Best of
Agriculture

1994

The Contrary Farmer


Gene Logsdon - 1994
    One of Logsdon's principle contrarieties is the opinion that--popular images of the vanishing American farmer, notwithstanding--greater numbers of people in the U.S. will soon be growing and raising a greater share of their own food than at any time since the last century. Instead of vanishing, more and more farmers will be cottage farming, part-time. This detailed and personal account of how Logsdon's family uses the art and science of agriculture to achieve a reasonably happy and ecologically sane way of life in an example for all who seek a sustainable lifestyle. In The Contrary Farmer, Logsdon offers the tried-and-true, practical advice of a manual for the cottage farmer, as well as the subtler delights of a meditation in praise of work and pleasure. The Contrary Farmer will give its readers tools and tenets, but also hilarious commentaries and beautiful evocations of the Ohio countryside that Logsdon knows as his place in the universe.

From Eco-Cities to Living Machines: Principles of Ecological Design


Nancy Jack Todd - 1994
    Since 1969 with the founding of New Alchemy Institute on Cape Cod, the Todds have become known world-wide for their leadership in the restoration of pure water, bioremediation of wild aquatic environments, food production, and urban design. In this new book, the Todds further develop the idea of Eco-cities, designs for integrating agriculture and flowing pure water into green urban settings and introduce Living Machines, a family of technologies for purifying wastewaters to tertiary quality effluent without chemicals. Provocative and grounded firmly in the principles of biodiversity, the Todds' work encompasses site-specific technological interventions and systems-wide ecological planners and designers, environmental economists, and systems-based engineers working to change the way we utilize production, technology, water and energy.

Roger Vergé's Vegetables in the French Style


Roger Vergé - 1994
    Former proprietor of the world famous Moulin de Mougins in the south of France near Cannes, a restaurant with two stars in the Michelin guide, he was not content to leave vegetables where they are so often consigned by classical French cuisine--as a garnish to accompany meats or fish--but explored all their culinary possibilities. The result is "Roger Vergé's Vegetables in the French Style, " a tribute to his love affair with vegetables. It contains 150 recipes for sauces, soups, salads, gratins, terrines, and other ways of bringing out the natural goodness of high-quality produce. Recipe headnotes and sidebars add scores of exciting cooking and serving ideas, encouraging improvisation. Section introductions provide important advice on how to choose the best vegetables in the market. An extensive appendix details the classic methods of vegetable cookery--poaching, sweating, braising, frying, and baking--as well as today's favored methods--steaming, stir-frying, and grilling. One hundred color photographs show elegant and simple finished dishes as well as succulent fresh vegetables.

Mountains and Plains: The Ecology of Wyoming Landscapes


Dennis H. Knight - 1994
    This book by an eminent ecologist presents in word and photograph the ecology of this beautiful area. Dennis H. Knight begins by introducing the diverse environments in the region and their geologic history. He then discusses the landscapes along streams and rivers, the lowland plains and basins, the foothills and mountains, and three regions of special interest - Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and the Black Hills and Bear Lodge Mountains. He concludes by explaining land use constraints and opportunities in the region. Throughout the book, Knight considers plant ecology, plant-animal interactions, geologic influences, nutrient cycling, land management, and disturbances such as fires and insect epidemics. More than 150 photographs, maps, and line drawings illustrate ecological processes and landscape patterns. A remarkable synthesis of information on land management, ecosystem science, and plant and animal adaptation, the book will be of interest to naturalists as well as to ecologists and professional land managers.