Want to see your crops thrive this upcoming growing season? The key is in soil fertility and health. Spend time maintaining your soil’s health to guarantee bigger and better crops come harvest time! The following is an excerpt from No-Till Intensive Vegetable Culture by Bryan O’Hara. It has been adapted for the web. What Is Soil Fertility? Soil fertility refers to the overall ability of a soil to produce abundant healthful crops. As growers it is one of our primary duties to manage the soil to bring it into an increasing state of fertility. Factors that work against this effort incl ..read more

Struggling to find the perfect gift for the foodie in your life? Our wide range of food and drink books will give you plenty of options to choose from!  Whether you’re shopping for an adventurous cook who likes foraging for their ingredients, a fermentation aficionado, or a lover of culinary classics, you’ll find something for every cook and brewer on your list.   Inspired by the nutritional research of Weston A. Price, the regenerative farming practices of Joel Salatin, and the traditional Asian recipes passed down through her family for generations, Sophia has curated a unique ..read more

Move aside, maple! We have two new syrups to add to the table. Check out this insight on tapping, selling, and eating syrup from walnut & birch trees. The following is an excerpt from Farming the Woods by Steve Gabriel and Ken Mudge. It has been adapted for the web. Walnut Syrup Walnut (Juglans spp.) trees are wonderful nut producers and also provide potential high-value wood products. If trees are not candidates for the latter, then tapping in addition to nut harvest can be a nice combination of yields for the forest farmer. The tapping of walnut also opens up the possibility of sugaring ..read more

Want to run a successful farm, but don’t know where to begin? These tips from two organic farming pioneers will help you learn everything you need to get started. The following is an excerpt from Many Hands Make a Farm by Jack Kittredge and Julie Rawson. It has been adapted for the web. Lessons From Farming Health benefits aside, here is the biggest lesson that one learns from farming: When we let go of the role of ruler of all we see, life becomes so much more enjoyable, not to mention effective. The truth is that nature is in charge, despite how hard we try to harness and control and ..read more

Ever wanted to make your own hatchet? Then today’s your lucky day! With some scrap steel, a hacksaw, a file, a drill, a bonfire, a bucket of water, and an oven, you can make this simple, hardy, “democratic” axe. The following excerpt is from A Handmade Life: In Search of Simplicity by William Coperthwaite. It has been adapted for the web. How to Make A Hatchet It is hard to find a good broad hatchet—a small, broad axe with a wide cutting edge beveled on only one side, like a chisel; this special bevel makes it easier to hew to a line. After forty years of hunting in antiques shops and fl ..read more

Looking for a unique way to cook with turkey this holiday season? This gluten-free and kosher recipe for turkey egg rolls is sure to impress everyone at the dinner table. Serve these easy-to-make appetizers with a side of Vietnamese dipping sauce for an extra kick of flavor! The following is an excerpt from The Nourishing Asian Kitchen by Sophia Nguyen Eng. It has been adapted for the web. RECIPE: Vietnamese Egg Rolls With Turkey Unlike Chinese and Filipino egg rolls, which are typically filled with pork and wrapped with wheat-based wrappers, Vietnamese egg rolls are traditionally w ..read more

These days, there are a record number of people growing their own food and other crops at home. Whether the homesteader in your life is new to the homesteading lifestyle or a seasoned pro, we’ve got your go-to gifts for anyone who grows everything themselves. In the first edition of The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer, authors Jeff and Melanie Carpenter presented a comprehensive seed-to-bottle guide for aspiring and experienced growers alike, from basic business considerations to planting and propagation to creating value-added products. Now they’re back with a revised and updated edition, shar ..read more

Add a rich and robust twist to your meals with help from red wine salt! This delicious seasoning is a perfect addition to dishes like short rib, lamb chops, roasted potatoes, and more.  The following is an excerpt from Salt and the Art of Seasoning by James Strawbridge. It has been adapted for the web. Wine Salt: What Is It? Every wine salt will taste slightly different depending on what wine and which salt you use for your recipe. The basic method can be applied with any drink, and once you’ve tried this recipe, give coffee salt or elderflower cordial salt a try. The key is to mix the s ..read more

Living in a colder climate doesn’t mean you need to give up on more fragile plants. By adequately preparing your less-hardy plants for the winter, you’ll set them up to survive and thrive! The following is an excerpt from Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nuts by Scott Serrano and Allyson Levy. It has been adapted for the web. Protect Plants from Winter Elements Anyone who has tended a garden in the northern parts of the United States over several years understands that each growing season is distinct because of the vagaries of the weather. While each season has similar qualities to those of th ..read more

Conserve your resources and enjoy fresh produce all year long by growing your own food in the winter months! Achieving a twelve-month growing season is as simple as using the right type of crop protection structure for your climate. The following is an excerpt from The Forest Garden Greenhouse by Jerome Osentowski. It has been adapted for the web. A Guide to Crop Protection Structures For a future dependent on renewable energy and constrained supplies, we need to conserve as much as we can. Growing a wide variety of food crops locally will save transportation energy, keep resources within the ..read more