What are your favorite books on farming

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I was looking at my bookshelf and started wondering what your favorite books on farming and selling at farmers markets were. My four favorites are: The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman; You Can Farm by Joel Salatin; The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski; and Dynamic Farmers Marketing by Jeff Ishee.

-- Murray in ME (lkdmfarm@megalink.net), March 20, 2002

Answers

Hi Murray, Got a few wooks on the subject and have order several more. If there is an eastern version of the Sunset Western Gardner, I would recommend it. It makes a very good reference book. A book which was received yesterday is very good for Companion Planting: The name is Rodale's Companion Planting. Got less than $30 total in both books. The books were procured through: edwardrhamilton.com amazon.com

-- ken (you@surfbest.net), March 20, 2002.

I've got a lot of how-to farming books, but my absolute favorite book about farming is The Farming Game by Bryan Jones. It's a humorous little book about all of the different types of people involved in the farming game. I know, and I'm sure all of us know, many people who are exactly like the characters in this book. I can even see myself in it. I've enjoyed it every time I've read it.

-- Fran (on MD's Eastern Shore) (simpleplesurzfrm@dmv.com), March 20, 2002.

The Farming Game is one of my favorites as well. One of the best books I have read about farming is Booker T. Whatley's "How To Make $100,000 Farming 25 Acres". My other favorite is "The Small Commercial Garden: How To Make $10,000 a Year in Your Backyard" by Dan Haakenson. Also, if you can find it, "Cash From Square Foot Gardening" by Mel Bartholomew.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), March 20, 2002.

I enjoyed My Small Country Living by Jeanine McMullen, and also First Person Rural by Noel Perrin, is kind of cute.

I would like to narrow the question to best book about selling at farmers' markets because I am doing that this year for the first time. I need to know ways to make the produce stay fresh and attractive and appealing -- even down to the choice of containers and such.

-- TD Matheny (theny@intrex.net), March 20, 2002.


Check out the catalog from ACRES - USA (800) 355-5313 or www.acresusa.com. They put out a catalog of hundreds of great books on farming. They have books on any subject you can think of about agriculture. They have books from $5 to video classes for $300 and everything in between.

-- David in NH (grayfoxfarm@mcttelecom.com), March 20, 2002.


TD, My favorites that relate to farmers markets are: The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman; The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski; and Dynamic Farmers Marketing by Jeff Ishee. They are very helpful.

-- Murray in ME (lkdmfarm@megalink.net), March 21, 2002.

I like the gardening books I got at JerryBaker.com,and they work.Pam

-- pam (pams65@hotmail.com), March 21, 2002.

I'm not a farmer, by any means, nor a homesteader who has put book reading into much real experience, but JD Berlanger gave this book a glowing review.

It is named "Husbandry", by Nathan Griffith, a virtual how-to-get- started manuel on living on the land. It has extensive farming / crop information, as well relating animal raising practices fairly extensively.

He has a website which I cannot recall the name, but the name of the self published book is Cobblemead publications, located in Trout, West Virginia. I bought a copy of the book ($20.00 more or less), and thought it well worth the money.

-- j.r. guerra in s. tx. (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), March 21, 2002.


Without the Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery I would have never attempted the move from suburbs to farm. LOVE IT! Still use it after all these years.

-- Gayle in KY (gayleannesmith@yahoo.com), March 26, 2002.

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