Smallholding as a concept is not limited to small-scale farming, and anyone can bring parts of it to their everyday lifestyle, whether it’s a window box to grow produce, a garden to keep chickens or a field or two for other livestock. Providing a comprehensive overview of smallholding for the beginner, Smallholding is a practical guide to growing food and farming livestock. It helps the reader learn how to incorporate some self-sufficiency into their lifestyle, to become knowledgeable enough to keep livestock, and to enjoy working and being productive with the land they have. It also gives information about making a profit from the fruits of labour, such as selling surplus home grown produce at the farm gate or farmers’ markets. Contents include an A-Z growing guide for fruits and vegetables, topics such as buying or renting land, soil health, composting, fruit trees, pasture management, stock fencing; and detailed livestock information about keeping bees, caring for poultry, goats, llamas and alpacas, pigs, sheep and cattle, and the legal requirements that come with it. Smallholding is a practical, comprehensive guide to smallholding for beginners, aimed at people who have access to land, as well as those growing produce in their back garden. 5m Books

How has it come to this point in our history that we hardly value the food we eat and the soil that it’s grown in? How is it that we care so little how food production impacts animals and the environment? Industrial farming has transformed Britain’s rural landscapes, increasing crop yields and reducing hunger. Yet this has all come at a terrible ecological cost. It is ‘both a miracle and a disaster’. Six Inches of Soil, the film and this companion book, is the inspiring story of three British farmers standing up to the industrial food system and transforming the way they produce food – to heal the soil, benefit our health and provide for local communities. Six Inches of Soil is a story of courage, vision and hope. This book is not just for farmers. Reconnecting with our food, and regenerating our soils, ourselves and our communities benefits everyone and needs everyone to be involved. We want to inspire farmers with the confidence and practical know-how to adopt regenerative farming approaches. We want to give consumers the impetus and information to rethink their food choices. This book and the film are closely related but stand on their own. In these pages you will find detailed chapters on each of the three farmers that provide replicable case studies and inspiration. Additionally, there are chapters examining the problems with the current agri-food system and proposing solutions and a vision for the future. Recognised experts: explain agroecological farming systems and soil science; consider the issues of land use, greenwashing, subsidies, food security; and provide examples of agroforestry applications, and farm enterprise stacking and diversification. Their three stories are inspiring, guiding and frustrating. Allow yourself to be inspired, to be guided and to turn your frustration in to action. 5m Books

Beyond Books: Adult Library Programs for a New Era takes us out of the stacks and past the traditional walls of the library to reach underserved and overworked adults in our communities -- adults who might not think they need the library in their lives. Readers are introduced to the concept of adult programming through a multifaceted approach based on a solid foundation of behavioral science, real-life library experience, and data on current trends in libraries and other institutions. This book posits that offering diverse adult programs is an important catalyst for fostering community connection and individual wellness, and that no librarian needs to deliver them alone. Partnerships are not only helpful; they are essential to preventing librarian burnout. Themes of the book center on passive versus active programs, the importance of intergenerational involvement, and programs that touch a variety of topics divided by the following sections: Food & Drink, Arts & Crafts, Books & Writing, Technology & Media, Health & Wellness, Business & Finance, and Nature & Gardening. This book provides clear, step-by-step models and strategies for delivering adult programs (both in-person and online), including where to find funding, getting administrative and municipal buy-in, creating partnerships in the community, addressing possible legal issues, marketing tactics, training staff and volunteers, and how to evaluate programs. Whether you’re a student, a brand new recruit, or a seasoned public or academic librarian, there will be something in this book to inspire you to move your adult library programs beyond book clubs (without losing those too!).

A guide to country living features photographs, illustrations, instructions and tips for living off the land, covering such topics as canning and preserving, soap-making, and building a dog house.

This book was written for anyone considering purchasing and raising domesticated animals for family pets, producers of eggs and milk, or a friendly creature in the backyard.

In community gardens, people of all ages work together to improve their communities, turning abandoned lots and other plots of land into vibrant green spaces. Community gardens beautify neighborhoods, provide residents with nutritious food and flowers, and serve as places to meet and socialize. This exciting title gives teens the information they need to get a gardening project off the ground, from holding the first community meetings to harvesting what they grow. In accessible text, the author provides useful advice on designing the garden, choosing appropriate plants, and preparing the soil, as well as on planting and tending the garden. Photos will inspire readers, and a wealth of resources is provided for further support.

“For vegetable gardening in the Bay Area, Golden Gate Gardening is indispensable—if you buy one gardening book, this is the one.” --Michael Pollan This fully revised 30th Anniversary edition of the ultimate food gardening bible for Central and Northern Californians includes updates that address changes in climate, crop availability and sources, and pest management strategies, and includes expanded help for inland, hot summer gardeners. The gardening guide is beloved by both new and experienced gardeners for its friendly, practical advice on how to grow fresh produce all year long. Expert author Pam Peirce shows how to use the unique local conditions of climate, soil, and rainfall to grow both common and unusual vegetables, herbs, edible flowers, cut flowers, and fruit from trees and shrubs including berries, citrus and avocados for your kitchen garden. This encyclopedic guide covers all the bases, including what to plant in every season, how to select varieties, assess a microclimate, organize a garden, manage pests and weeds safely and effectively, attract beneficial creatures, conserve water, improve soil, make compost, harvest wisely, and garden in containers. It includes delicious, seasonal garden-to-table recipes and an essay on learning to eat from a garden. Charts, sidebars, illustrations, maps, resource lists, and cross references make it easy for readers to find the information they need. This vegetable gardening book will especially help readers in the San Francisco Bay Area and in California coastal areas from Humboldt County south to San Luis Obispo, as well as those in nearby mild-winter inland climates (including Alameda, San Mateo, Marin, Santa Clara, Monterey, and Santa Cruz counties).

The "how-to" guide for a new generation of farmers from the author of Farm City and a leading urban garden educator. In this indispensable guide, Farm City author Novella Carpenter and Willow Rosenthal share their experience as successful urban farmers and provide practical blueprints-complete with rich visual material-for novice and experienced growers looking to bring the principles of ethical food to the city streets. The Essential Urban Farmer guides readers from day one to market day, advising on how to find the perfect site, design a landscape, and cultivate crops. For anyone who has ever grown herbs on windowsills, or tomatoes on fire escapes, this is an invaluable volume with the potential to change our menus, our health, and our cities forever.

Discover how to master essential homesteading skills and produce all the food you and your family need right in your own backyard Have you ever considered growing plants and raising your own animals for self-sustenance and profit, but are put off by the time commitment it may require? Do you want to take control over what you eat and reduce your dependence on chemical-laden commercial produce? If you've looked for answers to any of the questions above before, then keep reading... In this definitive guide to homesteading, Luke Smith shows you how to turn your backyard into a sustainable farm for raising livestock like chickens, goats, cattle, and bees for their products, as well as providing organic, homegrown fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Among the pages of Backyard Homestead, you're going to discover: ● Cogent reasons to start your own backyard homestead, no matter where you live right now ● Foolproof tips to pick the perfect spot in your home backyard to start your garden ● Steps to help you set up your very first or next backyard garden to ensure a healthy, bountiful yield ● Strategies to help you maintain a healthy soil that is just right for your plants ● Step-by-step instructions to build and set up your own barn or convert a prefabricated shed into a barn ● Everything you need to know about efficiently raising healthy chickens, goat, cattle, and bees in your backyard for fun and profit ● ...and much, much more! It doesn't matter whether you're completely new to homesteading or you're a seasoned farmer looking to pick up new tips to help you better manage your garden and flock, Backyard Homestead is a comprehensive guide that is designed to help you confidently grow and produce your own food. Ready to take your homesteading skills to the next level? Scroll to the top of this webpage and click the "Buy Now" button to get started right away!