Assuming no previous knowledge, the book explains how solar panels work, how they can be used and explains the steps you need to take to successfully design and install a solar photovoltaic system from scratch. Accompanying this book is a solar resource website containing lots of useful information, lists of suppliers and on-line solar energy calculators that will simplify the cost analysis and design processes.

    

    The first tender asparagus of spring, the juicy peaches of summer, the sweet butternut squash of autumn, bright winter citrus fruits: local farmstands invariably have the best-tasting produce available each season. Williams-Sonoma "Cooking from the Farmers' Market" will show you how easy and satisfying it is to practice "farm-to-table cooking" in your own home. Recipes span all courses of a meal from mouthwatering appetizers such as crisp bruschetta with spicy broccoli rabe; starters such as lemony mixed bean salad or creamy cauliflower soup; main dishes like decadent tomato and mozzarella tart or juicy pork tenderloin topped with tangy rhubarb chutney; and to end the meal, tender cornmeal shortcake piled with fragrant strawberries or luscious sour cherry pie.The book opens with an information-packed section that includes tips for shopping and seasonal produce buying charts. Complete descriptions of over 100 vegetables and fruits--from beans and peas to leafy greens to berries and stone fruits--provide information on the peak season for each, as well as how to select, store, and work with all your favorites.Three simple recipes follow the description of a vegetable or fruit, with each carefully crafted recipe using only a handful of other ingredients in order to showcase the produce at its best. With this book as a guide, you'll know exactly how to put delicious, seasonal meals on your table throughout the year. Filled with lavish photographs and more than 245 inspiring recipes written by seasoned experts, this book drives home the notion that, when you choose the best quality ingredients, little effort is needed in the kitchen to help them shine.This essential guide to produce illuminates how to identify, select, and prepare over 100 types of fruits and vegetables fresh from the market, with more than 245 recipes, including one for each ingredient. Enjoying a farmers' market meal is only three steps away: shop for what's fresh; cook with inspiration from these pages; and eat the delicious results.- Features over 100 types of fruits and vegetables- More than 245 recipes for every course showcasing seasonal flavors- Tips for shopping at the farmers' market- Guide to selecting and storing fresh produce

          The traditional foods movement is a fad-free approach to cooking and eating that emphasizes nutrient-dense, real food, and values quality, environment, and community over the convenience of processed, additive-laden products that are the norm on grocery store shelves.      Based on the research of Weston A. Price, who studied the diets of indigenous peoples to understand the relationship between nutrition and health, a traditional foods diet avoids processed ingredients, but allows meat, animal fat, and grains. It embraces cultured dairy, such as kefir and yogurt, that contain beneficial bacteria; fermented foods, such as sauerkraut  and kombucha, that are rich in probiotics; and organ meats that are packed with vitamins and minerals. It also celebrates locally grown foods. By choosing ingredients from nearby sources, you create a stronger connection to your food, and have a better understanding what you’re eating and how it was produced.      In The Nourished Kitchen, Jennifer McGruther guides you through her traditional foods kitchen and offers more than 160 recipes inspired by  the seasons, land, and waters around her. In the morning, fuel up with Eggs Poached in Fiery Tomato Sauce. On a hot summer day, Cucumber Salad with Dill and Kefir is a cooling side dish, and on a chilly fall evening, Barley in Broth with Bacon and Kale offers comfort and warmth. Old-Fashioned Meat Loaf with Gravy makes a hearty family meal, while Chicken in Riesling with Peas can be the centerpiece of an elegant supper. Satisfy your sweet tooth with Maple-Roasted Pears, and quench your thirst with naturally fermented Vanilla Mint Soda. With the benefit of Jennifer’s experience, you can craft a loaf of Whole Wheat and Spelt Sourdough Bread and stock your kitchen with Spiced Sour Pickles with Garlic.     The Nourished Kitchen not only teaches how to prepare wholesome, nourishing foods,  but also encourages a mindful approach cooking and a celebration of old-world culinary traditions that have sustained healthy people for millennia. Whether you’re already a practitioner of the traditional foods lifestyle or simply trying to incorporate more natural, highly nutritious foods into your routine, you will find plenty to savor in The Nourished Kitchen.

    Like the previous editions, this one tells you how you can make maple syrup right in your own backyard without having to build a sap house or buy buckets, holding tanks, evaporators and other expensive paraphernalia. Provides detailed "how-to" information, and makes some new and noteworthy revelations-including tips sugarers across the country have shared with the author.

    Sparkling with playful ideas inspired by her children, this wildly imaginative collection will tickle kids of all ages. Choose from more than 25 irresistible toys that stitch up quickly Catch Ana's creative zaniness--put a grin on a silly hot dog, stitch a princess frog with a water-lily throne, make mom and baby koalas, create a tugboat, and more Find step-by-step instructions, great photos, and lots of funny friendsVideo

    These are smart concepts you'll grasp in a single glance and brief caption: shortcuts and quick pick-me-ups, artful displays, visual tricks that create a sense of space, “sneaky” storage to clear the clutter, and simple DIY projects (like crafting a bed canopy with ready-made curtains). All the suggestions are practical, pretty, and easy to implement.

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    You’ll love Adrianna Adarme’s easy-to-follow instructions and will enjoy getting lost in her warm and comforting photographs. Organized by the months of the year and by categories as “Live,” “Do,” and “Make, ” this book offers ideas for activities, recipes, and DIY projects that make the little moments in life just as exciting as the big. Adarme gives us special (but totally doable) things we can do for others and ourselves. From quick recipes to easy crafts, she focuses on simple, inexpensive undertakings that have a big reward: happiness. The Year of Cozy will surely inspire you to march into your kitchen and craft closet to make something you can truly be proud of.

    With 90 meals, each fully photographed showing the portion sizes for vegetables, protein, and starches (plus extras), eating healthy is easy: just fill your plate!

    D. Lenzen shows how to tie knots like no others. Just as origami figurines are created through the merging of different folding techniques, he creates new knots by combining historical knot elements and new knotting techniques. The product of this intermingling is what he calls a fusion knot — a brand new genre of knot in a centuries-old tradition. It is rare for a knot book to feature even one brand new, never-before-seen knot, but Decorative Fusion Knots features more than 20 brand-new knots created by the author. Decorative Fusion Knots is the culmination of ten years of study, practice, and creation. The knots within were inspired by history, nature, mythology, and more. Many of these incredible knots have never been presented or described publicly, until now. Never before has a knot book presented a step-by-step format to tying brand new knots like this in full-color. Alongside fusion knots, this book presents logical and comprehensive instructions for a plethora of historical knots, including Celtic knots, Chinese decorative knots, maritime knots, and popular paracord ties. Each historical knot instruction is presented in step-by-step fashion. Each of the 300 step-by-step color photographs is accompanied with clear, concise instructional captions. Whether you’re a sailor, teacher, jewelry maker, survivalist, general knot enthusiast, or just looking for bush crafts, paracord ties, a curriculum for students, or a fun way to pass the time, Decorative Fusion Knots is the book for you. With easy-to-understand captions and clear step-by-step photos, readers can learn at their own pace, review whole techniques at a single glance and simply lay the book flat on the table and follow along as they tie.

    Time-tested advice on how to cure the meat by smoking or salting helps you preserve your harvest. A final section explains how to make sausages. Numerous mouth-watering recipes are included.

    They're bringing back an American tradition: raising their own backyard chickens for eggs and companionship. And they care about the quality of life of their chickens. Fresh Eggs Daily is an authoritative, accessible guide to coops, nesting boxes, runs, breeding, feed, and natural health care with time-tested remedies.  The author promotes the benefits of keeping chickens happy and well-occupied, and in optimal health, free of chemicals and antibiotics. She emphasizes the therapeutic value of herbs and natural supplements to maintaining a healthy environment for your chickens. Includes many "recipes" and  8 easy DIY projects for the coop and run. Full color photos throughout. The USDA's new study of urban chicken raising sees a 400% increase in backyard chickens over the next 5 years, driven by younger adults.

    Each knot is shown in a close-up photograph with clear step-by-step diagrams showing how they are tied. Starting with the basics, the knots progress on to more complicated and complex designs, but the clear diagrams make it a cinch to follow along. This invaluable guidebook covers the different types of threads or cords available, and shows a range of clasps and other findings and beads to use in your knotwork. It also includes tons of expert tips like how to set up your work board or how to keep track of the cord ends for less confusion. Thirty-three projects featured in the book range from simple jewelry like a classic friendship bracelet and watch straps to more complex ones like bags and baskets.

    You need this book. Give plants a chance.Help your plant live with survival tips and learn the simple ways not to kill your plants.With over 50 different types of popular houseplants, How Not to Kill Your Houseplant summarizes what type of care your plants do (or don't) need. Be on the lookout for warning signs of a sick plant, from brown spots to crispy leaves, and make sure you take the proper action to rescue your plant.Learn the basics of horticulture, from watering your plant to what kind of soil it should be placed in to how much light it needs every day to if a certain type of plant will thrive in your living space. Find out how to keep a cactus alive, where to hang air plants, and how to repot succulents.Full of helpful tips, pictures, and informational panels, How Not to Kill Your Houseplant will turn your home into a beautiful greenhouse of healthy, happy plants.