Showing titles in Agricultural & Food Sciences

Millions of Americans harbor the dream of living off their land but are held back by the uncertainty of diving into the unknown waters of farming. According to a USDA report, over 40% of the U.S. farmland is operated by someone other than its owner, indicating that the dream of owning and managing a farm is often overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty. But imagine having a comprehensive guide that translates these complex processes into simple, actionable steps - a roadmap that empowers you to convert your little plot into a nourishing, profitable hub of life.

One month into our stay, we'd managed to dispatch most of our charges. We executed the chickens. One of the cats disappeared, clearly disgusted with our urban ways. And Lucky [the cow] was escaping almost daily. It seemed we didn't have much of a talent for farming. And we still had eleven months to go." Antonia Murphy, you might say, is an unlikely farmer. Born and bred in San Francisco, she spent much of her life as a liberal urban cliché, and her interactions with the animal kingdom rarely extended past dinner.

How would you like to grow your own organic fruits, herbs, and vegetables? With hydroponics, you can! Hydroponics is the art of growing fruits and vegetables without soil. If you are into homesteading, hydroponics is the way to go. If you apply what you learn in Hydroponics 101, your life will never be the same!

This book represents the combined experience and wisdom of two leaders in sustainable cattle production. Gearld Fry offers a lifetime of practical experience seasoned by study and observation. Charles Walters draws on his own observations as well as interviews with thousands of eco-farmers and consultants over the past four decades. The result is an insightful book that is practical in the extreme, yet eminently readable. In this book you will learn: how to “read” an animal, what linear measurement is, why linear management selects ideal breeding stock, the nuances of bull fertility, ...

The family farm lies at the heart of our national identity, and yet its future is in peril. Rick Hammond grew up on a farm, and for 40 years he has raised cattle and crops on his wife's fifth-generation homestead in Nebraska, in hopes of passing it on to their four children. But as the handoff nears, their small family farm - and their entire way of life - are under siege.

In this darkly comical look at the sinister side of our relationship with the natural world, Stewart has tracked down over one hundred of our worst entomological foes - creatures that infest, infect, and generally wreak havoc on human affairs. From the world's most painful hornet, to the flies that transmit deadly diseases, to millipedes that stop traffic, to the Japanese beetles munching on your roses, Wicked Bugs delves into the extraordinary powers of many-legged creatures

For listeners who enjoyed Finding the Mother Tree and The Hidden Life of Trees comes the first-ever book about a movement to restore biodiversity in our cities and towns by transforming empty lots, backyards, and degraded land into mini-forests. Author Hannah Lewis is the forest maker turning asphalt into ecosystems to save the planet, and she wants everyone to know they can do it too.

This booklet is packed with knowledge that will help you grow superior examples of this profitable crop. You will learn: how bacteria helps your crop grow better; how to drought-proof your soil; whether herbicides and pesticides are really necessary; and what place hydrogen peroxide has on your farm. This slender volume can lead soybean producers to fat profits!

No amount of the hard, sweating work you do on the ranch - if you continue to make poor decisions - can bring you to the reality of successful ranching. Holmes has found that to be really successful, the critical factors are your decision making and planning abilities. Learn how to plan and make good decisions from Holmes, a cattleman who had struggled for decades to find this golden nugget. You too can feed more people than other ranchers, have grasslands that are more productive and useful than they previously were, and enjoy raising a family without spending all your time working. ...

The fifth volume of memoirs from the author who inspired the BBC series All Creatures Great and Small. During his decades spent as a country vet in Yorkshire, James Herriot has seen huge advances in medical science, technological leaps, and a world irrevocably changed by war. Yet some things have always stayed the same - gruff farmers, hypochondriac pet owners, and animals that never do quite what you expect them to.

Discover the secrets of profitable, sustainable farming with "From Pasture to Profit," an innovative eBook exploring the transformational world of holistic ranching. This compelling guide presents a meticulous yet easy-to-follow roadmap for anyone seeking success through Limousin cattle farming. Each chapter offers a unique perspective on the fascinating world of cattle ranching, with a specific focus on the distinctive qualities of Limousin cattle. Delve into the complexities of cattle selection, understand the optimal condition for these magnificent creatures, and explore the fine details...

In this fascinating exploration into the curious world of packaged foods, Twinkie, Deconstructed takes us from the phosphate mines in Idaho to the corn fields in Iowa, from gypsum mines in Oklahoma to oil fields in China, to demystify some of America's most common processed food ingredients: where they come from, how they are made, how they are used, and why.

Drawing on findings from leading health researchers as well as conversations with both chemical and organic farmers from coast to coast, Maria Rodale irrefutably outlines the unacceptably high cost of chemical farming on our health and our environment. She traces the genesis of chemical farming and the rise of the immense companies that profit from it, bringing to light the government's role in allowing such practices to flourish.

Tasty explains the scientific research taking place on multiple fronts: how genes shape our tastes, how the mind assembles flavors from the five senses and signals from the body's metabolic systems, why something disgusts one person and delights another, and what today's obsessions with extreme tastes tell us about the brain.

Are you passionate about dogs and dreaming of starting your own successful breeding kennel? Look no further! The "Beginner's Guide to Starting a Successful Puppy Breeding Kennel" is your ultimate companion on this exciting journey.

Farm animals have been disappearing from our fields as the production of food has become a global industry. We no longer know for certain what is entering the food chain and what we are eating - as the UK horsemeat scandal demonstrated. We are reaching a tipping point as the farming revolution threatens our countryside, health, and the quality of our food wherever we live in the world.

Black Gold: Worm Farming 101 A Practical Guide to the Essentials of Vermiculture & Vermicomposting for Beginners “Worm bins are now an essential part of my backyard homestead thanks to the advice in this book!” – J. C., Lincoln, NE Did you know that earthworms are important to the health of a sustainable garden? Did you know that worm farming could be as easy as building a box? Pet stores and fishermen need worms – are you ready to make a cozy side hustle for little investment? You can be a worm farmer in no time! Oftentimes, people use the words vermiculture and vermicomposting ...

Unearth the wonders of composting with agronomist James, in this hands-on guide, a companion to his previous bestseller "Compost The Right Way: Everything About Good Management Practices, Control and Some Common Sense". Born from the science and intricate nuances explored in his first book, this guide goes beyond the theory, inviting you to roll up your sleeves and delve into the practical world of composting. Whether you're a beginner just dipping your toes into the world of composting, or an experienced composter seeking to broaden your knowledge, this guide covers the full composting ...

Whether you're interested in tasting the various varietals, using it as a cure, or harvesting your own, Honey for Dummies is the guide for you. This book reveals the deep and complex world of honey, its diverse floral sources, and its surprising range of colors, smells, and flavors. You will learn about over 50 single-origin honeys, their sensory characteristics, where they are produced, and where to buy them. Discover how to taste and evaluate honey using the same methods as professional honey sensory expert.

Barry Estabrook, author of the New York Times bestseller Tomatoland, now explores the dark side of the American pork industry. Drawing on his personal experiences raising pigs as well as his sharp investigative instincts, he covers the range of the human-porcine experience. He embarks on nocturnal feral pig hunts in Texas. He visits farmers who raise animals in vast confinement barns for Smithfield and Tyson, two of the country's biggest pork producers.