February 2024

“The Vegetable Garden Problem Solver Handbook” offers a good introduction for beginning gardeners and a useful reference book for new and experienced gardeners alike. Though the book misses some detail in its breadth, it is especially useful for gardeners struggling with physiological issues, plant diseases and large animal pests. The first chapter of the book, […]

In this age of quick internet searches, a cookbook has to resonate deeply for me to consider purchasing it. “The Nourishing Asian Kitchen” belongs on everyone’s cookbook shelf. It is an innovative back-to-the land approach to Asian foods, the perfect book for anyone wanting clean, garden-to-plate, easy and nutritious meals. Finally there is a cookbook

Making a living by farming on just one-third of an acre, Ben Hartman demonstrates how to “scale-down” farm production to increase impact in his newest book, “The Lean Micro Farm.” A farmer, author, husband, father and community member, Hartman proves that living his values has not compromised his ability to run a viable business. Inspired

“The Korean Herbal Apothecary” by Grace Yoon is a concise and powerful exploration of Korean herbal medicine, blending ancient practices with modern well-being. Authored with a clear passion for herbal wisdom, personal connection and stories from Yoon’s family, and Korean proverbs, poetry and folklore, this book is a valuable resource for anyone curious about natural

Like many in our MOFGA community, Chris Smaje is a small-scale farmer whose commitment to rural livelihood and traditions has strong intellectual underpinnings. He has written a brief but effective rebuttal to “ecomodernism,” an emerging argument that advocates for technological solutions to the climate change conundrum. If a return to nuclear power makes you uneasy;

In the beekeeping community, where the balance between tradition and innovation is crucial, “Raising Resilient Bees” by Eric and Joy McEwen is a helpful guide for apiarists seeking to navigate the challenges posed by mites and ensure the preservation of locally adapted genetics in honeybee colonies. The McEwens, seasoned beekeepers and advocates for sustainable practices,

On May 1, 2016, a fire broke out in the boreal forest of northern Alberta. What began as a small fire, 4 acres, grew into a 2,000-acre wildfire within the span of a day. The dry spring, following a dry year, created favorable conditions for fire. The problem wasn’t the forests. Trees are no different

At its core, “Ignition: Lighting Fires in a Burning World” is a book about right relationship with land. In an age of megafires that burn so big and hot that they are prone to creating their own weather systems, M.R. O’Connor explores the use of prescribed fire. Sparked by her exposure to a burn-blackened forest

For many readers, the idea of “nature writing” evokes elegant prose about living off the land, or taking long treks through mountainous terrain, written by mostly white men and a smattering of heralded women. “A Darker Wilderness: Black Nature Writing from Soil to Stars” flips that paradigm on its head by centering the voices of