Genres : Agriculture

In this breakthrough work — now available in English for the first time — the independent German-Norwegian explorer of soil life, graduate permaculture designer and graduate engineer Herwig Pommeresche shares his lifetime of research into humus. His entire career has focused on the theory and practice of humus management in gardening and farming. Digging deep into a myriad of little-known research papers, he compares their findings with the usual conventional methods. He found we have an inadequate understanding of the...

Dr. Paul Dettloff’s Complete Guide to Raising Animals Organically is a hands-on reference for anyone at any level of experience who is interested in helping ruminants achieve optimal health naturally. During the course of the author’s half-century career he has watched as the natural care of ruminants was lost to the high-tech methods of the modern industrial farm. Hormones, chemicals and manufactured feed replaced the mineral-rich pastures and natural animal care of the past. Building on his modern-day classic Alternative...

This comprehensive guide takes you step-by-step through the whole process of how to start and operate a successful organic plant growing business using containers. Chapters thoroughly cover such topics as: start-up, greenhouse options, certification/licenses/fees, botany basics, growing container plants, making compost, disease and pest management, demonstration gardens, marketing and merchandising, dealing with employees, and safety. Appendices include example activity logs and forms, instructions for making a soil-texture analysis, and even tips for creating a simple employee handbook. An extensive list...

This booklet is packed with knowledge that will help you grow superior examples of this profitable crop. You will learn: how bacteria helps your crop grow better; how to drought-proof your soil; whether herbicides and pesticides are really necessary; and what place hydrogen peroxide has on your farm. This slender volume can lead soybean producers to fat profits!

“My parents couldn’t read or write, we barely had clothes to wear. All we had were stories. We listened and absorbed them, and found our own place in the narrative.” And what a narrative it is. Join the wonderfully colorful and poetic Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin, or Regi, as he weaves together stories from his upbringing in revolution-torn Guatemala, the vision of a regenerative form of farming which uplifts people, and the wandering fable of the Green Man. The result is an...

Join longtime ecological farming author/researcher Harold Willis as he explains the foundation concepts of natural farming and issues the call for cleaner forms of food and fiber production. In this single volume, the author details the interconnections between soil chemistry, microbial life, plants and livestock. He discusses the current problems in agriculture and suggests how lessons from nature provide the roadmap to efficiency, effectiveness and profitability. This book does not stop at providing recipes of what farmers need to do...

Our human custodianship of the planet is not going well. According to Scientific American, we have only sixty years of farming seasons left because we have degraded soils through industrial agriculture and the overuse of chemicals. The World Wildlife Fund says we have wiped out 60 percent of all mammals, birds, fish, and reptiles since 1970. Chemical destruction of biological processes poisons our soils, our air, and our water. The mishandling of waste is a lost opportunity to repair much...

In this book, author and lifelong poultry keeper Kelly Klober turns his attention to alternative poultry ventures. The newfound interest in heritage breeds of chicken has created a unique opportunity for small farmers to reintroduce consumers to other types of poultry. Ducks, pigeons, and guinea were all once ubiquitous on the family farm, and the market is opening to them once again among influential chefs and foodies. From geese to quail to peahens to turkeys, Klober discusses the pros and...

This book explains how we can produce our food by using seaweed and fish-based inputs rather than wasteful and unsustainable chemical fertilizers. Fryer and Simmons tell how growers can harness energy from the sea to extend growing seasons, increase yields, protect crops from insects and disease, and more. A timeless classic work of eco-agriculture. The knowledge contained on the pages of this book will be of value not only to farmers and gardeners, but to every food consumer as well.

Joe Lewis grew up poor on a Mississippi cotton farm without electricity or running water. And yet it was a rich life — one lived in close proximity to family and nature. Because of a childhood spent around mules, chickens and insects of every kind, Lewis developed a deep and abiding curiosity for the creatures of the natural world. That led him on a trajectory to become an award-winning entomologist with the USDA-ARS at the Tifton Campus, University of Georgia.During...