Fruit and Vegetable Books

I live in the northeast, so I was looking for something for my area. Excellent book. Down to earth, easy, good ideas for the average gardener. We moved our garden and I am going to try his ways. I always had a garden, but did the "old" single row ways. He shares lots of little hints that will help anyone. Good pictures. Not bogged down with extreme details. Highly recommend the book. It was just what I was looking for. I based my decision on the reviews this book got, and they are right.

I added this book to my resource library and glad I did. Lots of useful information presented in a clear and concise manner. The pictures are clear and presented in a manner that allows you to understand.

I grew up on a farm with my mother having a vegetable garden, so growing plants is not a totally foriegn concept to me, but non-the-less, it's been a while since I've "hoed a row." I read the reviews of several books, including this one, and felt confident I was getting a good "go to" book with most everything I would need to start my garden - I was so pleased to be right! I live in the MN, Zone 4, which happens to be the same Zone the author lives in. So though the specific exampels I can apply to my garden, the information is so thorough and sound, I believe the principles can be applied to any Zone! The non-traditional ideas he presents in the book make so much sense! If you want the traditional straight skinny rows your grandmother or neighbor has, this book is not for you, but if you are interested in producing more with less space this book is a must have. I am a good third into it, and I felt every page so far has plenty of good advice without being too wordy, or technical. A very easy read, I can't wait to finish it and start planning my garden!! A thanks to the author for putting his knowledge and love of gardening on paper!

I am a beginner/novice/newbie to the growing food world so I want to get myself empowered with as much info as possible.

So this is just one of an arsenal of info I'm getting.

But the book is well written, came in good condition and was very prompt on delivery

What an incredible person. Ed wrote an invaluable book. There is so much information and it is so detailed. He makes gardening easy. Read this book and it leaves the guess work out of managing your garden!

I have a small greenhouse and sell organic heirloom tomato plants. This book is my tomato bible! I am growing many of the plants she lists. Some I already knew about, some will be new this year, based on the information in this book. In addition, this book contains the simplest and clearest instructions I have found for saving seeds.

Her pictures - well, they are REAL! What a concept! Instead of pictures of these pristine tomatoes that were probably airbrushed, the pictures of her cherry tomatoes show a little crack here and there, and she unabashedly shows scarring and other blemishes. She shows top views, bottom views, and each picture shows a cut tomato so one can see the flesh. For a tomato grower like me, this is great information.

Her descriptions are frank, and since I was already growing some of these tomatoes myself, I know they are honest. You ever notice how the descriptions of the tomatoes in the catalogs imply that EVERY tomato is the BEST tomato? Dr. Male tells it like it is! In fact, she describes some of them having some faults, but has listed them for other reasons. (We agree - Amish Paste? Ho-hum. But historically significant and in spite of its faults, a very popular tomato.)

If you are a tomato aficionado, then you must add this book to your library! I will have a copy at my booth at the farmers market - and I bet it will be dog-eared by the end of the tomato season! I may have to buy another!

I love thumbing through this book. I buy most of my seeds from Seed Savers Exchange so it is especially fun because several of the varieties I was already growing, are featured in this book. Plus I have been inspired to try a few more. Well laid out. Beautiful book.

Wonderful book written by Dr Carolyn Male. If you don't own or have not read this book, then you really are found lacking in life!

Enjoyed the book enough to buy another to give to my tomato-growing son. Also hooked me to the point of buying three other tomato books from Amazon. The author posts regularly on various tomato websites. Great photographs. For the price that Amazon sells this book - you cannot go wrong.

I received this book as a gift, after my small 4-plant tomato plot fared disastrously last summer. 1 of the 4 plants produced decent tomatoes, while the rest died unceremoniously. This year, following the recommendations in this book, my 4 plants are all doing great, and I already have little tomatoes-to-be on 3 of the 4. For that reason alone I would recommend this book. I wish some of the planting and tending suggestions were a little clearer; you have to piece some of them together for yourself. Nevertheless, just two of the express recommendations on their own have made a world of difference for me.

The photographs and descriptions of the different heirloom varieties are fantastic, and will inspire you to pick out some different and unusual tomatoes for your garden. You don't have to be a tomato fanatic to enjoy and learn from this book.

After growing grapes casually (ornamentally, really) for the past five years, we somehow in a drought year came up with an outstanding crop of the most delicious grapes. Seeing some potential for our 40 acres, I recently invested in a small library on grape growing and winemaking, and find this book to be first-class. It is very straightforward and gives a great introduction to the growing of grapes in general, with enticing tangents about grape propagation and breeding. I did not find the book burdened by the "organic" in the title. He offers a wide variety of solutions to grape growing problems, and while his philosophy favors organic methods, I didn't find the book awkwardly tied to only those solutions. I thought it was very balanced.

Great book and reference. Good seller correspondence.

I bought this book as a gift for my dad, and he said that it was a great resource that used a lot of plain language, not jargon. He also said that there's a lot in the book that he never plans on using, but that parts of it were really good. If nothing else, I'd say it makes a great gift for the grapes/wine enthusiast.

This is a very well written and easy read book on growing all types of grapes. Details of picking, planting, preparing are all spelled out in great detail. We are entertaining the idea of putting in a vineyard and this book has given us a lot of knowledge of what we need to do and how to do it.

This book has taught me everything I need to know - after several aborted attempts at growing grapes over the years, I now have great vines that bear wonderfully. Thank you!

This book looks interesting, but I am not a farmer. I plan to give this to my son (who has a farm) as a Christmas gift. I will have to wait for his reaction to the book.

I feel this book is extremly helpful if you want to install a root celler.
Many how to answers. And in this day with so many moving back to rural area's why wouldnt you want to be less dependent, while providing home grown-healthier food for yourself and those you love?

Thank U
Rhonda

I was very impressed with this book, if you are looking at supplying your own food needs through a garden it's a must have.

I have a small town lot with a kitchen salad garden, so didn't initially think of this as something that pertained to me, but now I realize that the local harvest available right now at farm stands is PERFECT for buying now to eat later.

This gives me a step by step guide to how to store those carrots, onions, potatoes, squash and leeks that I didn't realize I could buy in bulk now.

I was so tired of freezing and canning all my garden products and was frightened about my eletricity and gas bills. So this book comes up with the solution how to spare all the energy costs and the hours of work for preparing the food for freezing and canning.: root cellaring.
The book is a wonderful ressource not only on the topic but also in gardening.
For me it is a "must-have" and I wish I had it got 25 years ago....

I got this book for my nephew's birthday (he was turning 3) and he really loved it. It's really something fun and different for kids and all the parents were even entertained by it! I have had a hard time finding these books in bookstores, so I'm glad I've been able to purchase them on Amazon. I would definitely recommend this book for the little ones.

I had a couple of the Saxton Freymann books hanging around the house from my teaching days (Dog Food and How Are You Peeling). My 4 year old twins found them one day and loved them. I ordered them Food for Thought for Christmas last year and it is still a highly requested bedtime book. I love looking at the pictures as much as they do! It is amazing how they accomplish this using only food items.

Another picture book from the creative minds of Elffers and Freymann. This one illustrates concepts (shapes and colors, numbers and letters, opposites) with big, bold, and colorful photos of fruits and vegetables carved and combined into expressive faces and adorable animals and scenes. Each page is a new puzzle: H for Hair is easily identified as a leek (you might have to explain 'leek' to a child), root end up, but what are the 'insects'? (blueberries with onionskin wings). The humor may occasionally go over a child's head (look at X for X-ray) but that doesn't matter, he will still love identifying the fruits and vegetables the characters are made of. This is a wonderful book for group reading, children are captivated by the colors and illustrations and the large format makes it easy to see even for the children toward the back of the group. If you've liked others in this series you won't want to miss this one.

It's got a little bit of everything--fruits & vegetables, colors, shapes, letters, animals, opposites. Even adults will say "how imaginative!"

Food for Thought is a conceptual picture book that consists of photographed pieces of fruit and vegetables that are carved into animal shapes. So, two strawberries become a dog holding a piece of watermelon shaped into an umbrella with an asparagus handle. This book is fun for a reader of any age, because it's interesting to see how they fashioned food into art, and to distinguish both the animal depicted and the food used on each page. The concepts though, like all the letters of the alphabets, single digit numerals,shapes, colors and opposites (big and small, hold and cold, etc.) are perfect for reading readiness. They are also adorably depicted and easily understood even for very young children. The concept of this book is innovative, fun, and I highly recommend it.

This book is ideal for someone starting their first garden who wants to use all organic methods. It goes through setting up your garden beds, making your own compost, and in the back it goes over every kind of vegetable and herb you could possibly want! The burpees seeds and plants are excellent too! I bought some Burpees seeds from Lowes and they were growing after only 5 days!

Burpee's "The Complete Vegetable and Herb Gardener: A Guide to Growing Your Garden Organically" is fantastic. In addition to what Burpee lists on the back cover of what is inside the book, there are also many easy-reading tables that contain excellent information such as the vitamin(s) that each vegetable contains, different cultivars, plant PH needs, watering needs per week, crop yields, etc. Many interesting tidbits.

The layout is so wonderful, one does not feel overwhelmed with all of the information that is in the book!

I am a new gardener and this book has helped so much! I look everything up in it. RIght down to problems with plant to how much water each plant gets. It has a guide to all plants and great pictures. Also has tips for gardening.

I am so impressed with this big, beautiful book! The photos are inspiring, and the technical aspects are thoroughly covered. I love the historic background of each vegetable and herb.
I think there is literally everything I ever needed to know about vegetable gardening from seed germination, through care and feeding, to harvest. Detailed charts outline fertilizer, pests, water, soil conditions, and planting and harvest times.

I keep it on my coffee table and flip through it daily just to enjoy the photos and learn some new fact.

You will not be disappointed with this book!

This book is great if you're a beginner gardener, and want just one book to sit down and read that covers all aspects of gardening. You'll want to go on an buy other books that go into more detail on specific topics, but this is a great place to start, and one to keep on the shelf.
It is presented as a gardening book should be - a large hardcover with lots of glossy colour photographs.
Chapters are:
1) Growing you own
2) Getting Started
3) Garden Tools & Equipment
4) Improving the soil
5) Laying out the Garden
6) Planting the Garden
7) Caring for the Garden
8) Coping with Garden Problems

I must admit this book is older than most of the books out there. But the author, Dick Raymond, has been gardening since he was a child and passes that info on easily. And the knowledge he provides here does not go out of style or use. If you are going to plant a garden this year, this is the book for you. His no nosense style coupled with his clear facts make it a joy to read AND understand. Any size gardener can gain tips from him. I found it on my aunt's book shelf - she puts in a 1/2 acre garden each year - but he has tips for the mini-gardener like me as well. He really makes my job easier and a joy.

Dick Raymond is my guru! I do not do anything in my garden without consulting his book first. He has been there done that, the book speaks volumes to you as if Dick were right there next to you. Every time I pick up this book I find a new golden nugget that he has left for you. I showed the book to my father in-law Ed (who thought he was a garden expert) and I noticed how his style of gardening changed to Dicks. Ed could not put down the book, so I bought him a copy for Christmas.

Never do a garden without this book.

I highly suggest this book. It is one of my favority gardening books and I have given it to others as a gift.

Dick Raymond's book is the one book that everyone who wants to try to grow their own vegetables should have in their library. I refer to Dick as my "master" to anyone that asks my about my garden. The man was used of God several years ago as I almost memorized the book and produced a garden that even the old timers in our town had to admire--and that I needed to help feed my family. The old-timers in town didn't think the wide-row gardening technique would work, but when they saw the plants growing gangbusters, they were amazed.

Though I had always tried gardening, I had never had real success until I found this book, read it cover to cover, and began using Dick's techniques. It is straightforward, written in a down-to-earth manner that anyone can understand and enjoy.

My copy is almost 20 years old, and I can't imagine gardening without it!

This is the absolute best vegetable gardening book you can buy. Period! I have looked through hundreds of books and this is the easiest to follow, best illustrated and most down to earth book I've ever found. The information is definitely not out of date even though it's a bit of an older book. There is information on every page that I have found useful and it is an "easy read". He explains how he came about discovering his raised bed, wide row method - not in a pretentious way but because he has a bad back and wants to be efficient about growing the most amount of veggies in the smallest amount of space. He walks through how to prepare garden soils (all types), how to plan a vegetable garden (and why) and then gives detailed descriptions of each vegetable that you would want to grow. Dick had a gardening TV show at one point so there are many, many colour pictures and there are also detailed drawings illustrating his points. He tells you the best and cheapest way to garden and reading his book reminds me of talking with a true "down home" farmer. He also talks of how to improve the soil throughout the winter season by planting ground covers. The other added bonus is that he tells you how to store the veggies you've worked so hard to grow. So much good information.....

I think I rhyme off a "Dick Raymond quote" every day to my husband who is also just learning how to garden - it's as if I know him after his book! Trust me - Dick Raymond is worth quoting. :)

If you want to grow vegetable gardens this book is a must!!!

With kids toys being so much about brands and high tech capability - this whimsical and imaginative book is such a delight. I can't wait for my son to see it on Christmas day. Adults I have shown it to have enjoyed it too.

This book is wonderful! I bought several copies for my dog-loving friends because the price was very reasonable- they all thought it was delightful. The illustrations are fantastic, and the broccoli/cauliflower poodles are especially cute!

I cataloged this donated book into the academic library's collection where I work. I selected it from the books that had been donated for our annual book sale because I knew parents with little children would enjoy having something to occupy the attention of their kids while they were studying/researching. What a remarkable imagination this book testifies to! I photocopied the "Working like a Dog" page to testify to my meager efforts, it adorns my cubical. Everyone with children will want a copy of this book.

My daughter, age 20 months, just loves this cute little book. She asks to read it again and again.

Like other books by this author the pictures are imaginative and interesting. This is a great gift for any age, so long as the giftee has a sense of humor.

Loved the story, as did my grandaughter. The songs (or poems)
are catchy and there is a lot to learn for everyone.

This book is gorgeous! Trisha Howell did a wonderful job, writing a short meaningful children's story about a melon and a turnip that have to overcome obstacles to enjoy the good things in life. As a parent of 4 children, I see that some of my children are stimulated via sight; therefore I recommend books like this to parents who wish to teach empowering ideas to their children.

And by the way, the quality of this book is super. You should buy it just for the art!

Zev Saftlas, Author of Motivation That Works

This is the 2nd book my children have read by this author. The characters are wonderful, and my what an enchanting way to teach beautiful values. This book also encouraged my children to do a delightful puppet show. My children are looking forward to reading her new series of "Talia and the Tower" when it comes out.

Children will "root" for these two delightful friends who venture out of their safe garden and into the wide world! The concept of a melon and a turnip breaking free and traveling is great imaginative fun, and the world they discover together is full of wonder, meaning, challenge, danger and beauty. A lovely book.

This in every way delightful book contains a good moral, engaging text, and fantastic illustrations. Great gift for expecting parents or for youngsters!

This is a tremendous resource for anyone who believes that you don't have to 'go big' to make money. This is something you must own.

My Husband has not put this book down since it arrived! It contains exactly the information he's been looking for to help him make the right decisions about selling what we grow. Needless to say, this book gets a very high rating for content!

For eight years, Lee averaged 110 cubic years of compost per season. Each year Lee added 5,000 square feet of garden. The idea was to cash in on new farmer markets in Boston Neighborhoods. In 1988, Lee had nearly one acre planted and grossed $36,000 and that average out to 50 hours a week or 12 an hour. Don't be afraid of creating too much competition. Growers are currently only serving 1 to 3 percent of the market with organic foods. The number of acres dedicated to growing organic foods amounts to less than 1 percent of the national agricultural land base. Organic foods include more than 200 varieties of vegetables, 1,000 varieties of flowers, and close to 100 different herbs, several distinct growing methods, and at least 10 prime marketing methods. 97 percent of the market buys from the supermarket.

Tomatoes grown organically have five times more calcium and 2,000 times more iron than conventionally grown tomatoes. 16 commonly known trace elements are: boron, calcium, carbon, chlorine, copper, hydrogen, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, and zinc. Without the proper balance of soil pH, moisture, naturally occurring soil minerals, and biological activity, the nutrients may remain locked in the soil and usages of compost is one of the best ways to increase humus levels. Compost provides a healthy, nutrient-filled environment for the plant roots. You need 3 cubic yards of cow manure for every 1,000 square feet of garden. A 1,000 square feet of garden can grow 100 tomato plants. After three years of manure, tomato plants yield 14 pounds per plant; and in super rich soil, potatoes yield 5 pounds per plant. To get 65 yards of compost, 200 cubic yards of raw materials will need to be formed into a 4 foot piles, 10 feet wide, and 200 feet long.

In 1990 the farm had four hogs. After a year the hogs are moved and rock phosphate is added. Potatoes and strawberries are planted first; wood ash is added and two years of peas and beans replenish nitrogen in the soil; and in the fourth year the plot is ready for any crop.

I found this book very informative, inspiring and motivational. I have been gardening for 7 or 8 years (started when corporate America was killing me)just for relaxation. Now I am retired and have a very big garden, but more than my family and my neighbors can eat. I'm seriously considering a greenhouse, but before such an investment needed some research. This book really helped me make the decision to proceed with the greenhouse. Our Farmers Market kicks in next week and I can't wait. This book will make you think of things you hadn't considered, the ups and downs. I really enjoyed it. Wish me luck!

After five years of backyard gardening and selling his produce, author Andrew W. Lee took in $36,000 from his one-acre garden. That is quite an increase from the $1,700 he made in his first year in addition to that being one VERY productive acre! This is a very good book, covering nearly everything a farm marketeer might want to consider before starting a garden and setting up a roadside stand. If you are considering venturing into the lucrative business of growing and selling your own produce, this book will be valuable.

There are over 200 pages on how to market your produce. "Fix the soil and get close to your customers", Lee advises. He shares many of his experiences and entertains numerous marketing ventures from setting out a curb-side table to community-supported farms, cooperatives, sales to restaurants and other farm markets, and peddling door to door (although today this works better through the pre-paid subscription method).

Even if you're not going to plant a garden, this book is well worth looking over as a clear and pragamatic account of how to start your own business. Lee tells how he successfully did that.