Even though this book was written over 25 years ago, composting is experiencing a renaissance - and this revised edition includes all the latest in new techniques, technology, equipment. Gardeners know it's the best way to feed the soil and turn food scraps into fresh produce, but even urbanites can get on board thanks to programs like compost pickup and citywide food waste initiatives. There's no better way to reduce landfill waste (and subsequent emissions) and dependence on fossil fuels while nourishing the earth. The Rodale Book of Composting offers easy-to-follow instructions for making and using compost, helpful tips for apartment dwellers to suburbanites, farmers and community leaders, and ecologically sound solutions to growing waste-disposal problems.

Many of us want to increase our self-sufficiency, but few have access to the ideal five sunny, gently sloping acres of rich, loamy, well-drained soil. Jenni Blackmore presents a highly entertaining, personal account of how permaculture can be practiced in adverse conditions, allowing anyone to learn to live more sustainably in a less-than-perfect world. With a rallying cry of "If we can do it, you can too," she distills the wisdom of twenty years of trial and error into a valuable teaching tool. The perfect antidote to dense, high-level technical manuals, Permaculture for the Rest of Us presents the fundamental principles of this sometimes confusing concept in a humorous, reader-friendly way. Each chapter focuses on a specific method or technique, interspersing straightforward explanations with the author's own experiences. Learn how to successfully retrofit even the smallest homestead using skills such as: No-till vs. till gardening, composting, and soil-building Natural pest control and integrating small livestock Basic greenhouse construction Harvesting, preservation, and more Ideal for urban dreamers, suburbanites and country-dwellers alike, this inspirational and instructional "encouragement manual" is packed with vibrant photographs documenting the author's journey from adversity to abundance. Jenni Blackmore is a farmer, artist, writer and certified Permaculture Design Consultant who built her house on a rocky, windswept island off the coast of Nova Scotia almost twenty-five years ago and has been stumbling along the road to self-sufficient living ever since. A successful micro-farmer, she produces most of her family's meat, eggs, fruit, and vegetables, in spite of often-challenging conditions.

Herbert Koepf was a pioneer of biodynamics in Germany, the USA and in the UK. He was an expert teacher, and drew on his own practical background in farming. This book is a collection of some of Koepf's writings on key aspects of biodynamics. It includes practical guidance on building soil structure, preparing and applying biodynamic sprays, crop rotation, compost and composting methods. He also considers ways of researching the effectiveness of biodynamic methods, and measuring results. This is an invaluable guide for anyone working with biodynamic methods, offering Koepf's unique insights and wisdom on practical issues. This overview of Koepf's work is a newly-edited combination of four pamphlets: Compost, Biodynamic Sprays, Three Lectures on Biodynamics, and Research in Biodynamic Agriculture. Published in association with the Biodynamic Association.

*Winner of the Garden Media Guild's The Peter Seabrook Practical Book of the Year Award 2022 From the creator of the wildly popular website "Vertical Veg" and with over 200k people in his online community of growers, comes the complete guide to growing delicious fruit, vegetables, herbs, and salad in containers, pots, and more--in any space, from window boxes to garden yards, no matter how small! "[A] thorough and enthusiastic guide to vegetable gardening . . . both handy and hefty...Aspiring urban gardeners will want to give this a look."--Publishers Weekly If you long to grow your own tomatoes, zucchini, or strawberries, but thought you didn't have enough space, Mark Ridsdill Smith, aka the "Vertical Veg Man," will show you how to make the most of walls, balconies, patios, arches, and windowsills. Ridsdill Smith has spent over ten years teaching people to grow bountiful, edible crops in all kinds of containers in small spaces. Inside The Vertical Veg Guide to Container Gardening, you'll find: Mark's "Eight Steps to Success" How to make the most of your space How to draw up a planning calendar so you can grow throughout the year Planting projects for beginners Compost recipes and wormery guide for the more experienced gardener Troubleshoots for specific challenges of growing in small spaces How growing food at home can contribute to wellbeing and the local community With quick, proven results from his own tests, failures, and successes, Mark will show you how gardening in containers is not just a hobby, but a way of creating a significant amount of delicious, low-cost, high nutrition food. Don't be confined by the space you have--grow all the food you want with Mark's Vertical Veg Guide to Container Gardening.

Biochar, charcoal made from wood or another type of biomass, has become the new darling of organic gardeners, embraced for its outstanding abilities to enrich the soil and improve plant growth. Gardening with Biochar is the first comprehensive guide to understanding, making, and using it effectively in the home garden. In this highly accessible handbook, long-time garden writer Jeff Cox explains what biochar is and provides detailed instructions for how it can be made at home, along with specific guidelines for using it to enrich soil, prevent erosion, and enhance plant growth. Now widely available at garden centers, biochar is also being lauded for its ability to sequester carbon in the soil, making it good for the health of the planet, as well as the plants.

For decades fruit growers have sprayed their trees with toxic chemicals in an attempt to control a range of insect and fungal pests. Yet it is possible to grow apples responsibly, by applying the intuitive knowledge of our great-grandparents with the fruits of modern scientific research and innovation. Since The Apple Grower first appeared in 1998, orchardist Michael Phillips has continued his research with apples, which have been called "organic's final frontier." In this new edition of his widely acclaimed work, Phillips delves even deeper into the mysteries of growing good fruit with minimal inputs. Some of the cuttingedge topics he explores include: The use of kaolin clay as an effective strategy against curculio and borers, as well as its limitations Creating a diverse, healthy orchard ecosystem through understory management of plants, nutrients, and beneficial microorganisms How to make a small apple business viable by focusing on heritage and regional varieties, value-added products, and the "community orchard" model The author's personal voice and clear-eyed advice have already made The Apple Grower a classic among small-scale growers and home orchardists. In fact, anyone serious about succeeding with apples needs to have this updated edition on their bookshelf.