Category: Reviews

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.

This book was written with gardeners in the Northeast, Upper Midwest and Great Lakes regions of the United States in mind. It’s filled with profiles of more than 300 native plants, but it’s more than a gardening guide — it’s a handbook for climate action! Planting flowers may not sound like a “save the world”

“A Maine Garden Almanac” is a book of “essays, poems, simple recipes and musing all rolled into one for people of all gardening abilities to enjoy” written by gardener Martha Fenn King of York, Maine. Organized by season, it starts with the spring, and winds through a plethora of topics: from beekeeping, to foraging greens,

Flower farmers are known for their unflagging passion for flowers: from seed to bloom with hands in the soil, many have found a life of joy and fulfillment. “Flower Farming for Profit” author Lennie Larkin is no exception. Ten years ago, she jumped into flower farming, first in California then in Oregon, giving it her

“The Celestial Garden: Growing Herbs, Vegetables, and Flowers in Sync with the Moon and Zodiac” by Jane Hawley Stevens invites readers on a journey into her world of gardening under the guidance of the moon, offering a unique blend of horticultural expertise and astrological wisdom. Stevens illuminates the interconnectedness between growing plants and the cosmos,

Early this year, MOFGA was glad to welcome Stephanie Wang — one of the authors of this gorgeous book — as the speaker at a webinar on growing Asian vegetables in your garden. After enjoying her talk, I was happy to have the opportunity to read and review the beautiful book that Stephanie created with

“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