The Adventures With Mr. X is the tale of a very special rooster and his travels throughout the US.

Home-hatched and hand-raised by noted horticulturist Rosalind Creasy and her physicist husband Robert, Mr. X claimed them as his “flock.”

For many years, as Ros and Robert traveled the US, their beloved rooster often went along as companion and wingman. Affectionate, opinionated, and very much his own bird, this feisty fowl gamely took on all challenges that came his way, all the while making friends and evoking smiles wherever he went.

In this warm-hearted chronicle of 14 years with Mr. X, you’re invited to travel along with him as he:

• Herds sheep in New Mexico
• Faces down lobsters in Maine and peahens in Texas
• Judges a chili cook-off on Long Island
• Appears on Good Morning America in New York City
• Becomes a connoisseur of French fries from drive-in windows nationwide
• Poses for tourist photos in Times Square
• Cheers residents of a Florida nursing home
• Hosts rousing parties back home in California

Think you can’t be utterly charmed by a rooster? Think again.

Once you encounter Mr. X, you’ll never forget him.

“He was indeed more than a mere bird…a muse, amusement, connection to more than mere mortals can ever understand. As I turn over lumps of fresh garden clods and see the worms wiggle, I always think of him and how well he had us humans trained.”—Marcie Hawthorne, award-winning fine artist and illustrator

“What a bird! And what a life that bird had! How many chickens get to go on a “world tour?”—Linda Avery

“He had an incredible life for a chicken and taught a lot of people about humanity.”—Kim and Steve Axelrod

 “[I have such] fond memories of [the Creasys and Mr. X] driving away on their next adventure. They both embraced him in a most unusual way and taught everyone that love and expression for every living being has no boundaries.”—Jody Main Co-Owner at Organic Living Supplies; Santa Cruz, California.

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“Read this book to understand why you should care about regenerative agriculture. Until the public is better-informed and insists on sweeping changes to current agricultural policy . . . we will continue to degrade our planet and destabilize our climate. Leu and Cummins, through inspiring stories and solid science, show just how quickly we could turn that around.”—Allan Savory, president, Savory Institute; chairman, Africa Centre for Holistic Management

Is it possible that the solution to the global climate emergency lies in a “waste” agricultural product? 

The best-kept secret in today’s world is that solutions to some of our most pressing issues—food insecurity, deforestation, overgrazing, water scarcity, rural poverty, forced migration—lie in adopting, improving, and scaling up organic and regenerative agriculture best practices.

The Regenerative Agriculture Solution starts with the story of how two brothers—Jose and Gilberto Flores—are at the leading edge of this approach, pioneering the use of the previously discarded leaves of the prodigious agave plant to regenerate agricultural soils, reduce erosion, and improve water capture.

When Ronnie Cummins, the cofounder of Organic Consumer Association (OCA) and Regeneration International, met the Flores brothers in 2019 and witnessed their revolutionary agave agroforestry system, he knew they were onto something important.

Cummins had spent decades studying the potential and pitfalls of organic and regenerative agriculture and knew best practices when he saw them. He started to write a book about Flores’s brother and other visionary people, such as Dr Vandana Shiva, Allan Savory, and John Liu, who started landscape-scale regeneration projects. The scientific data was even more convincing, suggesting that these projects—and others like it—could revolutionize how we understand the climate catastrophe.

Sadly, Cummins passed away in April 2023, in the midst of working on the book. Not to leave this work unfinished, Ronnie’s widow and OCA cofounder, Rose, called on their friend, colleague, and collaborator, Regeneration International’s cofounder André Leu, to complete the work and place the Flores brothers’ breakthroughs in the broader context of regenerative agriculture solutions to the world’s many interlocking ecological crises.

The result isThe Regenerative Agriculture Solution, a book that shows how regenerating our forests, rangelands, and farming ecosystems can cool our planet, restore the climate, and enrich our communities.

The post The Regenerative Agriculture Solution first appeared on Chelsea Green Publishing.

With decades of knowledge and proven, common-sense methods from “The Barefoot Farmer,” this practical guide to biodynamic principles and practices will appeal to growers of every scale and experience level.

In Barefoot Biodynamics, organic grower Jeff Poppen—“The Barefoot Farmer”—combines tales from his personal history in rural Tennessee with the practical applications of biodynamic principles and the deep aspects of the biodynamic methods that continue to make his farm a success today.

Jeff’s friendly, direct, and humorous writing will appeal not only to the biodynamic-curious, but also to farmers and gardeners who have experimented with the biodynamic approach and are looking for a deeper understanding of the practice.

Rooted in the teachings of biodynamic pioneer Rudolf Steiner, Jeff’s unique insights and deep reflections on “guiding lines” of biodynamic growing are an invaluable resource. Those “guiding lines” include:

• • producing a farm’s fertility using cover crops, compost, and other on-farm inputs

• • enjoying the renewing power of farm festivals

• • augmenting scientific knowledge with the power of observation and intuition

• • avoiding chemical fertilizers

• • understanding that carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen make up 95 percent of the physical structure of plants and are freely available in the air around us

• • enhancing the availability of critical minerals such as silica and lime through good farming practices

• • building humus-rich soil teeming with microbial life

• • using homeopathic preparations to heal and enrich the soil

In addition, Jeff walks the reader through the eight lectures on farming given by Steiner in 1924, summarizing important points from each lecture and “translating” them from Steiner’s profound yet sometimes impenetrable vocabulary into plain language. In Barefoot Biodynamics, Jeff provides new insight into these enigmatic lectures, revealing an often overlooked yet cost-effective farming method rooted in common sense.

The post Barefoot Biodynamics (Audiobook) first appeared on Chelsea Green Publishing.

“This remarkable book is not just a manual for market gardeners; it’s a masterpiece.”—Huw Richards, Youtuber, author, and gardener

A highly detailed and beautifully illustrated guide to growing nutritious herbs, flowers, fruit and vegetables, ideal for the home grower and market gardener.

In 2006, Perrine and Charles Hervé-Gruyer set out on a mission to discover a new form of agriculture that provides organic crops and creates meaningful employment in the local community. Using a combination of biointensive methods and permaculture design, with they have named ‘ecoculture’, and backed by scientific research, resulted in their farm producing abundantly, sequestering carbon and freeing up land for Nature. 

Perrine and Charles Hervé-Gruyer designed a farm in Normandy that is so productive it provides a living for five people whilst only cultivating just a small percentage of the land, leaving the rest for Nature. In Living with the Earth, Volume 1, they described the overarching principles and influences of ecology and permaculture and share how they work with Nature to create highly productive systems.

Living with the Earth, Volume 2 of this comprehensive series dives deep into the details. Subjects include:

• Growing methods
• Seeding & soil preparation
• Plant densities and replicable crop associations
• Tools, irrigation and harvesting
• Growing year-round
• Vegetables, fruits, microgreens, flowers, mushrooms, tree crops and forest gardens 

Beautifully designed and full of useful, descriptive photographs, diagrams and charts, this manual provides a wealth of research and practical experience. These volumes are ground-breaking, with principles and practices that can be used on any scale. They are, however, of particular interest to small- to medium-scale farmers, horticulturalists, forest gardeners, agronomists, and market gardeners. 

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With extensive research, real-world examples, and hands-on applications, this go-to guide offers a comprehensive look at the principles and practices of biochar—and all of its world-changing uses.

Like many human discoveries, biochar has likely been invented, lost, and reinvented multiple times. It can be found in the rich terra preta soils of the Amazon and in the ancient “dark earths” dotting Africa, Asia, and Europe. However, biochar isn’t just an archeological curiosity. In The Biochar Handbook, author Kelpie Wilson argues that the simple process of burning organic material in a low-oxygen, low-emission environment could be one of the most powerful tools we have to restore degraded soils and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

In accessible and authoritative prose, Wilson demonstrates that biochar is a low-tech but effective means of reducing wildfire risks, restoring soil carbon, managing manure, weaning farms off of toxic inputs, and producing the best compost ever made.

In this book, you’ll also find:

• A pocket history of biochar
• Step-by-step instructions on making biochar for yourself
• Applications for soil water retention, pest deterrence, compost enhancement, and more
• Inspiring examples of ecosystem restoration and improved forest management
• Low-cost recipes, including Cultured Biochar and Sustainable Potting Soil

Wilson makes a compelling case that biochar is both simple to make and a potent solution to a host of knotty problems, both global and close to home. Whether you’re a gardener, homesteader, rancher, commercial farmer, permaculturalist, or forest manager, this book will show you how to put biochar to work, making you and your community more resilient as a result.

The post The Biochar Handbook first appeared on Chelsea Green Publishing.

In an era where 40 percent of global food system emissions originate from agriculture, the imperative for a swift transition to an organic, highly productive, and carbon-sequestering approach is undeniable.

World renowned permaculture expert, Ross Mars, adeptly unravels the principles and practices of regenerative agriculture, providing readers with an accessible yet comprehensive roadmap to grasp the core of this groundbreaking approach. Tailored for a diverse audience, it caters to farmers, agricultural practitioners, and anyone engaged or interested in the agricultural realm. The book serves as a guide for those seeking a profound understanding of regenerative design principles, offering practical insights and techniques to implement sustainable methodologies on the farm.

From delving into the intricacies of soil health to exploring the strategic integration of flora within regenerative systems, Mars leads readers through an enlightening journey that highlights the interconnectedness of all living elements in a regenerative ecosystem. He considers both animal-free approaches and the potential benefits of including animals on the farm.

The Basics of Regenerative Agriculture acts as a compass for those dedicated to fostering regenerative design not only in agriculture but also extending its impact to broader realms of sustainable living. This is more than a book; it’s a dynamic call to action and a guidebook for reconnecting with the land. It instills hope for a future where regenerative design becomes the healing force the Earth needs, leaving behind a flourishing legacy for generations to come.

The post The Basics of Regenerative Agriculture first appeared on Chelsea Green Publishing.

With decades of knowledge and proven, common-sense methods from “The Barefoot Farmer,” this practical guide to biodynamic principles and practices will appeal to growers of every scale and experience level.

In Barefoot Biodynamics, organic grower Jeff Poppen—“The Barefoot Farmer”—combines tales from his personal history in rural Tennessee with the practical applications of biodynamic principles and the deep aspects of the biodynamic methods that continue to make his farm a success today.

Jeff’s friendly, direct, and humorous writing will appeal not only to the biodynamic-curious, but also to farmers and gardeners who have experimented with the biodynamic approach and are looking for a deeper understanding of the practice.

Rooted in the teachings of biodynamic pioneer Rudolf Steiner, Jeff’s unique insights and deep reflections on “guiding lines” of biodynamic growing are an invaluable resource. Those “guiding lines” include:

• producing a farm’s fertility using cover crops, compost, and other on-farm inputs
• enjoying the renewing power of farm festivals
• augmenting scientific knowledge with the power of observation and intuition
• avoiding chemical fertilizers
• understanding that carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen make up 95 percent of the physical structure of plants and are freely available in the air around us
• enhancing the availability of critical minerals such as silica and lime through good farming practices
• building humus-rich soil teeming with microbial life
• using homeopathic preparations to heal and enrich the soil

In addition, Jeff walks the reader through the eight lectures on farming given by Steiner in 1924, summarizing important points from each lecture and “translating” them from Steiner’s profound yet sometimes impenetrable vocabulary into plain language. In Barefoot Biodynamics, Jeff provides new insight into these enigmatic lectures, revealing an often overlooked yet cost-effective farming method rooted in common sense.

The post Barefoot Biodynamics first appeared on Chelsea Green Publishing.

“Ben Hartman is a true innovator for the small farm.”—Curtis Stone, author of The Urban Farmer

It’s time to think big about small farms. Award-winning author and “green leader” (Grist) Ben Hartman shares practical how-to tips, personal stories, and surprising examples of cutting-edge farmers and innovators around the world to show us how.

In the early 1970s, US Agriculture Secretary Earl Butz infamously commanded farmers to “get big or get out.” In The Lean Micro Farm, author Ben Hartman rejects that disastrous suggestion and instead takes up the charge of the late agrarian thinker Gene Logsdon: “Get small and stay in.”

Taking inspiration from the groundbreaking ideas of E. F. Schumacher and Mahatma Gandhi, The Lean Micro Farm shows how small, hyperlocal farms can be both ecologically and economically superior to industrial-scale operations geared toward export and commodity markets.

The Lean Micro Farm details the author’s remarkable journey to downsize his farm from one acre to a quarter of an acre in an effort to prioritize family and community over work, all without taking a pay cut. In addition, Hartman profiles six innovative farmers from across the globe who embody this “get small” mindset. These pioneering farmers show all of us a path toward resilience in the face of supply chain disruption, globalization, and climate change. They model a gentler, more ecological approach to farming that produces less waste and uses less plastic, petroleum, and fertilizer.

Like his previous two books, The Lean Farm and The Lean Farm Guide to Growing Vegetables, Hartman’s The Lean Micro Farm doesn’t just explain why smaller is better, it shows readers exactly how it can be done with step-by-step guides on how to turn a profit from a tiny, but productive, parcel of farmland. Readers will find not just philosophical justifications for a minimalist approach to agriculture but also actionable information for starting your own profitable micro farm, including:

• • A description of the “deep mulch” method for building fertility

• • Instructions on two-step bed flipping to increase production on a small footprint

• • A guide for choosing essential tools and technologies “with a human face”

• • An easy-to-follow process for making your micro farm lean and efficient

• • A detailed plan for selling $20,000 worth of produce from your backyard

It’s time, Hartman makes clear, to pivot to a new kind of farming—one that builds upon ancestral knowledge, nourishes communities, and puts human joy, not technology, at its center.

“Hartman has revolutionized his methods, cut down his work hours dramatically, and shrunk the size of his farm, all while making a better income.”—Civil Eats

The post The Lean Micro Farm (Audiobook) first appeared on Chelsea Green Publishing.

“This is one of the most practical, down-to-earth, dirt-under-the-fingernails, comprehensive explanations of all things homesteading and small farming. Whether you’re just dreaming or an old hand, Ben Falk’s longer experience horizon is invaluable.”—Joel Salatin, cofounder, Polyface Farm; author of Everything I Want to Do Is Illegal

Informed by twenty years of successful land management and the professional design experience of his pioneering firm Whole Systems Design, LLC, author Ben Falk updates his classic text and delivers the definitive twenty-first century systems thinking manual in self-reliance—sure to empower readers to prioritize projects, make positive lifestyle decisions, and take strategic steps toward a regenerative future.    

In The Resilient Farm and Homestead, Revised and Expanded Edition Falk describes how he has transformed a degraded hillside in the frigid Vermont climate into a thriving, biodiverse Eden that now provides year-round abundance for his family and community.

First published in 2013, The Resilient Farm and Homestead is a comprehensive how-to guide for building durable and productive land-based systems through the reciprocal interplay of humans and the natural world. In the ten years since he first published this seminal work, Falk has deepened his wisdom in harnessing nature-based solutions for increasingly challenging times, including addressing severe climate disruptions like drought and flood conditions.

The book covers every strategy Falk and his team have tested on the Whole Systems Research Farms over the past two decades and includes detailed information on earthworks, gravity-fed water systems, soil fertility management, growing nutrient-dense food and medicine, fuelwood production, agroforestry, managed grazing, and much more.

Complete with full-color photography and detailed design drawings, The Resilient Farm and Homestead, Revised and Expanded Edition includes new information on:

• Designing greenhouses and microclimates
• Reinvigorating human health and embodying a vigorous lifestyle
• Raising children on a homestead
• Creating failure-proof and resilient energy systems
• Focusing on permaculture beekeeping
• Cultivating proven cold climate plants
• Overcoming analysis paralysis and mastering the art of knowing where to start and when to take strategic risks
• And much, much more!

In an age that feels defined by disconnection, disease, and decline, The Resilient Farm and Homestead, Revised and Expanded Edition offers a roadmap to conquering uncertainty, maximizing efficiency, and creating a bountiful, manageable landscape that will endure.

“Essential reading for the serious prepper as well as for everyone interested in creating a more resilient lifestyle.”—Carol Deppe, author of The Resilient Gardener

“This intelligent, challenging book, rooted somewhere between back-to-the-land idealism and radical survivalism, sees resilience as both planting and building for the use of future generations, but also as preparing food, water, shelter, and the human body and psyche for the onset of any imaginable extreme emergency. . . . The result is a comprehensive, open-ended, theoretical and practical system for a post-carbon-dependent life.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review of first edition)

The post The Resilient Farm and Homestead, Revised and Expanded Edition first appeared on Chelsea Green Publishing.

Named a “Best Book for Budding Farmers” by Country Living

“Flower Farming for Profit does a deep dive into the least glamorous, but most important part of farming—how to run a profitable business. This must-have book is incredibly thoughtful, well organized, and brimming with real-life examples. Lennie’s down-to-earth, no-nonsense approach to the numbers is a breath of fresh air.”—Erin Benzakein, owner, Floret Farm; New York Times bestselling author of Floret Farm’s A Year in Flowers

With practical, step-by-step instructions and on-the-ground examples at every scale, Flower Farming for Profit is a comprehensive, beautiful guide to achieving profitability as a cut flower farmer.

When Lennie Larkin set out to become a flower farmer, she found all sorts of resources about growing flowers but a scarcity of reliable information on how to build a profitable cut flower business. How do you create efficient systems and adequately value your own time and effort through your pricing? When and how should you consider scaling up your farm? How can you make doing what you love support you financially?

In Flower Farming for Profit, Larkin answers these questions—and many, many more. With instructive lessons and savvy business tips from her own and other successful farms around the world, she explores:

• The diverse challenges of both wholesale and retail sales channels, from florists and farm stands to farmers markets
• Streamlining weddings for the farmer-florist, from communications to floral design
• Efficient recordkeeping and bookkeeping
• Steps for conducting your own cost-of-production analysis
• Marketing and growth strategies
• Business planning, goal setting, and making financial projections
• Crop planning based on local climatic conditions, market demand, and sales projections

The cut flower industry continues to experience wild growth. To successfully do what they love while expanding the market for sustainably produced flowers, new and experienced farmers alike must deliberately step back from the field and into the office. Flower Farming for Profit is a one-of-a-kind guide to creating the type of numbers-driven business that will allow individual farms to prosper and local flower economies to thrive.

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