Chelsea Green Publ. Co.
The Chinese medicinal herb farm; a cultivator's guide to small-scale organic herb production.
Schafer, affiliated with the Chinese Medicinal Herb Farm in Petaluma, California, co-founded the first US company to offer organic, domestically grown Chinese medicinal herbs. In this guide for Chinese medicine practitioners and organic farmers, she gives advice on organically growing and harvesting 79 medicinal herbs. Most of the herbs are used in Chinese medicine, but a few belong to the Ayurvedic tradition. The first section of the book gives background on herbal traditions, risks to the future of herbalism, and conservation and global trade in medicinal plants. This section also gives general advice on cultivation in the nursery, garden, and field, and on harvesting, drying, storing, and shipping herbs, collecting and saving seeds, and selling herbs. The book then provides profiles of 79 herbs. Each herb entry gives a plant description, advice on propagation and planting, a list of suitable plant companions, and a brief summary of medicinal uses, plus notes on field production, pests and diseases, and harvest and yield. Each entry also includes a couple of color photos of plants in the field and the roots, flowers, or other parts when processed for medicinal use. (Annotation ©2012 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
It's probably nothing; more adventures of a Vermont country doctor.
In this follow-up to his first memoir on practicing in rural Vermont, Harvard Medical School graduate Conger moves from the farm to inner-city Philadelphia, where he treats patients who struggle for food, shelter, and safety. After five years, he returns to the isolated rural community of Dumster, Vermont. Conger describes humorous encounters with various offbeat patients; on the more serious side, he reflects on problems of our healthcare system. The author now teaches at Dartmouth Medical School. (Annotation ©2012 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Reinventing fire; bold business solutions for the new energy era.
Author Lovins, a government consultant on energy, is co-founder and chief scientist of Rocky Mountain Institute, an independent think-tank on the use of natural resources. In this color illustrated book for business leaders and others, Lovins predicts that if businesses start now to adopt currently available alternative energy technologies at normal rates of return, the US can realistically stop using oil and coal by 2050, for a savings of $5 trillion. The author argues that because the necessary legislation and public policy are already in place for the transition to clean power, the transition can come about through market-based innovation across many different industries. After explaining the true costs of oil and coal, the book focuses on transportation, building design, improvements in industry energy efficiency, and carbon-free electricity generation. The book's reader-friendly layout includes color photos, charts, and case and example boxes on every page, combined with an accessible writing style. While the contributors are all affiliated with Rocky Mountain Institute, the book's content has been reviewed by outside experts as well. A web site offers supporting methodological and technical material. (Annotation ©2012 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The small-scale poultry flock; an all-natural approach to raising chickens and other fowl for home and market growers.
This colorful and informative volume on small-scale poultry farming provides a comprehensive reference for homesteaders and urban farmers covering the details of raising chickens for eggs and meat. Most useful for intermediate poultry keepers, the volume offers professional advice in flock planning, housing, feed, health, processing and developing small commercial opportunities, and provides detailed practical information, including step-by-step photographs of important processes and procedures. A series of appendices include detailed plans for poultry structures, recipes, and sample documents for flock management. Ussery is an experienced poultry farmer and is the author of numerous articles and other works on the subject. (Annotation ©2012 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The transition companion; making your community more resilient in uncertain times.
In this illustrated resource for general readers, Hopkins, founder of the UK'S Transition Movement, advocates a grassroots, community-led response to climate change and oil dependence. The first part of the book explains the rationale behind the need for a new paradigm for communities, reviewing the current and future consequences of oil dependence, climate change, and economic problems, and describes the transition movement's vision for revived communities. The book then describes real initiatives that work for lower energy use, ecological sustainability, and reliance on local economies. Hopkins gives advice on how to start and maintain a transition initiative, covering ingredients for success such as respectful communication, running effective meetings, forming a legal entity, starting local food initiatives, encouraging entrepreneurship, and using less energy. The book's color layout includes color photos and color-coded sections. (Annotation ©2012 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
When disaster strikes; a comprehensive guide to emergency planning and crisis survival.
This well written guide provides instruction on making sure your needs are met for food, water, first aid and self-defense in any crisis. Specific instructions for handling seven types of disasters, from fire and earthquakes to electromagnetic pulses and solar storms are provided. Useful figures appear throughout, and the book closes with recommended reading and resources. Stein is an avid outdoorsman and green builder. (Annotation ©2012 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
