Authoritative reference content in the area of the environment, energy and natural resources.
All We Can Save by
NATIONAL BESTSELLER . Provocative and illuminating essays from women at the forefront of the climate movement who are harnessing truth, courage, and solutions to lead humanity forward. "A powerful read that fills one with, dare I say . . . hope?"-The New York Times NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE There is a renaissance blooming in the climate movement- leadership that is more characteristically feminine and more faithfully feminist, rooted in compassion, connection, creativity, and collaboration. While it's clear that women and girls are vital voices and agents of change for this planet, they are too often missing from the proverbial table. More than a problem of bias, it's a dynamic that sets us up for failure. To change everything, we need everyone. All We Can Save illuminates the expertise and insights of dozens of diverse women leading on climate in the United States-scientists, journalists, farmers, lawyers, teachers, activists, innovators, wonks, and designers, across generations, geographies, and race-and aims to advance a more representative, nuanced, and solution-oriented public conversation on the climate crisis. These women offer a spectrum of ideas and insights for how we can rapidly, radically reshape society. Intermixing essays with poetry and art, this book is both a balm and a guide for knowing and holding what has been done to the world, while bolstering our resolve never to give up on one another or our collective future. We must summon truth, courage, and solutions to turn away from the brink and toward life-giving possibility. Curated by two climate leaders, the book is a collection and celebration of visionaries who are leading us on a path toward all we can save. With essays and poems by- Emily Atkin .Xiye Bastida .Ellen Bass.Colette Pichon Battle .Jainey K. Bavishi .Janine Benyus .adrienne maree brown .Regine Clement .Abigail Dillen .Camille T. Dungy .Rhiana Gunn-Wright .Joy Harjo .Katharine Hayhoe .Mary Annaise Heglar .Jane Hirshfield . Mary Anne Hitt .Ailish Hopper.Tara Houska, Zhaabowekwe .Emily N. Johnston .Joan Naviyuk Kane .Naomi Klein .Kate Knuth .Ada Lim n .Louise Maher-Johnson .Kate Marvel .Gina McCarthy .Anne Haven McDonnell. Sarah Miller .Sherri Mitchell, Weh'na Ha'mu Kwasset .Susanne C. Moser .Lynna Odel.Sharon Olds.Mary Oliver .Kate Orff .Jacqui Patterson .Leah Penniman .Catherine Pierce . Marge Piercy .Kendra Pierre-Louis .Varshini . Prakash .Janisse Ray .Christine E. Nieves Rodriguez .Favianna Rodriguez .Cameron Russell .Ash Sanders .Judith D. Schwartz .Patricia Smith . Emily Stengel .Sarah Stillman .Leah Cardamore Stokes .Amanda Sturgeon .Maggie Thomas .Heather McTeer Toney .Alexandria Villasenor .Alice Walker. Amy Westervelt .Jane Zelikova
Black Faces, White Spaces by
Why are African Americans so underrepresented when it comes to interest in nature, outdoor recreation, and environmentalism? In this thought-provoking study, Carolyn Finney looks beyond the discourse of the environmental justice movement to examine how the natural environment has been understood, commodified, and represented by both white and black Americans. Bridging the fields of environmental history, cultural studies, critical race studies, and geography, Finney argues that the legacies of slavery, Jim Crow, and racial violence have shaped cultural understandings of the "great outdoors" and determined who should and can have access to natural spaces. Drawing on a variety of sources from film, literature, and popular culture, and analyzing different historical moments, including the establishment of the Wilderness Act in 1964 and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Finney reveals the perceived and real ways in which nature and the environment are racialized in America. Looking toward the future, she also highlights the work of African Americans who are opening doors to greater participation in environmental and conservation concerns.
Fresh Banana Leaves by
An Indigenous environmental scientist breaks down why western conservationism isn't working--and offers Indigenous models informed by case studies, personal stories, and family histories that center the voices of Latin American women and land protectors. Despite the undeniable fact that Indigenous communities are among the most affected by climate devastation, Indigenous science is nowhere to be found in mainstream environmental policy or discourse. And while holistic land, water, and forest management practices born from millennia of Indigenous knowledge systems have much to teach all of us, Indigenous science has long been ignored, otherized, or perceived as "soft"--the product of a systematic, centuries-long campaign of racism, colonialism, extractive capitalism, and delegitimization. Here, Jessica Hernandez--Maya Ch'orti' and Zapotec environmental scientist and founder of environmental agency Piña Soul--introduces and contextualizes Indigenous environmental knowledge and proposes a vision of land stewardship that heals rather than displaces, that generates rather than destroys. She breaks down the failures of western-defined conservatism and shares alternatives, citing the restoration work of urban Indigenous people in Seattle; her family's fight against ecoterrorism in Latin America; and holistic land management approaches of Indigenous groups across the continent. Through case studies, historical overviews, and stories that center the voices and lived experiences of Indigenous Latin American women and land protectors, Hernandez makes the case that if we're to recover the health of our planet--for everyone--we need to stop the eco-colonialism ravaging Indigenous lands and restore our relationship with Earth to one of harmony and respect.
Healing Grounds by
A powerful movement is happening in farming today--farmers are reconnecting with their roots to fight climate change. For one woman, that's meant learning her tribe's history to help bring back the buffalo. For another, it's meant preserving forest purchased by her great-great-uncle, among the first wave of African Americans to buy land. Others are rejecting monoculture to grow corn, beans, and squash the way farmers in Mexico have done for centuries. Still others are rotating crops for the native cuisines of those who fled the "American wars" in Southeast Asia. In Healing Grounds, Liz Carlisle tells the stories of Indigenous, Black, Latinx, and Asian American farmers who are reviving their ancestors' methods of growing food--techniques long suppressed by the industrial food system. These farmers are restoring native prairies, nurturing beneficial fungi, and enriching soil health. While feeding their communities and revitalizing cultural ties to land, they are steadily stitching ecosystems back together and repairing the natural carbon cycle. This, Carlisle shows, is the true regenerative agriculture - not merely a set of technical tricks for storing CO2 in the ground, but a holistic approach that values diversity in both plants and people. Cultivating this kind of regenerative farming will require reckoning with our nation's agricultural history--a history marked by discrimination and displacement. And it will ultimately require dismantling power structures that have blocked many farmers of color from owning land or building wealth. The task is great, but so is its promise. By coming together to restore these farmlands, we can not only heal our planet, we can heal our communities and ourselves.
Pollution Is Colonialism by
In Pollution Is Colonialism Max Liboiron presents a framework for understanding scientific research methods as practices that can align with or against colonialism. They point out that even when researchers are working toward benevolent goals, environmental science and activism are often premised on a colonial worldview and access to land. Focusing on plastic pollution, the book models an anticolonial scientific practice aligned with Indigenous, particularly Métis, concepts of land, ethics, and relations. Liboiron draws on their work in the Civic Laboratory for Environmental Action Research (CLEAR)--an anticolonial science laboratory in Newfoundland, Canada--to illuminate how pollution is not a symptom of capitalism but a violent enactment of colonial land relations that claim access to Indigenous land. Liboiron's creative, lively, and passionate text refuses theories of pollution that make Indigenous land available for settler and colonial goals. In this way, their methodology demonstrates that anticolonial science is not only possible but is currently being practiced in ways that enact more ethical modes of being in the world.
Need more? Search for "environmental justice" in the GIL-Find catalog or in the library's databases.
Building Community Food Webs by
Our current food system has decimated rural communities and confined the choices of urban consumers. Even while America continues to ramp up farm production to astounding levels, net farm income is now lower than at the onset of the Great Depression, and one out of every eight Americans faces hunger. But a healthier and more equitable food system is possible. In Building Community Food Webs, Ken Meter shows how grassroots food and farming leaders across the U.S. are tackling these challenges by constructing civic networks. Overturning extractive economic structures, these inspired leaders are engaging low-income residents, farmers, and local organizations in their quest to build stronger communities. Community food webs strive to build health, wealth, capacity, and connection. Their essential element is building greater respect and mutual trust, so community members can more effectively empower themselves and address local challenges. Farmers and researchers may convene to improve farming practices collaboratively. Health clinics help clients grow food for themselves and attain better health. Food banks engage their customers to challenge the root causes of poverty. Municipalities invest large sums to protect farmland from development. Developers forge links among local businesses to strengthen economic trade. Leaders in communities marginalized by our current food system are charting a new path forward. Building Community Food Webs captures the essence of these efforts, underway in diverse places including Montana, Hawai'i, Vermont, Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, and Minnesota. Addressing challenges as well as opportunities, Meter offers pragmatic insights for community food leaders and other grassroots activists alike.
Food Security by
For a number of reasons, the global food supply is not as stable as it has been historically. The global population continues to grow, while catastrophic weather events like floods and droughts have an increasingly detrimental effect on crops around the world. Various political factors also impact food security, including violent conflicts within and between countries, trade wars and tariffs, and contentious decisions regarding which crops to subsidize. The viewpoints in this volume explore the causes of food insecurity around the world while also presenting potential solutions that could stabilize food supply at a local and global level.
Food Security Issues and Challenges by
It is clear that one of the most damaging global problems is hunger. There is still a high proportion of hungry people in the world, the number of human beings in this condition exceeding 690 million, according to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report (FAO 2020). Consequently, its eradication is extremely urgent. Nevertheless, it does not appear that Sustainable Development Goal number two, i.e. Zero Hunger, will be achieved by 2030. The United Nations itself admits this, stating that "the world is not on track to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030. If recent trends continue, the number of people affected by hunger would surpass 840 million by 2030".The problems facing food in the world today have increased considerably, as well as various factors and phenomena that augment the complexity of the issues or situations that fall within the scope of food security, such as: climate change, land grabbing, use of chemical fertilizers, loss of agrodiversity and other agricultural sustainability issues, obesity problems resulting from unhealthy diets, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the lack of justiciability of the right to food, the use of biotechnology in food, etc. In short, this book is a diverse compilation of the new manifestations of global food security seen from several angles and areas. The book aims to let visualize the main global problems and challenges that have a negative impact on food security, with the underlying objective of highlighting the need for reinforcing its full application in all contexts and countries. To this end, we believe that it is necessary to make its concept operational, and take it into consideration when applying policies and standards, especially in those areas and matters that may undermine said food security. In this sense, it is essential to strengthen its legal protection through a coherent and operational interpretation of the human right to food, so as to broaden its content and make it consistent with its pillars and foundations.
Reinventing Food Banks and Pantries by
In the US, there is a wide-ranging network of at least 370 food banks, and more than 60,000 hunger-relief organizations such as food pantries and meal programs. These groups provide billions of meals a year to people in need. And yet hunger still affects one in nine Americans. What are we doing wrong? In Reinventing Food Banks and Pantries, Katie Martin argues that if handing out more and more food was the answer, we would have solved the problem of hunger decades ago. Martin instead presents a new model for charitable food, one where success is measured not by pounds of food distributed but by lives changed. The key is to focus on the root causes of hunger. When we shift our attention to strategies that build empathy, equity, and political will, we can implement real solutions. Martin shares those solutions in a warm, engaging style, with simple steps that anyone working or volunteering at a food bank or pantry can take today. Some are short-term strategies to create a more dignified experience for food pantry clients: providing client choice, where individuals select their own food, or redesigning a waiting room with better seating and a designated greeter. Some are longer-term: increasing the supply of healthy food, offering job training programs, or connecting clients to other social services. And some are big picture: joining the fight for living wages and a stronger social safety net. These strategies are illustrated through inspiring success stories and backed up by scientific research. Throughout, readers will find a wealth of proven ideas to make their charitable food organizations more empathetic and more effective. As Martin writes, it takes more than food to end hunger. Picking up this insightful, lively book is a great first step.
Need more? Search for "food security" in the GIL-Find catalog or in the library's databases.
The Complete Guide to No-Dig Gardening by
The Complete Guide to No-Dig Gardening is a warm and friendly, yet science-based, guide where readers learn how to grow a healthy, productive garden without ever turning over the soil.
Gardening to Eat by
Embrace a plant-based lifestyle all the way from seed to plate. This inspiring and informative book takes the mystery out of gardening and reveals how to grow an array of fruits and vegetables using simple, organic techniques. Packed with fresh ideas for turning homegrown produce into delicious, nutritious meals, you'll find heaps of no-nonsense recipes created for real people with busy lives and healthy appetites. No fads, no fuss, no fancy ingredients, just real, honest, ethical food. With a passion for connecting people and plants, Gardening to Eat brings the garden into the kitchen. For people who love food and love to know where it's come from.
Grow Bag Gardening by
Grow Bag Gardening is an easy-to-follow guide to growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs from seed to harvest in eco-friendly, reusable fabric planting bags.
How to Grow Fruits, Vegetables and Houseplants Without Soil by
Dirt-free, low-cost, space-saving, low in pesticides, and environmentally friendly, hydroponic gardening âe" the art of growing plants without any soil âe" is a method already used by millions for growing healthy, vibrant plants by everyday gardeners. In Greek, hydro translates to water and ponos translates as labor, meaning that your garden lets the water do the work of feeding nutrients to your plant âe" no soil necessary. This technology allows your plants to grow with nutrient solutions, with its roots free or supported by means like peat moss, sawdust, or gravel. The result is high yield production âe" with a growth rate that is 30 to 50 percent faster than a soil-based plant grown under the same conditions, according to the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre. You don't have to be a professional horticulturalist to learn how to grow soil-free in your own home. For anyone who was ever turned off by traditional gardening because of inconvenience or messiness, hydroponic gardening offers an attractive and practical alternative. Your fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other foliage can flourish without their roots being buried unnecessarily in layers of restrictive, water-wasting soil. According to The Green Living Journal, growing plants and crops without soil requires only 1/20 to 1/30 the amount of water needed with conventional gardening, saving you on both the costs of soil and water. With How to Grow Fruits, Vegetables, & Houseplants Without Soil as your step-by-step guide, you can learn how to set up your own hydroponic garden right in your backyard, greenhouse, or windowsill. And with science showing that soil-less gardening results in higher yields and much less water waste, hydroponics are on their way to becoming the primary gardening method of the future âe" though this technique has been used for centuries. If you want to start your own low-maintenance, healthy garden, this book has everything you need to take you from seed to sprout âe" and beyond. Using this heavily researched book, you will learn every detail behind why and how hydroponic gardening works, and what tools you will need to get started. Discover the long history behind this alternative method, and find out what plants and crops flourish the most without soil. You will learn how to prime your plants for growth, as well as how to deal with pests or any other garden hindrances. Learn about both the pros and cons of soil-less planting, as well as the various materials you can utilize to enhance growth and support your plantsâe(tm) roots, such as gravel, clay, mineral solutions, and aeroponics. You can understand how to harness the power of natural and artificial light to nurture the growth of your plants, as well as how to use the best environmentally safe and organic methods and media for your green garden. This book features a multitude of in-depth interviews with scientists, hobbyists, and greenhouse-savvy experts who will teach you the secrets behind starting and maintaining your new, innovative hobby. And if you want to turn your hydroponic hobby into an income-producing garden, this book will show you how. Whether your garden comprises a few window-sized containers or multiple sprawling greenhouses, you can learn how hydroponics can inexpensively and easily fit your gardening goals.
How to Grow Your Own Food by
Take your love of plants to the next level and start growing some food with this modern, easy-to-follow guidebook that shows you everything you need to know to grow edible plants all year round! Did you know you could grow vegetables, fruits, and herbs in containers? Well, now you can take your houseplants to the next level by growing home-grown produce and seasoning that will taste delicious in all of your favorite dishes. How to Grow Your Own Food identifies 50 common, easy-to-grow edible plants from herbs to vegetables, along with detailed care instructions and beautiful illustrations of each plant. You'll find everything you need to know about building your container garden including: -How to choose the right size container for each plant -How to water (and feed!) your plants for optimal growth -When to harvest your crops for the best flavor -And much more! It's time to turn your decorative plants into ones that will keep you happy and healthy! No matter how much or how little space you have in your apartment, you can enjoy everything--from basil to onions to strawberries--with this practical guide to container gardening.
Micro Food Gardening by
Micro Food Gardening introduces very compact plant varieties and step-by-step projects for growing food in small spaces, such as on balconies, decks, porches, and tabletops.
More Food from Small Spaces by
Food, we can't live without it, yet its costs are rising and consuming more of the family budget. In addition, health concerns about the use of pesticides, gmo foods, and potential soil mineral depletion in the food supply inspire more people to want to grow their own vegetables. Many of these live in cities with only small yard spaces. This book presents new methods devised and tested by the author to maximize food production from a small yard. By tightly spacing plants in deep, fertile soil, training plants vertically, and harvesting year round -- with the help of the inexpensive, portable greenhouse one can build from this book -- a great proportion of a family
No-Waste Composting by
No-Waste Composting includes step-by-step plans for multiple small-scale indoor and outdoor composting systems that turn repurposed household items into containment systems for composting kitchen scraps and yard waste.
No-Waste Organic Gardening by
Covering dozens of ways to recycle and re-purpose your way to a successful organic garden, No-Waste Organic Gardening shows you how to be a smart, responsible gardener.
Raised Bed Gardening (First-Time Gardener) by
Raised Bed Gardening (First-Time Gardener) is an essential beginner's guide to building, filling, and growing a raised bed vegetable garden.
Regrown by
Regrown is a beginner's guide to growing fruit and vegetables from kitchen scraps. With a focus on repurposing produce found in any supermarket, it shows how to regenerate, propagate and give new life to cuttings otherwise bound for the waste bin. Ranging from fruits and herbs that will sprout in a matter of days, to vegetables that will delight in later seasons, this easy-to-follow book includes everything from carrot tops and mushroom stalks to ginger, avocado and even pineapple. Paul and Robin guide budding gardeners through the process of reusing items to grow plants that are every bit as delicious as their first incarnations. What's more, all you need is a jar and a tapful of water, before letting nature do its thing.
Sustainable Gardening by
Sustainable Gardening puts gardeners on the eco-friendly path by providing all the necessary guidance to create and care for a stable, resource-savvy, and gorgeous landscape.
Need more? Search for "gardening" in the GIL-Find catalog or in the library's databases.
Edible Wild Plants and Useful Herbs by
For a generation, the Basic Illustrated series has been as much a part of the outdoors experience as backpacks and hiking boots. Information-packed tools for the novice or handy references for the veteran, these volumes distill years of knowledge into affordable and portable books. Whether you're planning a trip or thumbing for facts in the field, Basic Illustrated books tell you what you need to know. Learn how to: Forage for wild plants and herbs and identify edible berries Treat a variety of ailments and illnesses, from colds to heart disease and more Distinguish between edible and nonedible parts of plants Moderate your intake of certain plants and herbs to avoid physical illness Make delicious desserts, herbal teas, and other healthy recipes
Food from the Radical Center by
"Informational and inspirational." --Booklist America has never felt more divided. But in the midst of all the acrimony comes one of the most promising movements in our country's history. People of all races, faiths, and political persuasions are coming together to restore America's natural wealth: its ability to produce healthy foods. In Food from the Radical Center, Gary Nabhan tells the stories of diverse communities who are getting their hands dirty and bringing back North America's unique fare: bison, sturgeon, camas lilies, ancient grains, turkeys, and more. These efforts have united people from the left and right, rural and urban, faith-based and science-based, in game-changing collaborations. Their successes are extraordinary by any measure, whether economic, ecological, or social. In fact, the restoration of land and rare species has provided--dollar for dollar--one of the best returns on investment of any conservation initiative. As a leading thinker and seasoned practitioner in biocultural conservation, Nabhan offers a truly unique perspective on the movement. He draws on fifty years of work with community-based projects around the nation, from the desert Southwest to the low country of the Southeast. Yet Nabhan's most enduring legacy may be his message of hope: a vision of a new environmentalism that is just and inclusive, allowing former adversaries to commune over delicious foods.
Guide to Wild Foods and Useful Plants by
An array of abundant wild foods is available to hikers, campers, foragers, or anyone interested in living closer to the earth. Written by a leading expert on wild foods and a well-known teacher of survival skills, Guide to Wild Foods and Useful Plants is more than a listing of plant types--it teaches how to recognize edible plants and where to find them, their medicinal and nutritional properties, and their growing cycles. This new edition features more than 70 plants found all around the United States along with more than 100 full color photos plus handy leaf, fruit, and seed keys to help readers identify the plants. It also includes fascinating folklore about plants, personal anecdotes about trips and meals, and simple and tasty recipes.
Heirloom Vegetable Gardening by
"This book is sure to be a modern classic and is one of the most important books on gardening in the current century." --Jere Gettle, founder, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds Heirloom Vegetable Gardening has always been a book for gardeners and cooks interested in unique flavors, colors, and history in their produce. This updated edition has been improved throughout with growing zones, advice, and new plant entries. Line art has been replaced with lush, full-color photography. Yet at the core, this book delivers on the same promise it made two decades ago: It's a comprehensive guide based on meticulous first-person research to these 300+ plants, making it a book to come back to season after season.
Saving the Wild South by
The American South is famous for its astonishingly rich biodiversity. In this book, Georgann Eubanks takes a wondrous trek from Alabama to North Carolina to search out native plants that are endangered and wavering on the edge of erasure. Even as she reveals the intricate beauty and biology of the South's plant life, she also shows how local development and global climate change are threatening many species, some of which have been graduated to the federal list of endangered species. Why should we care, Eubanks asks, about North Carolina's Yadkin River goldenrod, found only in one place on earth? Or the Alabama canebrake pitcher plant, a carnivorous marvel being decimated by criminal poaching and a booming black market? These plants, she argues, are important not only to the natural environment but also to southern identity, and she finds her inspiration in talking with the heroes the botanists, advocates, and conservationists young and old on a quest to save these green gifts of the South for future generations. These passionate plant lovers caution all of us not to take for granted the sensitive ecosystems that contribute to the region's long-standing appeal, beauty, and character.
Garden Insects of North America by
This second edition of Garden Insects of North America solidifies its place as the most comprehensive guide to the common insects, mites, and other "bugs" found in the backyards and gardens of the United States and Canada. Featuring 3,300 full-color photos and concise, detailed text, this fully revised book covers the hundreds of species of insects and mites associated with fruits and vegetables, shade trees and shrubs, flowers and ornamental plants, and turfgrass--from aphids and bumble bees to leafhoppers and mealybugs to woollybears and yellowjacket wasps--and much more. This new edition also provides a greatly expanded treatment of common pollinators and flower visitors, the natural enemies of garden pests, and the earthworms, insects, and other arthropods that help with decomposing plant matter in the garden. Designed to help you easily identify what you find in the garden, the book is organized by where insects are most likely to be seen--on leaves, shoots, flowers, roots, or soil. Photos are included throughout the book, next to detailed descriptions of the insects and their associated plants. An indispensable guide to the natural microcosm in our backyards, Garden Insects of North America continues to be the definitive resource for amateur gardeners, insect lovers, and professional entomologists. Revised and expanded edition covers most of the insects, mites, and other "bugs" one may find in yards or gardens in the United States and Canada--all in one handy volume Features more than 3,300 full-color photos, more than twice the illustrations of the first edition Concise, informative text organized to help you easily identify insects and the plant injuries that they may cause
The Pollinator Victory Garden by
You can create a beautiful landscape that attracts and supports many different species of pollinators.
Protecting Pollinators by
We should thank a pollinator at every meal. These diminutive creatures fertilize a third of the crops we eat. Yet half of the 200,000 species of pollinators are threatened. Birds, bats, insects, and many other pollinators are disappearing, putting our entire food supply in jeopardy. In North America and Europe, bee populations have already plummeted by more than a third and the population of butterflies has declined 31 percent. Protecting Pollinators explores why the statistics have become so dire and how they can be reversed. Jodi Helmer breaks down the latest science on environmental threats and takes readers inside the most promising conservation initiatives. Efforts include famers reducing pesticides, cities creating butterfly highways, volunteers ripping up invasive plants, gardeners planting native flowers, and citizen scientists monitoring migration. Along with inspiring stories of revival and lessons from failed projects, readers will find practical tips to get involved. They will also be reminded of the magic of pollinators--not only the iconic monarch and dainty hummingbird, but the drab hawk moth and homely bats that are just as essential. Without pollinators, the world would be a duller, blander place. Helmer shows how we can make sure they are always fluttering, soaring, and buzzing around us.
Vegetables Love Flowers by
An indispensable introduction to one of the oldest, yet most radical, ways to improve and beautify your vegetable garden.
Need more? Search for "pollinators" in the GIL-Find catalog or in the library's databases.
Beginning Seed Saving for the Home Gardener by
Author is a medical doctor who applies his scientific training and understanding of biology to his hobby of seed saving Discusses methods for saving seeds in the home garden Differs from other books on seed saving because it is written by a home seed saver for home seed savers Specifically for the beginning seed saver Requirements and limitations for home seed saving are very different to commercial seed saving Includes techniques suitable to address the unique challenges faced by small scale growers such as gene pool and seed purity Suitable for home gardeners who want to grow small amounts of a variety of plants Easy methods for optimal seed saving for first time seed saver Explains vegetative versus sexual propagation Introduction to botany and sexual anatomy Inbreeding versus outbreeding Covers Flowers Legumes: Peas and Beans Lettuce (applicable to cilantro and parsley) Tomatoes and Peppers Squash family, spinach and easy biennials More advance methods include corn, carrots and parsnips and the cabbage family Audience: Gardeners, homesteaders, urban farmers, community gardeners and garden educators Canada: Interest in saving seed in Canada is gaining momentum. In 2014, the founder of Salt Spring Seeds estimated that tens of thousands of Canadians are saving their own seeds and predicted this would grow into a gardening revolution. In February of this year, The National Famer's Union launched a campaign for a farmer friendly seed saving law. Regional Interest: Atlantic provinces, Ontario, Quebec and BC
Saving Seeds, Preserving Taste by
The Brown Goose, the White Case Knife, Ora's Speckled Bean, Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifter--these are just a few of the heirloom fruits and vegetables you'll encounter in Bill Best's remarkable history of seed saving and the people who preserve both unique flavors and the Appalachian culture associated with them. As one of the people at the forefront of seed saving and trading for over fifty years, Best has helped preserve numerous varieties of beans, tomatoes, corn, squashes, and other fruits and vegetables, along with the family stories and experiences that are a fundamental part of this world. While corporate agriculture privileges a few flavorless but hardy varieties of daily vegetables, seed savers have worked tirelessly to preserve genetic diversity and the flavors rooted in the Southern Appalachian Mountains--referred to by plant scientists as one of the vegetative wonders of the world. Saving Seeds, Preserving Taste will introduce readers to the cultural traditions associated with seed saving, as well as the remarkable people who have used grafting practices and hand-by-hand trading to keep alive varieties that would otherwise have been lost. As local efforts to preserve heirloom seeds have become part of a growing national food movement, Appalachian seed savers play a crucial role in providing alternatives to large-scale agriculture and corporate food culture. Part flavor guide, part people's history, Saving Seeds, Preserving Taste will introduce you to a world you've never known--or perhaps remind you of one you remember well from your childhood.
The Seed Garden by
Winner of the American Horticultural Society Award for Excellence In Garden Book Publishing Winner of the Silver Medal for Best Reference from the Garden Writer's Association Filled with advice for the home gardener and the more seasoned horticulturist alike, The Seed Garden: The Art and Practice of Seed Saving provides straightforward instruction on collecting seed that is true-to-type and ready for sowing in next year's garden. In this comprehensive book, Seed Savers Exchange, one of the foremost American authorities on the subject, and the Organic Seed Alliance bring together decades of knowledge to demystify the time-honored tradition of saving the seed of more than seventy-five coveted vegetable and herb crops--from heirloom tomatoes and long-favored varieties of beans, lettuces, and cabbages to centuries-old varieties of peppers and grains. With clear instructions, lush photographs, and easy-to-comprehend profiles on individual vegetable crops, this book not only teaches us how to go about conserving these important varieties for future generations and for planting out in next year's garden, it also provides a deeper understanding of the importance of saving these genetically valuable varieties of vegetables that have evolved over the centuries through careful selection by farmers and home gardeners. Through simple lessons and master classes on crop selection, pollination, roguing, and the processes of harvesting and storing seeds, this book ensures that these time-honored traditions can continue. Many of these vegetable varieties are treasured for traits that are singular to their strain, whether that is a resistance to disease, an ability to grow well in a region for which that crop is not typically well suited, resistance to early bolting, or simply because it is a great-tasting variety. In an age of genetically modified crops and hybrid seed, a growing appreciation for saving seeds of these time-tested, open-pollinated cultivars has found a new audience from home vegetable gardeners and cooks to restaurant chefs and local farmers. Whether interested in simply saving seeds for home use or working to conserve rare varieties of beloved squashes and tomatoes, this book provides a deeper understanding of the art, the science, and the joy of saving seeds.
The Seed Underground by
There is no despair in a seed. There's only life, waiting for the right conditions-sun and water, warmth and soil-to be set free. Everyday, millions upon millions of seeds lift their two green wings. At no time in our history have Americans been more obsessed with food. Options including those for local, sustainable, and organic food-seem limitless. And yet, our food supply is profoundly at risk. Farmers and gardeners a century ago had five times the possibilities of what to plant than farmers and gardeners do today; we are losing untold numbers of plant varieties to genetically modified industrial monocultures. In her latest work of literary nonfiction, award-winning author and activist Janisse Ray argues that if we are to secure the future of food, we first must understand where it all begins: the seed. The Seed Underground is a journey to the frontier of seed-saving. It is driven by stories, both the author's own and those from people who are waging a lush and quiet revolution in thousands of gardens across America to preserve our traditional cornucopia of food by simply growing old varieties and eating them. The Seed Underground pays tribute to time-honored and threatened varieties, deconstructs the politics and genetics of seeds, and reveals the astonishing characters who grow, study, and save them.
Starting & Saving Seeds by
Grow fabulous food and flowers from seeds, then save seeds to make next year's garden even better. Creating dinner from food you've grown provides a fantastic sense of accomplishment. Now, imagine the pleasure of starting plants from seeds, tending them, planting them in your garden, harvesting their fruits, and enjoying a delicious meal or bouquet. But that's not the end of the journey. Now you can turn around and save the best seeds for next year's garden. Suddenly, you're self-sufficient; you've grown your own garden from seed to seed. In this book, you'll find the tools you need to become a seed starting and saving champion. Author and gardening expert Julie Thompson-Adolf walks you through every step of the journey, making the entire process a joy. You'll find hints to encourage stubborn seeds to germinate, lists of varieties to add to your garden, charts for quick growing reference, and simple DIY projects to aid your seed starting and saving adventure. (Learn how to make seed bombs and an indoor seed-starting station.) The extensive plant entries inside cover all the most popular vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers. Get started with tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and melons, or chamomile, cosmos, sweet peas, and poppies--accompanied by beautiful photography from Libby Williams. Whether you're an experienced gardener new to seed starting and saving or a brand-new grower, you'll soon have healthy, productive, beautiful plants for your garden.
Need more? Search "seed saving" in the GIL-Find catalog or in the library's databases.
From the Ground Up by
An inspiring story for everyone who's ever dreamed of growing the food they eat nbsp; When Jeanne Nolan, a teenager in search of a less materialistic, more authentic existence, left Chicago in 1987 to join a communal farm, she had no idea that her decades-long journey would lead her to the heart of a movement that is currently changing our nation's relationship to food. Now a leader in the sustainable food movement, Nolan shares her story in From the Ground Up, helping us understand the benefits of organic gardening--for the environment, our health, our wallets, our families, and our communities. The great news, as Nolan shows us, is that it has never been easier to grow the vegetables we eat, whether on our rooftops, in our backyards, in our school yards, or on our fire escapes. nbsp; From the Ground Up chronicles Nolan's journey as she returned seventeen years later, disillusioned with communal life, to her parents' suburban home on the North Shore as a single mother with few marketable skills. Her mother suggested she plant a vegetable garden in their yard, and it grew so abundantly that she established a small business planting organic gardens in suburban yards. She was then asked to create an organic farm for children at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo, and she soon began installing gardens around the city--on a restaurant's rooftop, in school yards, and for nonprofit organizations. Not only did she realize that practically anyone anywhere could grow vegetables on a small scale but she learned a greater lesson as well: rather than turn her back on mainstream society, she could make a difference in the world. The answer she was searching for was no further than her own backyard.nbsp;nbsp; nbsp; In this moving and inspiring account, which combines her fascinating personal journey with the knowledge she gained along the way, Nolan helps us understand the importance of planting and eating organically--both for our health and for the environment--and provides practical tips for growing our food. With the message that we can create utopias in our very own backyards and rooftops, From the Ground Up can inspire each of us to reassess our relationship to the food we eat. Praise for From the Ground Up nbsp; "One of the most intelligent, surprising and impressive garden memoirs I've read in a long time . . . radiant with hope and love."--The New York Times Book Review "The joy of From the Ground Up is not Nolan's own happy ending but rather the illuminating way she applies her vision to practical problems. . . . The hardest memoir to write is the one that is honest but not self-obsessed; Nolan accomplishes this with clarity and poise."--Jane Smiley, Harper's "[A] rare and improbable thing: a gripping gardening memoir . . . [Nolan's] voice is an honest and reassuring one."--Chicago Reader "[A] refreshing narrative . . . From the Ground Up triumphs the backyard micro-garden as it imparts lessons from Nolan's life about family. . . . The book is a good read for foodies and lovers of a good story alike, and an inspiration to garden wherever you can find space."--Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star "From the Ground Up resonates powerfully with me, as a gardener, and inspires me to 'double dig' my garden bed. But even readers who keep their fingernails clean will benefit from this beautiful story and powerful message."--Sophia Siskel, president and CEO of the Chicago Botanic Garden
Greening Cities, Growing Communities by
Although there are thousands of community gardens across North America, only Seattle and a few other cities include them in their urban development plans. While the conditions and experiences in Seattle may be unique, the city's programs offer insights and lessons for other cities and communities. Greening Cities, Growing Communities examines: -- Planning and design strategies that support the development of urban community gardens as sustainable places for education and recreation -- Approaches to design processes, construction, and stewardship that utilize volunteer and community participation and create a sense of community -- Programs that enable gardens to serve as a resource for social justice for low income and minority communities, immigrants, and seniors -- Opportunities to develop active-living frameworks by strategically locating community gardens and linking them with other forms of recreation and open space as part of pedestrian-accessible networks Greening Cities, Growing Communities focuses on six community gardens in Seattle where there has been a strong network of knowledge and resources. These case studies reveal the capacity of community gardens to serve larger community issues, such as food security; urban ecosystem health; demonstration of sustainable gardening and building practices; active living and pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods; and equity concerns. The authors also examine how landscape architects, planners, and allied design professionals can better interact in the making of these unique urban open spaces, and how urban community gardens offer opportunities for professionals to have a more prominent role in community activism and urban sustainability.
Urban Farming by
Urban Farming helps readers trace the history of farming in urban areas, understand why we do it, explore the science behind it, and discuss controversies from an objective viewpoint. The title will engage readers on the topic and help them to weigh the pros and cons as they make their own food decisions. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Core Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.
Need more? Search for "urban agriculture" in the GIL-Find catalog or in the library's databases.
