Gardening Books We Wear Out

"This book is the culmination of some thirty years of firsthand knowledge of growing, tasting, and cooking with heirloom vegetables. A staunch supporter of organic gardening techniques, Will Weaver has grown every one of the featured 280 varieties of vegetables, and he walks the novice gardener through the basics of planting, growing, and seed saving. Sprinkled throughout the gardening advice are old fashioned recipes - such as Parsnip Cake, Artichoke Pie, Pepper Wine, and Henry Ward Beecher's Favorite Turtle Bean Soup - that highlight the flavor of these vegetables. This is the first comprehensive garden book on this subject that also includes meticulous research on the origins and dates of introduction for most of the varieties discussed, as well as fascinating stories and lore about the vegetables."

"Once upon a time people thought gardens were flat, rectangular, and planted in rows. People grew vegetables such as lettuce, carrots, and tomatoes. Then Gene Logsdon, the self-proclaimed dean of American curmudgeons, came along to smash the concept of garden to smithereens. Gene Logsdon is an American original, a farmer who thinks, and a writer who gardens."

"Heirloom vegetables (historic varieties that are often not as widely available as commoner varieties) are being rediscovered and treasured. Rosalind Creasy recommends her favorite heirloom vegetable varieties and provides growing tips and tasty recipes like Squash Pie, Fricassee of Parsnips and Hot Slaw. Includes interviews with Debra Friedman, a cooking interpretor at historic Old Sturbridge Village, and Kent Whealy, director of the Seed Savers Exchange as well as a comprehensive list of suppliers."

"Creasy offers recommendations for selecting and growing the best varieties of Italian herbs and vegetables: basil, broccoli rabe, fava beans, and tomatoes."

"In this newly revised and expanded edition, master grower Eliot Coleman continues to present the simplest and most sustainable ways of growing top-quality organic vegetables. Coleman updates practical information on marketing the harvest, on small-scale equipment, and on farming and gardening for the long-term health of the soil. The new book is thoroughly updated, and includes all-new chapters such as: *Farm-Generated Fertility-how to meet your soil-fertility needs from the resources of your own land, even if manure is not available. *The Moveable Feast-how to construct home-garden and commercial-scale greenhouses that can be easily moved to benefit plants and avoid insect and disease build-up. *The Winter Garden-how to plant, harvest, and sell hardy salad crops all winter long from unheated or minimally heated greenhouses. *Pests-how to find "plant-positive" rather than "pest-negative" solutions by growing healthy, naturally resistant plants. *The Information Resource-how and where to learn what you need to know to grow delicious organic vegetables, no matter where you live."