Book Description
Essential to the understanding of sustainable agriculture, the effect of human activity on soil, and the management of soil and water resources including soil nutrition and other influences, this is a solid reference and learning tool. Non-technical, and easy-to-understand, Soil Science and Management, 4E teaches the essentials of soils from the perspective of farmers, horticulturists, environmentalists, and others who are concerned about how soils work and how they are used most effectively. An emphasis on management and the sustainable use of soils and water resources make it especially relevant to these audiences. Nutrient management, best practices and relevant legal issues and government programs related to soil management make this book a popular addition to the bookshelves of farmers, horticulturists and government agricultural personnel alike.
Customer Reviews:
Textbook.......2006-02-01
I am using this book as a textbook for a Soil Nutrition class. The book is surprisingly interesting considering it is a textbook. It is an excellent reference for soil and soil/plant nutrition questions.
This is an excellent book!.......1997-11-28
What a boring topic, you may think. Who could write a thick book about soil? And who possibly can read it? You may be surprised! If your interest is in the field of landscape architecture, horticulture, forestry, gardening, site engineering e.g. this book will give you a professional knowledge, in a very systematic, approachable way. I will keep Soil Science in my professional library as a reference book.
Customer Reviews:
The best farming-as-a-business handbook I've read to date.......2007-08-20
This is the best farming-as-a-business handbook I've read to date. You Can Farm is informative and empowering. Joel Salatin provides examples of how to and how not to farm. Running a farm like a hobby instead of a business is a sure way to fail. Farm enterprises and equipment should also pay for themselves--this includes big trucks and big tractors. Salatin also encourages potential farmers to get their families involved and see if it is something they really want to do.
This book is filled with stories of successes and failures of many people and various farm enterprises. While the book is almost ten years old, it still reflects the current state of farming, a quasi feudal system relegating farmers and food (not to be confused with nutrition or health) to mere inputs and outputs. Salatin also points out that we have very little, if any, knowledge about the materials we ingest many times each day. Many of us (yours truly included) do not know where our "food" came from or what it took to make it.
Once you get beyond Salatin's lamentations on how industrial farming has destroyed food, the environment, and people and his extensive use of modifiers ("Don't let anyone kid you into thinking amalgamated, extruded, irradiated, genetically engineered, adulterated fecal particulate pseudo- food from...), you will experience the valuable insight and encouragement he provides.
For years I asked myself if farming is really possible. It took me a while to get serious about it and then I read You Can Farm. Now, I believe it is possible. I've not only read this book, but as a result, I have read many other farm business-related literature, attended farming conferences, association meetings, and agricultural field-days in order to get more information on what will be the best approach for me to take in my move to the farm. I've also visited with farmers running successful and unsuccessful operations. Farming is possible for me because it provides an opportunity for me to exploit my zeal for innovation, build a successful environmentally friendly business, and healthfully feed and build my family and community.
Brilliant, Funny, Important.......2007-07-22
This book is the key to a better future for humanity.
Moreover, it was so well written and funny; it was just a joy to read.
Not for the faint of heart.......2007-06-03
If you don't like reality checks, don't read this book. With his no-nonsense attitude, Salatin walks you through several opportunities in farming that show tremendous potential as profitable enterprises, and he also tells you what to stay away from and why (e.g. starting a horse or alpaca farm is NOT the best way to break into farming and turn a real profit, no matter how pretty or cuddly they may be).
Yes, occasionally he does break into a radical conservative rant--but who cares what he thinks about healthcare and New York City? What matters to me is that I come away from the book equipped with knowledge that will help me make wiser decisions. For someone like me who's starting from scratch, what I want to know is how I will do things differently after reading this book, and in that regard, this book was EXCELLENT.
The most important message that Salatin drilled through my head with "You Can Farm" is this: Carve your niche first, start the farm later. Most of us have it backwards. Perhaps too many people have seen "Field of Dreams" and assume "Build it, and they will come." It simply doesn't work that way with farming. That's why so many agricultural operations depend on off-farm income and/or go out business completely.
Then there's the little fantasy of having a patch of land to call your own. I'm no stranger to it; I want to own the land I farm, too, for no reason other than I just want to. But it comes at a high cost, and Salatin won't let you forget it: "Land should only be acquired when you know what to do with it, and the size should be less important than location. Be patient and let your farming enterprise drive the land base, rather than the land base driving the farm." If you latch onto a piece of land too early on, you'll probably end up painting yourself into a corner--a tight, unprofitable corner.
And that brings me to Salatin's next major point: Stay flexible. In order to succeed in farming, you've got to be an opportunist. That means you've got to have an eye for chances to fill a niche, and be adaptive enough to fill them. If you invest in a specific type of farming, if you weigh yourself down with unnecessary expenses, or if you're too hung up on waiting for the "perfect" opportunity, then the REAL opportunities will pass you by.
This book is for farming ENTREPRENEURS: people who need to turn a solid profit from farming in order to pursue it at all. If you're interested in having a farm more for a lifestyle than for a living, or if you don't mind working an outside job, or if you're at all squeamish about livestock and everything it entails (including "processing" and "culling"), then you may prefer titles by Eliot Coleman and the like. But if you want to learn how to approach farming as a business, this is a must-have.
Love this guy!.......2007-05-12
Though Joel has some strong opinions that some may struggle with, when I finished this book I believed him--I CAN farm! He gives great advice about pitfalls to avoid and issues to consider.
Great resource........2007-03-09
Not only a good read on farming, but I'd recommend to any entrepreneur-minded person. You might not agree with every social stance that the author takes, but he does offer thought provoking insights into the food system and the American consumer. I appreciate his take on living below your means, working hard and striving for innovation.
Book Description
This classic of the back-to-the-land movement is packed with solid, timeless information. Written by a renowned horticulturist, it has taught generations how to make their land self-sufficient, with explanations of organic farming techniques and reliable advice on other topics, including irrigation, livestock, crops, greenhouses, fertilizers, much more. 95 figures.
Customer Reviews:
Logsdon is Amazing.......2007-09-24
Mr. Logsdon is a real farmer. Really! I say that without the sarcastic pun that he assigns to it. I am so thirsty for a knowledge of farming, and while I like the Extension Agency employees (they are dedicated and anxious to help), it is essential to read the truth about farming -- without the influence of the large agriculture bastards who have taken the nutrition out of our food and reingineered seeds to withstand extremely toxic Roundup sprayed over the fields! We eat that stuff! Anyone who wants live a productive life and touch the earth should Logsdon, Kingsolver, and other experienced small farmers. Thank you, Mr. Logsdon for documenting the experiences of farming and land/water stewardship. You are a gem!
Old School Wisdom.......2007-05-26
Do not buy this book to find the latest and greatest information on farming or living independently. But if you want "Old School" wisdom etc on farming and independent living get this book. Many of the principles in the book are timeless and apply as much today as they did when the book was written.
Classic.......2007-05-12
I've owned this book for over 30 years. I had a copy, loaned it out, didn't get it back, and bought another. It is essentially a compendium of articles. Though some are dated, most have at least one piece of useful information for those wishing to try pre-chemical farming.
Five acres..........2006-06-30
Interesting book for those who would like to be more self-sufficent and gain economic independence. It was written at a time when it was more feasible to be totally self-sufficent by going back to the land. Some of it is quite detailed and would require some skills that not everyone possesses. However it has good ideas and most of the projects are easy to follow.
Dissappointed- Not a Good Referance Book.......2005-07-06
I bought this book hoping I could find alot of information to start a small hobby farm on my 4 1/2 acres. The description of the book made it sound like it was very informative about raising animals, gardening, etc.
This book does cover all aspects. I wanted ideas on which animals are better to raise and such, particularly goats. I was very dissappointed on the section on farm animals. The writer wrote a bit about cows (probably because he raised them), he mentioned goats in about two sentences. All articles were so short and they were not helpful.
If you want to have a book just to read and not really use as a reference go ahead and purchase it. All the articles I wanted to know were all hard to find, had little information (really no information) and I felt that the writer just gave his own personal opinions and not facts.
For me I was dissappointed and now looking to find another reference guide to help me on my way to have a lovely hobby farm. I needed informtion on gardening, making maple syrup, canning/freezing, raising goats, raising beef cows, raising ducks and so forth. This book was not helpful at all. :( :( :(
Book Description
Written by some of the most respected innovators in the field, this comprehensive text takes an in-depth look at the environmental, cultural and social factors that influence how plants are grown and used worldwide. The newest edition cites the most recent statistics, production methods and issues concerning the production and utilization of plants. It offers several web-based resources including a free companion website with practice questions andonline crop fact sheets that give information at a local level. Along with information on climate and environment, it also explores plants’ tremendous economic impact in both developed and developing nations.
Introduces the basics of plant science including the ecosystem; climate; managing soil, water and fertility; and pest management. Examines plant structure, chemistry, growth and development; genetics and biodiversity and their relationship to crop growing and utilization systems. Covers multiple crop types and growth settings including nursery, landscape and greenhouse. Also discusses how crops are preserved, transported and marketed.
For anyone interested in how plants are cultivated and utilized.
Customer Reviews:
Easily Available Right Now.......2006-02-03
Introduction To Permaculture is currently sold by Seeds Of Change seed company for the publishers' list price[...]. I trial lots of seeds every year (zone 7)and can recommend three varieties they sell as truly remarkable- Zapotec Pleated tomato, Satsuki Madori cucumber, and Red Ruffled pimento pepper.
Read the review below this one.......2001-08-25
A lot of fellow americans it seems are rating other books authored by Americans on this subject higher than the two original books on this concept. If its not written expressly for the american market local consumers seem willing to ignore this and other outstanding titles. While there are books written purely for American and British Permaculturists these books are not necessarily better for people buying for that area. This book and its companion, A Designers Manual are too well written to be applied to just one region. These books are applicable to any climate or geology of any area of the planet, and that includes anywhere in the U.S. including Alaska and Hawaii. Read the reveiw below mine he explains more eloquently why this book and the more in depth version, Peramculture a Designers Manual, are perhaps the most important books you will ever read. The original and best books on Permaculture this book and, Permaculture a Designers Manual... if you are serious about helping the environment and saving money on your food bill at the same time then do yourself a favour and get one or both of these books.
Appeals to surprisingly broad spectrum!.......2000-03-05
A reviewer is well advised to be mindful of the arrogance that is intrinsic to criticizing another's work.
Intro to Permaculture is a book of breath-taking scope. I can only write with authority about those parts that apply to my middle-class, Mid-Western (US) frame-of-reference.
While reading the book, I carried it to work and to my daughter's soccer practice. I have never had so many people ask, "What's that?", pick up the book and start leafing through it. *Every* person who picked it up found some illustration that resonated with them and they started reading. I never had THAT happen before. Observation #1, World-class illustrations that are well linked to the text.
This is a good book to read with a highlighter (pen). These are just a few of the lines I highlighted:
Chapter 1:
"-harmony with nature is possible only if we abandon the idea of superiority over the natural world.
-The core of permaculture is design...To enable a design component we must put it in the right place...Each important function is supported by many elements...The key to using biological resources is management...
-the importance of diversity is not so much the number of elements in a system; rather it is the number of functional connections between these elements. It is not the number of things, but the number of ways things work....
-Edges are places of varied ecology. Productivity increases at the boundary between two ecologies because resources from both systems can be used...There is hardly a sustainable traditional human settlement that is not sited on those critical junctions of two natural economies."
Chapter 2
"All designs that involve life forms undergo a long-term process of change; even the "climax" state of a forest is an imagined concept.
-The site is full of information on every natural subject, and we must learn to read it...By observing the landscape we draw inspiration from the survival strategies followed by natural systems, and imitate them using species of more direct use to us.
-external resources are often critical..in establishing a (biological) system...It is also important to take your own resources into account...skills
-Two properties, located only a few miles apart, can vary in rainfall, wind speed, temperature, and relative humidity...This important basic step can mean the difference between living in pleasant surroundings or in miserable conditions on a property that will probably change hands every few years.
-Vegetation has a profound effect on microclimate. it is the planting and use of vegetation (forest, woodland, windbreak, shrubs, and vines) that most shapes the microclimate of the site.
-The most common errors in house siting are: Building at the top of an exposed ridge or hill...Locating a house in the bush, setting up a conflict..for light, nutrients, and space...Building..anywhere inevitable disaster threatens."
There are a total of eight chapters and five appendices. In the past, I have spent twice as much for books with half as much useful information (although never from Amazon ;-) ). I feel that I got more than my money's worth. I (Joe) take full responsibility for any creative spelling cause by my fat fingers or spurious line "breaks" caused by my word processor.
EXCELLENT INTRODUCTION TO THE SCIENCE OF PERMACULTURE.......1998-12-29
Takes you from wo to go and is packed full of ideas. Great bedtime reading
Book Description
This book explains in detail why and how to use management intensive grazing, and what to expect from its use for most kinds of livestock. I provide many examples to illustrate fine points, including producing milk, beef, and lamb on pasture alone, nutrient cycling, grounding energizers, recovery periods, economics, and much more. I present everything that I learned during 17 years of using Voisin management on my own farm, and answer all questions that have been asked me during conferences and farm visits with farmers. This book shows a way to increase your farm's profitability and reduce its labor demand -- thereby improving your quality of life -- while properly and responsibly caring for the land and the plants and animals that live on it.
Customer Reviews:
Murphy teach us the basics, once again........2007-01-11
Murphy's book is a comprehensive review of Voisin Grass Productivity book complemented with his own experience in Vermont.
I read it and found it very helpful in my search for milk production productivity and profits in my dairy farm in the Coffee area of Colombia.
I am still looking for books or experiences with Voisin rational grazing in the Tropics, where we use mainly grass to feed our cows outside and have followed feed companies advise on supplementing grains and feedstuffs, without questioning prices of grass, milk, corn silage and supplemental feeds.
If Murphy worked with the Voisin system in Brasil it would be great to have his experience written in a second book for Latin America.
Exelente libro para el manejo del pastoreo.......2007-01-10
Una muy completa y acertada visión del ecosistema pastizal y su profunda relación con una alta y sustentable productividad, contiene mucho conocimiento practico de como son las cosas en el campo.
Rational vs Rotational - This concept could change your farming life forever..........2005-08-28
Challenge your thinking and change your ways. Your pastures will thrive, your animals will be healthier and you'll have more time to lay in the hammock instead of throwing hay bales around. Andre Voisin, a French farmer, biologist and chemist--as well as a teacher at the Institute of Veterinary Medicine in Paris, designed a system that he calls "rational grazing" (as opposed to the generic term "rotational grazing"). Rational grazing takes into account the needs of the animal and plant, rather than the animal alone. The term "rational grazing" can mean two things: the thinking way of grazing management, or a system for rationing out the forage. Interested? Then read the book!
Greener Pasture on Your Side of the Fence: Better Farming Vo.......2002-12-24
Loved this book - although I have only one horse and can not do some of the intensive grazing techniques, I do have a better understanding about maintaining the pastures. This has been very useful and will enable me to get together with the neigbors and do several horses on the pastures in rotation. We will all have more edible forage for the horses.
Has what it takes!.......2001-12-06
I'm reading this book for the third time - there's just too much info to digest in one reading. We are just starting with cattle and are using this book as our bible. It not only explains the many advantages of raising animals using managment intensive grazing (more profit, environmentally friendly, humane, better nutrition, ease of animal handling), it goes into great detail on HOW to do it. My husband used the chapter on fencing to select products that have received many positive comments from visitors to the farm. I especially enjoyed reading about pasture plant diversity and how cattle "harvest" it. Our cattle look (and taste) great, much to the shock of long-time cattle farmers in our community who are surprised that two greenhorns like us can do so well. We attribute our success to this book and highly recommend it.
Book Description
Starting a small-scale livestock farm? First, you need this book! Yes, you can have a prosperous farm and achieve the lifestyle of your dreams ; and farming expert Carol Ekarius will show you how. Small farms can pay big dividends, Ekarius explains, but hard work alone isn't enough: Success demands knowledge and effective management. Ekarius's natural, organic approach to livestock management produces healthier animals, reduces feed and healthcare costs, and maximizes your profit. Through case studies of successful farmers, nitty-gritty details on every facet of livestock farming, and fascinating insights for working with nature instead of against it, you'll learn to make your farm thrive. Small-Scale Livestock Farming will help you: * Determine what you want from your farming life (even if your farm is simply a few backyard animals) * Choose suitable livestock * Understand housing, fencing, and feeding needs of livestock * Learn about reproducing stock and caring for your animals' hea
Customer Reviews:
I loved this book.......2007-05-10
Small Scale LivestockFarming:... is a simple easy to read text containing a broad overview of many more topics with more depth than expected and providing numerous references for areas which the text is not indepth enough for your needs. This book had to be the best money spent on a starting source for related knowledge. It is highly recomended to anyone intested in this subject.
lots of frosting very little cake. .......2007-04-18
I was put off by the author so I had a difficult time finishing this book.
The section on biology was nothing more than an eighth grade biology course and really unnecessary.
It appears that information that would be easily gleaned from other sources was abundant but firsthand knowledge was seriously lacking.
I didn't like her double standards. She advises readers to "Feel free to mark up" (page 116). She prices her meat to rural buyers slightly higher than the local butcher but she would have raised her prices even higher if she had lived closer to urban buyers. I can understand pricing higher if you have to drive farther to get to the city but that's not the advice. Then, in a story on fighting a factory farm on pages 124 & 125 she dubs a local man "Joe Greed". According to the story he sued because he had planned to sell his land to the factory farm envisioning lots of dollars in his pockets but with the new zoning laws he wasn't able to. If he's Joe Greed then she's "Carol Greed" for wanting urbanites to pay more simply because they live in the city. I don't agree with either of them.
I wonder if she's taken to writing books on farming intended to sell to city folks who only dream of country living and will never know her advice is of little help.
It was the little things that made this book bothersome such as her advice to have a silage pile but according to the author a farmer needs lots of specialized equipment for this. In the book The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It Seymour describes how to harvest by hand. For those modern small scale farms an electric weed whacker makes it a little easier. Cut it, turn it, stack it right in the fields and cover it with a tarp, voila, a silage pile. Fence it in order to control feeding and your done, nothing special needed.
One other point that I found difficult was her statement that she followed all the guidelines to be organic but wasn't certified, but mostly she advises to call a vet. I would have excepted that advice if the author would have included some information on how to get the vet to help without the use of antibiotics. According to the author antibiotics negate an organic animal standing and it must be sold as conventional. She gives 3 or 4 treatments for ailing animals and acknowledges successes with alternative treatments even names a few but that's it. I would expect someone that was farming organically to have a wealth of knowledge and include it when writing on the subject.
Excellent Resource.......2003-10-22
My brother gave this book to me for my birthday, and it has been great. We are new to farming, and it has helped us determine how to move forward, and to plan for our operation. We're retired, but we need this to pay some income, and that is what this book is all about, making money, but doing it so you don't screw up the land. The author has lots of excellent advice not only on caring for your animals, but also on direct marketing to get a bigger share of the consumer's dollar. She writes with a down to earth style that I really appreciate.
Is This High School Biology???.......2003-08-02
I was looking for a substantial book about small-scale livestock farming, and instead I was treated to a very basic introduction to agriculture. This book would make a great high school agriculture text, but beyond that it falls short of providing any real, useful, institutional knowledge that I was looking for. For example, in the book the author reviews basic high biology concepts such as the water cycle, the food chain, and the energy pyramid. She also reminds readers how to round up or round down. And if that were not insulting enough, she then informs readers that to be a successful farmer, you must dress like a farmer; "clean bib overalls and a straw hat, or a plaid shirt, jeans, and a cowboy hat." Give me a break. Again, if you want a simplistic, new age, farming book of little practical use by an author who has less than a decade of farming experience, this book is for you. If you want a no-frills, no-fluff, useful, dirt under your nails, John Deere farmer kind of a book, I would look elsewhere and I would suggest Gene Logsdon's The Contrary Farmer.
Inspiring ............2003-05-30
I got this book only a few months ago and I must say it has been a wealth of information. I learned about toxic plants, diseases, grazing management, budgeting your opperation effiecently, and also info on different feeding scales of species. Not to mention everything on this book but it has been an eye opening experience to learn from this knowledge and then apply it to my life.
Book Description
This practical, step-by-step guide to operating a small farm in the new millennium examines 20 alternative farming enterprises. Readers will learn how to target niche markets and sustain a farm's biological and economic health.
Customer Reviews:
Good advice for serious beginners.......2007-06-15
There are lots of books written about how to grow things, how to raise animals, organics, etc. However, this is one of few on the subject of small farming that actually puts the whole picture together in terms of creating/sustaining a business and a lifestyle. The author expects that the reader is serious about surviving and thriving from his/her farming activities and shares information specific to the "business" of farming in a sensitive and ethical manner. It shouldn't be a secret that the small farmer needs to take advantage of every asset on the property year round, in addition to wearing every hat in a small business: Planning, marketing, sales, accounting, production, maintnenance, networking, etc. Excellent general information and many specifics, too. Well worth the read if you are serious about learnting to farm for profit.
It's about business, the business of farming. .......2007-03-01
This book is about the business of farming. It is not about how to produce a specific crop or livestock. There are many other books out there that cover these subjects. Some people rated this book poorly because their expectations for the book conflicted with what the book's subject is.
If you want to know about the buying equipment, how many hours of your time and how much capital you'll need to expend on various livestock or crops and how much you can expect to profit by those efforts, this is the book that will help you.
A Wise Investment for the Inquisitive, Curious Beginner.......2004-03-21
First, let me begin by saying what this book is not. This book gives zero advice to practicing small or large farmers on how to turn a profit. This book is not a how-to guide for those starting out. Nor is it a step-by-step method on how to get rich by working the land. If that were the case, then every small farmer in America would have read the book and gotten wealthy, instead of banks and other creditors foreclosing on family farms and putting them on the auctioning block.
Now, let me elaborate on what this book really is. This book is a very polite warning by two very seasoned, jaded individuals who are aware of the escapist notions and romantic fantasies many people have about farming. They have been around long enough to have become intimately familiar with the Back to the Land Movement, a Return to Simplicity, and Environmental Sustainability/Sustainable Agriculture- aka The New Improved Agriculture. It took me a while to realize this (three readings in fact!) and understand the dangers associated with one pernicious stereotype about farming.
Many of us on the sidelines believe that anyone can farm, and all it takes is a willingness to work hard (the trite saying about hard-working ditch diggers getting rich comes readily to mind). When we think of the farmer, we often have one (malicious) stereotype in mind- that of the dumb country boy with a 'gee aw shucks' outlook on farming and life. Basically, we really do not think it takes brains in order to farm successfully. I mean, after all, you take some seeds, toss in a little fertilizer of your choice, water them and come back in a few months to collect your crop and get your pesos (almost literally)- just how hard could that be?
Well, speaking as someone who is thoroughly new to farming, never once has farmed, and is inquisitive about the practice of agriculture, after considerable investigation I can tell you the prospective reader that no matter how hard they work, dumb people will not be able to stay on the farm for long. We on the sidelines do not think farming is difficult because we do not think about the Practice of Farming and the Business of Farming. If your experience of farming up to this point is shopping at your local natural foods co-op, perusing the stalls at the local weekly farmer's market, or wandering the aisles at some trendy, eco-hip retailer like Whole Foods or Wilds Oats (who have skillfully co-opted environmentalism as a path to insane riches), and you are considering going into farming as a vocation, then I do not think you will hear the polite warning contained in this book. If you are someone stuck in a dead-end or high-paying but otherwise unfulfilling career (like this reviewer), and you are seeking an out, a means of escape (what we politely but laughingly call a 'transition'), then you just might catch the polite warning consistently stated throughout this book.
Farming attracts many people not because of its business or financial aspects but because of the lifestyle many people associate with farming. If you are an MD, then you are in the business of healthcare. Your business and your lifestyle are completely different. In fact, whether your business is highly successful or modestly successful, your lifestyle could be lavish, it could be modest, or it could be parsimonious- it's up to you and your personal preferences. If you don't like your current situation, from where you work, to who you work for (read HMOs) to your clientele base, you can make a change without changing your lifestyle- too much that is.
Now here is the polite warning: if you are drawn to farming because of the lifestyle, and you turn this lifestyle into a business, then it behooves you to make damn certain that your business can pay for itself, because after all, your business is your lifestyle and your lifestyle is your business. The lifestyle will not work out if the business end does not pay. In fact, the business end may place quite severe limitations on the lifestyle you can reasonably expect to achieve, which in many cases will be well below what you are currently accustomed to. Unlike a 9 to 5 gig with some godless multinational, you can not simply just pack up and leave (this assumes implicitly that the heartless .......... have not fired you in the latest round of restructurings), and if the business end does not work out, you lose not only your lifestyle, but also your home.
For me, the true heart of the book and the real message of the text were contained in the Foreword by Budd Kerr Jr and Part I- Getting Started. In terms of content, the book contains little on the techniques of farming, and has eleven chapters divided into four parts- Getting Started, Farming, Planning and Marketing, and Management, with a handy appendix chock full of useful resources on the Business and Practice of Farming. The text is specifically pitched at a level that almost anyone can understand, and there is a noticeable bias towards the environmentally minded reader.
That said, the true purpose of this book is to get you, the prospective reader who may be thinking of getting into farming, to start thinking about the Practice of Farming and the Business of Farming, all romanticism and eco-hip verbiage aside. This book is of no use to someone who is already farming, and in need of help. The best time to read this book is before you get into farming whole hog as they say down on the farm.
Even though it took me three passes to finally get the message, I am glad that I did read it before taking any action.
Read this book several times BEFORE you venture into farming, not during or after.
Where's the beef?.......2004-02-19
I kept reading and reading looking for the exciting practical information promised by all these reviews. Then the book ended. Then I looked back at the reviews to see what I'd missed that (mis)lead me to believe there was practical information in it. They use words like 'overview' to indicate that there ain't much in the way of real meat in this book. I can sum it up in one sentence: Find yourself a niche market locally and grow what they want. If you need details about producing the product, this is not the book you're looking for.
For extensive, detailed, practical information about making money by pasturing mixed species of livestock, look at books by Joel Salatin. But even he could still bring in more complementary planting for winter forage. Greg Judy has a detailed book about making money with livestock without owning the land or the livestock.
Being a Farmer does not mean living in Poverty.......2004-01-07
I enjoyed Mr. Macher book. His realistic examples and stories on how to get started have convinced me to leave writing software and become a business man who's products are farm products.
The appendicies are great with current information about where to get more information.
His true stories boxes let you know that he understands what beginging farms needed in the way of encouragement and information to help them make the decision to farm.
He is correct when he writes "to survive as a farmer you must have a market before you start to grow and you must provide a quality product with even better customer service."
Worth the money and a pleasant read for anyone thinking about starting a business or farming.
Average customer rating:
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Range Management: Principles and Practices, Fifth Edition
Jerry L. Holechek ,
Rex D. Pieper , and
Carlton H. Herbel
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
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ASIN: 0130474754 |
Book Description
This introduction to the science of range management couples the latest concepts and technology with proven traditional approaches. It combines fundamental topics, such as range plant physiology, range plant ecology, stocking-rate considerations, and grazing system selection, with the most recent research. The volume addresses rangeland and man, range management history, rangeland physical characteristics, description of rangeland types, plant physiology, ecology, inventory and monitoring, considerations concerning stocking rate, selection of grazing methods, methods of improving livestock distribution, range animal nutrition, range livestock production, wildlife management, manipulation of range vegetation, range management in developing countries, planning, technology, and the outlook for future. For Range Conservationist, Wildlife Biologist, Natural Resource Managers, Watershed Mangers and Foresters.
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Introduction To Agribusiness Marketing
George J. Seperich ,
Michael W. Woolverton , and
James Beierlein
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0134863828 |
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