Text COM:2355529 (266 lines) [W1]
From: Hare
Krsna dasi (Brunswick, Maine - USA)
Date:
29-May-99 00:16
To:
Apocalypse 1999? (Are you ready?) [681]
Subject: Farming
Book Titles
------------------------------------------------------------
[I have added the cow conference to this list as a blind
copy, so they
will not be burdened with any further discussion on this
line -- in case
we stray off topic, as we occassionally do >:-) ]
For several years, I have been looking for something
called an Acres USA
Fieldcrop Primer.
I finally found the title, now called *Eco-Farm --
And Acres U.S.A. Primer* as well as a number of other titles in the
latest Acres USA Catalog.
I've given below the descriptions for the 5
featured titles - which I have not yet read myself. (I have read some
of the other titles, which is why I included them.) On
one hand, these
books are probably geared somewhat toward commercial
agriculture, so
some of the suggestions may involve a scale of
mechanization which we
might not want to undertake, but on the other hand,
organic farming
often tends to be smaller scale than other farming, even
when it is
commercially developed, so I would expect many useful
ideas to be found
here. **If any devotees have read any of these titles,
please comment on
them.** I got
the ISBN numbers for the first 5 titles from Books in
Print, so I'm not positive they are correct - might be a
different
edition.
Acres U.S.A. is the publisher of the monthly organic
farming journal
*Acres U.S.A.*
P.O. Box 8800
Metairie LA 70011 USA
To order the journal or get a full catalog of listings or
to order books
write them above, or
in US call 1-800-355-5313
outside: 504-889-2100
FAX 504-889-2777
Here are the descriptions from the catalog:
*******************************
THE NON-TOXIC FARMING HANDBOOK *New*
by Phillip A. Wheeler, Ph.D. & Ronald B. Ward
"It's not an overstatement to say that this handbook
represents the
future of farming."
Farmers, growers, and serious gardeners around the; world
are
discovering that the toxic methods taught for the past 50
years do not
work. By
sledge-hammering nature into submission, every problem solved
brings on new problems. Attacking these with another
toxic treatment
further stresses the balance of nature, bringing on a new
set of
difficulties. But
the answer for modern growers is not to turn back the
hands of time, but to move forward to a higher level of
understanding.
Ward and Wheeler provide that understanding.
In this readable, easy-to-understand handbook the authors
explain:
* What's wrong with conventional agriculture
* Weeds - their role in nature and control
* Insects - why they attack crops and how to stop them
* Soil testing and analysis - and acting upon the results
* On-farm methods of soil and plant tissue testing
* Soil fertility and fertilizers
* pH, lime, N, P & K, and other major and minor
nutrients
* Working with foliar feeds to maximize crop health and
production
The authors successfully integrate the diverse techniques
and
technologies of classical organic farming, Albrecht-style
fertility
balancing, Reams-method soil and plant testing and
analysis, and other
alternative technologies.
By understanding all the of available
non-toxic tools and when they are effective, you will be
able to react
to your specific situation and growing conditions. The result will be
ever-improving soil fertility, healty crops that provide
their own
insect and disease resistance, fields without the curse
of weeds, and
the satisfaction taht you are a true steward of the land.
Acres U.S.A. # 6339 [ISBN?? 0911311564] paperback 236
pages - $25.00
******************
ECO-FARM - AN ACRES U.S.A. PRIMER
by Charles Walters & C.J. Fenzau
With a new title and a cover facelift, the classic book
on ecological
agriculture is once again available. If you've never read *An Acres
U.S.A. Primer*, you're missing out. If you would like extra copies for
friends or business associates, now you can present them
with the
deluxe, hardback edition.
In this book, eco-agriculture is explained -
from the tiniest molecular building blocks to managing
the soil - in
terminology that not only makes the subject easy to
learn, but vibrantly
alive. *Eco-Farm* truly delivers a complete education in
soils, crops,
and weed and insect control. This should be the first book read by
everyone beginning in eco-agriculture... and the most
shop-worn book on
the shelf of the most experienced.
Acres U.S.A. # 122 [ISBN?? 0911311505] paperback 450
pages - $25.00
#122-H (Limited availability, deluxe hardcover edition)
450 pages -
$35.00
**********************
HANDS-ON AGRONOMY
by Neal Kinsey & Charles Walters
The soil is more than just a substrate that anchors crops
in place. An
ecologically balanced soil system is essential for
maintaining healthy
crops. This is a comprehensive manual on soil
management. The "whats
and whys" of micronutrients, earthworms, soil
drainage, tilth, soil
structure and organic matter are explained in
detail. Kinsey shows us
how working with the soil produces healthier crops with a
higher yield.
True hands-on advice that consultants charge thousand for
every day.
Updated, revised edition.
Acres U.S.A. #4120 [ISBN?? 0911311599] paperback 340
pages - $24.00
*********************
WEEDS, CONTROL WITHOUT POISONS
by Charles Walters, Jr.
Charles Walters, founder and longtime editor of *Acres
U.S.A.*, has
revised and expanded his now classic text on the secrets
that weeds
reveal to us about our soil. For a thorough understanding of the
conditions that produce certain weeds, you simply can[‘t
find a better
source than this one - certainly not one as entertaining,
as full of
anecdotes [stories] and home-spun common sense. The book is a treasury
of knowledge, exploring the workings of soil eco-systems
through the
findings of such giants as William A. Albrecht, C.J.
Fenzau and Philip
S. Callahan. It
contains a lifetime of collected wisdom that teaches us
how to understand and thereby control the growth of
countless weed
species, as well as why there is an absolute necessity
for a more
holistic, eco-centered perspective in agriculture
today. In *Weeds,
Control without Poisons*, Walters explains what fifty
years of deadly
chemicals have done to our soils and our bodies,
demonstrating once and
for all that the stuff simply doesn't work in any
long-term,
common-sense agricultural system. He goes on to tell us what will work,
and he tells it with precision and clarity in a book as
full of human
warmth as sound soil science.
Contains specifics on a hundred weeds, why they grow,
what soil
conditions spur them on or stop them, what they say about
your soil, and
how to control them without the obscene presence of poisons. One reader
told us that one sentence alone in the blockbuster book
saved him
$50,000 in one year.
New updated edition covers even more weeds, all
cross-referenced by scientific and various common names,
and a new
pictoral glossary.
This is a book for anyone who's serious about
understanding soil biology, plant physiology, and the
intricacies of
weed control.
Acres U.S.A. #4005
[ISBN??? 0911311580] paperback
352 pages -
$25.00
***********************
THE SECRET LIFE OF COMPOST
by Malcolm Beck with commentary by Charles Walters
We don't need to poison the earth in order to grow better
food, and what
is harmful to the environment when improperly disposed of
often can be
turned back to the soil in a beneficial way through composting
- if you
know how. Her's
how. Malcolm Beck's Garden-Ville, a
large-scale
commercial composting operation in central Texas, is one
of the largest
of its kind. Now
he shares his insight into the processes of decay that
can transform everything from lawn trimmings to sewer
sludge into
life-giving earth.
Bring out the best in a small, backyard garden.
Increase the production while lowering the inputs on a
huge row-crop
operation. Found
your own commercial composting business.
Whatever
your purpose of learning to compost, you will find the
information you
need right here.
Couples with Beck's insight into nature and practical
advice are remarks from Charles Walters, founder of Acres
U.S.A.
Acres U.S.A. #6232 [ISBN??? 0911311521] paperback 160
pages - 19.00
******************
ECO-AG Library Starter SPECIAL:
Five books: *The Non-Toxic Farming Handbook* *Eco-Farm,
An Acres U.S.A.
Primer* *Hands-On Agronomy* *Weeds, Control without
Poisons* * The
Secret Life of Compost*
Regularly $118
---- Acres #S-154 $99.00
************************
Other titles:
*The Enlivened Rock Powders* by Harvey Lisle 208 pp
#6103
$15.00
*The Carbon Cycle* by Leonard Ridzon with Charles
Walters 143 pp
#4188 $15.00
*Metrofarm* by Michael Olson [how to farm in the city,
and how city
dwellers are farming around the world] 576 pp #6079
$30.00
*The New Organic Farmer* by Eliot Coleman 270 pp
#3066 $25.00
*Preventing Deer Damage* by Robert G. Juhre 55 pp
#6329 $8.50
*Introduction to Permaculture* by Bill Mollison with Reny
Mia Slay 213
pp #6212 $20.00
*Permaculture in a Nutshell* by Patrick Whitefield [includes
temperate climates and urban environments] 96 pp
#6381 $10.00
*How to Make a Forest Garden* by Patrick Whitefield 168 pp
#6246
$30.00
*The Soul of Soil: A Guide to Ecological Soil Management,
Third Edition*
by Grace Gershany & Joseph Smillie 174 pp
#6174 $17.00
#SPANISH#
*Crecimiento de Alga y Planta* T.L. Senn, PhD 202 paginas
# 6238 $14.00
#SPANISH#
*Cultivo Biointensivo de Alimentos* John Jeavons 208
paginas #6239 $17.00
*Managing Cover Crops Profitably* 114 pp #6180 $19.00
*Garden Seed Inventory* by the Seed Savers Exchange
[directory to open
pollinated seeds, info on where to order 6,438 standard
vegetables] 632
pp #6316 $24.00
*Sustainable Agriculture: Directory of Expertise* Third
Edition,
Sustainable Agriculture Network 723 entries, 1000 individuals, 200
organizations in USA
220 pp #6231 $19.00
*The Apple Grower* Michael Phillips "Best book on the topic" 242 pages
#6338 $35.00
*Greener Pastures on Your Side of the Fence* Bill Murphy
[rotational
grazing] 379 pages #136
$30.00
*Chicken Tractor* Andy Lee [A chicken tractor is a
bottomless, portable
shelter-pen that fits over your garden beds. Chickens eliminate bugs
and weeds while fertilizing garden. Devotees will be interested in the
vegetarian aspects only] 230 pp #6165 $20.00
*The Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable*
Juliette de Bairacli
Levi 471 pp
#6317 $22.00
*Turning Wool into a Cottage Industry* Paula Simmons 188 pp
#6137
$15.00
*Treatment of Horses by Acupuncture* Dr. Erwin
Westermayer 40 pages
#6099 $25.00
*The New Organic Grower's Four-Season Harvest* Eliot
Coleman [from
Maine] 300 pages #4081
$25.00
*Hydroponic Home Food Gardens* Howard M. Resh, PhD 158 pp #6083
$13.00
*Hydroponic Gardening* Raymond Birdwell 216 pp
#6182 $13.00
*Raising with the Moon* Jack R. Pyle & Taylor
Reese 147 pp #4139
$14.00
*Seed to Seed* Suzanne Ashworth 222pp #6310 $20.00
*Carrots Love Tomatoes: The Secrets of Companion
Planting* Louise Riotte
219 pp #6207
$15.00
***********************************
That's all for now.
It would be good to get some feedback from those of
you who have read these books.
your servant,
Hare Krsna dasi
(Text COM:2355529) -----------------------------------------