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Heirloom Vegetable Gardening: A Master Gardener's Guide to Planting, Seed Saving, and Cultural History
William Woys Weaver Manufacturer: Henry Holt & Company ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover  General
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Vegetables
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ASIN: 0805040250 |
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William Woys Weaver has written an important book in Heirloom Vegetable Gardening--important for the kitchen gardener, the cook, the historian, and any American who might wonder what our forebears were up to when they sat down to eat. What was the food on their table? Where did it come from? How did they get it? All these questions are addressed in Weaver's elegant prose.But there's another side to the story, and Weaver meets his reader there, too: Where is food headed, and what's an individual to do?
We have seen the rise of hybrid crops in the years since World War II. They are good for the seed business because the grower can't just let a few plants grow to seed, save the seed, then plant that seed next season. Hybridized plants don't yield seed that's true to the character of the plant, so the grower has to return to the seed rack year after year. Buying seed on a commercial level is a big deal, as is growing enough of it to meet the market. A lot of tillable land in South America isn't growing food for hungry South Americans, but growing corn seed for American farmers, and the biggest use of corn in this country is animal feed. Not many hungry South Americans get to eat corn-fed American beef and pork. In one sense, he who controls seed controls food. Or, he who owns seed owns food, and the highest bidder takes all.
Heirloom seed, then, is more than a trinket or curiosity from the past. It represents the chance of survival in the future. Should an as-yet-unknown plant virus come along and take out the American hybrid corn crop (something that has in fact come close to happening), it's the genetic diversity available in heirloom, open-pollinated seeds that will save the bacon. Governments maintain plant gene banks, but individuals can do much the same, and authors like Weaver show how.
What Weaver injects into the tale is the incredible pleasure that comes of growing heirloom crops and saving seed, and of eating from a table laden with 17th- and 18th-century foods. He shares his own history and his family's history, all of it tied up in gardening and sharing and caring. This lovely book is an extension that can reach into any garden being dug today. In other words, don't hesitate with this title, whether history, science, gardening, or a rich enthusiasm for constructive ways the individual can affect the future drives your interest. --Schuyler Ingle
Book Description
Julia Child Award for Food Reference.Jane Grigson Award for Distinguished Scholarship.
Vast in scope and erudition; unique and enjoyable.
In this encyclopedic guide to the history and cultivation of some of America's most treasured heirloom vegetables, food historian and organic gardener Will Weaver focuses on 280 profiled varieties of 37 vegetables and discusses nearly 400 others. He shares his over thirty years of original research from historical archives as well as hands-on gardening experience to help the lay person appreciate the fascinating history of each vegetable, grow it, and incorporate it into everyday cooking.
Some 100 varieties are shown in full color and more than 200 with line drawings by Signe Sundberg Hall. Weaver traces the development of the seed-saving movement and the history of the kitchen garden in America and gives a list of commercial seed and plant stock sources, plus an extensive bibliography.
Customer Reviews:
beyond the usual seed catalog business.......2002-10-03
Very informational and enjoyable reading.......1998-01-19
Outstanding book helps gardeners choose heirloom varieties.......1997-11-10
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Gardener to Gardener Seed-Starting Primer & Almanac: A Month-By-Month Guide for Planning, Planting, and Tending Your Organic Garden (Rodale Organic Gardening Book)
Manufacturer: Rodale Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover General
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ASIN: 0875968724 |
Book Description
Organic gardeners reveal their best tips and tricks for starting seeds, creating healthy soil, tending the garden, and stretching the growing season in Gardener to Gardener Seed-Starting Primer amp; Almanac. Compiled for gardeners just like you by the editors and readers of Organic Gardening magazine, you'll find month-by-month activities, timesaving gadgets, and wheelbarrow loads of garden-tested advice, such as how to: * Increase yields by rounding the surface of flat garden beds* Build a compost and soil sifter to fit on top of your garden cart or wheelbarrow* Diagnose soil trouble by identifying which weeds are in your garden* Turn leaves into fabulous fertilizer using a three-pronged approach* Get your apples off to a strong start when planting rootstocks in five easy steps* Use a small fan to help your seedlings develop sturdier stems and minimize the chance of fungal diseases Gardener to GardenerBest-Ever Seed TapeIt's difficult to space tiny seeds like those of carrots in the garden, so I make homemade seed tapes by prespacing the dark seeds over a white surface. Here's how to do it: 1. Unroll a strip of toilet paper on a table, mist it with a sprayer, and place the seeds along the center of the paper. (Alternate carrot seeds with radish seeds because when the radishes sprout, they help to mark the row and break the ground.) 2. Starting along the strip's long edge, fold a third of the paper over the seeds, then fold the other third over. Tamp the paper, misting it again to secure the seeds. Make as many of these strips as you need. Then fold the strips up and carefully carry them to the garden. 3. Make shallow furrows in the prepared soil, lay the strips down, and cover them. In a jiffy, your carrots will be planted and perfectly spaced. Doris Ekblad Prairie Farm, WisconsinCustomer Reviews:
A great book for those who are just starting out.......2004-02-02
Not much about actual seed starting here!.......2003-02-16
I'm very disappointed and am now looking for an actual seed starting book.
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Planting the Seed: A Guide to Gardening
Suzanne Winckler Manufacturer: Lerner Publishing Group ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Nonfiction
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ASIN: 0822500817 |
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Heirloom Vegetable Gardening: A Master's Guide to Planting, Seed Saving, and Cultural History
William Woys Weaver Manufacturer: BookSales Inc ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover General
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Vegetables
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ASIN: 0785814299 |
Book Description
Heirloom vegetables-open pollinated vegetables with genetic diversities that fight back against weakening diseases-are rediscovered in this comprehensive guide to growing, harvesting, and cooking these healthy and organic delights. Includes over 100 color photographs.|
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Planting the Seed: A Guide to Gardening (Single Title)
Suzanne Winckler Manufacturer: NY ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback ASIN: B000MUDU82 |
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Planting the Seed: A Guide to Gardening
Suzanne Winckler Manufacturer: Lerner Publishing Group ProductGroup: Book Binding: Library Binding ASIN: B000MHQPVY |
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