Start a thriving garden with the beginner's guide to raised bed gardening Are you interested in creating a bountiful garden but worried that you don't have enough space? Raised-Bed Gardening for Beginners shows you how simple it can be to plan, build, and grow your own raised-bed garden in whatever space is available. Learn to build your bed, select the right plants, grow your own vegetables, and much more. This book makes it easy for even inexperienced gardeners to serve up freshly picked vegetables and herbs in no time. Plant a flourishing garden in minimal space with: An introduction to raised-bed gardening—From constructing a planting box to mixing and maintaining soil, step-by-step instructions make getting started easy.Beginner's guidance—Help your garden thrive with detailed suggestions for crop rotation, partner planting, seed starting, and growing zones.30 easy-to-grow plants—Full profiles plus growing and harvesting tips on beginner-friendly vegetables and herbs make choosing the right ones for your garden a cinch. Learn basic methods that will get you growing fast using this easy guide to raised-bed gardening. Read more

Go back to basics—compost, raising chickens, water and irrigation, dealing with pests, and much more—with this unique, full color bestseller (over 400,000 sold).Mini Farming describes a holistic approach to small-area farming that will show you how to produce 85 percent of an average family’s food on just a quarter acre—and earn $10,000 in cash annually while spending less than half the time that an ordinary job would require.Even if you have never been a farmer or a gardener, this book covers everything you need to know to get started:Buying and saving seedsStarting seedlingsEstablishing raised bedsSoil fertility practicesCompostingDealing with pest and disease problemsCrop rotationSelling your produce arm planning, and much more.Because self-sufficiency is the objective, subjects such as raising backyard chickens and home canning are also covered along with numerous methods for keeping costs down and production high. Materials, tools, and techniques are detailed with photographs, tables, diagrams, and illustrations. Read more

The New York Times bestselling author of Deep Nutrition explains how a group of eight little-known oils cause the cellular damage that underlies virtually all chronic disease, exposes the corruption that deceives doctors and consumers into eating them, and gives us a clear roadmap to recovery and rejuvenation. Did you know that eating a large serving of french fries—cooked in vegetable oil—delivers the toxicity of smoking 24 cigarettes?Cornell-trained biochemist turned family physician Dr. Cate Shanahan introduces us to well-respected scientists who warn that vegetable oils are a public health disaster, wreaking havoc on our bodies’ cells by depleting antioxidants and promoting free radical toxicity. Their many effects include:Uncontrollable hunger, so we need drugs to maintain our weightInflammatory fat buildup under our skin and within our internal organs and arteriesBlood sugar swings that promote bad moods and antisocial behaviorDisrupted brain energy, concentration problems, and mental illnessesIntracellular oxidative stress that promotes cancer developmentGut inflammation, bloating, heartburn, and the runsAmericans were enticed into buying these oils based on their cholesterol-lowering property, but the idea that cholesterol-lowering is beneficial was pushed on us without solid evidence to support it. In Dark Calories, Dr. Cate reveals the financial entanglements between industry and underhanded academics who created and sustain our 1950s-era, arbitrary dietary rules.As a solution, she proposes a clear, no-nonsense plan that aligns with our genetic needs and nature’s laws. Thankfully, recovering our health is simplified by the fact that nutrients that treat one condition also tend to treat all the rest. As an added bonus, we also revive our sense of taste so that our cravings shift to wholesome, nourishing foods instead.PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio. Read more

The Omnivore's Dilemma meets Fast Food Nation from a global perspective in this game-changing look at the science, economics, and history of ultra-processed food and the industry's effect on our health and planet.It’s not you, it’s the food.How much of our daily caloric intake comes from ingesting substances that, technically speaking, do not meet traditional definitions of “food”? Chances are, if you’re eating something that came wrapped in plastic and contains a funky ingredient you don’t have in your kitchen, it's most likely—almost definitely—ultra-processed food, or UPF. More than the principal obstacle to “eating right,” UPF has been linked to metabolic disease, depression, inflammation, anxiety, and cancer, while the production, distribution, and disposal of UPF and related products globally is known to cause devastating environmental damage. At the same time, UPF represents the dominant, nigh-unavoidable food culture for millions upon millions of eaters.Medical doctor and broadcaster Chris van Tulleken has spent his career trying to reframe the conversation around eating right, balancing the hard (and sometimes shocking) facts about what we're putting into our bodies with empathy for the natural desire to keep eating what we like, have time for, and can afford. As he argues in this book, we are all participants in an experiment we didn't consent to, one to determine how to get us to buy as much ultra-processed food as possible. It’s not as simple as stumbling across the right diet trend, finding time to meal plan, or avoiding over-indulging in sugar, fat, or carbs or any other culprit. Nor is it a matter of individual will. It’s about learning to live in “the third age of eating”—defined by the overwhelming abundance of ultra-processed eating options—and arming yourself with the simple and not-so-simple facts that will help you make the choices that are right for you. Read more

A beginner's guide to ruling the roost and raising happy backyard chickensThe Beginner's Guide to Raising Chickens makes it easy to start keeping these surprisingly smart birds right in your own backyard. From constructing coops to rearing chicks, you'll learn everything you need to know to make sure your chickens stay happy and healthy all year round.Which breed of chicken is right for you? What's the best bedding material? What sort of feed should you use? Expert chicken keeper Anne Kuo answers these questions―and many others―in this fun and friendly reference book that will get you excited to raise your new feathered friends.This book on raising chickens guides you through:Getting from the chicken to the egg―Find out how to raise chicks, keep your birds safe from predators, introduce new birds to the flock, and more.Creating a custom coop―Build the perfect home for raising chickens with detailed backyard coop construction guides.Expert care advice―Learn how to identify different behaviors in your chicken, help solve egg shortages, and navigate a range of potential surprises with confidence.Get your first flock started successfully with The Beginner's Guide to Raising Chickens. Read more

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The single best and most comprehensive guide for prospective, new and experienced hobbyist beekeepersBeekeeping For Dummies, 5th Edition, is one of the most popular titles in the For Dummies series available today. Including the latest information regarding every aspect of backyard beekeeping and honey production, this book describes how to get started, how to care for and safely handle bees, and how to maintain healthy and productive colonies.This book is loaded with up-to-date, practical examples and helpful illustrations of proven techniques and strategies for both new and seasoned hobbyist beekeepers. Some of the updates for this brand-new edition include:New information regarding the critical role that nutrition plays in the health and productivity of your beesNews about the latest beekeeping products, medications, and all-natural remediesInformation regarding dozens of helpful beekeeping resourcesRedeemable coupons from beekeeping suppliers that save the reader moneyBeekeeping For Dummies embodies the straightforward and simple approach made famous by the For Dummies series. Each and every reader will benefit from its accessible and approachable take on beekeeping. Read more

Have you ever dreamed of building a thriving beehive (or beehives!) right in your own backyard but didn't know how or where to start? If the answer is "YES," then keep reading; this is the book you have been waiting for.Beekeeping for Beginners is a treasure trove of step-by-step instructions to help you build your first DIY beehive and nurture a flourishing honey bee colony.The book will teach you how to make your bee colony thrive and assist you in all the most critical beekeeping activities and decisions. From choosing the perfect hive to installing your bee colony, this book covers all the essentials. Learn how to inspect your hive, harvest honey, and even turn your new-found hobby into a profitable business.Inside, you'll find 300 pages of clear and simple instructions on how to get yourself started. Included also is a complete guide on how to handle the most critical beekeeping situations, such as effectively managing swarms, keeping your queen bee productive and healthy, and troubleshooting any problems that may arise, from diseases to pests and everything in between.By reading this book, you will discover:A Step-by-Step Guide to Beekeeping: Every aspect is covered: selecting the right beehive, the beehive components, feeders, tools, and protective clothing, ordering, assembling, and painting your hive, sourcing and selecting bees, installing them in the hive, conducting hive inspections, and harvesting honey. You will be equipped with every detail.Answers to all the Frequently Asked Questions: Concerned about the space required for beekeeping? Worried about your local climate or how your neighbors will react? This book answers all these questions and more; including local regulations, time commitment, and initial investment costs.The ins and outs of Hive Inspections: Understand the importance of regular hive inspections and learn how to conduct them throughout the four seasons. Know what to look for, how to prepare, and how to create an inspection timeline.Troubleshooting Toolkit: Anticipate, prevent, and manage potential problems like swarming, absconding, and diseases such as American and European Foulbrood or Nosema. Learn how to keep pests like the Varroa Mite at bay.Avoiding Swarms! You will find comprehensive guidelines on how to recognize the signs of a swarm, prevent it, and how to catch and reintegrate the swarm back into your hive.Queen Bee Management: Learn beginner-friendly solutions to common issues related to your queen bee, such as identification, introduction of a new queen, and how to avoid a ‘queenless’ hive!Turning Passion into Profit: A dedicated chapter on how to transform your beekeeping hobby into a profitable venture. Learn how to estimate revenues and costs, explore various income streams from your beekeeping activities, and even design the perfect label for your products.And much more!Don't be intimidated! Whether you are interested in harvesting honey or enhancing plant pollination, this book will guide you on everything you need to know to succeed, even if you are a complete beekeeping novice!…So, what are you waiting for?Just scroll to the top of the page and click the "BUY NOW" button to embark on your beekeeping journey today! Read more

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Have you ever desired, deep within your soul, to make a comfortable full-time living from a farming enterprise? Too often people dare not even vocalize this desire because it seems absurd. It's like thinking the unthinkable. After all, the farm population is dwindling. It takes too much capital to start. The pay is too low. The working conditions are dusty, smelly and noisy: Not the place to raise a family. This is all true, and more, for most farmers. But for farm entrepreneurs, the opportunities for a farm family business have never been greater. The aging farm population is creating cavernous niches begging to be filled by creative visionaries who will go in dynamic new directions. As the industrial agriculture complex crumbles and our culture clambers for clean food, the countryside beckons anew with profitable farming opportunities. While this audiobook can be helpful to all farmers, it targets the wannabes, the folks who actually entertain notions of living, loving and learning on a piece of land. Anyone willing to dance with such a dream should be able to assess its assets and liabilities; its fantasies and realities. "Is it really possible for me?" is the burning question this audiobook addresses.You Can Farm is wonderfully narrated by the author, Joel Salatin, who co-owns (with his family) Polyface Farm in Swoope, Virginia. Read more

Gabe Brown didn’t set out to change the world when he first started working alongside his father-in-law on the family farm in North Dakota. But as a series of weather-related crop disasters put Brown and his wife, Shelly, in desperate financial straits, they started making bold changes to their farm. Brown - in an effort to simply survive - began experimenting with new practices he’d learned about from reading and talking with innovative researchers and ranchers. As he and his family struggled to keep the farm viable, they found themselves on an amazing journey into a new type of farming: regenerative agriculture. Brown dropped the use of most of the herbicides, insecticides, and synthetic fertilizers that are a standard part of conventional agriculture. He switched to no-till planting, started planting diverse cover crops mixes, and changed his grazing practices. In doing so, Brown transformed a degraded farm ecosystem into one full of life - starting with the soil and working his way up, one plant and one animal at a time. In Dirt to Soil, Gabe Brown tells the story of that amazing journey and offers a wealth of innovative solutions to our most pressing and complex contemporary agricultural challenge - restoring the soil. The Brown’s Ranch model, developed over 20 years of experimentation and refinement, focuses on regenerating resources by continuously enhancing the living biology in the soil. Using regenerative agricultural principles, Brown’s 5,000-acre ranch has grown several inches of new topsoil in only 20 years! The key is how we think, Brown says. In the industrial agricultural model, all thoughts are focused on killing things. But that mind-set was also killing diversity, soil, and profit, Brown realized. Now, he channels his creative thinking toward how he can get more life on the land - more plants, animals, and beneficial insects. “The greatest roadblock to solving a problem,” Brown says, “is the human mind." Read more

New York Times BestsellerNamed one of the Best Cookbooks of the Year by the Chicago Tribune, New York Times, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Houston Chronicle, Esquire, GQ, Eater, and moreNamed one of the Best Cookbooks to Give as Gifts by Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, Esquire, Field & Stream, New York Magazine’s The Strategist, The Daily Beast, Eater, Vogue, Business Insider, GQ, Epicurious, and more“An indispensable manual for home cooks and pro chefs.” —Wired At Noma—four times named the world’s best restaurant—every dish includes some form of fermentation, whether it’s a bright hit of vinegar, a deeply savory miso, an electrifying drop of garum, or the sweet intensity of black garlic. Fermentation is one of the foundations behind Noma’s extraordinary flavor profiles. Now René Redzepi, chef and co-owner of Noma, and David Zilber, the chef who runs the restaurant’s acclaimed fermentation lab, share never-before-revealed techniques to creating Noma’s extensive pantry of ferments. And they do so with a book conceived specifically to share their knowledge and techniques with home cooks. With more than 500 step-by-step photographs and illustrations, and with every recipe approachably written and meticulously tested, The Noma Guide to Fermentation takes readers far beyond the typical kimchi and sauerkraut to include koji, kombuchas, shoyus, misos, lacto-ferments, vinegars, garums, and black fruits and vegetables. And—perhaps even more important—it shows how to use these game-changing pantry ingredients in more than 100 original recipes. Fermentation is already building as the most significant new direction in food (and health). With The Noma Guide to Fermentation, it’s about to be taken to a whole new level. Read more

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The New York Times bestselling author of Deep Nutrition explains how eight common seed oils cause the cellular damage that underlies virtually all chronic disease, exposes the corruption that deceives doctors and consumers alike, and gives us a clear roadmap to recovery and rejuvenation.Did you know that consuming a large serving of french fries—cooked in vegetable oil—delivers the toxicity of smoking 24 cigarettes? Cornell-trained biochemist turned family physician Dr. Cate Shanahan introduces us to well-respected scientists who warn that vegetable oils are a public health disaster, wreaking havoc on our bodies’ cells by depleting antioxidants and promoting free radical toxicity. Their many effects include: Uncontrollable hunger, so we need drugs to maintain our weight Inflammatory fat buildup under our skin and within our internal organs and arteries Blood sugar swings that promote bad moods and antisocial behavior Disrupted brain energy, concentration problems, and mental illnesses Intracellular oxidative stress that promotes cancer development Gut inflammation, bloating, heartburn, and the runs Americans were enticed into buying these oils based on their cholesterol-lowering property, but the idea that cholesterol-lowering is beneficial was pushed on us without solid evidence to support it. In Dark Calories, Dr. Cate reveals the financial entanglements between industry and underhanded academics who created and sustain our 1950s-era, arbitrary dietary rules. As a solution, she proposes a clear, no-nonsense plan that aligns with our genetic needs and nature’s laws. Thankfully, recovering our health is simplified by the fact that nutrients that treat one condition also tend to treat all the rest. As an added bonus, we also revive our sense of taste so that our cravings shift to wholesome, nourishing foods instead. Read more

"The 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 Times*Named a "Best Gift for Gardeners" by New York MagazineThe original guide to kraut, kombucha, kimchi, kefir, and kvass; mead, wine, and cider; pickles and relishes; tempeh, koji, miso, sourdough and so much more…!Winner of the James Beard Foundation Book Award for Reference and Scholarship, and a New York Times bestseller, with more than a quarter million copies sold, The Art of Fermentation is the most comprehensive guide to do-it-yourself home fermentation ever published. Sandor Katz presents the concepts and processes behind fermentation in ways that are simple enough to guide a reader through their first experience making sauerkraut or yogurt, and in-depth enough to provide greater understanding and insight for experienced practitioners.While Katz expertly contextualizes fermentation in terms of biological and cultural evolution, health and nutrition, and even economics, this is primarily a compendium of practical information―how the processes work; parameters for safety; techniques for effective preservation; troubleshooting; and more.With two-color illustrations and extended resources, this book provides essential wisdom for cooks, homesteaders, farmers, gleaners, foragers, and food lovers of any kind who want to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for arguably the oldest form of food preservation, and part of the roots of culture itself.Readers will find detailed information on fermenting vegetables; sugars into alcohol (meads, wines, and ciders); sour tonic beverages; milk; grains and starchy tubers; beers (and other grain-based alcoholic beverages); beans; seeds; nuts; fish; meat; and eggs, as well as growing mold cultures, using fermentation in agriculture, art, and energy production, and considerations for commercial enterprises. Sandor Katz has introduced what will undoubtedly remain a classic in food literature, and is the first―and only―of its kind. Read more

Serious poultry farmers and backyard bird raisers have relied on this best-selling reference for more than 20 years. The fourth edition of Gail Damerow’s comprehensive handbook is now completely revised and redesigned, making it more accessible and informative than ever. You’ll get the most up-to-date details on shelter, food, health care, eggs, chicks, and meat, and recent research into chicken behavior and communication makes the sections on flock management truly authoritative. New color photos and illustrations provide more specificity and information about chicken breeds, anatomy, and health. Read more

This updated edition of the wildly popular 40 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead adds 10 NEW PROJECTS and tons of updates to your favorite homesteading guide!Learn how to build sheds, feeders, fences, and other backyard structures to enhance your sustainable living!Garden structures: Raised beds, planters and arbors, self-watering beds, grow-light stand, soil blocksFences and pens: Fence post basics, picket fence, solar electric fence, installing and stretching fences, hen pen and hurdle, gates, PVC hen penHousing chickens: Basics for housing chickens, building a coop and run, complete material and cutting lists, exploded views, building an A-frame chicken tractorBuilding sheds: Basics for building, goat shed, saltbox garden shed, backyard-homestead shop, roofing alternativesSolar and wind power: Compressor and gearbox windmills, how solar works, erecting a windmill, installing a solar power systemAquaponics and hydroponics: Understanding aquaponics, understanding hydroponics, basics of a DIY aquaponic system, how to install a hydroponic systemBuilding beehives: Langstroth beehive, Warré beehive, top-bar beehive (aka the Kenyan or Tanzanian beehive), step-by-step building instructions and exploded viewsPlumbing and wiring: Plumbing basics, ground-fault circuit interrupters, freeze-proof watering options, outdoor wiring, supplemental lightingReady for ten more inspiring ideas from the undisputed master of homesteading? 50 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead updates one of the most popular books in the field and adds 10 new projects to help your homestead thrive!Inside, author David Toht will teach you backyard homestead project ideas like accessible garden paths, insulated chicken coops, and backyard essentials from fences to feeders. This is an all-encompassing, comprehensive beginner's guide to thriving in nearly any climate — and building wheelchair-accessible paths. The projects in this book are designed with simplicity, convenience, and budget in mind. You will also find help on how to expand or contract the projects to suit your needs.Are you a beginner? Don't worry; you'll learn how to handle simple builds like raised gardens. Getting a little more advanced as a homesteader? Learn how to build a drought-resistant landscape or build passive ventilation systems to keep your chickens comfortable. Gardens, gates, PVC, pens, aquaponics, hydroponics, wind turbines, solar panels, roofing — it's all here. No matter what your homestead looks like, you'll come away from 50 Projects with encyclopedic knowledge and inspiration for what project to tackle next.With step-by-step instructions, tools and materials lists, exploded views, and easy-to-understand techniques, even if you are only moderately handy, you'll discover how to build your own feeders, fences, and structures. In the process, you'll save money and have the satisfaction of doing it yourself!Making "keyhole" gardens for dry climates? Insulating your chicken coops for winter? Adding accessible garden paths and raised planters? Whatever your next addition to the homestead is, 50 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead, Updated Edition will tell you exactly how to start. Read more

This hardworking addition to the best-selling Backyard Homestead series offers expert advice on what tasks to do around your farm and when to do them—no matter where on the planet you call home.  Author Ann Larkin Hansen sets the priorities for each area of the farm, including the barn, garden, orchard, field, pasture, and woodlot. For every critical turn of the year (12 in all), Hansen provides an at-a-glance to-do list along with tips and a more in-depth discussion of key topics for the season. Easy-reference charts, checklists, and record-keeping sections help you keep track of it all. Also available in this series: The Backyard Homestead, The Backyard Homestead Book of Building Projects, The Backyard Homestead Guide to Raising Farm Animals, and The Backyard Homestead Book of Kitchen Know-How. Read more

"A regenerative no-till pioneer."―NBC News"We need to reintegrate livestock and crops on our farms and ranches, and Gabe Brown shows us how to do it well."―Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation"Dirt to Soil is the [regenerative farming] movements’s holy text."―The ObserverGabe Brown didn’t set out to change the world when he first started working alongside his father-in-law on the family farm in North Dakota. But as a series of weather-related crop disasters put Brown and his wife, Shelly, in desperate financial straits, they started making bold changes to their farm. Brown―in an effort to simply survive―began experimenting with new practices he’d learned about from reading and talking with innovative researchers and ranchers. As he and his family struggled to keep the farm viable, they found themselves on an amazing journey into a new type of farming: regenerative agriculture.Brown dropped the use of most of the herbicides, insecticides, and synthetic fertilizers that are a standard part of conventional agriculture. He switched to no-till planting, started planting diverse cover crops mixes, and changed his grazing practices. In so doing Brown transformed a degraded farm ecosystem into one full of life―starting with the soil and working his way up, one plant and one animal at a time.In Dirt to Soil Gabe Brown tells the story of that amazing journey and offers a wealth of innovative solutions to restoring the soil by laying out and explaining his "five principles of soil health," which are:Limited DisturbanceArmorDiversityLiving RootsIntegrated Animals The Brown’s Ranch model, developed over twenty years of experimentation and refinement, focuses on regenerating resources by continuously enhancing the living biology in the soil. Using regenerative agricultural principles, Brown’s Ranch has grown several inches of new topsoil in only twenty years! The 5,000-acre ranch profitably produces a wide variety of cash crops and cover crops as well as grass-finished beef and lamb, pastured laying hens, broilers, and pastured pork, all marketed directly to consumers.The key is how we think, Brown says. In the industrial agricultural model, all thoughts are focused on killing things. But that mindset was also killing diversity, soil, and profit, Brown realized. Now he channels his creative thinking toward how he can get more life on the land―more plants, animals, and beneficial insects. “The greatest roadblock to solving a problem,” Brown says, “is the human mind.”See Gabe Brown―author and farmer―in the Netflix documentary Kiss the Ground and coming soon, (from the makers of Kiss the Ground) look for Gabe in the new documentary Common Ground! Read more

New York Times BestsellerInternational BestsellerAn Economist Best Book of 2023 • One of Smithsonian's Ten Best Books About Food of 2023 • A Financial Times Best Food and Drink Book of 2023 • A New Yorker Best Books of 2023 So Far • A Goodreads Choice Awards 2023 Nominee • An NPR 2023 "Books We Love" PickA manifesto to change how you eat and how you think about the human body.It’s not you, it’s the food.We have entered a new age of eating. For the first time in human history, most of our calories come from an entirely novel set of substances called Ultra-Processed Food. There’s a long, formal scientific definition, but it can be boiled down to this: if it’s wrapped in plastic and has at least one ingredient that you wouldn’t find in your kitchen, it’s UPF.These products are specifically engineered to behave as addictive substances, driving excess consumption. They are now linked to the leading cause of early death globally and the number one cause of environmental destruction. Yet almost all our staple foods are ultra-processed. UPF is our food culture and for many people it is the only available and affordable food.In this book, Chris van Tulleken, father, scientist, doctor, and award-winning BBC broadcaster, marshals the latest evidence to show how governments, scientists, and doctors have allowed transnational food companies to create a pandemic of diet-related disease. The solutions don’t lie in willpower, personal responsibility, or exercise. You’ll find no diet plan in this book—but join Chris as he undertakes a powerful self-experiment that made headlines around the world: under the supervision of colleagues at University College London he spent a month eating a diet of 80 percent UPF, typical for many children and adults in the United States. While his body became the subject of scientific scrutiny, he spoke to the world’s leading experts from academia, agriculture, and—most important—the food industry itself. But more than teaching him about the experience of the food, the diet switched off Chris’s own addiction to UPF.In a fast-paced and eye-opening narrative he explores the origins, science, and economics of UPF to reveal its catastrophic impact on our bodies and the planet. And he proposes real solutions for doctors, for policy makers, and for all of us who have to eat. A book that won’t only upend the way you shop and eat, Ultra-Processed People will open your eyes to the need for action on a global scale. Read more