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Recommended Reading - Books
Many of the books in this section can be ordered from Acres USA or Growing for Market. You can order them through your local bookstore and on the internet. Some may even be available at your local library.

Information, Opinion and Inspiration
Alternative Agriculture by the National Research Council
The Unsettling of America by Wendell Berry
New Roots for Agriculture by Wes Jackson
An Agricultural Testament by Sir Albert Howard
The Contrary Farmer
Living at Nature's Pace: Farming and the American Dream
Gene Logsdon's Practical Skills: A Revival of Forgotten Crafts, Techniques, and Traditions
All by Gene Logsdon
The Bioneers: A Declaration of Interdependence by Kenny Ausubel
Family Farming: A New Economic Vision by Marty Strange
You Can Farm
Holy Cows and Hog Heaven
Family Friendly Farming
All by Joel Salatin
Making Your Small Farm Profitable by Ron Macher
Holistic Management by Allan Savory
Towards Holistic Agriculture: A Scientific Approach by R.W. Widdowson
Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply by Vandana Shiva
The Next Green Revolution: Essential Steps to a Healthy Sustainable Agriculture by James Horne and Maura McDermott
Living the Good Life: How to Live Sanely and Simply in a Troubled World by Helen Nearing
One Straw Revolution: Introduction to Natural Farming
The Natural Way of Farming: The Theory and Practice of Green Philosophy
Both by Masanobu Fukuoka
The Essential Agrarian Reader: The Future of Culture, Community, and the Land edited by Norman Winzba and Barbara Kingsolver
The Newman Own Organics Guide to a Good Life: Simple Measures that Benefit You and the Place You Live by Nell Newman
Agroecology: The Science of Sustainable Agriculture by Miguel Altieri
Direct Marketing
Sell What You Sow: The Grower's Guide to Successful Produce Marketing by Howard Ken
The New Farmer's Market: Farm-Fresh Ideas for Producers, Managers, and Communities by Vance Corum, Marcie Rosenwieg and Eric Gibson
Sharing the Harvest  by Elizabeth Henderson
Farms of Tomorrow Revisited! Community Supported Farms, Farm Supported Communities by Traugher Groh and Steve McFadden
Marketing Your Produce edited by Lynn Byczyksni
Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World by Shel Horowitz
The Legal Guide for Direct Farm Marketing by Neil D. Hamilton
Business Planning
Making your Small Farm Profitable by Ron Macher
A Farmers Guide to the Bottom Line by Charles Walters
Building a Sustainable Business from the Sustainable Agriculture Network
So You Want to Start a Nursery by Tony Avent
Soils
County Soil Surveys available from your local NRCS office
Ecofarm by Charles Walters
Hands-On Agronomy by Neal Kinsey
Soul of the Soil by Grace Gershuny and Joseph Smillie
Building Soils for Better Crops by Fred Magdoff and Harold van Es
Soil Science Simplified by Helmut Kohnke and D.P. Franzeier
Soil Biology Primer by Elaine Ingham
Pests and Weeds
Disease Compendia from the American Phytopathological Society (available for most crops at 800-328-7560 or www.shopapspress.org)
Natural Enemies of Vegetable Insect Pests by Michael P. Hoffmann and Anne C. Frodsham
Natural Enemies Handbook: The Illustrated Guide to Biological Pest Control from the University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program
Manage Insects on your Farm: A Guide to Ecological Strategies by Miguel Altieri and Clara Nicholls
The Organic Gardeners Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control by Barbara Ellis
Garden Insects of North America by Whitney Crenshaw
Pests of the Garden & Small Farm: A Grower’s Guide to Using Less Pesticide
Natural Enemies Handbook: The Illustrated Guide to Biological Pest Control
Both by Mary Louise Flint
Insect Disease and Weed I.D. Guide: Find It Fast Organic Solutions for Your Garden by Jill Cebenko and Debra Martin
The Gardeners Weed Book by Barbra Pleasant
Weeds of the Northeast by Richard Uva, Joseph Neal, and Joseph DiTomaso
Weeds: Control Without Poisons by Charles Walters
Rodale's Garden Problem Solver: Vegetables, Fruits and Herbs by Jeff Ball
Cover Cropping
Managing Cover Crops Profitably by the Sustainable Agriculture Network
Northeast Cover Crop Handbook by Marianne Sanantonio
Composting
The Rodale Book of Composting by Grace Gershuny and Deborah Martin
Let it Rot! by Stu Campbell
Compost: A How-To and Why Guide by Malcolm Beck & Charles Walters
The Compost Tea Brewing Manual by Elaine Ingham
Companion Planting
Great Garden Companion by Sally Jean Cunningham
Carrots Love Tomatoes
Roses Love Garlic
Both by Louise Ritter
Farm Equipment
Steel in the Field: A Farmer's Guide to Weed Management Tools by Greg Bowman
How to Rebuild and Restore Farm Tractor Engines by Spencer Yost
Alternative Energy
From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank: The Complete Guide to Using Vegetable Oil as an Alternative Fuel by Joshua Tickell, Kaia Tickell, and Kaia Roman
Vegetable Production
Sustainable Practices for Vegetable Production in the South by Mary Peet
Sustainable Vegetable Production from Start-Up to Market by Vern Grubinger
Knott's Handbook for Vegetable Growers by Donald Maynard & George Hochmuth
How to Grow More Vegetables Than You Ever Thought Possible On Less Land Than You Can Ever Imagine by John Jeavons
The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman
The Ruth Stout No-Work Garden Book by Ruth Stout & Richard Clemence
Organic Gardening in the 21st Century by John Fedon
The Vegetable Gardeners Bible by Edward Smith
Backyard Market Gardening by Andy Lee
Burpee: The Complete Vegetable and Herb Garden: A Guide to Growing Your Garden Organically by Karen Davis Cutler
New England Vegetable Management Guide edited by John Howell
Herbs
Herbs for Sale by Lee Sturdivant
Growing and Selling Fresh-Cut Herbs by Sandie Shores
Medicinal Herbs in the Garden, Farm and Marketplace by Lee Sturdivant and Tim Blakley
Fruits
The Apple Grower: Guide for the Organic Orchardist by Michael Phillips
Fruits and Berries for the Home Garden by Lewis Hill
Organic Tree Fruit Management by Linda Edwards
Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden by Lee Reich
The BackYard Orchardist
The Backyard Berry Book
Both by Stella Otto
The Grape Grower: A Guide to Organic Viticulture by Lon Rombough
Cut Flowers
The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers by Lynn Byczynski
Flowers for Sale: Growing and Marketing Cut Flowers by Lee Sturdivant
We're Gonna Be Rich! Growing Specialty Cut Flowers for Market by Pam and Frank Arnosky
Specialty Cut Flowers: The Production of Annuals, Perennials, Bulbs and Woody Plants for Fresh and Dry Cut Flowers by A.M. Armitage and Judy Laushman
Greenhouse and Season Extension
Greenhouse Engineering by Robert Aldrich and John Bartok
Four Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman
The 12 Month Gardener: Simple Strategies for Extending Your Growing Season by Jeff Ashton
Greenhouse Gardeners Companion: Growing Food and Flowers in Your Greenhouse by Shane Smith
Secrets to a Successful Greenhouse and Business by Ted Taylor
Walking to Spring by Alison and Paul Weidiger
Extending the Season: Six Strategies for Improving Cash Flow Year-Round on the Market Farm
The Hoophouse Handbook
Both edited by Lynn Byczynski
Seed Saving
Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth
Seed Sowing and Saving: Step-by-Step Techniques for Collecting and Growing by Carole Turner
Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties by Carol Deppe
Livestock
Small-Scale Livestock Farming: A Grass-Based Approach for Health, Sustainability and Profit by Carol Elnarius
Storey's Livestock Guides
Salad Bar Beef
Pastured Poultry Profits
All by Joel Salatin
Grass Productivity by Andre Voisin
All Flesh is Grass: Pleasure & Promises of Pasture Farming by Gene Logsdon
Day Range Poultry: Every Chicken Owner's Guide to Grazing Gardens and Improving Pastures by Andy Lee, Patricia Foreman, & Gene Logsdon
Chicken Tractor: The Permaculture Guide to Happy Hens and Healthy Soil by Andy Lee
Harris the Pig: Practical Hints for the Pig Farmer by Joseph Harris
Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook by Shannon Hayes
Pasture Perfect: The Far-Reaching Benefits of Choosing Meat, Eggs, Dairy Products from Grassfed Animals
Why Grassfed is Best
Both by Jo Robinson
Organic Production
Successful Small-Scale Organic Farming:An Organic Approach by Karl Schwenke
Rodale's All New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening by Fern Marshall
Organic Farming by Nicholas Lampkin
Teaching Organic Farming & Gardening: Resources for Instructors from the University of Santa Cruz (831-459-3240 or socialsciences.ucsc.edu/casfs/education/instruction/index.html)
Good Growing: Why Organic Farming Works by Leslie Duram
Straight Ahead Organic by Shepherd Ogden
The Biological Farmer by Gary Zimmer
Permaculture
Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture
Introduction to Permaculture
Permaculture Design Manual
All by Bill Mollison
Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability by David Holmgren
Biodynamics
Agriculture by Rudolf Steiner
A Biodynamic Farm by Hugh Lovell
Biodynamic Perspective by New Zealand Biodynamic Association
Biodynamic Greenhouse Management by Heinz Grotzke
Results from the Biodynamic Sowing and Planting Calendar by Maria Thun
Planting Guides
Stella Natura Calendar
Northern Star Calendar