Gardening for the Future of the Earth - Softcover

Shapiro Ph.D., Howard-Yana; Harrisson, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0553375334 ISBN 13: 9780553375336

Publisher: Bantam, 2000

Synopsis

"The key to the future of the world lies in gardening."

So begins this inspiring book from the pioneering organic seed company Seeds of Change, which has introduced millions of gardeners to a cornucopia of luscious, unusual fruits and vegetables--all bred by methods that preserve the irreplaceable resources of water, soil, and genetic diversity for future generations.

Gardening for the Future of the Earth brings together for the first time the techniques of the great pioneers of organic gardening, creating a program that can easily be used by home gardeners. Whether you have a sunny windowsill, a backyard plot, or a country garden, you can apply the principles of leading-edge systems such as permaculture, biointensive, biodynamic, and kinship gardening. The results? More beautiful flowers, vegetables, and fruits than you would have believed possible--and deeper satisfaction for you, the gardener, because you will be working in harmony with nature.

Here is expert advice from the masters on:

Garden planning and design that saves work and water
Composting and other methods to build soil without chemical fertilizers
Planting and pruning techniques for dramatically increased yields
The pleasures of seed saving--and even breeding your own varieties
Exploring the richness of biodiversity through kinship gardening
And much more

Illustrated with color photographs that bring the techniques to life, this is both a practical garden companion and essential reading for anyone interested in preserving the precious resources of our home planet.

One individual with a digging fork and a small garden can make a difference.
So begins this inspiring book from the pioneering organic seed company, Seeds of Change, which now reaches more than one million households annually with its catalog of luscious, unusual fruits and vegetables--all bred by methods that preserve the irreplaceable resources of water, soil, and genetic diversity for future generations.

The authors combine the major techniques of organic gardening--including Permaculture, Biointensive, Biodynamic, and Kinship systems--to create a program that can easilybe used by home gardeners.  We learn from the masters: among others, Bill Mollison on garden planning and design; John Jeavons on soil building and planting; Alan Kapuler and Carol Deppe on seed saving and do-it-yourself plant breeding; and Masanobu Fukuoka on growing without pesticides or fertilizers.

Illustrated with beautiful four-color photographs and diagrams, this is both a practical garden companion and essential reading for anyone interested in building a sustainable future. -->

About this title

About the Author:

Howard-Yana Shapiro, Ph.D., is vice president of agriculture for Seeds of Change, the largest certified organic seed company in the United States. A two-time Ford Foundation Fellow, a Fulbright Scholar, and a National Endowment for the Arts Award recipient, he is a former university professor and a respected expert in world sustainable agricultural systems.

Shapiro began his work in Europe more than twenty-five years ago and later moved to Latin America, particularly the Oaxaca Valley of Mexico, the highlands of Guatemala, and the altiplano of the Andes. In the United States, his work has been centered in northern New Mexico, where he lives with his wife, Nancy, on the banks of the Rio Grande on land that has been farmed continuously for more than 3,000 years.

He has been widely quoted in print and broadcast media, including Organic Gardening, Sunset, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, The Guardian, Australian Broadcast Corporation, CBS, and National Public Radio. He has also addressed agricultural/economics meetings in the United States, Latin America, Australia, and Asia.
John Harrisson is a freelance writer with more than fourteen books on Southwestern and Hawaiian foods and cooking to his credit.

From Library Journal:

Author and BBC organic gardening expert Flowerdew's book, beautifully illustrated with color photographs, introduces organic gardening principles, techniques, and pest controls. He also demonstrates how to grow flowers, herbs, vegetables, and fruit organically. The fruit and vegetable sections include specific cultural information and recommended cultivars, while less information is available on flowers, shrubs, and herbs. Because of its British slant and the relatively brief cultural information included, North American gardeners may prefer books from Rodale's "Successful Organic Gardening" series, which cover everything from perennials to herbs to vegetables in separate volumes. Beginners will also find Maria Rodale's Organic Gardening (Rodale, 1998) or Karan Davis Cutler's Burpee: The Complete Vegetable & Herb Gardener (IDG, 1998) good introductions to the organic method. Shapiro, agricultural director of Seeds of Change (an organic seed company), and Harrisson, a freelance writer, introduce a selection of ecologically sensitive methods of farming applicable to home gardeners. Biointensive, kinship, biodynamic, and permaculture gardening systems are profiled. The authors also include suggestions on how to conserve soil and water and stress the need to preserve genetic diversity through growing plants and saving their seeds or plant breeding, offering techniques for both. There is also an interesting discussion of the problems created by current chemical-based farming practices and the techniques that can be used to alleviate these problems. Recommended for those interested in alternative organic farming and gardening practices.ASue O'Brien, Downers Grove P.L., IL
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Bantam
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0553375334
• ISBN 13: 9780553375336
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240