Natural Agriculture

Call it "Zen and the Art of Farming" or a "Little Green Book", Masanobu Fukuoka's manifesto about farming, eating, and the limits of human knowledge presents a radical challenge to the global systems we rely on for our food. At the same time, it is a spiritual memoir of a man whose innovative system of cultivating the earth reflects a deep faith in the wholeness and balance of the natural world. As Wendell Berry writes in his preface, the book "is valuable to us because it is at once practical and philosophical."

When Rudolf Steiner gave these lectures 80 years ago, industrial farming was on the rise and organic methods were being replaced in the name of science, efficiency, and technology. With the widespread alarm over the quality of food in recent years, and the growth of the organic movement and its mainstream acceptance, perceptions are changing. The qualitative aspect of food is once again on the agenda, and in this context Rudolf Steiner's only course of lectures on agriculture is critical to the current debate.

This book by a distinguished agronomist and agricultural researcher is a factual presentation designed to show farmers how they can increase their crop yields and reduce their production costs so they may enjoy a higher standard of living. Dr. Tiedjens’ More Food From Soil Science provides concrete examples of ways to help cure the agricultural doldrums.

A hands-on barn and field guide designed for quick and easy use, presenting a thorough examination of animals in the barn and then listing symptoms with many pictures of what the farmer is seeing, possible conclusions, and then giving a concise set of treatments. The treatments are ones that Dr. Karreman has found to work consistently well during 15 years in the trenches working with organic cows. Basic backgrounding in the fundamentals for organic and holistic thinking about livestock is included in the introduction. The companion guide to Treating Dairy Cows Naturally, this book includes ...

How do you recognize healthy soil? How much can your existing soil be improved? What are the best amendments to use for your soil? Let Building Soil answer your questions and be your guide on gardening from the ground up. Fertilizing, tilling, weed management, and irrigation all affect the quality of your soil. Using author Elizabeth Murphy’s detailed instructions, anyone can become a successful soil-based gardener, whether you want to start a garden from scratch or improve an existing garden.

Framed by the author’s personal experience with backyard hens, Chickens: Their Natural and Unnatural Histories explores the history of the chicken from its descent from the dinosaurs to the space-age present. En route, Lembke surveys chickens in ancient Greece, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the 19th century, and modern times, including the role of chickens in Jewish and Muslim practices. She also investigates the birds’ contributions to science and their jaunty appearances in literature.