The Market Gardener
A Successful Grower's Handbook for Small-Scale Organic Farming
By Jean-Martin Fortier, Severine von Tscharner Fleming (Foreword by), Marie Bilodeau
Rating
Format
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
USA, 1 March 2014
Les Jardins de la Grelinette is a micro-farm located in eastern Quebec, just north of the American border. Growing on just 1.5 acres 6070 m2, owners Jean-Martin and Maude-Helene feed more than two hundred families through their thriving CSA and seasonal market stands and supply their signature mesclun salad mix to dozens of local establishments. The secret of their success is the low-tech, high-yield production methods they've developed by focusing on growing better rather than growing bigger, making their operation more lucrative and viable in the process.
The Market Gardener is a compendium of la Grelinette's proven horticultural techniques and innovative growing methods. This complete guide is packed with practical information on:
* Setting-up a micro-farm by designing biologically intensive cropping systems, all with negligible capital outlay
* Farming without a tractor and minimizing fossil fuel inputs through the use of the best hand tools, appropriate machinery, and minimum tillage practices
* Growing mixed vegetables systematically with attention to weed and pest management, crop yields, harvest periods, and pricing approaches Inspired by the French intensive tradition of maraichage and by iconic American vegetable grower Eliot Coleman, author and farmer Jean-Martin shows by example how to start a market garden and make it both very productive and profitable.
Making a living wage farming without big capital outlay or acreages may be closer than you think. Jean-Martin Fortier is a passionate advocate of strong local food systems and founder of Les Jardins de la Grelinette, an internationally recognized model for successful biointensive micro-farming.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"I've read this book in french and all I can say is that, if you want to engage yourself in the market gardening, the Market Gardener is far more than a simple manual, it's the story of a life and a major giveaway of knowledge without the shadow of a secret. A must have, nothing else."
Michel Michiels,
Arlon / Belgium
"We are so excited that "Le Jardinier-Maraicher" is finally translated in English! This book was an inspiration for many of our French members (we are a farmers' co-op) and now we can recommend it to all .... especially to the new generation interested in small scale farming..."
Thank you!
Nicole Briand
Communications
La Recolte de Chez Nous / Really Local Harvest
"In his revolutionary book, JMF brings about a change of paradigm that couldn't come any sooner. New gardeners will find in this book a step-by-step recipe that almost guarantees success, while the more seasoned ones can use it as a steppingstone for future achievements. Ever since its release in Quebec, it has reached thousands of readers and caused a ripple of benefits: people of all ages, especially the young, can now aspire to buy or rent their own land and live a fulfilling -and profitable- life in the countryside, which a few years back was still a wild dream for most of us. Aside from being very technically dense, it offers viable solutions to social problems such as land access, unemployment in regions, and the unsustainable nature of modern agricultural practices. It has literally been training an entire army of Davids that is now starting to address the bulk of these problems, or Goliath. And it's happening all across the province! Most importantly, this book deeply inspired me and gave me hope for the future without having to consult an eco-therapist."
Alexandre J-Nicole
Biologist, graphic designer and illustrator
"Jean-Martin Fortier extols the virtues of being small-scale, and expertly details the use of such scale
"Jean-Martin s book is very well done and should be of great use to market growers everywhere. Exchange of ideas and information is so important because when we pass ideas on, the next person gets to start where we got to and take the ideas to another level."
Eliot Coleman, organic farming pioneer and author of the Winter Harvest Handbook
"Jean-Martin Fortier extols the virtues of being small-scale, and expertly details the use of such scale-appropriate tools as broadforks, seeders, hoes, flame weeders, low tunnels, high tunnels, and many other unique tools, specifically designed for this brand of farming. He picks up right where Eliot Coleman has left us, applying many of his core principles, but doing it in such a brilliant way as to provide beginning farmers a solid framework of the information they need to start up and become successful small-scale organic growers themselves.Adam Lemieux, Product Manager of Tools & Supplies, Johnny's Selected Seeds
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"Jean-Martin's book is very well done and should be of great use to market growers everywhere. Exchange of ideas and information is so important because when we pass ideas on, the next person gets to start where we got to and take the ideas to another level."--Eliot Coleman, organic farming pioneer and author of the Winter Harvest Handbook
"We are so excited that Le Jardinier-Maraicher is finally translated in English! This book was an inspiration for many of our French members (we are a farmers' co-op) and now we can recommend it to all .... especially to the new generation interested in small scale farming...Thank you!"--Nicole Briand Communications, La Recolte de Chez Nous / Really Local Harvest
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Read moreSee all Editorial Reviews
Product details
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: New Society Publishers (March 4, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0865717656
ISBN-13: 978-0865717657
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.2 x 8.5 inches
More about the authorsDiscover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Jean-Martin Fortier
About Jean-Martin Fortier
Jean-Martin Fortier is the founders of Les Jardins de la Grelinette, an internationally recognized micro-farm known for its high productivity and profitability using low-tech, high-yield methods of production.
A leading practitioner of biologically intensive cropping systems, Jean-Martin has more than a decade's worth of experience in small-scale organic farming and has facilitated more than fifty workshops and conferences in Europe, Canada and the US promoting the idea of micro-scale farming as an alternative lifestyle.
Jean-Martin also contributes occasionally as a tool and equipment advisor for companies such as Johnny's Selected Seeds and Dubois Agri-Novation. His first book, Le Jardinier-Maraîcher sold more than 15,000 copies in the original French language since its release in the fall of 2012
Marie Bilodeau
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Showing 1-8 of 368 reviews
Top Reviews
lelaba
5.0 out of 5 starsIncredible, practical adviceJuly 7, 2014
Format: Paperback
I stumbled across The Market Gardener while searching for ways to (organically) maximize the yield I could get from my tiny back yard vegetable garden. Even though I knew the book was geared toward someone planning to sell their produce as opposed to a home gardener like myself, I decided to buy the book based on reviews and what I saw in the book via Amazon’s “Look Inside” feature. (I bought it from a different store only because I had a gift card that needed to be used.) This book does not disappoint.
Keep in mind- this isn’t a guide on how to do permaculture or sustainable agriculture. It’s about maximizing revenue and profit on an organic micro-farm. So he may not provide information on everything you would expect from an organic grower. For example, I was surprised to read that they buy their compost instead of making it themselves, the way every other organic/sustainable gardener seems to do (or at least claim they do). The impression I get from other books and articles is that you can totally sustain your garden forever and ever off the compost you make yourself, and that may be true, but Jean-Martin states that the time and space they would need to create and maintain compost piles is better utilized by growing more produce- plus the organic compost they buy is predictable in terms of quality and composition, which are both important. It made sense to me when I read it. However, he never suggests that it cannot or should not be done on your own- just that it makes more sense for their farm, all things considered, to buy compost instead of make it.
Jean-Martin’s writing style is also refreshing compared to many organic growers. Too often they come across as if their way is the only right way, no matter the circumstances, but I found no such attitude in The Market Gardener. Jean-Martin discusses the various topics in a matter-of-fact way, explaining not only how they do things on their farm but why. He will explain various things they have tried, why they may or may not have worked on the farm, and give the pros and cons to each method, including the method they use, and the impression I was left with was “Here is what works best for us and why. Your situation may be different, so I will give you all the information I have and the reasoning I use, and trust you to choose what you think will work best for your situation.”
The practical advice throughout the book is stellar. There are no photographs, but honestly the book doesn’t need them. The Market Gardener is about substance, not fluff. The pages are packed with useful charts, tables, and relevant drawings. Whether they’re about crop rotation, crop planning, planting, insect management, financial aspects or anything else, the tables and charts are easy to read, practical, useful, AND (for me, anyway), easily adaptable. I spent a lot of time before I bought the book building spreadsheets that would provide me with a good “at a glance” for things I wanted to know, so I was happy to see information presented in a similar fashion.
This book contains, hands down, THE MOST useful information on crop rotation (and how to implement it) than any other resource I have found to date. Before buying this book I had spent literally weeks on the web, trying to figure out the best way (or at least a practical way) to implement crop rotation and not finding anything beyond very generalized advice to “rotate by crop families” or “follow heavy feeders with light feeders” or “don’t plant the same things in the same beds every year”. Trying to find out if plants needed a two, three, four, or more year rotation was difficult and there was a lot of conflicting information on what plants were heavy vs. light feeders (or in between), how long rotations should be, and so on. I also couldn’t find any information on how far move plants for the next season in order to avoid diseases that may be present in the soil. One foot? Five? Ten? A whole field? I never could find that info. This book presented me with a wealth of actual, practical, applicable information on crop rotation, the whys, and how they do it.
With all the information on how to run a successful small market-garden, I honestly did not expect a section of the book to be devoted to different vegetables and how to grow them, but the first appendix is devoted to just that. It isn’t as comprehensive as some vegetable-growing books and guides, and the varieties he prefers are (obviously) more cold-tolerant than the kinds I would choose for the heat of Texas, but the information he DOES provide is great. He gives the common name, the plant family and fertilization needs (good to know for crop rotation), intensive spacing requirements, days in the garden (which may or may not be days to maturity depending on if he direct seeds that plant or not, but it’s easy to tell which are which) and some other various bits of information and notes on the plant in question. The rest of the appendices are also jewels and contain, in a condensed format, information that was otherwise scattered throughout the book, such as the different tools they use and how to source them, or other books to reference.
All in all, I can’t recommend the book highly enough.
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tmgibs
5.0 out of 5 starsBest book on this subjetc everMay 2, 2014
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
Every topic has generations of development. It starts out with the pioneers and concepts then as people start practicing it starts to develop into personal art. Where Elliot Coleman started, and did a great job of launching thousands of small farms that are well enough organized that a couple of acres can give a family and some employees a good income and fill in the gaps left in our industrialized food system, this book brings down to earth in the most succinct way possible every part of operating a market garden.
Fortier is the next generation, one of the acolytes that took his master's work and greatly expanded on it. I have a library of such books but none of them are as readable or as information rich in a short chapter as Fortier's book. While most of these books sit in my library as reference material I actually could not put this book down because from cover to cover material was covered in as few words as possible while giving a rich detailed cover of topic after topic, walking you through the entire operation and then following with very good resources on where to find the materials used and mentioned in the book.
It might be possible to improve on this book but it is hard to imagine how. It would be nice to see this book folded into a larger picture as part of a larger permaculture site that includes perennial fruits and herbs but I find no fault with the author for sticking to his topic and area of expertise. No matter what your accomplishments in the area of vegetable or market gardening, this book can give you some ideas for how to do some things better. If you have a permaculture site but want to grow your own food, this is probably the only book you will ever need on how to make growing vegetables a viable operation with the least amount of work and investment.
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readalot
5.0 out of 5 starsno hype just facts!May 3, 2014
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Whether you want to be a commercial grower or just better home gardening, this book will teach you what works and what doesn't.
The book is full of helpful methods/tips and full of very important figures such as how densely you can plant the seedlings/seeds. You want to pack them in close enough to smother the weeds but not so tight that it will choke itself. On compost, he prefers to buy them. He explain why this is so. I just had to smile because we figured this out the hard way.
He also covers on equipment you need, insect control, harvesting, storage, crop rotation, scheduling. It lightly touches on why CSA is such a wonderful thing.
Only thing missing really is about marketing your vegetables, herbs, fruit. Then again very few books even cover that aspect of commercial growing.
The book will teach you on how to be more efficient/economical of your time and effort and to increase the amount of your harvest.
This book is a definite must even for seasoned growers like us and even more so for those who are into home gardening and those starting out. It will save you lots of frustrating hours and failures.
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Tanya
5.0 out of 5 starsExcellent resourceDecember 30, 2016
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Of the gardening books that I own, I have found this one to be the most helpful.
Although we haven't gotten to the stage of having truck patches yet, this is an invaluable resource for learning the in's and out's of layout, soil prep, organic fertilization & soil correction, crop rotation, maximizing yields, minimizing cost, and has helped us tremendously in moving toward our goal of becoming self-sufficient. From start to finish, the book presents a realistic model that anyone can follow, enjoy, and learn from. The appendixes of crop notes, tools, and plans are a great quick reference. The methods JM Fortier uses and writes about are neither high tech nor incredibly expensive, but they work well and are extremely accessible. Removing the barrier to entry for small scale organic production and teaching successful, sustainable grow methods is what this book was written for, and it succeeds!
5 people found this helpful
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Showing 1-30
Feb 24, 2018January rated it it was amazing
Shelves: food, gardening, non-fiction, homesteading, own-audiobook, own-hardcopy
Probably the biggest impact this book had on my gardening was that, reading it in January (thankfully), I immediately drew up my year’s production goals, though not monetary like Fortier’s. I then created a bed plan based on these goals, which was an enlightening task. I drastically reduced some crops and significantly increased others. In the past, my goal was always to just grow something, anything. I’ve never had specific crop goals per se and have been more lackadaisical about how much of this or that I’ve planted. As a result I’ve been disappointed or overwhelmed by the volume I’ve gotten from a particular crop. (Yes, talking to you, mutant zucchinis.)
The second most important thing I’ve gotten is a reframing of how I manage my beds. I initially got into gardening using the Square Foot Gardening method but as my garden has grown to almost 1000 sqft, this system has become a bit hard to scale up. I was actually losing crops (Where did I put that eggplant?) and the SFG direct sowing method just did not work in non-virgin soil. My beds are 36”x14’ and 24”x12’ so Fortier’s 30” wide raised row system can easily apply to my beds with a little fiddling. This year I’ll be focusing on planting plots (beds) not squares.
Thirdly, I’ll be investing in a number of new tools this year. Namely tarps, insect netting (for my broccoli particularly), a 30” bed rake with marking tines (genius!), and some long-handled stirrup hoes.
The crop appendix here is invaluable and I’ll be trying some new crop specific techniques this year.
Cucumbers: I loved the “umbrella” system he describes for cucumbers, a two leader system, with the second younger leader taking over as sole leader once the first has reached the top of the trellis and flopped over. Also having issues with cucumber beetles, his advice to plan a second planting to replace the first, inevitably diseased plants is so simple that it’s genius.
Tomatoes: I’m intrigued by the V-trellis system he describes but I feel like my current system is more productive. He advocates 24” beds with tomatoes in the center every 9” with two leaders, each coming towards the walkway, which is 36”. Including the walkway though I am able to squeeze almost double the plants in half the space with plants trellised to a single stem. Maybe a test row is in order, with total yield being the deciding factor. It might be that less densely spacing my tomatoes but allowing them two stems will increase overall yield per square foot.
I got this book from the library but I referred back to it so often to create my crop plan, I plan on purchasing a copy. (less)
The second most important thing I’ve gotten is a reframing of how I manage my beds. I initially got into gardening using the Square Foot Gardening method but as my garden has grown to almost 1000 sqft, this system has become a bit hard to scale up. I was actually losing crops (Where did I put that eggplant?) and the SFG direct sowing method just did not work in non-virgin soil. My beds are 36”x14’ and 24”x12’ so Fortier’s 30” wide raised row system can easily apply to my beds with a little fiddling. This year I’ll be focusing on planting plots (beds) not squares.
Thirdly, I’ll be investing in a number of new tools this year. Namely tarps, insect netting (for my broccoli particularly), a 30” bed rake with marking tines (genius!), and some long-handled stirrup hoes.
The crop appendix here is invaluable and I’ll be trying some new crop specific techniques this year.
Cucumbers: I loved the “umbrella” system he describes for cucumbers, a two leader system, with the second younger leader taking over as sole leader once the first has reached the top of the trellis and flopped over. Also having issues with cucumber beetles, his advice to plan a second planting to replace the first, inevitably diseased plants is so simple that it’s genius.
Tomatoes: I’m intrigued by the V-trellis system he describes but I feel like my current system is more productive. He advocates 24” beds with tomatoes in the center every 9” with two leaders, each coming towards the walkway, which is 36”. Including the walkway though I am able to squeeze almost double the plants in half the space with plants trellised to a single stem. Maybe a test row is in order, with total yield being the deciding factor. It might be that less densely spacing my tomatoes but allowing them two stems will increase overall yield per square foot.
I got this book from the library but I referred back to it so often to create my crop plan, I plan on purchasing a copy. (less)
I put off picking up this book because I have no inclination to sell any of my food, even though I devote quite a lot of time to producing all the vegetables my husband and I eat in a year. I shouldn't have delayed. Because Fortier's beautifully illustrated and easy to read book fills in gaps in my production campaign, giving me ideas for streamlining production so my crops will be more bountiful with less work. His focus on hand tools and on high-density production makes this a book that will suit backyard gardeners just as much as, or maybe even more than, market gardeners. No matter your goal, if you like to grow things and want to do so in a sustainable fashion, The Market Gardener is a good book to have under your belt and I can't recommend it highly enough. (less)
Dec 23, 2017Mike rated it it was amazing
This is one of my favorite gardening books, due to Fortier's excellent writing and practical knowledge running a small organic farm. It goes to show that you can be a very profitable farm on small acreage without the pesticides, without the chemical fertilizers and without the giant tractor/combine systems (not to mention the accompanying financing and debt) used by standard commercial farms. As my garden has grown from backyard plot to mini-farm size, I've increasingly incorporated the techniques described in this book. Whether it has inspired my ambition, or contributed to my mania, I can't say. (less)
Jan 12, 2018Andrew Welleford rated it it was amazing
This is truly an exceptional book, one that I refer to regularly as a home gardener. It is full of concise, thoughtful, and practical information related to growing high-quality vegetables. The charts and illustrations are simple but clear and effective. Fortier is on the cutting edge of small-scale growing, and I look forward to learning more about his new research farm in his next book.
If I have one small quibble, it's that the actual shape of the book is slightly awkward: its wide pages flop over my hands while reading. Please don't let this stop you from purchasing this book, but if the publisher reads this please reconsider these book dimensions in the future! (less)
If I have one small quibble, it's that the actual shape of the book is slightly awkward: its wide pages flop over my hands while reading. Please don't let this stop you from purchasing this book, but if the publisher reads this please reconsider these book dimensions in the future! (less)
Oct 19, 2017Paula rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Informative
Good food, organically and locally grown is the trend of the future. The market garden satisfies our needs and benefits the environment as well. You won’t get rich, but you will have a fulfilling life. This book will definitely set you on the path with enough detailed information to make a viable business. I wish I’d read this many years ago. I highly recommend it to everyone who wants to make a positive impact on the world.
Good food, organically and locally grown is the trend of the future. The market garden satisfies our needs and benefits the environment as well. You won’t get rich, but you will have a fulfilling life. This book will definitely set you on the path with enough detailed information to make a viable business. I wish I’d read this many years ago. I highly recommend it to everyone who wants to make a positive impact on the world.
Mar 05, 2017bibliotekker Holman rated it really liked it
Too many organic farmer memoirs are airy affairs about hugging trees and communing with nature, it is good to finally see something "nuts and bolts" that puts aside sentimentality. Fortier illustrates that a profitable small-scale operation is possible even in cold northern climates like Quebec. I may never get further than the garden that is about all I can handle, but Fortier shows that more is possible.
Love this text
When I retire, I am going to be a full time market gardener. Informative and inspiring, this book is a treasure.
When I retire, I am going to be a full time market gardener. Informative and inspiring, this book is a treasure.
Jan 18, 2019Zora rated it it was amazing
I'm not a market gardener, though I may be a one-crop one in the future. Still, I find the entire back-to-local organic small-farm movement heartening and am very interested in it. The information here is clearly presented, and as I'm an intensive-planting, seed-starting home gardener, there was useful information for me in here as well. (I push spacing with square-foot gardening concepts, and it looks like I can push it even harder)
Fortier is smart, a good planner, and the smart and thoughtful planning he did in establishing his Quebec farm is echoed here in the organization of the book, the useful charts, and much else.
He does everything with hand tools, if you do not know of him and his work. He is a good business man, and he understand that if a oil furnace works better than solar or wind power, that's what he'll use. And he and his wife pay two FT employees and make a living, on a farm that's 2 acres (it includes a greenhouse for tomatoes). I applaud them and wish them continued success. (less)
Fortier is smart, a good planner, and the smart and thoughtful planning he did in establishing his Quebec farm is echoed here in the organization of the book, the useful charts, and much else.
He does everything with hand tools, if you do not know of him and his work. He is a good business man, and he understand that if a oil furnace works better than solar or wind power, that's what he'll use. And he and his wife pay two FT employees and make a living, on a farm that's 2 acres (it includes a greenhouse for tomatoes). I applaud them and wish them continued success. (less)
Jun 07, 2017Luke Merrick rated it really liked it
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Aug 15, 2018Dave Allen rated it it was amazing
Fantastic. So much information packed into this book - my head was spinning.
Fortier details the basic through the intricate here, from business planning to soil quality to pest control and beyond. Without a doubt, this book is worth it's weight in gold whether you're planning to start-up a full-blown farm, or just planting a couple of tomatoes in the backyard. It's only summer, but I can't wait for next spring to put a lot of his advice into practice.
Fortier details the basic through the intricate here, from business planning to soil quality to pest control and beyond. Without a doubt, this book is worth it's weight in gold whether you're planning to start-up a full-blown farm, or just planting a couple of tomatoes in the backyard. It's only summer, but I can't wait for next spring to put a lot of his advice into practice.
Jan 19, 2018Jessica Ferguson rated it liked it
This book is full of information, but for the time being, my gardening is still more of a hobby than a thriving farm, so some of the techniques and tools mentioned in this book are too expensive or large-scale. For example, I do not think it would be wise for me to purchase hoop houses or extensive watering systems. (maybe one day!) I do recommend the book for those wanting to have a garden for income, but maybe not for hobby gardeners.
Oct 30, 2018Bill Guerrant rated it really liked it
The author's success is inspiring, but like Joel Salatin's it is not (in my judgment) normative. There is a risk that books like this will give aspiring organic farmers unrealistic expectations. Having said that, there is lots of valuable practical advice and information here. Growers in warmer climates should be careful however to keep in mind that the specifics of planting/scheduling etc. will not apply to them.
Dec 25, 2018Jacob Peanosky rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: farming-gardening
Very informative book on starting your own high intensity market garden. I loved to see how J.M. grew his garden into a business that sets the trend for future food growers. There are a few methods in this book that I will avoid implementing into my own garden. But nevertheless, this book is a must read for anyone serious about growing food.
Feb 21, 2017Justin rated it liked it
Seems more of a guide for professionals than for people trying to start gardens at home.
I think I am at a tough place as more of the beginning gardening books are too high-level.
This seems like it would be a better fit, but I didn't see to much here that jumped out at me as something I should be doing now.
I think I am at a tough place as more of the beginning gardening books are too high-level.
This seems like it would be a better fit, but I didn't see to much here that jumped out at me as something I should be doing now.
Oct 26, 2018Боби rated it it was amazing
Не съм срещнал по-добре разписана, обяснена, обоснована, онагледена и пълна с работещи примери система за градинарство на средно-дребно, в рамките на няколко декара. Видеата също са страхотни, намерете ги в Living Web канала. Ако имате познат, който иска да се захваща с градинарство като препитание, задължително му дайте тази книга, ако случайно той вече я няма (което би ме учудило).
Definitely an interesting addition to the field. Makes a useful complement to Eliot Coleman's New Organic Grower, but I'd start with that one - it's more comprehensive.
(Disclaimer: I am not a market gardener, so I don't have the scale to try most of what they talk about, nor the economic motives to want to)
(Disclaimer: I am not a market gardener, so I don't have the scale to try most of what they talk about, nor the economic motives to want to)
Sep 21, 2018Andrea rated it really liked it
Wonderfully informative, and breaks things down in manageable chunks. Perfect for referencing at a moment's notice. Geared towards both beginners and experienced farmers. The charts and guides are extremely helpful!
Would probably be indispensable if I wanted to earn money growing vegetables. Seems like a very helpful, thorough, evidence-based guide to profitable small-scale farming. I'm a hobbyist, though, so I didn't find much tailored to my interests and needs. Still, an interesting and engaging read.
Feb 12, 2018Shayne Flaherty rated it it was amazing
This book was great! There was some spectacular tips in the back of the book as well on grow timing, planning, and specific varieties.
Mar 05, 2018Carol Bontekoe rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Solid read
Assigned for class but I enjoyed it. Easy read, helpful, and inspiring. Great amount of charts and references to other resources if you want to go deeper.
Assigned for class but I enjoyed it. Easy read, helpful, and inspiring. Great amount of charts and references to other resources if you want to go deeper.
Oct 22, 2018Ryan Jacobs rated it really liked it
It's a good reference book in building a small scale farm for veggies.
Nov 29, 2018Dayton Outar rated it really liked it
I've learnt the lay of the land by reading this book. Very good insights into effective organic farming.
Inspiring and clearly and concisely written. Takes middle ground between till and no-till. Instructions are specific to Canada, including advice for dealing with snow melt, and that the land should be south-facing if possible.
Apr 16, 2014Sean rated it it was amazing
This book is indeed a handbook. I am neither farmer nor gardener, but have read enough Wendel Berry and The Good Life: Helen and Scott Nearing's Sixty Years of Self-Sufficient Living to want to be, and while I've read a number of books on permaculture and organic agriculture, it wasn't until I read this handbook that I felt like I could, with some reasonable confidence, actually just start out of the gate with a reasonable level of proficiency. The practices Fortier advocates may not be for you, but he is at least specific and clear, and the appendix contains a lengthy and detailed crop-by-crop guide to cultivating various vegetables.
If you want to be a market gardener but don't have much know-how, buy this book. If you already are a market gardener, borrow this book and take notes on the ideas that are new to you - I guarantee there will be some.(less)
If you want to be a market gardener but don't have much know-how, buy this book. If you already are a market gardener, borrow this book and take notes on the ideas that are new to you - I guarantee there will be some.(less)
Fantastic resource for someone wanting to be a gardener -- whether at home or for market -- and wants to increase productivity on a small space (acre or less). I appreciated immensely their insight into growing techniques as well as the extensive resources in the appendices. His appendix that goes crop by crop is also great for its detail for both growing and harvesting. The chapter and discussion of crop planning throughout was straightforward, easy to follow, and I think would be easy to emulate and adapt to one's own growing operation. Also, pest and disease issues are certainly site specific, but one could at least employ and adapt their tactics for one's own site.
The difficult parts for other growers to emulate about this book include:
the heavy reliance on compost,
the prevalence of greens in crop rotation that may not be practical for every grower and the absence of other crops that may be desired to grow,
glossing over the need to give the land rest and lie fallow for seasons in order to prevent "mining" the soil. (less)
The difficult parts for other growers to emulate about this book include:
the heavy reliance on compost,
the prevalence of greens in crop rotation that may not be practical for every grower and the absence of other crops that may be desired to grow,
glossing over the need to give the land rest and lie fallow for seasons in order to prevent "mining" the soil. (less)
Mar 28, 2014Callie Works-Leary rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: sustainable-farming
I enjoyed this book because it comes from a next-generation perspective. It is rare to hear from younger people in gardening or agriculture texts. The insights on "intensive growing" in limited space were helpful and applicable. I'm giving it four stars because it is limited to growing in northern latitudes. My all-time favorite small farming author, Eliot Coleman, also speaks from growing in Maine and similarly doesn't offer much help for those growing in warmer climates. I think there is a serious lack of published work on small, sustainable farming in the south and southwest. (Perhaps one day I can fill this void??) (less)
Apr 12, 2015Bruce Mackay rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
The importance of being organized
I never dreamed that forming could be approached with such precision. It's interesting to see how such a small farm can be productive and profitable. The importance of the business model is also stressed. I would recommend it for anyone just interested in gardening because it shows the value of good planning. It's also interesting how viable this is in reorganizing our culture.
I never dreamed that forming could be approached with such precision. It's interesting to see how such a small farm can be productive and profitable. The importance of the business model is also stressed. I would recommend it for anyone just interested in gardening because it shows the value of good planning. It's also interesting how viable this is in reorganizing our culture.
Jan 30, 2016Ariel rated it really liked it
This book was super helpful for me as I'm learning about growing produce for market. It's written in a personal style, with lots of examples from the author's own operations. It's a fairly short book, but somehow it manages to pack in a ton of information. This is a book I'd actually be willing to buy, because I think I'll want to refer back to it again and again for info on cover crops, plant-specific care and time-saving techniques, to name a few.
