The award-winning author of “Braiding Sweetgrass,” Robin Wall Kimmerer, returns with another powerful meditation on relationship, ecology, and Indigenous wisdom. “The Serviceberry” explores gift economies, with Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea and A. alnifolia) as a guide. A member of the Potawatomi Nation, one of the Anishinaabe people of the Great Lakes region, Kimmerer knows Serviceberry as
The Land in Our Bones by Layla K. Feghali focuses on the plants prevalent in Canaan, the lands between Syria and the Sinai, generally referred to as the Levant. A core theme of the book that many herbalists may be familiar with is that of the concept of “plantcestors,” which are living links to past
“Wild Plant Culture” by Jared Rosenbaum is an in-depth exploration of the reintegration of native plants into our landscapes for both ecological restoration and practical human use. The book offers a comprehensive guide to understanding, cultivating, and utilizing native plants, emphasizing their importance in maintaining biodiversity, supporting wildlife, and providing sustainable food and medicine sources.
I love the buzzing sounds of pollinators at work in my garden. Sometimes I wonder how far they’ve flown, and whether they have a mental map of the flowers in the fields and gardens around me. In “What a Bee Knows,” entomologist Stephen Buchmann invites us to expand our curiosity and ask deeper questions, like
What immediately struck me about Ben Wilson’s “Urban Jungle: The History and Future of Nature in the City” was the book’s front cover photo. Here is a many-storied, cement-looking structure in Italy, the Milan Vertical Forest, almost completely covered by green tree and shrub foliage. Is it apartments, offices, or a forest? Actually, it’s all
After witnessing repeated instances of high water over various roads and beaches in my own little town, I was intrigued by Tim Palmer’s book, ”Seek Higher Ground: The Natural Solution to Our Urgent Flooding Crisis,” which gives a knowledgeable deep dive into flooding throughout the United States with a focus on inland flooding of rivers,
I have often wondered if the stories we tell ourselves shape the world we live in, or if the world — in all its complexities — shapes our stories. It’s likely a bit of both, but “Not Too Late,” a collection of essays by climate scientists, Indigenous activists, and community organizers, edited by Rebecca Solnit
“Barons” tells the story, noted in the subtitle, of “money, power, and the corruption of America’s food industry.” In this vivid and engaging book, author Austin Frerick exposes the chokehold that seven families have over the global food industry, and the ramifications of their consolidated power on farmers, consumers, ecosystems, and even democracy. The word “monopoly”
With the deadline of 2023 Farm Bill extended and set to be renewed this year, SNAP, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is once again up for federal debate. But to the average American, the placement of one of our country’s largest social welfare programs in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and its intrinsic
For the farmer who yearns to focus on life beyond production, a new guide from Wild Seed Project, “Planting for Climate Resilience in Northeast Landscapes” offers companionship. By skillfully weaving ancestral knowledge and celebrating the power of cultural creation, this guide feels more like a reflection of the landscape we love than an authoritative decree.
