in five editions.

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