Farming Books

This is a scholarly summary of what is known about the origins of our prominent crop plants; botanically and geographically. This book is very carefully written and avoids any unnecessary ramifications. However it does contain a wealth of detail: why is one of the American cottons traded under the name of 'Egyptian cotton'? What is the crop with most sets of chromosomes? Etc, etc. Highly recommend for those interested in the backgrounds of the worlds crops.

16,3x24x2,4cm; v + 309 pp; not illustrated; very brief glossary; carefully selected list of references

This is a monster of a book: large format; 678 pages; innumerable illustrations, tables, and graphs, some in color; 48 essays by 48 authors and they're all about corn -- more correctly called maize.

Scientists wrote the book for scientists. Much of it I found inpenetrable as authors described concepts such as "maizoid polystichy, phylotaxy, isotropic anthropology, and glottochronology." However, despite the fog of language, the book is invaluable as a history of maize, from its mysterious beginnings in Mexico to its spread throughout the Americas, and its cultural impact.

Hugh Iltis wrote one of the best -- and longest -- essays in the book, a difficult, egocentric, engaging, and opinionated tour de force about the long scientific search for the origins of maize. A much more accessible article by Jane Mt. Pleasant describes the Indian way of growing corn. Another article has the fetching title of "The History of Maize in the Land where Civilization came into Being," i.e Peru -- a statement that should make Mesopotamiologists grind their teeth. Other articles describe the evolution of maize, its cultivation all over the Americas, and linguistic evidence and folklore of maize --in short, everything you would possibly want to know about the pre-historic history of maize in the Americas.

If you have a passion for genetics, archaeology, agriculture, and an appreciation of a well-roasted ear of corn combined with a modicum of scientific comprehension, then this book is the definitive source of up-to-date information and speculation about maize.

Smallchief

Excellent overview of the subject. It leads me to a more indepth study of the subject. I may find it towards the end in the bibliography. I am 90% of the way through the book.

This is another offering from the Organic Gardening (Rodale Press), and is pretty typical of the "post-hippie, back to the land, do it your self, even it it is more difficult" type book. Actually, some of the projects here, and there are many, actually work and are pretty fascinating. Want a pedale powered grain mill? A Pedaled lawn mower? Build your own mushroom shelves? Easy (?) to build bug traps? This is the book for you. The black and white photos are not the best, but they get the point across, sort of. Actually, I am not making fun of this book, just having fun with it. I have actually tries some of this stuff...some has worked, some has not, but it was all fun. Recommend this one highly.

"Homestead Year" is like the description above, only more so. Judith gets into great detail about bee screens so that her guests won't be stung by some rather agressive bees, the duck house, even her "end of season" homstead tour map. It is not so detailed as to be technical.

Ted, her husband, is the rather reluctant helper, balancing his professorial duties with helping Judith with aspects of her project. He also is a dandy spaghetti sauce maker! Other members of her family are featured in stories scattered here and there through the book like glimpses through a house window.

Easy to read in a chronological manner, "Homestead Year" is a wonderful book for both country and city folk, especially on those winter nights when gardening is not far from one's mind.

Fantastic work from a very varied author!

Hi, I have an old edition,published by the Ten Speed Press of Berkeley,CA of this book. I was curious to see if it was still in print and was happy to see that it has been re-published by UNC.
It is a great book about my favorite food additive,the one,the only,
McIlhenny Co. Tabasco Sauce. I don't know how I could eat food without Tab'! That plus even hotter sauces like Blair's Jersey Death Sauce and the other standby Tapatio.(Trappey's is also featured in this book.)
Yum!
The book also has lots of info about New Iberia and S. Louisiana/Acadiana and the Cajun culture that I never knew about.
Up here in the Pacific NW,about the only Cajun we get is Zydeco music and Cajun-styled food. I did not know hardly any of the history of Acadiana and it's people. After reading the book,Acadiana is on my list to visit.
Even though it has changed a lot from the good ol' days of genuine Cajun living. I hope there are still echoes of that detectable to a visitor.
Anyone who loves chilis and their history and Capsicum Frutescens (Tabasco pepper) in particular and want to learn about the Cajun way of life would be happy with this book.

This book is repository of ideas for gaining a cash income as country folk. In the first part of the book, Osgood discusses the temperament necessary to make a go of it in the country. He stresses that country living isn't for everyone because of the hard work and skills that are required. A person who chooses to live in the country has to be self-disciplined, resourceful and creative. Osgood reviews some reasons why people might want to move to the country, and gives a few examples of people who have done so successfully.

Following this introduction, Osgood turns to enumerating a variety of jobs, professions, and occupations that country people have used to earn a living. His discussion is based on the results he received from surveys distributed to people living in rural areas. These jobs are organized into several groups, including: wages and factory jobs, services and business, professions, arts and crafts, and products from the land. He points out that if you're going to work outside of your home, remember to find housing close to the job, since automotive costs can be quite expensive and there is little public transportation available in rural areas. Since rural wages are usually low, such costs can eat up an inordinate chunk of wages. One couple that he interviewed gave some wise advice, "In the first place, don't think of yourself as a specialist, but cultivate a wide range of abilities so that if one of your attempts at earning a living fails, you can fall back on other competencies." They went on to say "Simplify your way of life and dramatically cut your income requirements." Osgood suggests that if you run your own business, keep it small, so that you don't need to hire outside help (which can be expensive, and also make your business subject to OSHA regulations). Each section of the book is rounded out with examples of people who have created their own niche in the country, from rural garage mechanic to freelance photographer to dressmaker. At the end of the book are an annotated list of resources for country living and an index.

As a research scientist working in fields related to this subject, I have read the book from cover to cover many times over, and often use it as a regular source of reference material. Each time I re-read the various sections I continue to make many new discoveries. This book reads well, and will capture the attention of both the layman and the professional, and has a tremendous amount of depth. Anyone with a serious love for organic gardening and agriculture, and desire to know more about humic substances including fulvic acids, will not be disappointed. THIS BOOK UNEARTHS THE TRUE ESSENCE OF WHY ORGANIC GROWN FOOD IS BETTER. The book is worth the price just for the references and various reprint Appendixes alone. Dr. Jackson does an excellent job of assembling and explaining the material. This is a book that every serious farmer in the world needs to read, and every consumer needs to hear this message or at least experience it through the food they eat. The overall world health implications found within these page are profound. The agricultural chemical dealers need to read this book also, but they won't because it could eventually be the doom for a portion of their industry. Certainly this book has a message of significant global importance. The health and destiny of all mankind lies in the balance. The subject matter in this book is no doubt already helping to save lives and suffering of people around the world. I salute you Bill Jackson, for being a modern-day pioneer and for writing a book that is many years ahead of its time.

Have recently purchased a new John Deere tractor and have found the tractor to be an outstanding piece of equipment. Was very curious on how the tractor was made. The book is a must read for anyone who owns a John Deere tractor or is intending to purchase one. The questions that I had were all answered. The book is well done and a very good interesting read.

This is an important book. In "Intercropping and the Scientific Basis of Traditional Agriculture," Donald Q. Innis synthesizes more than thirty years of field work and research in a neat and direct explanation of the agricultural significance of intercropping. Intercropping is a traditional way of farming which simply involves planting more than one plant in the same field--as self-sustaining small farmers have done world-wide for thousands of years.

Intercropping is a long-term alternative to the destructive short-sighted practices used to "develop" Third World nations. Innis details its use in four different countries (Thailand, Mexico, India, Jamaica), finding remarkable similarities around the globe. His book offers proof that traditional farming methods mean higher soil quality, natural pest control, increased yield, and increased employment. It's full of scientific examples and clear explanations of how people have lived off the land for millenia, and could so continue. Donald Q. Innis is an inspiration to anyone who thinks globally. His call to action: The small farmers really know what they're doing!