The Living Soil

Principles and farm-tested practices for no-till market gardening--for healthier, more productive soil! From the host of the popular The No-Till Market Garden Podcast—heard around the world with nearly one million downloads! Discovering how to meet the soil’s needs is the key task for every market gardener. In this comprehensive guide, Farmer Jesse Frost shares all he has learned through experience and experimentation with no-till practices on his home farm in Kentucky and from interviews and visits with highly successful market gardeners in his role as host of The No-Till Market Garden Podcast. The Living Soil Handbook is centered around the three basic principles of no-till market gardening: Disturb the soil as little as possible Keep it covered as much as possible Keep it planted as much as possible. Farmer Jesse then guides readers in applying those principles to their own garden environment, with their own materials, to meet their own goals. Beginning with an exploration of the importance of photosynthesis to living soil, Jesse provides in-depth information on: Turning over beds Using compost and mulch Path management Incorporating biology, maintaining fertility Cover cropping Diversifying plantings through intercropping Production methods for seven major crops Throughout, the book emphasizes practical information on all the best tools and practices for growers who want to build their livelihood around maximizing the health of their soil. Farmer Jesse reminds growers that “as possible” is the mantra for protecting the living soil: disturb the soil as little as you possibly can in your context. He does not believe that growers should anguish over what does and does not qualify as “no-till.” If you are using a tool to promote soil life and biology, that’s the goal. Jesse’s goal with The Living Soil Handbook is to provide a comprehensive set of options, materials, and field-tested practices to inspire growers to design a soil-nurturing no-till system in their unique garden or farm ecosystem. "[A] practical, informative debut. . . .Gardeners interested in sustainable agriculture will find this a great place to start."—Publishers Weekly "Frost offers a comprehensive, science-based, sympathetic, wholly practical guide to soil building, that most critical factor in vegetable gardening for market growers and home gardeners alike. A gift to any vegetable plot that will keep on giving."—Booklist (starred review)

This study looks at the fundamentals of soil science and soil biology, encompassing topics such as the building blocks of the soil system and bioremediation of contaminated soils.

Not Merely Sustainable. Restorative. A viable business is a living thing, embedded in the complex web of economy, community, and ecology. Done right, business can help correct the modern stresses of environmental degradation and social fragmentation and create value for workers, shareholders, and additional stakeholders in the community. Living Above the Store explores a road less traveled, and chronicles how business can navigate a new path toward successful, restorative practices. Book jacket.

Growing awareness of the importance of soil health means that microbes are on the minds of even the most casual gardeners. After all, anyone who has ever attempted to plant a thriving patch of flowers or vegetables knows that what you grow is only as good as the soil you grow it in. It is possible to create and maintain rich, dark, crumbly soil that’s teeming with life, using very few inputs and a no-till, no-fertilizer approach. Certified permaculture designer and lifelong gardener Diane Miessler presents the science of soil health in an engaging, entertaining voice geared for the backyard grower. She shares the techniques she has used — including cover crops, constant mulching, and a simple-but-supercharged recipe for compost tea — to transform her own landscape from a roadside dump for broken asphalt to a garden that stops traffic, starting from the ground up. This publication conforms to the EPUB Accessibility specification at WCAG 2.0 Level AA.

True Living Organics teaches you how to grow organic marijuana both indoors and outdoors. It is the only organic marijuana cultivation guide on the market. The first edition sold over 15,000 copies, and the new edition has over 100 additional pages of all new information and photos detailing how to grow marijuana organically so that it is healthier and tastes better. Organic marijuana is preferred for medical marijuana users as well as recreational marijuana users, and growing organic marijuana is much cheaperthan synthetic hydroponic marijuana cultivation systems. This new edition features all new composting techniques, improved soil mixes for maximizing yield, and all new techniques for organic marijuana gardening, including worm farms, organic tea mixes, and highly effective organic soil amendments. Also includes an all new organic hashish guide which teaches you how to make all-natural organic hash from marijuana without the use of any dangerous chemicals.

Outlines proven, sustainable methods for growing healthy food and plants that contribute to a healthy planet and a healthy you. Grow vigorous, more pest-resistant vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants by using complete and balanced nutrients -- far beyond the simplistic, imbalanced concept of NPK. Healthy soil doesn't happen just by composting, fertilizing or companion planting. It happens by using a holistic approach -- outlined in this book and crafted right in your garden.

A revised study of the soil's importance to the transfer of nutrients and energy and an account of the first farm study of the relationships among land use, agricultural practices, and nutritional yield