Get down to the individual microbe, enzyme, and ion & learn to partner with your soil micro to macro for incredible plants, yields, nutrition, and increasingly better soil every year! This is the book for you if you are looking for clear recipes, visual science, the chemistry, the biology, and the bridges connecting them all. If you have ever wondered what is really going on in the soil and are searching for solutions, this is the book for you.
Revitalize your garden—and go beyond compost—by making your own biologically diverse inoculants and mineral-rich amendments using leaf mold, weeds, eggshells, bones, and other materials available for little or no cost! In The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments, experimental gardener and author Nigel Palmer provides practical, detailed instructions that are accessible to every grower who wants to achieve a truly sustainable garden ecosystem—all while enjoying better results at a fraction of the cost of commercial fertilizer products. These recipes go beyond fertilizer replacement, resulting in greater soil biological activity and mineral availability. They also increase pest and disease resistance, yields, and nutrient density. Recipes include: Extracting nutrients from plant residues using simple rainwater techniques Extracting minerals from bones and shells using vinegar Fermenting plant juices and fish Culturing indigenous microorganisms (IMO) Inspired by the work of many innovative traditional agricultural pioneers, especially Cho Ju-Young (founder of the Korean Natural Farming method), The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments also includes a primer on plant-soil interaction, instructions for conducting a soil test, and guidance on compost, cover cropping, mulching, measuring the quality of fruits and vegetables using a refractometer, and other aspects of sustainable gardening—making it a must-have resource for any serious grower.
"A regenerative no-till pioneer."—NBC News "We need to reintegrate livestock and crops on our farms and ranches, and Gabe Brown shows us how to do it well."—Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation See Gabe Brown—author and farmer—in the Netflix documentary Kiss the Ground Gabe Brown didn’t set out to change the world when he first started working alongside his father-in-law on the family farm in North Dakota. But as a series of weather-related crop disasters put Brown and his wife, Shelly, in desperate financial straits, they started making bold changes to their farm. Brown—in an effort to simply survive—began experimenting with new practices he’d learned about from reading and talking with innovative researchers and ranchers. As he and his family struggled to keep the farm viable, they found themselves on an amazing journey into a new type of farming: regenerative agriculture. Brown dropped the use of most of the herbicides, insecticides, and synthetic fertilizers that are a standard part of conventional agriculture. He switched to no-till planting, started planting diverse cover crops mixes, and changed his grazing practices. In so doing Brown transformed a degraded farm ecosystem into one full of life—starting with the soil and working his way up, one plant and one animal at a time. In Dirt to Soil Gabe Brown tells the story of that amazing journey and offers a wealth of innovative solutions to restoring the soil by laying out and explaining his "five principles of soil health," which are: Limited Disturbance Armor Diversity Living Roots Integrated Animals The Brown’s Ranch model, developed over twenty years of experimentation and refinement, focuses on regenerating resources by continuously enhancing the living biology in the soil. Using regenerative agricultural principles, Brown’s Ranch has grown several inches of new topsoil in only twenty years! The 5,000-acre ranch profitably produces a wide variety of cash crops and cover crops as well as grass-finished beef and lamb, pastured laying hens, broilers, and pastured pork, all marketed directly to consumers. The key is how we think, Brown says. In the industrial agricultural model, all thoughts are focused on killing things. But that mindset was also killing diversity, soil, and profit, Brown realized. Now he channels his creative thinking toward how he can get more life on the land—more plants, animals, and beneficial insects. “The greatest roadblock to solving a problem,” Brown says, “is the human mind.”
Taking our food system back is an act of revolution. Restoring the feminine is an act of sacred responsibility. Returning to the cycles of nature is an act of love. Grounding into the soil is an act of hope. The soil, the fertile ground beneath us, holds the key to the future of our planet and our species—yet few people are aware of the critical role soil health plays in reversing climate change. With Grounded, Dr. Erin Yu-Juin McMorrow takes us on a journey to explore the sacred interconnectedness between our soil and ourselves, seamlessly weaving the science of our broken carbon cycle and the oppression of the divine feminine into a powerful tapestry of hope and resilience. McMorrow is the voice of a generation that carries the future of our planet on their shoulders. “There’s no other group of people to pass this on to,” she writes. “If we want to create a world that we can keep living in, it’s time, and it’s us.” In Grounded, McMorrow guides us through the inner and outer work needed to restore the divine feminine and save our planet. Highlights include: The “brass tacks” of climate change—how everything from biodiversity loss to ocean acidification has roots in the killing of the microscopic life in our soilThe fertile soil is feminine—and the destruction of our earth and the feminine go hand in handSex, birth, life, and death—how our natural cycles parallel the sacred cycles of natureHow to create truly regenerative systems that celebrate the natural world’s infinite diversity, resilience, and abundancePractices to help you start making a difference right now—from personal reflections and meditations to seed saving and compostingFinding hope in the sacred nature of this work—when we do our part, just as with all of nature, spirit fills in the restBecoming grounded—root within to remember that you are of the earth, awaken your divine power, and expand in the world Grounded is both a clarion call and a revolutionary guide for restoring the sacred cycles that sustain all life. “With every step we take toward a more regenerative and abundant future,” McMorrow writes, “we engage in the important work of saving our soil—and our souls.”
Healthy soil is key to sustaining life on Earth. While more and more people are starting to see the need for soil restoration, there is very little understanding of just how it can be accomplished. There is a rapidly emerging demand for a “how to” manual for soil restoration. Dale Strickler is an expert on building healthy soil and restoring degraded soil, and in The Complete Guide to Restoring Your Soil, he presents the science of soil, along with proven methods of restoring depleted soil and agricultural practices from around the world that continue to build soil, rather than cause it to deteriorate. Strickler provides a solid foundation in the science of healthy soil, explaining how soil has become so degraded over time and the dire consequences for the human species, not just in terms of food scarcity but also the social, health, and environmental consequences of growing food in poor soil. He addresses the chemical, physical, and biological principles behind soil function, and presents actual farming practices that can be used to regenerate soil, techniques and strategies for remediating contaminated soil, and agriculture systems both past and present that functioned to build soil, such as the ancient chinampas systems of Mexico and the permaculture systems of today. This publication conforms to the EPUB Accessibility specification at WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
This is a ‘Whole Earth Catalog’ for the 21st century: an impressive and wide-ranging analysis of what’s wrong with our societies, organizations, ideologies, worldviews and cultures – and how to put them right. The book covers the finance system, agriculture, design, ecology, economy, sustainability, organizations and society at large.
Agriculture in the 21st century will need considerable modification to remain both productive and sustainable. Greater production is needed to meet the needs of our still-growing populations and to combat hunger and poverty. Declines in soil health and the pollution of water sources are making many of our production systems less tenable. These adverse trends are exacerbated more and more by the impacts of climate change. There are, fortunately, alternative methods available for agricultural practice that can countervail these constraints. Biological Approaches to Regenerative Soil Systems brings together the work of both researchers and practitioners to map out better approaches to contemporary agriculture that draw upon both old and new knowledge. It presents the science that underlies more biologically driven strategies as well as contemporary innovative experiences in diverse parts of the world. Both accepted research and these varied experiences encourage confidence that these approaches, not relying primarily on the introduction of new varieties and on exogenous inputs, can succeed. This book updates and revises a preceding volume Biological Approaches to Sustainable Soil Systems published by CRC Press in 2006. So much has been learned and done on this subject in the past decade and a half that a second edition was warranted. For instance, the first edition was published, knowledge about plant-soil microbiomes, which are a frequent focus in this book, has mushroomed. Because sustainability is a broad term and an end-state, the editors preferred to assemble expertise regarding regenerative agriculture, which is concerned with the means for achieving sustainability. The concept of regenerative soil systems, entities that are more complex and multifaceted than "soil" alone, also incorporates a concern with having more resilient agricultural systems, ones that are better able to cope with the multiple stresses of climate change that are foreseen for the decades ahead. The book’s chapters representing a wide range of disciplines were contributed by 84 scientists and practitioners from 20 countries. Although they come from persons with in-depth knowledge of their respective fields, the chapters are written to be accessible to readers who are not trained in the specialized subjects. Taken together, the chapters provide students, researchers, practitioners, planners, and policy makers with a comprehensive understanding of both the science and the steps needed to regenerate and sustain soil systems around the world for the long-term benefit of humankind and the environment.
This book is a comprehensive, beautifully illustrated colour guide to the plants which farmers, growers and gardeners can use to improve soil structure and restore fertility without the use and expense of agrichemicals. Information based on the latest research is given on how to use soil conditioning plants to avoid soil degradation, restore soil quality and help clean polluted land. There are 11 chapters: 1 to 6 cover soil health, nitrogen fixation, green manures and herbal leys, bacteria and other microorganisms, phytoremediators and soil mycorrhiza (plant-fungal symbiosis). Chapter 7 has plant illustrations, with climate range and soil types, along with their soil conditioning properties and each plant is presented with a comprehensive description opposite a detailed illustration, in full colour. Chapters 8 to 10 examine soil stabilisers, weeds and invasive plants, and hedges and trees and the final chapter, contains 5 case studies with the most recent data, followed by an appendix and glossary. The book allows the reader to identify the plants they need quickly and find the information necessary to begin implementation of soil regeneration.
Representing & collaborating with dozens of experts & organizations from around the world, Matt Powers' latest installment in his series of curriculum takes permaculture to a new level & organizes all regenerative techniques & methodologies into one clear, understandable system that also serves as a path to deeper study. The Permaculture Student 2 - Why is it better than what's available? New Research & Collaboration Up-to-date - the last time a book covered anything close to this breadth was 1989 (Permaculture: A Designer's Manual) & the advancements in science have been incredible in the last 28 years - this book reflects those new insights, research, and examples Over 20 expert reviewers and editors: Dr. Elaine Ingham, Darren Doherty, Peter McCoy, Joel Salatin, John D. Liu, Dr. Willie Smits, Geoff Lawton, Larry Korn, & more Fully annotated with references to guide and direct further studies The Permaculture Student 2 covers more material than other books and part: Soil in-depth with Dr. Elaine Ingham, Fungi cultivation and partnerships, Keyline Design, Transportation, Urban Permaculture, Large-Scale Land & Ocean Restoration, Non-Violent Communication, Holacracy, Carbon Sequestration, & much, much more Written by an experienced professional educator, gardening expert, and curriculum expert Written for a High School Setting - Easy to Understand & Read Aligns & transcends state and national science standards as a full-year science elective in both a high school and college setting Holistic yet Iterative- Understand Permaculture like never before: retain information in an organized format designed for better retention Unifying all regenerative practices into one organized system Designed to change the world by teaching young adults permaculture while still in high school and college, The Permaculture Student 2, is a book for everyone - for a brighter future for all. This book is full of photographs of real-life examples, instructive diagrams, engaging illustrations, inspiring and instructive quotes, and current references that connect, organize, and highlight the current leading examples of applied permaculture in numerous fields and situations. Readers get a clear idea of how they can apply permaculture in their own way in their own lives. This book is designed for both hemispheres, both imperial and metric, all climates, and all peoples. It is for a regenerative, abundant, and hopeful future.
With 101 easy and inexpensive activities to do on school grounds, Schoolyard Science can help students develop their observation and inquiry skills as well as an appreciation of their outdoor environment. Covering topics such as lower plants, gardens, insects and other invertebrates, energy, and Earth science, Thomas Lord and Holly Travis provide activities that will help teachers become more comfortable with incorporating the outdoors into their curriculum.
