Chelsea Green Blog
Farming & Homesteading
A Checklist for Broiler Chicks
Thinking about raising broiler chicks? There’s a lot to know! Thankfully, Joel Salatin knows A LOT about homesteading and raising poultry. Check out his list below to gauge if you’re ready to jump into the chicken-raising life. The following is an excerpt from Polyface Micro: Success with Livestock on a Homestead Scale by Joel Salatin. It…
Read More
Draft Power: The Life-Affirming Alternative to “Big Ag”
Farmers young and old are seeking new ways to shrink their carbon footprint and promote more ecologically friendly ways of getting chores done. So, what’s a modern farmer to do? For some, the centuries old approach of using draft animals—especially horses—is offering a very 21st century solution. Here’s an overview of draft power and its…
Read More
Presenting the Four-Season Harvest
For most gardeners, a typical season begins with planting in the spring and ends with a big harvest in the fall – one that the frugal home-gardener hopes lasts through until spring sprouts again. And if it doesn’t, well, then it’s off to the store to pick up whatever measly, unfresh produce is available. But…
Read More
Who Are We as Farmers?
Recently, farmers have been making the headlines because of the hardships they’re facing to sustain their farms. With larger, corporate farms running smaller, privately-owned farms out of business, it seems like many farmers are fighting an uphill battle. But, despite the small amount of money, long hours, and constant threats from the “big guys” farmers…
Read More
How Do You Like Them Apples?
Autumn is the perfect time to enjoy apple-focused food & drinks and reflect on this staple of the American diet. Here are some Chelsea Green books that embrace the biodiversity of apples in all forms! The New Cider Maker’s Handbook by Claude JolicoeurTo make the very best cider—whether for yourself, your family, and friends or…
Read More
Wild Apples, Real Cider, and the Complicated Art of Making a Living
“Loving apples or cider is not a prerequisite for loving this book. All that is needed is the willingness to follow a vibrant narrative voice driven by the pursuit of dreams.”—Alice Feiring Andy Brennan owns Aaron Burr Cider in New York’s Catskills region. Since its founding in 2011, Aaron Burr Cider has become well known…
Read More
Hemp History 101
The historical prominence of hemp can be seen in dozens of American towns that still bear its name, including Hempfield, PA, Hemphill, KY, Hempstead, NY, Hempfork, VA, and more. How did humanity’s longest utilized plant, that has more than 25,000 uses and so many towns named after it, end up nearly extinct in the U.S.?…
Read More
The Five Keys to Photosynthesis: Caring For Your Plants
There is more to growing than just the basics of sunlight and water. In fact, there are five important factors in determining how well your plants or crops will do: sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, soil organisms, and nutrients. Luckily it is easy to maintain healthy plants, healthy food, and healthy living soil. The following is…
Read More
Reestablishing Balance: Nature’s Cure
In No-Till Intensive Vegetable Culture, renowned organic grower Bryan O’Hara describes the methods he developed during a multi-year transition of his Connecticut vegetable farm to a no-till system. His resilient crops are testaments to the value of letting the inherent biological functions in soil do their work. The following excerpt discusses reestablishing balance among microbes,…
Read More
A Taoist Approach to Gardening
In her book The Tao of Vegetable Gardening, Carol Deppe introduces her innovative “Eat-All Greens Garden” which could be the easiest, most space-saving, and labor-efficient way of growing greens. With this method, a family can raise all their summer greens as well as freeze and dry enough for the winter months with even a tiny garden—a perfect…
Read More
From the Homemade Hooch Files: How to Make Dandelion Wine
Heads up: you definitely don’t want to be spraying weed killer on your dandelions. If your lawn is a total dandelion breeding ground, you are so close to having some delicious wine! Get out there and pick some so you can get started on fermenting a batch of flower wine. This drink is not only…
Read More
Pinching Flowers to Prolong Bloom: When and How
This time of year, flowers are in full bloom! To get the most out of them, try pinching flowers to prolong the bloom. This may sound simple enough, but there’s more to this trick than you might think. The following gardening tip is from The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski. Pinching Flowers to Prolong Bloom…
Read More
Learning from Our Arboreal Allies
Akiva Silver owns and operates Twisted Tree Farm, a homestead, nut orchard, and nursery located in Spencer, New York, where he grows around 20,000 trees per year using practices that go beyond organic. His background is in foraging, wilderness survival, and primitive skills. He has been observing nature intensively for the last 20 years, cultivating…
Read More
Inheriting the Earth
Farmland covers 38 percent of the land area of the Earth and is a major contributor to climate change. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Soil and plants have the capacity to store huge amounts of carbon in the ground, thus how we grow food can be one of the key solutions to…
Read More
Pros and Cons of Tillage
When it comes to tilling your soil, less equals more. “Why?” you may ask? Traditional tilling is exceptionally damaging to the soil in the long run. Occasional tillage may be necessary, such as before you start growing vegetables, or when you need to add supplements to depleted areas. In these cases, use a hand tool…
Read More
Biodynamic Beekeeping 101
Spring is here and I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to get started on all of the projects I mapped out during the cold winter months – including trying my hand at incorporating bees into my homesteading adventure! As a new-bee (get it?!), I need help to get started so I did…
Read More
The Best Books for Makers
Books for Makers: Best Gifts for DIY Lovers In the age of computer-assisted design, mass production, and machine precision, the traditional skills of the maker or craftsperson are hard to find. Yet the desire for well-made and beautiful objects from the hands (and mind) of a skilled artisan is just as present today as it…
Read More
The Significance of America’s Maple Syrup History
Everything is better with maple syrup. At least that’s what you’ll hear when you ask Vermonters. So what better way to solidify your love for all things maple than to learn how to make it yourself? The Sugarmaker’s Companion by Michael Farrell is a comprehensive guide for both beginning and professional, home-scale and commercial maple…
Read More
The Importance of Nutrient Cycling
Putting nutrients back into the land is almost – if not more – important than harvesting from it. When it comes to growing pretty much anything, it is all about balance, and nutrient cycling can help you maintain equilibrium within your land. There are many simple and affordable ways to practice nutrient cycling, from compost…
Read More
A New Kind of Cowgirl
Meat eaters rarely see how the sausage (or in this case, steak) is made. At the New Cowgirl Camp, like-minded women come together to learn how to raise livestock sustainably and change the meat industry for the better. The following is an excerpt from The Reindeer Chronicles by Judith D. Schwartz. It has been adapted…
Read More
Get Ready for Maple Sugaring Season
Everything is better with maple syrup. At least, that’s what you’ll hear when you ask Vermonters. What better way to solidify your love for all things maple than to learn how to make it yourself? If you only have a couple of trees nearby — say in your backyard — author Michael Farrell has some simple advice…
Read More
Grow Vegetables Like You Mean It
In the United States, 40 percent of the food we produce is wasted. Ben Hartman is trying to put a dent in that dismal statistic. Inspired by Toyota’s “lean” approach to manufacturing, a production strategy designed to minimize waste and maximize efficiency while increasing profits. In his practical how-to manual, Hartman shows how he has…
Read More
Perfect Salad with Soil Sprouts: Unlock the Secret
Around this time of year, when “seasonal produce” is just a synonym for root vegetables, many of us begin to dream about fresh greens and colorful salads. Without a greenhouse or expensive equipment, it’s hard to imagine a reality in which you can have fresh and local greens every day. Luckily, you can grow your…
Read More
Wine Pairings for the Holidays
(Photography by Deirdre Heekin) As the holidays get closer, it’s good to know what kind of wine to serve on the right occasion with the right meal, right? Deirdre Heekin, winemaker and author of An Unlikely Vineyard, is here to share some of her favorite wines along with food pairing suggestions. Her selections include a…
Read More
A Book for the Fruit Nerd on Your Holiday Gift List
Have a fruit nerd on your holiday shopping list this year? Then give the gift that Booklist calls, “a thorough investigation of one wonderful fruit”—The Book of Pears by Joan Morgan. In this one-of-a-kind guide, noted pomologist and fruit historian Joan Morgan (The Book of Apples) has researched and crafted a definitive account of the pear’s…
Read More