Book Description
Do you know what the best feature is in All New Square Foot Gardening?
Sure, there are ten new features in this all-new, updated book. Sure, it's even simpler than it was before. Of course, you don't have to worry about fertilizer or poor soil ever again because you'll be growing above the ground.
But, the best feature is that anyone, anywhere can enjoy a Square Foot garden. Children, adults with limited mobility, even complete novices can achieve spectacular results.
But, let's get back to the ten improvements. You're going to love them.
1)
New
Location - Move your garden closer to your house by eliminating single-row gardening. Square Foot Garden needs just twenty percent of the space of a traditional garden.
2)
New
Direction - Locate your garden on top of existing soil. Forget about pH soil tests, double-digging (who enjoys that?), or the never-ending soil improvements.
3)
New
Soil - The new "Mel's Mix" is the perfect growing mix. Why, we even give you the recipe. Best of all, you can even buy the different types of compost needed.
4)
New
Depth - You only need to prepare a SFG box to a depth of 6 inches! It's true--the majority of plants develop just fine when grown at this depth.
5)
No Fertilizer - The all new SFG does not need any fertilizer-ever! If you start with the perfect soil mix, then you don't need to add fertilizer.
6)
New Boxes - The new method uses bottomless boxes placed aboveground. We show you how to build your own (with step-by-step photos).
7)
New Aisles - The ideal gardening aisle width is about three to four feet. That makes it even easier to kneel, work, and harvest.
8)
New Grids - Prominent and permanent grids added to your SFG box help you visualize the planting squares and know how to space for maximum harvest.
9)
New Seed Saving Idea - The old-fashioned way advocates planting many seeds and then thinning the extras (that means pulling them up). The new method means planting a pinch- literally two or three seeds--per planting hole.
10)
Tabletop Gardens - The new boxes are so much smaller and lighter (only 6 inches of soil, remember?), you can add a plywood bottom to make them portable.
Of course, that's not all. We've also included simple, easy-to-follow instructions using lots of photos and illustrations. You're going to love it!
Customer Reviews:
Practical and Easy Gardening.......2007-10-10
I have been interested in gardening for years and have even attempted it a time or two. The results were never pretty. This book has helped me turn over a new leaf! I feel like I can garden without having to constantly experiment with the details - what soil mixture should I use, where can I find room, how much should I plant, etc. I followed his directions in making and gridding my box, the soil mixture, planting ,etc. I love the easiness of it all and how crisp and clean it looks! I am excited about my garden and have even intrigued my dad( who is an avid gardener) with this method! We are both experimenting together!
Helpful book.......2007-09-14
This a good book, but the author's ego is the size of the Atlantic Ocean. If you can get past his bragging and self-promotion, the book has some good ideas and helpful information. I like this book (the author can be inspiring and has obviously given a lot of thought to his ideas), but I like Gaia's Garden and Food Not Lawns better.
One idea the author doesn't mention is the use of free wood chips as a ground cover. Here in Portland, you can call most arborists and they will deliver free ground trees. It's better for the arborists than paying to dispose of the ground trees at a recycling center and they will schedule the delivery when they're in your area to minimize their delivery distance. You can minimize weeds by laying down a thick layer of newspapers or cardboard, and then covering them with wood chips.
Gardening with a bad back.......2007-09-09
I had back surgery 5 years ago and had to give up gardening. Last Spring a friend gave me a copy of Square Foot Gardening. I had someone build me a 4x8 foot garden on legs 4 feet tall and planted a vegetable garden that was so successful that we joked that it was going to take over the world! I have since had another built. It is so exciting to me to be able to grow things again! I would recommend that you have one built for a friend or parent who is unable to keep up with a regular garden. It is a wonderful feeling to eat what you have grown.
Diane Woodward
North Carolina
Great Book!.......2007-09-07
I love this book and can't wait to try out his methods of gardening. Pictures are very pretty. Instructions easy to understand.
Never too late (for SFG).......2007-09-05
This is a innovative, creative, common sense approach to engaging in the wonderwful world of gardening in a straightforward and easily managed way. Thanks Mel. (p.s. these words are from the person to whom I gifted this book)
Average customer rating:
- Enjoyable, with Reservations
- Can I please live with the Kingsolver Family?
- Thinking about your food
- Powerful Read
- Great book and fun to read!
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Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
Barbara Kingsolver ,
Camille Kingsolver , and
Steven L. Hopp
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Authors
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| ( K )
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ASIN: 0060852550
Release Date: 2007-05-01 |
Book Description
Bestselling author Barbara Kingsolver returns with her first nonfiction narrative that will open your eyes in a hundred new ways to an old truth: You are what you eat.
"As the U.S. population made an unprecedented mad dash for the Sun Belt, one carload of us paddled against the tide, heading for the Promised Land where water falls from the sky and green stuff grows all around. We were about to begin the adventure of realigning our lives with our food chain.
"Naturally, our first stop was to buy junk food and fossil fuel. . . ."
Hang on for the ride: With characteristic poetry and pluck, Barbara Kingsolver and her family sweep readers along on their journey away from the industrial-food pipeline to a rural life in which they vow to buy only food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it. Their good-humored search yields surprising discoveries about turkey sex life and overly zealous zucchini plants, en route to a food culture that's better for the neighborhood and also better on the table. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle makes a passionate case for putting the kitchen back at the center of family life and diversified farms at the center of the American diet.
"This is the story of a year in which we made every attempt to feed ourselves animals and vegetables whose provenance we really knew . . . and of how our family was changed by our first year of deliberately eating food produced from the same place where we worked, went to school, loved our neighbors, drank the water, and breathed the air."
Customer Reviews:
Enjoyable, with Reservations.......2007-10-10
I was attracted to this book as a kindred spirit (of sorts) to the author. I have been growing much of my own food (plant-based, anyway) as I could for many years. I prefer to eat seasonal foods, and buy locally produced items whenever available.
So I was a little disappointed when I first began reading, as much of the first chapter or two is taken up by the author's berating us all for our ignorance and our eating habits, as well as a lot of good, but unfortunately not new to me, information on our food supply.
Thankfully though, I hung in there, and found it to be an enjoyable read overall. I was looking forward to hear someone else's experiences in the garden and the kitchen, and that I did get.
I found myself skipping some parts, the description of the poultry slaughtering for example.
The book also includes sidebars written by her husband, which were mainly summaries of reports one may have already read elsewhere; and essays written by her daughter, Camille. I didn't find these entries of interest, and so skipped them as well.
If you enjoy reading about food and or gardening, or you have been having second thoughts about your grocery habits lately, then I recommend this book.
Can I please live with the Kingsolver Family?.......2007-10-09
Barbara Kingsolver is my hero. Her life on the farm sounds perfect, and I want her to open a B&B so I can experience her cooking, gardening, and philosophy of life. And while I don't have enough land or expertise to sustain myself and my family -- I do appreciate the information in this book and have used what I can to eat more local foods. The recipes, links, and resources make the book worthwhile. But the book is also an entertaining read. I read it slowly to savor the deep commitment that Barbara and her family put into even the most simple eating pleasures. Thank you for this book, Barbara. It is a treasure. Eleanor Taylor, co-author of Feeding the Kids: The Flexbile, No-Battles, Healthy Eating System for the Whole Family. Feeding the Kids: The Flexible, No-Battles, Healthy Eating System for the Whole Family (Fork and Spoon Field Guides)
Thinking about your food.......2007-10-05
Ms Kingsolver writes smoothly and with passion about organic farming. Sidebars from her college age daughter cover practical personal concerns, complete with recipes to enjoy the seasonal bounty of the land; while ones from her husband give the political overview of how farming policies affect us all on a world level. All in my book group enjoyed the book as a whole. It was obviously edited tightly to be easy and fast to read while still introducing ideas that would be unusual to most people in North America. As one with a extensive backyard fruit and vegetable garden in California, I would have enjoyed more detailed planning information on how she decided what and how much to plant, why she did not try to raise more and different animals for food, (e.g., rabbits, sheep, or even guinea pigs)and what she could have done with a greenhouse and solar or wind power.
Powerful Read.......2007-10-04
I think this is an important book about our society, economy and values. While it can be a bit preachy at times, Barbara's humor is wonderfully dry. I highly recommend.
Great book and fun to read! .......2007-10-01
I loved the book, it was informative and entertaining. Everyone can benefit from reading it and trying to follow Barbara's lead.
Book Description
Top New York chef and restaurateur
Matthew Kenney and his partner,
Sarma Melngailis, had been thinking of opening a Moroccan restaurant. But one night they were invited to a raw food restaurant -- and it changed their lives. They instead opened Pure Food and Wine, a restaurant devoted to creative, tasty raw food, and it has been drawing rave reviews. Dishes such as Zucchini and Green Zebra Tomato Lasagne, Golden Squash Pasta with Black Summer Truffles, and Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart with Vanilla Cream have given raw food a sexy new appeal.
The decision to go raw was shocking at first for these two ex-carnivorous chefs, but they soon found that preparing and eating raw food made them and their guests feel their physical best. Melngailis noticed a difference almost immediately -- "Light, clean, natural, and alive foods make you feel light, clean, and more alive. And sexy." This new way of life has changed their outlook on eating and cooking and connects them to the world around them. As Kenney says, "Raw foods and the lifestyle associated with it are so compelling and complex that we will be forever learning and growing. Already it seems that we have discovered some of the magic that life offers."
In this lushly photographed book, Kenney and Melngailis share some of that magic -- and show that preparing and eating raw does not mean bland, unsatisfying, or impossibly time-consuming meals. Using dehydrating, Vita-Mix blending, a nuanced understanding of spices, and unprecedented creativity, they explore a whole new outlook on raw food that transfers beautifully and easily from their kitchen to yours -- no matter what your present diet. And you'll immediately begin to reap the benefits of healthful, delicious, life-giving raw food.
Customer Reviews:
buy it just for the lasagna recipe !.......2007-10-07
i've had this book for about a week now, and though i have only tried the lasagna, it is an amazing cookbook. it's definitely a fresh, young perspective, easy to read, pretty photos, and even though some of the recipes are labor/ingredient intensive, they are worth it for those special occasions. the lasagna recipe is seriously THE best lasagna i have ever had. the flavors are complex, and it's just divine. i can tell this book will get a lot of use ! highly, highly recommended !
Fantastic!.......2007-09-20
This is one of the rare raw vegan cookbooks where the food is spectacular. The recipes are not for beginner cooks but are well worth the effort! There are photographs of every recipe. Beautiful photographs! They have commentary for each recipe and that makes is extra special! I loved this.
Excellent way to start a raw food adventure.......2007-09-09
My girlfriend and I are trying one month of raw food to see how it goes. This was the introductory cookbook, and I can't say how lucky we were to choose this one. It has great recipes and the authors take a practical approach. I particularly appreciate their separation of church and food. I don't recall one mention of praying, crystals, or any other filler that would take up space that might have bumped out one of these amazing recipes.
I can't wait to get back to NYC to check out their restaurant!
One of my favorites.......2007-09-09
The title says it well, raw food real world. The authors are obviously somewhat extreme to be raw foodists, but they are more "real world" than most other raw food books I've read. The authors really enjoy food and the experience of creating and eating. They have the most wonderful deserts. This book has fresh new recipe ideas. The layout and photos are wonderful to look at. This and the Raw Gourmet by Nomi Shannon are my favorites, and they are different enough that you need to own both.
So far the BEST raw foods book I have.......2007-08-30
Mattthew and Sarma, the authors of "Raw Food/Real World: 100 Recipes to Get the Glow" were regular "meat eating people" who owned restaurants. Ok, so they weren't that "regular" as most of us don't own restaurants! Their discovery of raw foods and raw foodism was by chance. They relate this story in their book. A friend was supposed to take them out to a fancy restaurant that Sarma had chosen, and she was looking forward to it. The friend calls and asks if he could take them to another restaurant instead as he had changed his diet for some time. Sarma reluctantly agrees but she was disappointed. Their experience at the tiny raw foods restaurant was not that impressive (to them), the place was hot and the A/C wasn't working, but the food was delicious. They then explain how they took time off to try raw foods exclusively,and they both loved it.
They don't preach about raw foodism, or veganism, etc. They just explain why they enjoy the way they are eating now. And you can't help but believe them! There are some great photos of them in the book, and they have a wonderful glow on their faces, and their strong lean bodies look well nourished and cared for.
Some recipes may take a little more time to prepare, and some call for unusual ingredients, but on the whole you can prepare these recipes several times a week, and enjoy wholesome meals.
Book Description
One of the bestselling garden books ever is fresher than ever! Ready to inspire a whole new generation of gardeners.When he created the "square foot gardening" method, Mel Bartholomew, a retired engineer and efficiency expert, found the solution to the frustrations of most gardeners. His revolutionary system is simple: it's an ingenious planting method based on using square foot blocks of garden space instead of rows. Gardeners build up, not down, so there's no digging and no tilling after the first year. And the method requires less thinning, less weeding, and less watering."I found a better way to garden, one that's more efficient, more manageable, and requires less work," Bartholomew explains. Not surprisingly, his method quickly received worldwide recognition and has been written up in every major newspaper and gardening magazine. His book, which served as the companion to the nationally acclaimed television series, has sold over 800,000 copies. Now freshened with new illustrations, the book Ingram calls "the largest selling garden book in America" is reissued for the delight of a whole new generation of gardeners.
Customer Reviews:
Best Garden Book for Beginers .......2007-09-05
I have owned this book for years. Worn out more that one copy. This copy was purchased to give to a new urbanm garden project in a develpomently challanged area of my city. We will be teaching at rick young people how to garden and landscape. This is one of many tools we will use and is as far as I am concerned the best how to do it garden book for people who have little or no knowledge about gardening.
Not "Just" for Small Spaces.......2007-05-12
Wonderful information is contained throughout this book for gardeners planting in small 4'X4' spaces to huge gardens. In fact, "Square Foot Gardening" is chocked full of useful information which can and should be used in any size gearden from a small container on the patio to very large gardens. The info saves a gardener many back-breaking laborous hours.
Before I read this book, I did not know that cantalopes can be trellised, which saves "those" vines from rambling all over the garden. There is too much info to be missed without this great book.
Square Foot Gardening: A New Way to Garden in Less Space with Less Work.......2007-03-11
All the information a gardener needs to begin this method of raising flowers and vegetables is found in this book, which pleases me greatly.
Love it -- it's so easy!.......2007-03-02
The techniques in this book ABSOLUTELY work! I have 3 4'x4' raised garden beds, and all seeds I planted are sprouting (and I have seeds left over for planting later in the season, too--no more wasted seeds).
Mr. Bartholomew explains all of his techniques very well and the book is very easy to read. I'm especially fond of his formula for good garden soil and planting with coarse vermiculite. I think this an extremely important step in preparing the garden, and I attribute my success, so far, to his detailed instructions regarding soil prep.
I'm not a great gardener by any stretch of the imagination, so I love the idea that I am growing more in a smaller space, plus my weeding HAS been very minimal. His technique of growing in "grids" is also very visually appealing and my children (ages 18 mos to 11 years) can very easily see what's happening and identify the vegetables that are growing.
Kudos to Mr. Bartholomew for writing such a helpful book for those not-so-green-thumb gardeners!
I just can't be this meticulous.......2007-02-02
Is anyone really this uptight about measuring everything and not overproducing vegetables? The methods are organic and the garden looks lovely, but can you truly guarantee that no matter how well you take care of your garden you will have no losses to critters or pests? Last year, I had a family of raccoons move in and eat half of my sweet corn. The only reason my family got any was because I planted more than what we needed. The coons also got the raspberries and grapes. I've also lost beans and peas to rabbits, and been invaded from time to time by various creepy-crawlies. A garden is not grown in isolation, at least, not mine. I preserve what we can't use in season or store it in the root cellar, and when I get extra veggies I share them with friends and family. They are always welcome.
The techniques are good and I agree that it is better to take care of a small patch of garden well than to care for a large patch poorly. I am just more of a "cottage garden" style gardener, so this was not the book for me. If you like this book you should read some books by Eliot Coleman. He's a very precise gardener, too.
Average customer rating:
- DIABETES
- juice fasting
- Juice Fasing & Detoxification
- EDUCATING YOURSELF ABOUT FASTING
- Juice fasting for beginners
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Juice Fasting and Detoxification: Use the Healing Power of Fresh Juice to Feel Young and Look Great : The Fastest Way to Restore Your Health
Steve Meyerowitz ,
Beth Robbins , and
Michael Parman
Manufacturer: Book Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Healthy
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| Diets & Weight Loss
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Herbal Remedies
| Alternative Medicine
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General
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Juice
| Drinks & Beverages
| Cooking, Food & Wine
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ASIN: 1878736655 |
Book Description
This is one of the best-selling books on juice-fasting on the market. Discover why fasting is self-healing and how simple it is to do. Sections include fasting on raw fruit & vegetable juices; water fasts; detoxification; weight loss techniques; fasting while working; juice recipes; exercises; and how to come off a fast safely.
Customer Reviews:
DIABETES.......2007-07-31
THIS BOOK WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL HELP FOR THE DIABETIC TO LOSE AND MAINTAIN WEIGHT LOSS, OBTAIN BETTER HEALTH AND IN THE CASE OF 'LOW SUGAR' SIMPLY DRINK A FRUIT JUICE INSTEAD OF HAVING A CANDY BAR.
juice fasting.......2007-07-04
this book is very informative and easy to comprehand..very helpful to anyone who wants to be healthy and active.
Juice Fasing & Detoxification.......2007-05-17
I found this book to be very informative and fun. Easy to read and easy to follow. Thank You!
EDUCATING YOURSELF ABOUT FASTING.......2007-04-10
WHEN I BOUGHT THIS BOOK I THOUGH I WAS GETTING A GUIDE TO MAKE JUICES INCLUDING RECIPES THAT WILL HELP US WITH FASTING AND DETOXIFICATION. BUT INSTEAD I GOT A GUIDE TO FAST USING DIFFERENT APPROACHES WHICH INCLUDED ABOUT 5 PAGES OF A BASIC INTRODUCTION TO FASTING WITH JUICES. THE REST IS ALL ABOUT FASTING ITS BENEFICTS AND CONSECUENCES. I FOUND THE BOOK PRETTY INTERESTING IF I WERE GOING TO MASTER MY SELF IN THE FASTING STYLE OF LIFE. BUT IN MY CASE I FOUND IT PRETTY FUSTRATING NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND A SINGLE JUICE RECIPE TO HELP ME DETOXIFY MY BODY. SHE IS MAKING AN STATEMENT BUT DON'T GIVE ME EXAMPLES TO FOLLOW.
Juice fasting for beginners.......2007-03-25
This is a great introduction to those new to the concept of juice fasting for detoxification that is scientifically and nutritionally souhd.
Customer Reviews:
A "MUST HAVE" for any Botanical Art Enthusiast or Artist.......2002-11-26
This book, illustrated by Marilena Pistoia, is an invaluable addition to the library of botanical artists or lovers of botanical art. There are 110 paintings depicting 400 plants, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices...all beautifully painted and reproduced. Some of the fruits are so realistic they almost make your mouth water.
The composition and combinations of the fruits and vegetables used in the individual paintings is very imaginative and complimentary in shape, form and colors.
I bought it for the illustrations but the text is very interesting and informative as well, often giving little know facts about the edible plants in our world. It is not a science book...the entertaining text is the perfect compliment to the beauty of the highly accurate and colorful representations of the paintings.
Average customer rating:
- Best book on greens
- Great Greens Glorious Greens
- Amazing & Simple
- Good way to start eating luscious greens
- Love this book!
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Greens Glorious Greens: More than 140 Ways to Prepare All Those Great-Tasting, Super-Healthy, Beautiful Leafy Greens
Johnna Albi
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
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| Cooking, Food & Wine
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General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
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Healthy
| Special Diet
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Salads
| Vegetables & Vegetarian
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Vegetables
| Vegetables & Vegetarian
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ASIN: 0312141084 |
Book Description
The latest word from the nutrition front is that green leafy vegetables may be our most powerful weapon against cancer and other diseases of aging. Plus, most dark leaft greens are high in nutrients such as beta-carotene, anti-oxidants, folic acid, and fiber.In Greens Glorious Greens! Johnna lbi and Catherine Walthers, both gourmet natural foods chefs, unlock the mysteries of buying and preparing these delicious vegetables. IN an easy-to-use A-to-Z format, they cover thirty-give different greens, providing nutritional information and a brief historical profile for each, plus tips on how to shop for freshness, and how to store, wash, and cut the greens for maximum flavor. Albi and Walthers offer more than 140 ways to turn these nutritional superstars into delicious salads, soups, stews, entrees, and sautees. Most dishes are quick and easy, low in fat, and of the scale in terms of nutrients and taste. Many of vegetarian and therefore cholesterol free, come contain chicken, beef or fish. Any home cook will delight in this clear and engaging guide to preparing all the vegetables that are not only good for you, but just plain good.Recipes include:Grilled Polenta with Dandelion Greens, Southern Style Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens, Cajun Kale Salad, Broccoli Rabe with Toasted Pecans and Currants, Skewered Chicken Teriyaki over Frisee and Arugula
Customer Reviews:
Best book on greens.......2007-09-17
This is the best book on greens I've ever found. If you're serious about incorporating a lot of greens into your diet, then do yourself a favor and get this book. Not only does it have several great recipes for each different green, it also has an introduction to each green citing it's particular health benefits. It even lets you know not to eat particular items like beet greens too often. Amazing book.
Great Greens Glorious Greens.......2007-06-14
This is one of my favorite cookbooks. The recipes are great. Every recipe I have tried has come out fabulous!
Amazing & Simple .......2007-03-08
I love this book because it puts everything into context- it breaks down the nutrients of each green, the origin, how to buy it, when to buy it, how to store it and finally how to cook it. Most recipes start simple and then evolve. It's a great book for beginners and experts.
Good way to start eating luscious greens.......2005-08-12
I have been wanting to add greens to our family diet for years but needed help learning about the individual plants and how to cook them. This book is a good primer, teaching the reader about the general character of each of the most commonly available greens, what nutritional aspects they add to the diet, their flavor, texture, and how they combine with other foods to make a better meal. Importantly, the authors provide advice about the best (and worst) ways to cook each green. The recipes are simple and tasty.
There are no pictures of completed recipes, but after trying one, the reader will probably not need pictures, simply because all the recipes end by gently tossing the ingredients. Nothing complicated here. A cookbook worth buying.
Love this book!.......2005-08-09
It has so many recipes to choose from. This book is great. I recommend it to all of my clients.
Book Description
A classic in the field of sustainable gardening, HOW TO GROW MORE VEGETABLES shows how to produce a beautiful organic garden with minimal watering and care, whether it's just a few tomatoes in a tiny backyard or enough food to feed a family of four on less than half an acre. Updated with the latest biointensive tips and techniques, this is an essential reference for gardeners of all skill levels seeking to grow some or all of their own food.
Customer Reviews:
A good book with surplus pages.......2007-08-16
This is a definitive guide to the Bio- Intensive method of growing vegetables. It is well written, and you can see that a lot of time and effort are behind the concepts presented here.
Two things bother me; There`s an almost 100- page bibliography included in the book!? Couldn`t it have been put up on a website or something, instead of just making the book (look) bigger and thicker? The second issue is that I find it always a bit irritating when a lot of equipment or systems get mentioned in a book, but to get their specifics or plans you must buy another book. Maybe the plans for the U- bar or for the mini- greenhouse could have fitted on those bibliography pages?
Anyways, the four stars is for the part where the actual system gets described.
It's not easy, but it's brilliant and could save the world.......2007-05-22
I am impressed at how many people misunderstand the purpose of this book. It's not just a gardening book. It lays out a comprehensive guide to growing the most food you can on the least amount of land in the most sustainable way -- meaning the way that is, on an ongoing basis into perpetuity, most healthy both for your family, your land, and the wider world. All those things are connected, and maintaining the connection is part of what the book and authors are all about.
The title means what it says, and they tell you exactly how to do it, basing their recommendations on the work of the organization that publishes the book, Ecology Action. They have been growing experimental gardens and conducting detailed research over the past 35 years. In succeeding editions of "How to Grow More Vegetables" they summarize their continuing research for those interested in personally benefiting from their methods and discoveries.
Some may object to the excruciatingly detailed charts and plans. Some of us find them a godsend. Regardless of what we think of them, they are the outgrowth of years of research and are intended to help, not just backyard gardeners in the US, but people in Kenya, India, Russia, Mexico, and other places around the world, whose lives and livelihoods, not to mention the health of their environment, may depend on maximizing their yields while minimizing their purchased inputs and water usage.
The central fact underlying this method is this: the only way to achieve the highest sustainable yields is to build and feed your soil, and the only way to build your soil without taking away fertility from someone else's soil (through purchased inputs such as compost, fertilizer, etc.) is to make and use your own compost. This book explains why, and shows you how. It works.
Though we are still shielded from it in the US, the world is facing a potentially devastating loss of agricultural fertility due to a combination of squandered topsoil (lost through both development and abuse by chemicals and poor tillage practices), water shortages, and soaring prices and reduced availability of fossil fuels (which power the farm equipment, get it to market, and form the basis of most chemical fertilizers). Years ago, Ecology Action set out to discover in a rational and scientific way, just how much land and labor it would take to grow the amount of food, properly balanced for calories and nutrition, required by one person for one year. Could a family of four truly feed itself from a 1200 square foot garden if it had to, or wanted to? How much work and water would it take? How much fertilizer would they have to buy? Could they grow their own fertilizer? What tools would they need? What about fiber for clothing? Building materials? Animal feed?
The "How to Grow More Vegetables" books answer those questions, and much, much more. As the years go by, (and with each succeeding food contamination scandal) more of us, even in the US, are realizing just how important those questions are. You may not need or want all the information in this book. But it is all there, and nowhere else that I am aware of, for those who do want it.
This book could save the world, if only the world would pay attention. But it will also show you how to grow fabulous, tasty vegetables with less water, less work, less weeding, less money.
Are you into numbers?.......2007-05-12
I like John Jeavons and his book is very useful. However, I'm not into calculating and figuring every square inch in the garden with tables/charts. I enjoy growing for the freedom of spirit it provides. This book although very useful, feels very constrictive. Not to mention EVERY page has at least 5 mentions of "Grow Biointensive". I felt like a was reading a long drawn out advertisement. Enough John, say it in the intro and then leave us alone to enjoy the book. If we weren't interested in your method we wouldn't be reading your book.
This is a great book.......2007-05-04
I had an earlier edition of this book that I used as an introduction to high intensity gardening. I love the book because gives technical information on such things as soil pH, soil preparation, plant spacing, and crop yields. It probably is not a book for people that do not enjoy the technical aspects of gardening; those wanting only a quick fix approach. I have ordered the 7th edition.
California Vegetarians .......2007-03-05
I have gardened organically for over 30 years, and always love to read good gardening books hoping to learn more. Unfortunately this book is so very focused on being totally vegetarian that they do not even recommend animal manures to be used in compost. I feel that they have totally ignored the natural cycles of birth - death - decomposition - and rebirth. A quote that says it all is, "Everything that eats is in turn eaten". That includes plants that feed on the remains of other plants, insects, or algae and bacteria. The author overlooks the fact that there are no total vegetarians in nature. Even grazers, gorillas, and great whales ingest insects or micro-fauna along with their grass, leaves, and plankton.
Amazon.com
To dispense with a puzzlement right away--though named Vegetable Harvest, Patricia Wells's marvelous 190-plus recipe collection doesn't center on those edibles exclusively. Rather, it offers a well-rounded dish selection that puts them to brilliant use, often as supporting players (except, of course, in chapters titled "Vegetables" and "Potatoes"). This bit of culinary license shouldn't discourage anyone from buying the book, whose recipes, such as Baby Squid Salad with Garlic, Olives, Tomatoes and Parsley; Penne with Fava Beans, Basil Puree, and Parmesan; and Lamb Couscous with Chickpeas and Zucchini, exemplify all that's remarkable about Wells's approach to modern French cooking. Emphasizing simplicity, ingredient freshness and, yes, ease of preparation, the dishes--including breads and desserts like Lemon and Rosemary Flatbread and Almond Buttermilk Sorbet--will delight any cook who prizes direct yet brilliantly orchestrated flavor. In addition to wine advice, Wells also offers a pantry chapter including sauce and vinaigrette recipes--Creamy Lemon-Chive Dressing is one--nearly worth owning the book for. In works including The Provence Cookbook and Bistro Cooking, Wells brought French cooking to the American kitchen in a way both authentic and relaxed. Vegetable Harvest furthers that approach spectacularly. --Arthur Boehm
Book Description
The potager, or French vegetable garden, represents the very best of French cuisine: fresh, flavorful, and easily accessible for home cooks everywhere. In Vegetable Harvest, Patricia Wells presents a collection of recipes inspired by the garden she tends at her home in Provence.
No one has done more than Patricia to bring the art and techniques of French cooking into American kitchens. Now, in her tenth cookbook, she covers every kind of produce favored by French cooks from north to south. In addition, there are charming profiles of French farmers, home gardeners, and cooks, with sixty-five stunning color photographs.
From arugula to zucchini, Patricia offers up a wealth of dishes that incorporate vegetables, herbs, nuts, legumes, and fruits fresh from the garden. And her recipes aren't limited to summer's bounty—there are plenty for fall squash and winter potatoes, too.
The recipes in Vegetable Harvest include everything from appetizers, soups, and salads, to meats, poultry, and pasta. There are classics like Spicy Butternut Squash Soup, Roast Leg of Lamb with Honey and Mint Crust, and Pea and Mint Risotto, as well as innovative new dishes that are sure to become time-honored favorites, such as Potato-Chive Waffles with Smoked Salmon, Capers, and Crème Fraîche, Tomato and Strawberry Gazpacho, and Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Basil. To finish your meal with a flourish, there are decadent, fruity desserts like Pistachio-Cherry Cake with Cherry Sorbet, Rhubarb-Berry Compote in Grenadine, and Crunchy Almond-Pear Cake. In addition, there is a chapter on pantry staples that includes Patricia's recipes for Zesty Lemon Salt, Truffle Butter, and Fresh Cilantro Sauce.
And while Patricia's wonderful dishes sound sinful, they are in fact quite healthful, low in fat and calories; nutritional information is given for each recipe.
With Vegetable Harvest, you'll be eating the best nature has to offer—fresh, flavorful produce—all year round.
Customer Reviews:
Vegetables to feed the soul........2007-08-12
Patricia Wells never disappoints in the kitchen, and if you loved her other cook books (I do!) you will want this latest. This book celebrates the vegetable. Do not confuse this cook book with those meant for strict vegetarians. I am not a strict vegetarian but I find myself more and more often seeking to extol a vegetable straight from the garden or a farmers' market, rather than a pice of meat. The recipes in this book, make you think about vegetables with a new respect and an increased appetite. Bon appetit!
Vegetable Harvest.......2007-08-11
Wells presents a collection of recipes for appetizers, soups, salads, meat, poultry, and pasta dishes, plus breads and desserts-all using vegetables, herbs, nuts, legumes, and fruits fresh from the garden. Will be using this book for years to come.
Fresh Vegetables in Many Ways.......2007-07-26
After reading about Patricia Wells in an early summer New York Times article, I thought it would be good to buy her book. I was not disappointed. The recipes range from simple to cosmopolitan in taste levels and the photos are a delight. Her ideas help to easily add more varieties of vegetables to lunch and dinner meals. The book is very very useful and the recipes are easy to follow.
Not for vegetarians.......2007-07-24
While I admit this is a lovely book, had I known practically everything has bacon or chicken broth in it I might not have bought this, since the recipes are so basic. (I'm not vegetarian, just think it's ridiculous, unhealthy, and irresponsible to have animals in every meal!) I'm going to substitute Provencal garlic broth though and see how that goes. There are so many great vegetable books out there, as other reviewers mentioned - Deborah Madison, Peter Berley, etc. The fact is, I'm glad I also bought Martha Rose Shulman's Provencal Light and Donna Klein's vegan Mediterranean and Italian cookbooks at the same time, as I will be able to compare their takes with Patricia's since neither of those use anything not of the region, yet they don't seem to need so much of the animal products Patricia relies so heavily on.
Letting fresh produce lead.......2007-07-15
Inspired by her garden in Provence as well as some of her favorite French restaurants and markets, Wells ("The Provence Cookbook") puts vegetables first, letting the produce suggest the dish. These range from Chilled Cucumber and Yogurt Soup with Dill and Fresh Mint to Salmon Wrapped in Spinach Leaves with Caper, Lemon, and Olive Sauce; from Pumpkin and Sage Risotto to Tomato Sorbet.
The poultry and meat chapter features Grilled Chicken with Shallot Vinaigrette (lots of shallots), Rabbit with Artichokes and Pistou (basil), and Lamb Couscous with Chickpeas and Zucchini.
There's also a bread chapter and a dessert chapter and one you will turn to again and again - "the Pantry," which provides the basic stocks, sauces, flavored oils (including truffle oil, cream and butter) and spice mixes.
Each recipe includes nutrition information - calories, fat, protein and carbohydrates - and each is prefaced with serving suggestions. She likes Fresh Peas with Mint and Spring Onions served with roast chicken and Cauliflower Puree. Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes are delicious in salads, with pasta, or on sandwiches and are an integral ingredient in her Eggplant, Tomato, Basil, and Cheese Timbales. Wine suggestions accompany course dishes. All recipes start with equipment requirements, i.e., the right pan.
While assuming a love of cooking, most dishes are simple, and all have that French flair - attention to detail and presentation - which Wells effortlessly portrays with simple description. As always Wells brings her cooking-class expertise to bear in clear, concise directions which anticipate pitfalls and describe techniques.
Boxed asides offer a range of information, from personal anecdotes to French proverbs featuring food to well-honed nuggets of technique. Beautifully illustrated with Wells' own scrumptious photographs, this is well-rounded everyday French cooking at its best.
Amazon.com
Burpee has created a truly encyclopedic, but non-intimidating, guide to organic vegetable gardening that can be used and appreciated by anyone, whether or not they've ever stuck a seed in the ground. All the essential information is here--how to condition the soil, how and where to plant, sprouting schedules, what kind of yield to expect from each plant variety, and harvesting tips--in beautiful, bountiful, illustrated detail; the book's largest section, "Plant Portraits," contains explanations of the many cultivars of each vegetable and herb. If you're a novice vegetable gardener or new to organic gardening and can only afford one gardening guide, this may be your best value.
Book Description
A Backyard-Gardener's Guide to Growing a Bountiful, Great-Tasting Harvest
The Complete Vegetable & Herb Gardener features:
- A full-color encyclopedia of over 100 vegetables and herbs with detailed, expert advice on growing them successfully from planting to harvest
- Planting and growing techniques that keep maintenance to a minimum
- Entries on how to grow unusual edibles, such as refreshing mesclun for salads, colorful edible flowers, spicy mustards, and more
- Descriptions and photos of a host of succulent vegetables, both hybrids and heirlooms, from common to exotic
- Complete information on improving even the poorest garden soil using safe, organic techniques, plus practical advice on making compost
- Recommendations on garden tools you need-and those you don't
- Information on controlling pests and diseases organically, without resorting to poisonous sprays
- Spectacular full-color photographs of vegetables and herbs, food gardens, and edible landscapes, plus 30 black-and-white line drawings
Customer Reviews:
Great overview book.......2007-06-09
This book is great if you're a beginner gardener, and want just one book to sit down and read that covers all aspects of gardening. You'll want to go on an buy other books that go into more detail on specific topics, but this is a great place to start, and one to keep on the shelf.
It is presented as a gardening book should be - a large hardcover with lots of glossy colour photographs.
Chapters are:
1) Growing you own
2) Getting Started
3) Garden Tools & Equipment
4) Improving the soil
5) Laying out the Garden
6) Planting the Garden
7) Caring for the Garden
8) Coping with Garden Problems
Should be called the Coffee Table Encyclopedia of Gardening.......2007-03-10
I am so impressed with this big, beautiful book! The photos are inspiring, and the technical aspects are thoroughly covered. I love the historic background of each vegetable and herb.
I think there is literally everything I ever needed to know about vegetable gardening from seed germination, through care and feeding, to harvest. Detailed charts outline fertilizer, pests, water, soil conditions, and planting and harvest times.
I keep it on my coffee table and flip through it daily just to enjoy the photos and learn some new fact.
You will not be disappointed with this book!
Gardners Dictionary.......2006-10-31
I am a new gardener and this book has helped so much! I look everything up in it. RIght down to problems with plant to how much water each plant gets. It has a guide to all plants and great pictures. Also has tips for gardening.
Well Organized, Comprehensive, Excellent Layout.......2002-08-14
Burpee's "The Complete Vegetable and Herb Gardener: A Guide to Growing Your Garden Organically" is fantastic. In addition to what Burpee lists on the back cover of what is inside the book, there are also many easy-reading tables that contain excellent information such as the vitamin(s) that each vegetable contains, different cultivars, plant PH needs, watering needs per week, crop yields, etc. Many interesting tidbits.
The layout is so wonderful, one does not feel overwhelmed with all of the information that is in the book!
Vegatable Gardening Made Really Easy.......2001-11-02
Very similar in content and structure to Ortho's Complete Guide to Vegtables. The difference comes in the experience the writer has growing and maitaining the various plants. I find using both books gives different perspectives for growing and caretaking of plants but conatins the same basic information. For instance the Ortho book has better Garden Setup and maintenance data, and raw data on the various gardening aspects like fertilizer and pest eradiction. The Burpee book focuses on plant and cultivar details a little better. The book is filled with plenty high quality pictures of plants and their fruits using multiple pictures of various cultivars within plant families.
The book is geared for both beginners in gardening and the handy do it yourselfer types. Chapters progress you through the steps from site selection and plant selection to harvesting, crop rotating and soil conditioning over winter and indoor greenhouse seed starting. The book also contains references to various cultivars within vegtable species, so a beginner gardener could not only successfully select and grow well know vegtables, but could also grow and use the odd often hard to find fresh herbs.
I consistently flip between both this book and Ortho's book. I find using them in this manner makes the information extracted complimentary and thorough.
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