Growing Home

With economic restructuring, demographic shifts, and lifestyle changes, the traditional family - working father, stay-at-home mother, two to three children - is no longer the norm and the need for smaller homes at moderate cost has skyrocketed. The first prototype of the Grow Home was built on the campus of McGill University in 1990 and more than one thousand units were built across North America and Europe in the first year alone. In this illustrated guide, Friedman describes the background, conception, and construction of these modest (14" x 36") homes. He details their construction for prospective owners, builders, and architects, showing how past and contemporary precedents have been transformed and how the first versions were adapted by the building industry. Visits to completed Grow Homes shed light on why such homes were purchased and the process by which they "grew." Friedman also shows how the design has been adapted for prefabrication to meet the needs of the developing world. He describes the contribution that small-unit design makes to saving valuable natural resources and shares his experiences in planning communities based on the Grow Home. The Grow Home reveals the development and history of a concept that revolutionizes the home and building industry, has been translated into over 10,000 housing units, and has received, among many accolades, the United Nations World Habitat Award.

Interviews and photographs of more than thirty Minnesotans who have imported the style and tradition of their native or ancestral lands into their gardening. Includes Finn, French-speaking Swiss, Turk, Slovene, German, Korean, Nowegian, Bahaman, Czech, Ugandan, Latvian, Russian, Nigerian, Guatemalan, Greek, Mexican, Laotian, Japanese, Sudanese, Polish, Filipino, Cuban, Native American, Liberian, Indian, and Hmong ethnics.

Developed especially for use by backyard orchardists, rare fruit growers, and small-scale growers, The Home Orchard offers a comprehensive look at standard growing methods, as well as some innovative practices that enthusiasts have developed in recent years, some of which are uniquely suited to the small-scale grower. You will learn how trees grow, which species grow best in the different regions and soils, varieties from which to select, preparing the soil, planting, watering and fertilizing, pruning and grafting, thinning the fruit, diagnosing problems, controlling pests, and harvesting. You'll also find special attention given to organic and non-toxic pest management and fertilization methods. Key pests and diseases are identified and natural control methods are emphasized. Irrigation methods for the backyard grower are discussed and the difficult task of how often and how much water to apply is simplified. The focus is on giving the trees enough water but doing so in an efficient, water-saving manner. Included are hundreds of photographs and diagrams that clearly show how to produce the best crops. Photos of several practices, such as key budding and grafting methods, are depicted in step-by-step photos. No other publication provides this breadth and depth of coverage --

Home Hydroponics presents fully illustrated plans for building over a dozen different beautiful, home-based DIY hydroponic growing systems to cultivate your own food indoors.

Use the perfect method for growing the small amounts of marijuana needed for medical use, easily, organically, and year round, with a simple hydroponic system.

"First published in New Zealand by David Bateman Ltd."

Forget the 100-mile eat-local diet; try the 300-square-foot-diet &— grow squash on the windowsill, flowers in the planter box, or corn in a parking strip. Apartment Gardening details how to start a garden in the heart of the city. From building a window box to planting seeds in jars on the counter, every space is plantable, and this book reveals that the DIY future is now by providing hands-on, accessible advice. Amy Pennington's friendly voice paired with Kate Bingham-Burt's crafty illustrations make greener living an accessible reality, even if readers have only a few hundred square feet and two windowsills. Save money by planting the same things available at the grocery store, and create an eccentric garden right in the heart of any living space.

This scarce antiquarian book contains a thoroughly comprehensive guide to mushroom growing, providing all the information anyone interested in such an endeavour could possibly desire. Aimed at the complete beginner, this text is the perfect handbook for helping budding amateurs establish and maintain a successful mushroom-growing project. A great addition to any collection of mycological literature, this book contains timeless information that will prove invaluable to both beginners and veterans alike. Chapters contained herein include: Why Mushrooms?, Making a Start, Composting by Artificial Methods, Composting with Animal Manures, Making up and Spawning the Compost, Care of the Boxes and Beds, Care of the Crop, Mushrooms in the Open, Sanitation and Pest Control, and Food Values and Recipes. This book has been elected for modern republication due to its educational value, and is proudly republished here with a new introduction to the subject.