Row by row - maximize your harvest and feed your soil by developing a customized plan for your gardenEveryone loves to prepare a meal with ingredients fresh from their own garden. But for most of us, no matter how plentiful our harvest, homegrown produce comprises only a fraction of what we eat. And while many gardening guides will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about individual crops, few tackle the more involved task of helping you maximize the perce...

Community-based initiatives to preserve and protect our food supplyHistorically, seed companies were generally small, often family-run businesses. Because they were regionally based, they could focus on varieties well-suited to the local environment. A Pacific Northwest company, for example, would specialize in different cultivars than a company based in the Southeast. However the absorption of these small, independent seed businesses into large multinationals, com...

Go back to basics—compost, raising chickens, water and irrigation, dealing with pests, and much more—with this unique, full-color bestseller.Mini Farming describes a holistic approach to small-area farming that will show you how to produce eighty-five percent of an average family’s food on just a quarter acre—and earn $10,000 in cash annually while spending less than half the time that an ordinary job would require.Even if you have never been a far...

The Responsible Company, by Yvon Chouinard, founder and owner of Patagonia, and Vincent Stanley, co-editor of its Footprint Chronicles, draw on the their 40 years' experience at Patagonia and knowledge of current efforts by other companies to articulate the elements of responsible business for our time.Patagonia, named by Fortune in 2007 as the coolest company on the planet, has earned a reputation as much for its ground-breaking environmental and social practices as for the qu...

In this authoritative guide, Ed Smith shares how to grow a thriving and bountiful vegetable garden through his high-yield method that emphasizes wide rows, organic methods, raised beds, and deep soil.Succeed with fussy plants, try new and unusual varieties, and learn how to innovatively extend your growing season. With thorough profiles of hundreds of popular varieties, The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible provides expert information and an inspiring roadmap for...

Discover How to Profit From Your CraftHave you ever dreamed of learning the elegant art of jewelry making? You can! Jewelry Making For Fun & Profit was written with two purposes in mind: to teach you the basics of this fun craft and to show you how to turn these new skills into cash! Whether you've been crafting for years or are just getting started, you'll learn:·The benefits and enjoyment of jewelry making·The right material...

Turn your farm into a cash cow! Ron Macher offers a host of simple strategies for increasing your farm earnings, from purchasing durable equipment to growing economically viable crops. A seasoned expert in farm efficiency, Macher shows you how to locate a lucrative niche market for your products, optimize sales, and minimize costs. Whether you’re buying a new farm or jump-starting an old one, Macher’s savvy tips will help you turn your enterprise into a profitable business.

Straw bale gardening is an inexpensive, low-maintenance way to grow a bounty of food in a small space. All you need is a bale of straw, some fertilizer, and your favorite vegetable seeds! Craig LeHoullier's step-by-step instructions show you how to do everything from sourcing the straw and setting up your bale to planting, dealing with weeds and pests, and harvesting.

Discover How to Profit from Your CraftHave you ever dreamed of learning the beautiful art of candlemaking? You can! Candlemaking For Fun & Profit was written with two purposes in mind: to teach you the basics of this fun craft and to show you how to turn these new skills into cash! Whether you've been crafting for years or are just getting started, you'll learn:• The benefits and enjoyment of making candles• The right materials, tools, and e...

The modern classic of DIY urban self-reliance—grow food, raise chickens, and build a working homestead in the city. The Urban Homestead by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen is a widely read handbook for city-based self-sufficiency, offering practical guidance on growing food, preserving harvests, reducing household waste, and building small-scale systems for urban living. Written for readers without access to rural land, the book shows how apartments, patios, and small backyards can be transfor...

“A useful and a wonderful resource whether you grow on a balcony, rooftop or in the ground.” —Yolanda Burrell, owner of Pollinate Farm and Garden SupplyOnce a fringe topic, permaculture is moving to the mainstream as organic gardeners discover the wisdom of a simple system that emphasizes the simple idea that by taking care of the earth, the earth takes care of you. The Vegetable Gardener's Guide to Permaculture is for home gardeners of every skill—with an...

This timely sequel to the popular inspirational blueprint for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is set to guide this rapidly growing movement to the next stage of its development. The authors provide very practical examples and information that will be of service to growers and shareholders alike without losing sight of the heart and excitement that makes CSA central to the renewal of agriculture. Added to the material from the original edition are two new essays by Trauger Groh dealing w...