Farmers' Almanac 2008


Book Description

The Farmers Almanac is an annual publication published every year since 1818. It is the only publication of its kind which generations of American families have come to trust. Its longevity speaks volumes about its content which informs, delights, and educates. Best known for its long-range weather predictions, the Farmers Almanac provides valuable information on gardening, cooking, fishing, and more.




Wild Suburbia


Book Description

Wild Suburbia guides us through the process of transforming a traditional, high water-use yard into a peaceful habitat garden abounding with native plants. Author Barbara Eisenstein emphasizes that gardening is a rewarding activity rather than a finished product, from removing lawns and getting in touch with a yard's climate to choosing plants and helping them thrive. Supplementing her advice with personal stories from her decades of experience working with native plants, Eisenstein illuminates the joys of tending a native garden--and assures us that any challenges, from managing pests to disapproving neighbors, should never sap the enjoyment out of a pleasurable and fulfilling hobby. For plant lovers curious about their own ecosystems, Wild Suburbia offers a style of gardening that nurtures biodiversity, deepens connection to place, and encourages new and seasoned gardeners alike to experiment and have fun.




Garden Guide for the Rogue Valley


Book Description

Acquaints gardeners with the great variety of trees and shrubs that thrive in southwest Oregon's Rogue Valley. This volume focuses on the trees and woody shrubs that form the year-round framework of the garden. It guides the reader through the processes of designing the landscape, selecting plants, and maintaining plant health. It also offers advice on gardening with native plants, planning a water-wise garden, knowing what to plant in fire country, attracting wildlife, and creating beautiful gardens in small spaces. Written by Jackson County Master Gardeners, who have been answering questions about growing an amazing variety of plants in the Rogue Valley's distinctive climate for over 40 years.




The Witches' Almanac, Issue 36 Spring 2017 - 2018


Book Description

Founded in 1971 by Elizabeth Pepper, the art director of Gourmet magazine for many years, The Witches' Almanac is a witty, literate, and sophisticated publication that appeals to general readers as well as hard-core Wiccans. At one level, it is a pop reference that will fascinate anyone interested in folklore, mythology, and culture, but at another, it is the most sophisticated and wide-ranging annual guide available today for the mystic enthusiast. Modeled after the Old Farmers' Almanac, it includes information related to the annual Moon calendar (weather forecasts and horoscopes) as well as legends, rituals, herbal secrets, mystic incantations, interviews, and many a curious tale of good and evil. Although it is an annual publication, only about 15 percent of the content is specific to the date range of each issue. The Witches' Almanac features more than 140 pages of interesting and timeless articles about witchcraft, magic, herbalism, charms, spells, and related topics written by authors from the witchcraft and magical communities. The theme of Issue 36 (Spring 2017 5 - Spring 2018) is Water: Our Primal Source. Included are "The Coffin Ring," "A Beekeeper's Year," "The Margate Grotto," "Speaking in Tongues," "Poppets," and "Thomas the Rhymer."




Sown in the Stars


Book Description

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted."--Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 The Appalachian region is deeply rooted in customs that have been handed down for generations. "Planting by the signs," a practice predicated on the belief that moon phases and astrological signs exert a powerful influence on the growth and well-being of crops, is considered superstitious by some but has been essential to gardeners and farmers for centuries and is still in use today. Sown in the Stars brings together the collective knowledge of farmers in central and eastern Kentucky about the custom of planting by the signs. Sarah Hall interviews nearly two dozen contemporary Kentuckians who still follow the signs of the moon and stars to guide planting, harvesting, canning and food preservation, butchering, and general farm work. Hall explores the roots of this system in both astrology and astronomy and the profound connections felt to the stars, moon, planets, and the earth. Revealed in the personal narratives are the diverse interpretations of the practice. Some farmers and gardeners believe that the moon's impact on crop behavior is purely scientific, while others favor a much wider interpretation of the signs and their impact on our lives. Featuring photographs by Meg Wilson, this timely book bridges the past, present, and future by broadening our understanding of this practice and revealing its potential to increase the resiliency of our current agricultural food systems.




Groundwater


Book Description

Groundwater is invisible, but its impact is visible everywhere. Everything around us relies on groundwater, our drinking water and sanitation, our food supply and our natural environment. Yet because it is invisible, information, management and governance of groundwater is often poor and inadequate. This book contributes to UN Water Groundwater year (2022), and to the effort of “making the invisible, visible”. Through worldwide case studies ranging from the Americas (California, Brazil), to Asia (India, Iran, Lao PDR, Nepal), Africa (Malawi, Tanzania, South Africa) and the MENA region (Lebanon, Morocco, Yemen), including cases of transboundary aquifers, the chapters in this edited volume reflect important recent advances in interdisciplinary knowledge on the governance, management, practice and science-policy interfaces of groundwater. An insightful resource for researchers and planners in the field of environmental policies, water laws, climate change and groundwater governance, this book comes with a new Introduction. The other chapters were originally published in Water International.




Seasonal Planting Guide and Calendar for South Carolina School and Community Gardens


Book Description

The Seasonal Planting Guide and Calendar for South Carolina School and Community Gardens is an easy-to-follow guide that includes gardening checklists, crop profiles, common insect pests, vegetable diseases, a harvesting guide, sample planting calendars, and expanded plans for year-round vegetable gardening in South Carolina.




The Healing Garden


Book Description

In The Healing Garden, Deb Soule, founder of Avena Botanicals, offers an inspiring guide to herb gardening and crafting herbal remedies that promote wellness of spirit and body. Soule combines her passion for plants gardens, and healing with her extensive experience working with medicinal herbs, flowers, roots, and berries. Her practical advice addresses each aspect of fostering a garden filled with helpful, healing plants: biodynamic gardening practices; gathering plants and setting up a drying room; and creating herbal teas, decoctions, tinctures, syrups, tonics, vinegars, essences, and more. A chapter outlining eighteen medicinal herbs provides detailed information on their cultivation and healing properties. Molly Haley's colorful photography showcases Avena Botanicals' lush herb gardens in all seasons. The Healing Garden is grounded in respect for the interconnectedness of all living beings and is an eloquent plea for spiritual awareness and the wholeness of individuals, communities, and our planet.




Agrobiodiversity, School Gardens and Healthy Diets


Book Description

This book critically assesses the role of agrobiodiversity in school gardens and its contribution to diversifying diets, promoting healthy eating habits and improving nutrition among schoolchildren as well as other benefits relating to climate change adaptation, ecoliteracy and greening school spaces. Many schoolchildren suffer from various forms of malnutrition and it is important to address their nutritional status given the effects it has on their health, cognition, and subsequently their educational achievement. Schools are recognized as excellent platforms for promoting lifelong healthy eating and improving long-term, sustainable nutrition security required for optimum educational outcomes. This book reveals the multiple benefits of school gardens for improving nutrition and education for children and their families. It examines issues such as school feeding, community food production, school gardening, nutritional education and the promotion of agrobiodiversity, and draws on international case studies, from both developed and developing nations, to provide a comprehensive global assessment. This book will be essential reading for those interested in promoting agrobiodiversity, sustainable nutrition and healthy eating habits in schools and public institutions more generally. It identifies recurring and emerging issues, establishes best practices, identifies key criteria for success and advises on strategies for scaling up and scaling out elements to improve the uptake of school gardens.




No Dig


Book Description

Work in partnership with nature to nurture your soil for healthy plants and bumper crops - without back-breaking effort! Have you ever wondered how to transform a weedy plot into a thriving vegetable garden? Well now you can! By following the simple steps set out in No Dig, in just a few short hours you can revolutionize your vegetable patch with plants already in the ground from day one! Charles Dowding is on a mission to teach that there is no need to dig over the soil, but by minimizing intervention you are actively boosting soil productivity. In fact, The less you dig, the more you preserve soil structure and nurture the fungal mycelium vital to the health of all plants. This is the essence of the No Dig system that Charles Dowding has perfected over a lifetime growing vegetables. So put your gardening gloves on and get ready to discover: - Guides and calendars of when to sow, grow, and harvest. - Inspiring information and first-hand guidance from the author - “Delve deeper” features look in-depth at the No Dig system and the facts and research that back it up. - The essential role of compost and how to make your own at home. - The importance of soil management, soil ecology, and soil health. Now one of the hottest topics in environmental science, this "wood-wide web" has informed Charles's practice for decades, and he's proven it isn't just trees that benefit - every gardener can harness the power of the wood-wide web. Featuring newly- commissioned step-by-step photography of all stages of growing vegetables and herbs, and all elements of No Dig growing, shot at Charles’s beautiful market garden in Somerset, you too will be able to grow more veg with less time and effort, and in harmony with nature - so join the No Dig revolution today! A must-have volume for followers of Charles Dowding who fervently believe in his approach to low input, high yield gardening, as well as gardeners who want to garden more lightly on the earth, with environmentally friendly techniques like organic and No Dig.