Chelsea Green Publishing Co – serie

'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.

'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

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!

With clarity, conscience, and courage, global-systems pioneer Jorgen Randers and his distinguished contributors map the forces that will shape the next four decades.Forty years ago, The Limits to Growth study addressed the grand question of how humans would adapt to the physical limitations of planet Earth. It predicted that during the first half of the 21st century the ongoing growth in the human ecological footprint would stop-either through catastrophic "overshoot and collapse"-or through well-managed "peak and decline."So, where are we now? And what does our future look like?  In the book 2052, Jorgen Randers, one of the coauthors of Limits to Growth, issues a progress report and makes a forecast for the next forty years. To do this, he asked dozens of experts to weigh in with their best predictions on how our economies, energy supplies, natural resources, climate, food, fisheries, militaries, political divisions, cities, psyches, and more will take shape in the coming decades. He then synthesized those scenarios into a global forecast of life as we will most likely know it in the years ahead.The good news: we will see impressive advances in resource efficiency, and an increasing focus on human well-being rather than on per capita income growth. But this change might not come as we expect. Future growth in population and GDP, for instance, will be constrained in surprising ways-by rapid fertility decline as result of increased urbanization, productivity decline as a result of social unrest, and continuing poverty among the poorest 2 billion world citizens. Runaway global warming, too, is likely.So, how do we prepare for the years ahead? With heart, fact, and wisdom, Randers guides us along a realistic path into the future and discusses what readers can do to ensure a better life for themselves and their children during the increasing turmoil of the next forty years.

When Eric Toensmeier and Jonathan Bates moved into a duplex in a run-down part of Holyoke, Massachusetts, the tenth-of-an-acre lot was barren ground and bad soil, peppered with broken pieces of concrete, asphalt, and brick. The two friends got to work designing what would become not just another urban farm, but a "permaculture paradise" replete with perennial broccoli, paw paws, bananas, and moringa—all told, more than two hundred low-maintenance edible plants in an innovative food forest on a small city lot. The garden—intended to function like a natural ecosystem with the plants themselves providing most of the garden's needs for fertility, pest control, and weed suppression—also features an edible water garden, a year-round unheated greenhouse, tropical crops, urban poultry, and even silkworms.In telling the story of Paradise Lot, Toensmeier explains the principles and practices of permaculture, the choice of exotic and unusual food plants, the techniques of design and cultivation, and, of course, the adventures, mistakes, and do-overs in the process. Packed full of detailed, useful information about designing a highly productive permaculture garden, Paradise Lot is also a funny and charming story of two single guys, both plant nerds, with a wild plan: to realize the garden of their dreams and meet women to share it with. Amazingly, on both counts, they succeed.

A complete, practical, and entertaining guide to using the best ingredients and minimal equipment to create flavorful brews—including wildcrafted meads, bragots, t’ej, grog, honey beers, and more!  "A great guide . . . full of practical information and fascinating lore."—Sandor Ellix Katz, author of The Art of Fermentation Ancient societies brewed flavorful and healing meads, ales, and wines for millennia using only intuition, storytelling, and knowledge passed down through generations―no fancy, expensive equipment or degrees in chemistry needed. In Make Mead Like a Viking, homesteader, fermentation enthusiast, and self-described “Appalachian Yeti Viking” Jereme Zimmerman summons the bryggjemann of the ancient Norse to demonstrate how homebrewing mead―arguably the world’s oldest fermented alcoholic beverage―can be not only uncomplicated but fun.  Inside, readers will learn techniques for brewing:Sweet, semi-sweet, and dry meadsMelomels (fruit meads)Metheglins (spiced meads)Ethiopian t’ej (honey wine)Flower and herbal meadsBragotsHoney beersCountry winesViking grogAnd there's more for aspiring Vikings to explore, including:The importance of local and unpasteurized honey for both flavor and health benefitsWhat modern homebrewing practices, materials, and chemicals work—but aren’t necessaryHow to grow and harvest herbs and collect wild botanicals for use in healing, nutritious, and magical meads, beers, and winesHow to use botanicals other than hops for flavoring and preserving mead, ancient ales, and gruitsThe rituals, mysticism, and communion with nature that were integral components of ancient brewingWhether you’ve been intimidated by modern homebrewing’s cost or seeming complexity in the past or are boldly looking to expand your current brewing and fermentation practices, Zimmerman’s welcoming style and spirit will usher you into exciting new territory. Grounded in history and mythology, but―like Odin’s ever-seeking eye―focusing continually on the future of self-sufficient food culture, Make Mead Like a Viking is a practical and entertaining guide for the ages."Adventurous mead makers or brewers who want to move beyond the basics will find plenty to savor here."—Library Journal

Farmers like Charles and Perrine Hervé-Gruyer are among the beacons of light. Their work allows the rest of the world to see that there is another life, there is another way. From the foreword by Eliot Coleman, author of The New Organic GrowerThis book, more about philosophy than a how-to, describes how two inexperienced beginners succeeded in creating a gorgeous, productive, self-sustaining farm Marion Nestle, author of Food PoliticsWhat began as a simple dream in an historic Normandy village has turned into one of the world’s most radical, innovative experiments in small-scale farming.When Charles and Perrine Hervé-Gruyer set out to create their farm in a historic Normandy village, they had no idea just how much their lives would change. Neither one had ever farmed before. Charles had been traveling the globe teaching students about ecology and indigenous cultures. Perrine had been an international lawyer in Japan. Their farm Bec Hellouin has since become an internationally celebrated model of innovation in ecological agriculture. Miraculous Abundance is the eloquent tale of the couple’s quest to build an agricultural model that can carry us into a post-carbon future.The authors dive deeper into the various farming methods across the globe that contributed towards the creation of the Bec Hellouin model, including:Permaculture and soil health principlesKorean natural farming methodsManaging a four-season farmCreating a productive agroecosystem that is resilient and durableUsing no-dig methods for soil fertilityModelling an agrarian system that supports its community in totality; from craft, restaurants and shared work spaces to jobs, agritourism, energy and ecological biodiversity Perfect for aspiring and experienced farmers, gardeners and smallholders, Miraculous Abundance is a love letter to a future where ecological farming is at the centre of every community.

I don’t often share a resource in this way but when a gem of a resource like this crosses my path I have to let you all know about it. Huw Richards, author of Grow Food for FreePalmer’s book is full of recipes using locally sourced material to create mineral and biological extracts to feed plants. the GuardianPerfect for fans of Charles Dowding and Huw Richards!In The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments, experimental gardener and author Nigel Palmer provides practical, detailed instructions that are accessible to every grower who wants to achieve a truly sustainable garden ecosystem – all while enjoying better results at a fraction of the cost of commercial fertilisers. These recipes go beyond compost by allowing you to make your own biologically diverse inoculants and mineral-rich amendments using leaf mould, weeds, eggshells, bones and other common materials available for little or no cost.Recipes include:Extracting nutrients from plant residues using simple rainwater techniquesExtracting minerals from bones and shells using vinegarFermenting plant juices and fishCulturing indigenous microorganisms (IMO)Inspired by the work of many innovative traditional agricultural pioneers, especially Cho Ju-Young (founder of the Korean Natural Farming method), The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments also includes a primer on plant-soil interaction, instructions for conducting a soil test, and guidance on compost, mulching and so much more!

Winner of the Garden Media Guild Practical Book of the Year Award‘A cornucopia of sage advice and cunning tips.’ Tom Heap, BBC Countryfile‘Mark’s enthusiasm is infectious and . . . will give you confidence and knowledge.' Charles Dowding, author of Skills for Growing and No Dig GardeningGrow delicious fruit, vegetables, herbs and salad in containers, pots and baskets – in any outdoor space, no matter how small!Do you want to grow your own tomatoes, chillies, strawberries and more but thought you didn’t have the space or know-how? Mark Ridsdill Smith, creator of the wildly popular Vertical Veg website and online community, will show you how to make the most of walls, balconies, patios, arches and windowsills to create your own kitchen garden.With over ten years’ experience of growing and teaching people how to grow bountiful, edible crops in small spaces, Mark will help you produce a serious amount of nutritious food while saving money on grocery bills and discovering a lot of joy along the way. You’ll find:Mark’s ‘Eight Steps to Success’, including ‘Keeping It Simple’Planting projects for beginnersWhat to grow and where to grow itHow to draw up a planning calendar so you can grow throughout the yearFertiliser recipes and wormery guide for the more experienced growerTroubleshooting tips for the specific challenges of growing in small spacesBeautiful crops that support pollinators and other wildlifeDon’t be confined by the space you have. Create beauty, life and flavour in the heart of the city and beyond.

‘Gow reinvents what it means to be a guardian of the countryside.’ Guardian‘This authentic, impassioned manifesto-cum-memoir will hopefully have a major impact on what is likely to be a long-running controversy.’ The Spectator‘Gow has a fire in his belly. We need more like him.’ BBC Wildlife MagazineA Waterstones Best Nature Writing Book of 2020‘Bringing Back the Beaver is a hilarious, eccentric and magnificent account of a struggle . . . to reintroduce a species crucial to the health of our ecosystems.’ George MonbiotBringing Back the Beaver is farmer-turned-ecologist Derek Gow’s inspirational and often riotously funny first-hand account of how the movement to rewild beavers into the British landscape became the single most dramatic and subversive nature conservation act of the modern era. Since the early 1990s – in the face of outright opposition from government, landowning elites and even some conservation professionals – Gow has imported, quarantined and assisted the reestablishment of beavers in waterways across England and Scotland.With a foreword by bestselling author of Wilding, Isabella Tree, Bringing Back the Beaver makes a passionate case as to why the return of one of nature’s great problem solvers will be critical as part of a sustainable fix for the UK’s growing flooding problems, whilst ensuring the creation of essential landscapes that enable the broadest spectrum of Britain’s wildlife to thrive. ‘It is wonderful to see that beavers are now officially back on the list of native species, having been absent for so long . . . far too long!’ Dame Judi Dench

This is an easy-to-use guide to selecting hundreds of perennial species. It is indispensable for growers and designers working in subtropical and warm temperate/arid climates, and also includes some cool-climate tolerant species. Permaculture Plants: A Selection details hundreds of common and unusual edible, medicinal, and useful plants.

The best field guide to observing and understanding the behavior of African mammals and an indispensable tool for naturalists traveling to Africa! The Second Edition has been fully revised and includes a new preface.The Safari Companion enables readers to recognize and interpret visible behavioral activities, such as courtship rituals, territorial marking, aggression, and care of young. Each account of over 80 species includes a behavioral table in which the unique actions of the hoofed mammals, carnivores, and primates are described for easy reference.Other features include:Expert IllustrationsUseful maps showing major national boundaries, vegetation zones, and game parksAn extensive glossaryTips on wildlife photographyA list of organizations working to protect African wildlife "The best behavioral field guide ever."—Sy Montgomery, author of Tamed and Untamed"The book is more than a field guide; it is a valuable tool for conservation."—Kathryn S. Fuller, President, World Wildlife Fund (U.S.A.)