Chelsea Green Publishing Co – serie

The classic book on systems thinking, with more than half a million copies sold worldwide!This is a fabulous book. This book opened my mind and reshaped the way I think about investing. ForbesPerfect for fans of Kate Raworth, Rutger Bregman and Daniel Kahneman!The co-author of the international best-selling book Limits to Growth, Donella Meadows is widely regarded as a pioneer in the environmental movement and one of the world's foremost systems analysts . Her posthumously published Thinking in Systems, is a concise and crucial book offering insight for problem solving on scales ranging from the personal to the global. This essential primer brings systems thinking out of the realm of computers and equations and into the tangible world, showing readers how to develop the systems-thinking skills critical for 21st-century life.Some of the biggest problems facing the world―war, hunger, poverty, and environmental degradation―are essentially system failures. They cannot be solved by fixing one piece in isolation from the others, because even seemingly minor details have enormous impact.While readers will learn the conceptual tools and methods of systems thinking, the heart of the book is grander than methodology. Donella Meadows reminds readers to pay attention to what is important, not just what is quantifiable, to stay humble, and to stay a learner.No matter what industry or career you’re in, Thinking In Systems will bring clarity to the complicated, crowded and interdependent networks that make up the world today. Thinking in Systems helps readers avoid confusion and helplessness, the first step toward finding proactive and effective solutions.

In this indispensable new resource both for the home apothecary and clinical practitioners, a celebrated herbalist brings alive the elemental relationships among traditional healing practices, ecological stewardship and essential plant medicines.By honouring ancient wisdom and presenting it in an innovative way, Energetic Herbalism is a profound and practical guide to family and community care for those seeking to move beyond symptom relief and into a truly holistic framework of health. Throughout, author Kat Maier invites readers to explore their personal relationships with plants and their environs as they discover diverse models of healing.Inside Energetic Herbalism, you’ll find:The elements and patterns of Ayurvedic doshas for greater self-awareness as well as positive lifestyle choicesThe relationship of well-being to the seasons through the brilliant lens of Chinese Five Element Theory and how our emotional health is beautifully expressed through the ElementsThe roots and evolution of Vitalism, the traditional Western system of energetic medicineHow to assess imbalances in the body using the elegant and intuitive vocabulary of the six tissue states, an emerging tool in Western herbalismThe senses as the main tools for navigating through energetic herbalismA deep appreciation of the wisdom of indigenous peoples, which is the foundation of sacred plant traditionsThrough the rich herbal tradition of storytelling, Maier seamlessly blends theory and practice with her experience-tested herbal remedies and healing protocols. Maier stresses the critical message of how to address the challenge of threatened medicinal plant populations, offering practical and inspiriting methods for ensuring their survival. Many herbals boast a materia medica of more than 100 herbs, but in keeping with an emphasis on sustainable practice, Maier instead focuses in depth on 25 essential medicinal herbs that can be grown in most temperate climates and soils, including:DandelionAshwagandha (Indian Ginseng)GoldensealBurdockCalendulaEchinaceaGoldenrodWhether you are a seasoned clinical herbalist, an herbalist-in-training or simply someone seeking to provide the best natural health care for your family, this book is a source of inspiration, insight and answers you will return to again and again.

Named One of the 25 Most Influential Cookbooks From the Last 100 Years by The New York Times‘…The high priest of fermentation theory’ the Guardian‘Sandor Katz’s teachings and writings on fermentation have changed lives around the world.’ Dan Saladino, The Food Programme BBCThe bible for the D.I.Y set: detailed instructions for how to make your own sauerkraut, beer, yogurt and pretty much everything involving microorganisms. The New York TimesInternational New York Times bestseller, translated into 10 languages and over a quarter of a million copies sold worldwideNew York Times bestseller The Art of Fermentation is the only fermentation guide you’ll ever need! In this book, fermentation revivalist Katz contextualises fermentation in terms of biological and cultural evolution, gut health, immunity, nutrition and even economics. Here, you will find the A to Z of everything you need to know about fermentation. From the novice fermentationist to the experienced practitioner, this book has something in it for everyone.With beautiful illustrations and extended references you will find details on making: fermenting vegetablessugars into alcohol (meads, wines, and ciders)sour tonic beveragesMilkGrains and starchy tubers beers (and other grain-based alcoholic beverages) beans; seeds; nuts fish; meat; and eggs growing mold culturesKimchi, krautkombucha, kefirSandor Katz’s award-winning writing and in-depth knowledge as a fermentation revivalist guarantees that this book will remain a classic in food writing and the first guide of its kind. Perfect for cooks, food lovers, fermentation enthusiasts, farmers and foragers alike!

'One of the most perceptive and thought-provoking books …Essential reading for these turbulent times.' Amitav Ghosh, author of The Great Derangement'Dougald Hine’s brilliant book demands we stare into that abyss and rethink our securest certainties about what is actually going on in the climate crisis. It’s lucidly unsettling and yet in the end empowering. There is something we can do, and it starts with where we look, how we see and what we choose to change.’ Brian Eno, Musician‘[A] rich book, which like a poetic or religious text deserves multiple readings’ Richard Smith, British Medical Journal‘I consider this book a must-read for all those activists feeling lost, desperate and perhaps subject to ‘press-on-itis'.’ Gail Bradbrook, cofounder, Extinction RebellionDougald Hine, world-renowned environmental thinker, has spent most of his life talking to people about climate change. And then one afternoon in the second year of the pandemic, he found he had nothing left to say. Why would someone who cares so deeply about ecological destruction want to stop talking about climate change now? At Work in the Ruins explores that question.‘Climate change asks us questions that climate science cannot answer,’ Dougald says. Questions like, how did we end up in this mess? Is it just a piece of bad luck with atmospheric chemistry – or is it the result of a way of approaching the world that would always have brought us to such a pass? How we answer such questions also has consequences.Through our over-reliance on the single lens of science, Dougald writes that we are blinded to the nature of the crises around and ahead of us, leading to ‘solutions’ that can only make things worse. At Work in the Ruins is his reckoning with the strange years we have been living through and our long history of asking too much of science.  He offers guidance by standing firmly forward and facing the depth of the trouble we are in, to ultimately, helps us find the work that is worth doing, even in the ruins.

Groundbreaking call to action by Donella Meadows, the bestselling author of Thinking in Systems!Limits to Growth was right. New research shows we're nearing collapse the GuardianThe updated edition of the groundbreaking classic that kickstarted the movement for environmental and ecological reform!Perfect for fans of The Uninhabitable Earth and There is No Planet BIt is no unknown fact that at the present rate of climate change, population growth and capitalistic expansion, we are over-exceeding our planet’s resources. We’re stretched pretty thin and if we continue at the present rate we’ll soon be headed towards irreversible consequences as a result of unchecked growth on a finite planet.Donella Meadows, Jorgen Randers and Dennis Meadows, three imminent environmental leaders, foresaw the early signs of wear and tear on our planet. They come together in Limits to Growth to offer an analysis of present and future trends in resource use and assess a variety of possible outcomes. Citing climate change as the most tangible example of our current overshoot, the scientists now provide us with a plan to reduce our needs to meet the carrying capacity of the planet.In many ways, the message contained in Limits to Growth is a warning. Rampant resource exhaustion cannot be sustained without collapse. But as the authors are careful to point out, there is reason to believe that humanity can still reverse some of the damage to Earth if we reduce inefficiency and waste. Limits to Growth is a work of stunning intelligence that has exposed the critical line between human growth and human development.

“Big ideas that just might save the world”—The GuardianThe founder of the international Transition Towns movement asks why true creative, positive thinking is in decline, asserts that it's more important now than ever, and suggests ways our communities can revive and reclaim it.In these times of deep division and deeper despair, if there is a consensus about anything in the world, it is that the future is going to be awful. There is an epidemic of loneliness, an epidemic of anxiety, a mental health crisis of vast proportions, especially among young people. There’s a rise in extremist movements and governments. Catastrophic climate change. Biodiversity loss. Food insecurity. The fracturing of ecosystems and communities beyond, it seems, repair. The future—to say nothing of the present—looks grim.But as Transition movement cofounder Rob Hopkins tells us, there is plenty of evidence that things can change, and cultures can change, rapidly, dramatically, and unexpectedly—for the better. He has seen it happen around the world and in his own town of Totnes, England, where the community is becoming its own housing developer, energy company, enterprise incubator, and local food network—with cascading benefits to the community that extend far beyond the projects themselves.We do have the capability to effect dramatic change, Hopkins argues, but we’re failing because we’ve largely allowed our most critical tool to languish: human imagination. As defined by social reformer John Dewey, imagination is the ability to look at things as if they could be otherwise. The ability, that is, to ask What if? And if there was ever a time when we needed that ability, it is now.Imagination is central to empathy, to creating better lives, to envisioning and then enacting a positive future. Yet imagination is also demonstrably in decline at precisely the moment when we need it most. In this passionate exploration, Hopkins asks why imagination is in decline, and what we must do to revive and reclaim it. Once we do, there is no end to what we might accomplish.From What Is to What If is a call to action to reclaim and unleash our collective imagination, told through the stories of individuals and communities around the world who are doing it now, as we speak, and witnessing often rapid and dramatic change for the better.

Lakoff researches how framing influences reasoning, or how the way we say something often matters much more than what we say. the GuardianOver a quarter of a million copies sold worldwide!Ten years after writing the definitive, international bestselling book on political debate and messaging, George Lakoff returns with new strategies about how to frame today’s essential issues.Called the “father of framing” by The New York Times, Lakoff explains how framing is about ideas – ideas that come before policy, ideas that make sense of facts, ideas that are proactive not reactive, positive not negative, ideas that need to be communicated out loud every day in public. The revised edition picks up where the original book left off – delving deeper into how framing works, how framing has evolved in the past decade, how to speak to people who harbor elements of both progressive and conservative worldviews, how to counter propaganda and slogans, and more.The ALL NEW Don’t Think of an Elephant! will make you reconsider everything you think you know about framing:Do you think facts alone can win a debate? Do you know what makes a Tea Party follower tick? Do you understand how to communicate on key issues that can improve people's lives? Whether you answer yes or no, the insights in The ALL NEW Don’t Think of an Elephant! will not only surprise you, but also give you the tools you need to develop frames that work, and eradicate frames that backfire.

Why does knowing more mean believing—and doing—less? A prescription for changeThe more facts that pile up about global warming, the greater the resistance to them grows, making it harder to enact measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare communities for the inevitable change ahead.It is a catch-22 that starts, says psychologist and economist Per Espen Stoknes, from an inadequate understanding of the way most humans think, act, and live in the world around them. With dozens of examples—from the private sector to government agencies—Stoknes shows how to retell the story of climate change and, at the same time, create positive, meaningful actions that can be supported even by deniers.In What We Think About When We Try Not To Think About Global Warming, Stoknes not only masterfully identifies the five main psychological barriers to climate action, but addresses them with five strategies for how to talk about global warming in a way that creates action and solutions, not further inaction and despair.These strategies work with, rather than against, human nature. They are social, positive, and simple—making climate-friendly behaviors easy and convenient. They are also story-based, to help add meaning and create community, and include the use of signals, or indicators, to gauge feedback and be constantly responsive.Whether you are working on the front lines of the climate issue, immersed in the science, trying to make policy or educate the public, or just an average person trying to make sense of the cognitive dissonance or grapple with frustration over this looming issue, What We Think About When We Try Not To Think About Global Warming moves beyond the psychological barriers that block progress and opens new doorways to social and personal transformation.

WINNER of the 2019 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing AwardAuthor of the New York Times 2023 "Notable Book" CrossingsWashington Post “50 Notable Works of Nonfiction”Science News “Favorite Science Books of 2018”Booklist “Top Ten Science/Technology Book of 2018”"A marvelously humor-laced page-turner about the science of semi-aquatic rodents…. A masterpiece of a treatise on the natural world.”—The Washington Post In Eager, environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb reveals that our modern idea of what a healthy landscape looks like and how it functions is wrong, distorted by the fur trade that once trapped out millions of beavers from North America’s lakes and rivers. The consequences of losing beavers were profound: streams eroded, wetlands dried up, and species from salmon to swans lost vital habitat. Today, a growing coalition of “Beaver Believers”—including scientists, ranchers, and passionate citizens—recognizes that ecosystems with beavers are far healthier, for humans and non-humans alike, than those without them. From the Nevada deserts to the Scottish highlands, Believers are now hard at work restoring these industrious rodents to their former haunts. Eager is a powerful story about one of the world’s most influential species, how North America was colonized, how our landscapes have changed over the centuries, and how beavers can help us fight drought, flooding, wildfire, extinction, and the ravages of climate change. Ultimately, it’s about how we can learn to coexist, harmoniously and even beneficially, with our fellow travelers on this planet.

"David Stroh has produced an elegant and cogent guide to what works. Research with early learners is showing that children are natural systems thinkers. This book will help to resuscitate these intuitive capabilities and strengthen them in the fire of facing our toughest problems."—Peter Senge, author of The Fifth Discipline Concrete guidance on how to incorporate systems thinking in problem solving, decision making, and strategic planning—for everyone!Donors, leaders of nonprofits, and public policy makers usually have the best of intentions to serve society and improve social conditions. But often their solutions fall far short of what they want to accomplish and what is truly needed. Moreover, the answers they propose and fund often produce the opposite of what they want over time. We end up with temporary shelters that increase homelessness, drug busts that increase drug-related crime, or food aid that increases starvation.How do these unintended consequences come about and how can we avoid them? By applying conventional thinking to complex social problems, we often perpetuate the very problems we try so hard to solve, but it is possible to think differently, and get different results.Systems Thinking for Social Change enables readers to contribute more effectively to society by helping them understand what systems thinking is and why it is so important in their work. It also gives concrete guidance on how to incorporate systems thinking in problem solving, decision making, and strategic planning without becoming a technical expert.Systems thinking leader David Stroh walks readers through techniques he has used to help people improve their efforts on complex problems like:ending homelessnessimproving public healthstrengthening educationdesigning a system for early childhood developmentprotecting child welfaredeveloping rural economiesfacilitating the reentry of formerly incarcerated people into societyresolving identity-based conflictsand more!  The result is a highly readable, effective guide to understanding systems and using that knowledge to get the results you want.

Exploring the intersection between traditional and modern, this is a no-holds-barred guide to natural cheesemaking, dairying, and pastoralism—and one man’s global quest to make milk Sacred again.In Cheese Trekking, nomadic cheesemaker, fermentation educator, and popular Substack writer Trevor Warmedahl recounts his experiences visiting pastoral communities and cheesemakers in overlooked border regions around the world, traveling on a shoestring budget with little more than a rucksack and sleeping bag. With every step, he explains how cheeses can be exquisite manifestations of locale and exposes the destructive methods and bland homogeneity of modern industrial production. In clear, propulsive language, Trevor describes a range of milk foods that utilize all byproducts of cheesemaking and are the lifeblood of the communities from which they spring.There is a growing international movement to return to the roots of natural cheesemaking, at the core of which is a philosophy of working with—rather than against—microbes and nature; the sacredness of motherhood, milk, and life itself; and the ethics involved in dairying. Trevor’s central premise is that milk has a terroir, born from the plants and ecology of a landscape, that is concentrated via ruminant digestion and lactation and develops through the barns and milk sheds—steered by human hands and cultural practices into foods.Throughout Cheese Trekking, Trevor offers firsthand evidence that humans can be stewards of landscapes, shepherds of microbes, and keepers of genetic wealth in the form of heritage livestock breeds, while crafting delicious, safe, nutrient-dense milk foods. "Brimming with hard-earned knowledge . . . Part adventure travelogue, part methods manual, and part record of ancient foodways that is at the same time a wise treatise on how to see our place on this earth and how to live well."—Helen Whybrow, author of The Salt Stones: Seasons of a Shepherd’s Life

Electricity has shaped the modern world. But how has it affected our health and environment?Over the last 220 years, society has evolved a universal belief that electricity is ‘safe’ for humanity and the planet. Scientist and journalist Arthur Firstenberg disrupts this conviction by telling the story of electricity in a way it has never been told before - from an environmental point of view - by detailing the effects that this fundamental societal building block has had on our health and our planet.In The Invisible Rainbow, Firstenberg traces the history of electricity from the early eighteenth century to the present, making a compelling case that many environmental problems, as well as the major diseases of industrialised civilisation - heart disease, diabetes, and cancer - are related to electrical pollution.

‘The most important book of 2022.’ Dr. Robert MaloneDesmet’s work on mass formation theory was brought to the world’s attention on The Joe Rogan Experience and in major alternative news outlets around the globe. Read this book to get beyond the sound bites!In The Psychology of Totalitarianism, world-renowned Professor of Clinical Psychology Mattias Desmet deconstructs the societal conditions that allow collective hypnosis to take hold. By analysing the global pandemic, he identifies the phenomenon of ‘mass formation’ and illustrates how humanity is being forcibly,unconsciously led into a reality of technocratic totalitarianism, which aggressively excludes alternative views and relies on destructive groupthink, vilifying non-conformist thought as ‘dissident.’Building on Hannah Arendt’s essential work on totalitarianism, The Origins of Totalitarianism, Desmet offers a sharp critique of the cultural ‘groupthink’ that existed pre-pandemic but has steadily and inexorably advanced during the Covid crisis. He cautions against the dangers of our current societal landscape, media consumption, and reliance on manipulative technologies, offering simple solutions – both individual and collective – to prevent the willing sacrifice of our ability to think critically. The Psychology of Totalitarianism serves as an indispensable and fundamental guide to understanding this key moment in history.‘Mattias Desmet's [theory of mass formation hypnosis] is great. . . . Once I kind of started to look for it, I saw it everywhere.’ Eric Clapton

[Pascal]’s methods are effective, and his creativity is infectious. With gorgeous photos and clear technical details, this book will be a source of great inspiration. Sandor Ellix Katz, author of The Art of FermentationThe perfect guide for DIY homebrewers, fermentation fans and foraging enthusiasts!Fermentation fans and homebrewers are invited to discover a galaxy of wild and cultivated plants, fruits, berries and other natural ingredients traditionally used to make a whole spectrum of fizzy fermented drinks!Wild-plant expert and forager Pascal Baudar’s first book, The New Wildcrafted Cuisine, opened up a whole new world of possibilities for readers wishing to explore and capture the flavours of their local terroir. Next in Pascal’s Wildcrafted series, The Wildcrafting Brewer does the same for fermented drinks. Baudar reveals both the underlying philosophy and the practical techniques for making your own delicious concoctions. Illustrated with full-colour photographs and step-by-step techniques on how to make a variety of drinks, including: Sugar, molasses & syrup-based beers such as ginger beer, mountain beer, nettle beer, wild Belgian beerCountry wines & meads including: elderberry wine, honey wine, herbal meadTraditional drinks & medicinal brews such as tepache, fruit kvass, chaga beerNaturally fermented drinks including: pinecone soda, mountain raspberry soda, elderflower soda, lacto-fermented drinks and much more!Baudar is quick to point out that these recipes serve mainly as a touchstone for readers, who can then use the information and techniques he provides to create their own brews using local ingredients.The Wildcrafting Brewer will attract foodies, herbalists, foragers and chefs alike with the author’s playful and relaxed philosophy. Readers will find themselves surprised by how easy making your own natural drinks can be and will be inspired, again, by the abundance of nature all around them. Those interested in the wonders of foraging and fermenting can also check out his next book in the wildcrafted series, Wildcrafted Fermentation!

The evergreen classic on ecological gardening, whatever size your garden!Over a quarter of a million copies sold worldwide!Working with Nature, not against her, results in more beautiful, abundant and resilient gardens. In the revised, second edition of Gaia's Garden, Toby Hemenway extends his expert knowledge of permaculture to urban and suburban landscapes. A perfect beginner's guide to ecological gardening, Gaia's Garden dispels the notion that meaningful gardening can only take place on a large piece of land with lots of space to grow. Readers can expect step-by-step instructions on:Building and maintaining soil fertility and structure Catching and conserving water in the landscape Providing habitat for beneficial insects, birds and animals Growing an edible forest that yields seasonal fruits, nuts and other foods Whatever size garden you have to work with, you can apply basic permaculture principles to make it more diverse, more natural, more productive and more beautiful. Rewild your garden today with the ecological tools/principles for a better tomorrow!

A groundbreaking, comprehensive guide for managing, treating and preventing cancer.It’s a sad truth of our times that one in three people will experience cancer in their lifetime. By 2040, the probability will rise to one in two. Holistic Cancer Medicine is for cancer patients – from newly diagnosed to the late stage – as well as a comprehensive guide on how to reduce the risk of cancer in the first place. Dr Henning Saupe’s programme focusses on how those affected by cancer can carry out treatment to cure or control the disease while maintaining quality of life. As the founder and director of Germany’s leading complementary cancer clinic, Dr Saupe offers Holistic Cancer Medicine as the culmination of twenty-five years of experience treating the disease. Dr Saupe complements standard treatment models with less burdensome, less invasive and more natural methods.Dr Saupe identifies The Holistic Model of the Twelve Vital Fields, describing the dynamic interplay between, nutrition, circulation, the microbiome, mitochondrial health, acid-base balance, chronic infections and more. He shares innovative treatments that address specific imbalances in the twelve vital fields, as well as specific tumour-killing methods, such as insulin potentiation therapy (IPT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), local and whole-body hyperthermia and pulsating electromagnetic frequency therapy (PEMF). He also details inner-life training (ILT) and affirmations for both physical and emotional pain, as well as tools for palliative care.Holistic Cancer Medicine is not just for cancer patients, but relatives, friends and colleagues supporting loved ones through the stages of cancer. It is also for people seeking to prevent the disease. An essential read during a critical time of life, this is a groundbreaking book on cancer care with an essential and compassionate message – that a diagnosis of cancer and living a full, vibrant life are not mutually exclusive.

“Lash is capable of explaining the mind-bending concepts of Gnosticism and pagan mystery cults with bracing clarity and startling insight. . . . [His] arguments are often lively and entertaining.”—Los Angeles TimesFully revised and with a new preface by the author, this timely update is perfect for readers of The Immortality Key.Since its initial release to wide acclaim in 2006, Not in His Image has transformed the lives of readers around the world by presenting the living presence of the Wisdom Goddess as never before revealed, illustrating that the truth of an impactful Gnostic message cannot be hidden or destroyed.With clarity, author John Lamb Lash explains how a little-known messianic sect propelled itself into a dominant world power, systematically wiping out the great Gnostic spiritual teachers, the Druid priests, and the shamanistic healers of Europe and North Africa. Early Christians burned libraries and destroyed temples in an attempt to silence the ancient truth-tellers and keep their own secrets.Not in His Image delves deeply into ancient Gnostic writings to reconstruct the story early Christians tried to scrub from the pages of history, exploring the richness of the ancient European Pagan spirituality—the Pagan Mysteries, the Great Goddess, Gnosis, the myths of Sophia and Gaia.In the 15th Anniversary Edition, Lash doubles down on his original argument against redemptive ideology and authoritarian deceit. He shows how the Gnostics clearly foresaw the current program of salvation by syringe, and places the Sophianic vision of life centrally in the battle to expose and oppose the evil agenda of transhumanism, making this well-timed update more relevant than ever.“Sometimes a book changes the world. Not in His Image is such a book. It is clear, stimulating, well-researched, and sure to outrage the experts. . . . Get it. Improve not just your own life, but civilization’s chances for survival.”—Roger Payne, author of Among Whales

“Ben Hartman is a true innovator for the small farm.”—Curtis Stone, author of The Urban FarmerIt’s time to think big about small farms. Award-winning author and “green leader” (Grist) Ben Hartman shares practical how-to tips, personal stories, and surprising examples of cutting-edge farmers and innovators around the world to show us how.In the early 1970s, US Agriculture Secretary Earl Butz infamously commanded farmers to “get big or get out.” In The Lean Micro Farm, author Ben Hartman rejects that disastrous suggestion and instead takes up the charge of the late agrarian thinker Gene Logsdon: “Get small and stay in.”Taking inspiration from the groundbreaking ideas of E. F. Schumacher and Mahatma Gandhi, The Lean Micro Farm shows how small, hyperlocal farms can be both ecologically and economically superior to industrial-scale operations geared toward export and commodity markets.The Lean Micro Farm details the author’s remarkable journey to downsize his farm from one acre to a third of an acre in an effort to prioritize family and community over work, all without taking a pay cut. In addition, Hartman profiles six innovative farmers from across the globe who embody this “get small” mindset. These pioneering farmers show all of us a path toward resilience in the face of supply chain disruption, globalization, and climate change. They model a gentler, more ecological approach to farming that produces less waste and uses less plastic, petroleum, and fertilizer.Like his previous two books, The Lean Farm and The Lean Farm Guide to Growing Vegetables, Hartman’s The Lean Micro Farm doesn’t just explain why smaller is better, it shows readers exactly how it can be done with step-by-step guides on how to turn a profit from a tiny, but productive, parcel of farmland. Readers will find not just philosophical justifications for a minimalist approach to agriculture but also actionable information for starting your own profitable micro farm, including:A description of the “deep mulch” method for building fertilityInstructions on two-step bed flipping to increase production on a small footprintA guide for choosing essential tools and technologies “with a human face”An easy-to-follow process for making your micro farm lean and efficientA detailed plan for selling $20,000 worth of produce from your backyard It’s time, Hartman makes clear, to pivot to a new kind of farming—one that builds upon ancestral knowledge, nourishes communities, and puts human joy, not technology, at its center.“Hartman has revolutionized his methods, cut down his work hours dramatically, and shrunk the size of his farm, all while making a better income.”—Civil Eats

In a groundbreaking debut, farmer and social scientist Chris Smaje argues that organising society around small-scale farming offers the soundest, sanest and most reasonable response to climate change and other crises of civilisation-and will yield humanity's best chance at survival. Drawing on a vast range of sources from across a multitude of disciplines, A Small Farm Future analyses the complex forces that make societal change inevitable; explains how low-carbon, locally self-reliant agrarian communities can empower us to successfully confront these changes head on; and explores the pathways for delivering this vision politically. Challenging both conventional wisdom and utopian blueprints, A Small Farm Future offers rigorous original analysis of wicked problems and hidden opportunities in a way that illuminates the path toward functional local economies, effective self-provisioning, agricultural diversity and a shared earth.

A practical, systems-based approach for a more sustainable farming operation"Ben Hartman has revolutionized his methods, cut down his work hours dramatically, and shrunk the size of his farm, all while making a better income."—Civil EatsTo many people today, using the words “factory” and “farm” in the same sentence is nothing short of sacrilege. In many cases, though, the same sound business practices apply whether you are producing cars or carrots. Author Ben Hartman and other young farmers are increasingly finding that incorporating the best new ideas from business into their farming can drastically cut their wastes and increase their profits, making their farms more environmentally and economically sustainable. By explaining the lean system for identifying and eliminating waste and introducing efficiency in every aspect of the farm operation, The Lean Farm makes the case that small-scale farming can be an attractive career option for young people who are interested in growing food for their community.Working smarter, not harder, also prevents the kind of burnout that start-up farmers often encounter in the face of long, hard, backbreaking labor. Lean principles grew out of the Japanese automotive industry, but they are now being followed on progressive farms around the world. Using examples from his own family’s one-acre community-supported farm in Indiana, Hartman clearly instructs other small farmers in how to incorporate lean practices in each step of their production chain, from starting a farm and harvesting crops to training employees and selling goods.Inside The Lean Farm you'll discover how to apply lean practices like:Every Tool In Its PlaceTen Types of Farm WasteEstablish Pull, Don't PushLimits of LeanLean for More Profitand much more! While the intended audience for this book is small-scale farmers who are part of the growing local food movement, Hartman’s prescriptions for high-value, low-cost production apply to farms and businesses of almost any size or scale that hope to harness the power of lean in their production processes.Ben Hartman was named a "Grist 50! Fixer""The Lean Farm should be dissected, digested, and discussed—then applied—on every single farm: big or small, wholesale or retail, livestock or produce. It would make all farms more profitable, productive, and pleasurable.”—Joel Salatin, owner of Polyface Farm

Principles and farm-tested practices for no-till market gardening--for healthier, more productive soil!Discovering how market gardeners can meet their soil's needs is a literal labor of love for Farmer Jesse Frost. In this comprehensive guide, he shares all he has learned through experience and experimentation with no-till practices, cover cropping, mulching, and more on his home farm-Rough Draft Farmstead-in Kentucky, and as the host of The No-Till Market Garden Podcast. Farmer Jesse's basic principles of no-till market gardening are 1) keep the soil covered as much as possible, 2) keep it planted as much as possible, and 3) disturb it as little as possible. No-till practices must be based on each farm's unique context, and thus this book guides readers in applying those principles to their own environment, with their own materials, to meet their own goals.Beginning with soil biology and moving on to chapters on turning over beds, using compost and mulch, path management, and production methods for six major crops, Jesse provides in-depth, practical information on all the best tools and practices for growers who want to build their livelihood around maximizing the health of their soil. He also describes the methods used by many of the most successful and innovative market gardeners he has interviewed in the past decade.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.

‘The most important book of 2022.’ Dr. Robert MaloneDesmet’s work on mass formation theory was brought to the world’s attention on The Joe Rogan Experience and in major alternative news outlets around the globe. Read this book to get beyond the sound bites!In The Psychology of Totalitarianism, world-renowned Professor of Clinical Psychology Mattias Desmet deconstructs the societal conditions that allow collective hypnosis to take hold. By analysing the global pandemic, he identifies the phenomenon of ‘mass formation’ and illustrates how humanity is being forcibly,unconsciously led into a reality of technocratic totalitarianism, which aggressively excludes alternative views and relies on destructive groupthink, vilifying non-conformist thought as ‘dissident.’Building on Hannah Arendt’s essential work on totalitarianism, The Origins of Totalitarianism, Desmet offers a sharp critique of the cultural ‘groupthink’ that existed pre-pandemic but has steadily and inexorably advanced during the Covid crisis. He cautions against the dangers of our current societal landscape, media consumption, and reliance on manipulative technologies, offering simple solutions – both individual and collective – to prevent the willing sacrifice of our ability to think critically. The Psychology of Totalitarianism serves as an indispensable and fundamental guide to understanding this key moment in history.‘Mattias Desmet's [theory of mass formation hypnosis] is great. . . . Once I kind of started to look for it, I saw it everywhere.’ Eric Clapton

'Seasoned and novice growers alike will find a mother lode of information and wisdom packed into this gem of a book!' Nancy Phillips, author of The Herbalist’s Way*Updated with new information about herb dryers and construction, soil fertility, growing cannabis, and moreIn the first edition of The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer, authors Jeff and Melanie Carpenter presented a comprehensive seed-to-bottle guide for aspiring and experienced growers alike, from basic business considerations to planting and propagation to creating value-added products. Now they’re back with a revised and updated edition, sharing the lessons they’ve learned throughout their twenty-five years of operating a medicinal herb farm that prizes quality over quantity.The Carpenters offer their insights and tips on every aspect of herb farming, including:Size and scale considerationsData management for profit maximizationThe herbal marketplace and choosing which herbs to growField and bed preparation and planting, including building soil fertilityPlant-positive weed, pest, and disease controlHarvest and post-harvest processing, including scalable dryer constructionValue-added products and marketingA new chapter on growing cannabisAnd much more!The Carpenters make the case that growing organic medicinal herbs is not only viable and profitable, but also an important step for improving the ecological health of farmland, taking pressure off of wild medicinal plant populations, and increasing biodiversity. While local foodways are more often the focus of attention, local medicine ways are equally critical and in need of restoration.The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer is a one-of-a-kind resource, complete with detailed profiles of 50 medicinal herbs and over 200 colour photographs. Whether you’re looking to grow an herb farm from the ground up, incorporate medicinal plants on an existing farm, or add tools to your belt as a seasoned grower, you’ll find the information you need in this volume.'[A] beautiful and informative book . . . A dirt-smudged copy should be within easy reach of every home gardener or farmer who grows—or wants to grow—medicinal plants.' Michael McGuffin, President, American Herbal Products Association

Grazing management might seem simple: just put livestock in a pasture and let them eat their fill. However, as Sarah Flack explains in The Art and Science of Grazing, the pasture/livestock relationship is incredibly complex. If a farmer doesn’t pay close attention to how the animals are grazing, the resulting poorly managed grazing system can be harmful to the health of the livestock, pasture plants, and soils. Well-managed pastures can instead create healthier animals, a diverse and resilient pasture ecosystem, and other benefits. Flack delves deeply below the surface of “let the cows eat grass,” demonstrating that grazing management is a sophisticated science that requires mastery of plant and animal physiology, animal behavior, and ecology. She also shows readers that applying grazing management science on a working farm is an art form that calls on grass farmers to be careful observers, excellent planners and record-keepers, skillful interpreters of their observations, and creative troubleshooters.  The Art and Science of Grazing will allow farmers to gain a solid understanding of the key principles of grazing management so they can both design and manage successful grazing systems. The book’s unique approach presents information first from the perspective of pasture plants, and then from the livestock perspective—helping farmers understand both plant and animal needs before setting up a grazing system. This book is an essential guide for ruminant farmers who want to be able to create grazing systems that meet the needs of their livestock, pasture plants, soils, and the larger ecosystem. The book discusses all the practical details that are critical for sustained success: how to set up a new system or improve existing systems; acreage calculations; paddock layout; fence and drinking water access; lanes and other grazing infrastructure; managing livestock movement and flow; soil fertility; seeding and reseeding pastures; and more. The author includes descriptions of real grazing systems working well on dairy, beef, goat, and sheep farms in different regions of North America. The book covers pasture requirements specific to organic farming, but will be of use to both organic and non-organic farms.

Named a ‘Best Book of the Year’ by Kirkus Reviews‘Urgent and eye-opening, the book serves as a loud-and-clear alarm.’ – The Boston GlobeFrom an MIT scientist, mounting evidence that the active ingredient in the world’s most commonly used weedkiller is contributing to skyrocketing rates of chronic disease.Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup, the most commonly used weedkiller in the world. Over 300 million pounds of glyphosate-based herbicide are sprayed on farms – and food – every year.Agrochemical companies claim that glyphosate is safe for humans, animals and the environment. But emerging scientific research on glyphosate’s deadly disruption of the gut microbiome, its crippling effect on protein synthesis and its impact on the body’s ability to use and transport sulfur – not to mention several landmark legal cases – tells a very different story.In Toxic Legacy, senior research scientist Stephanie Seneff, PhD, delivers compelling evidence based on countless published, peer-reviewed studies – all in frank, illuminating and always accessible language.As Rachel Carson did with DDT in the 1960’s with Silent Spring, Seneff sounds the alarm on glyphosate, giving you guidance on simple changes you can make right now and essential information you need to protect your health, your family’s health and the planet on which we all depend. ‘A game-changer that we would be foolish to ignore.’ – Kirkus Reviews (starred)‘Toxic Legacy will stand shoulder to shoulder with Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. [This is] unquestionably, one of the most important books of our time.’ – David Perlmutter, MD, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Grain Brain‘Dr. Seneff’s work will change the way we all think about food.’ – Mark Hyman, MD, New York Times bestselling author

A groundbreaking, dynamic healing program designed to help you achieve deep healing and relief from disruptive, unwanted thoughts through calming your body and rerouting your nervous system.Who among us has not experienced periods of high anxiety, persistent stress, obsessive ruminations, or recurrent intrusive thoughts? The longer these “repetitive unpleasant thoughts” (RUTs) go untreated, the greater the intensity and number of associated painful symptoms, which can lead to more serious illness.In Calm Your Body, Heal Your Mind—drawing from the fields of neurology, psychology, basic science, social psychology, and clinical medical research—best-selling author Dr. David Hanscom explains the physiology of mental pain and presents a unique four-part “dynamic healing” program to help your brain regenerate and repair. The key is learning to regulate your nervous system by cultivating what he calls “safety physiology.” Instead of being overwhelmed by your thoughts, you can gain a greater capacity to enjoy life and live it on your own terms.Methods and techniques include:Separating from negative thoughts through mindfulness, meditation, and expressive writing.  “Turning down the heat” of anger, which is hyperactivated anxiety and neuroinflammation. Softening the ego and its cognitive distortions.Nurturing creativity and joy to rewire neural circuitry.With uncommon clarity and compassion, Dr. Hanscom explains the science behind these interventions and offers practical tools and an integrated plan for rewiring the brain to relieve pain. Illustrating the scientific research with case studies from his own practice, along with stories from his own recovery from “the abyss” of RUTs, Calm Your Body, Heal Your Mind offers effective strategies and tremendous hope for healing.

The Forager Chef's Book of Flora explores some of the most exciting ingredients available today-but more importantly, it gives home cooks and chefs alike a whole new way of seeing and thinking about all vegetable ingredients-by looking at them through a trained forager's eyes.Over the past fifteen years, Minnesota chef Alan Bergo has become one of the nation's most exciting and resourceful chefs. Watching wild plants grow and searching for new edible parts of familiar plants transformed his culinary style, similar to how the nose-to-tail movement affected the way chefs consider animals. Now when Bergo sees squash in the garden, instead of waiting for them to ripen, he harvests some while they are still green, and the shoots, flowers, and young greens too.In The Forager Chef's Book of Flora, Bergo shows how understanding the properties of leaves, stems, roots, and flowers can inform how you prepare something exotic-like the head of an immature sunflower-as well as more common vegetables like broccoli stems or eggplant. As a society, we've forgotten this type of old-school knowledge, including many brilliant culinary techniques that were borne of thrift and necessity. For our own sake, and that of our planet, it's time we remembered.Featuring over 200 recipes, from Seared Hosta Shoots to Raw Turnips with Acorn Oil, Friulian Sauteed Wild Greens to Crisp Fiddlehead Pickles, The Forager Chef's Book of Flora will unlock new flavors from familiar favorites, and make familiar favorites out of the abundant landscape around you.

‘Mushrooms are having a moment. [A] natural sequel for the many readers who enjoyed Merlin Sheldrake’s Entangled Life.’—Library Journal ‘If you enjoyed Merlin Sheldrake’s Entangled Life . . . I highly recommend this book. . . . In the vein of Louis Theroux, Bierend journeys deep in the wonderfully strange subculture of the mushroom-mad.’—Idler magazineFrom ecology to fermentation, in pop culture through to medicine – mushrooms are quite literally everywhere! Author Doug Bierend guides readers through the weird, wonderful world of fungi and the amazing mycological movement.In Search of Mycotopia introduces us to an incredible, essential and oft-overlooked kingdom of life – fungi – and all the potential it holds for our future, through the work and research being done by an unforgettable community of mushroom-mad citizen scientists and microbe devotees. This engrossing and mind-expanding book will captivate readers who are curious about the hidden worlds and networks that make up our planet.Bierend uncovers a vanguard of mycologists: growers, independent researchers, ecologists, entrepreneurs and amateur enthusiasts exploring and advocating for fungi’s capacity to improve and heal. From decontaminating landscapes and waterways to achieving food security, In Search of Mycotopia demonstrates how humans can work with fungi to better live with nature – and with one another.‘Comprehensive and enthusiastic. . . . This fascinating, informative look into a unique subculture and the fungi at its center is a real treat.’—Publishers Weekly

"The Book for Cider Lovers"--New York TimesToday, food is being reconsidered. It's a front-and-center topic in everything from politics to art, from science to economics. We know now that leaving food to government and industry specialists was one of the twentieth century's greatest mistakes. The question is where do we go from here. Author Andy Brennan describes uncultivation as a process: It involves exploring the wild; recognizing that much of nature is omitted from our conventional ways of seeing and doing things (our cultivations); and realizing the advantages to embracing what we've somehow forgotten or ignored. For most of us this process can be difficult, like swimming against the strong current of our modern culture. The hero of this book is the wild apple. Uncultivated follows Brennan's twenty-four-year history with naturalized trees and shows how they have guided him toward successes in agriculture, in the art of cider making, and in creating a small-farm business. The book contains useful information relevant to those particular fields, but is designed to connect the wild to a far greater audience, skillfully blending cultural criticism with a food activist's agenda. Apples rank among the most manipulated crops in the world, because not only do farmers want perfect fruit, they also assume the health of the tree depends on human intervention. Yet wild trees live all around us, and left to their own devices, they achieve different forms of success that modernity fails to apprehend. Andy Brennan learned of the health and taste advantages of such trees, and by emulating nature in his orchard (and in his cider) he has also enjoyed environmental and financial benefits. None of this would be possible by following today's prevailing winds of apple cultivation. In all fields, our cultural perspective is limited by a parallel proclivity. It's not just agriculture: we all must fight tendencies toward specialization, efficiency, linear thought, and predetermined growth. We have cultivated those tendencies at the exclusion of nature's full range. If Uncultivated is about faith in nature, and the power it has to deliver us from our own mistakes, then wild apple trees have already shown us the way.