Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Earth Day Reading Project

Marcia at Birds, Blooms, Books etc, invited me to participate in the Earth Day Reading Project hosted by Sage Butterfly. You are supposed to do a post on three books that have inspired you to "Be Green".

After several days of thinking about books that originally inspired me to "Be Green", I really can't think of any. I can say that I think I have always been a Greeny and that "The Book of Life" has been my inspiration.

I was born on a farm and lived on one most of my life. I was that little girl who was always out in nature and playing in the dirt. We always grew our own food, preserved and did not waste. Ever since I can remember I have always thought that disposable & pre-packaged products were very wasteful and very rarely use any of them. For instance, we do not use paper napkins, plates etc. and very rarely use paper towels. We are the neighbors that very rarely have any garbage, since we recycle and compost....that gets the neighbors talking!

I do have three great gardening books that I just love and have been very helpful to me growing organically.

"The Vegetable Gardeners Bible" by Edward C Smith, is the book that I refer to the most and is definitely my favorite. This book has just about everything you need in one place. It is very easy to look up anything and find want you want in no time.


"Carrots Love Tomatoes" by Louise Riotte, is another great organic gardening book and my second most used resource. She has extensive knowledge in companion planting and there are a lot of nice hand sketched garden layouts in this book.



"Four Season Harvest" by Eliot Coleman is my latest inspiration in organic gardening and growing veggies year round. This year I am planning to use more of his techniques and try to grow more vegetables for us during the winter.


Celebrate Earth Day by "Being Green"


8 comments:

  1. Nice! Of your 3, I only have Carrots Love Tomatoes, I may check the others out next time at the library!

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  2. So, when do you find the time to read? I would think with all the garden chores you've taken on lately, by the time you sit down with a book you'd fall asleep from exhaustion! LOL

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  3. I think I've always been *Green*, too. We also share the same taste in gardening books!

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  4. Growing up on a farm must have taught you lots about how precious our earth is. I did not grow up on a farm, but I spent a lot of time outdoors because I love nature. Maybe you are right, sometimes we have an innate connection with nature. Good choices for books. I love companion planting. Thanks for joining in and happy Earth Day!

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  5. Thought provoking post!! As I think back, the books that prompted me to become more "green" in my gardening were: "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver; "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan; "How to Grow More Vegetables" by John Jeavons.

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  6. I highly suggest the Elliot coleman books. I have used his methods in the greenhouse with great success. I got to spend some time at his market garden in Maine and you want to talk about the most perfectly maintained garden in the world. I think weeds are afraid to grow there. But you have to run a tight ship when your next door neighbors were Helen and Scott Nearing.

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  7. Perfect. Thanks for taking this on. I'll put a link on my posting to yours.

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  8. Erin, I think that you will find The Vegetable Gardeners Bible the "go to" gardening book.

    Granny, I really don't have time to read right now! I do keep the first two books handy at all times for reference.

    Lynda, I am happy to hear that you also like those books. I really believe that some of us are just born green, or should I say in tuned to nature.

    Sage Butterfly, It was an interesting post to do. It made me think and realize that I have always been this way.

    Jane, I really need to read Eliot Coleman's book again before the end of the season...when I have some free time!!

    Marcia, You are very welcome. I really enjoyed doing it.

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