Sustainable Production:
Grower Resource List

Compiled by Debbie Roos, Agricultural Extension Agent.

 

Books and other Publications

Note: Unless otherwise noted, the books listed below are readily available from bookstores.

General Production

Soil and Fertility Management

  • Fertile Soil: A Grower's Guide to Organic & Inorganic Fertilizers, by Robert Parnes

  • Organic Soil Amendments and Fertilizers, by David E. Chaney and Laurie E. Drinkwater; University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program publication; to order, call 1-800-994-8849, email danrcs@ucdavis.edu or visit the UC SARE Publications web site

  • Building Soils for Better Crops, by Fred Magdoff and Harold van Es, Sustainable Agriculture Network

  • Soil Biology Primer, by E.R. Ingham, A.R. Moldenke, and C. Edwards;
    to order call 1-800-THE-SOIL, or e-mail pubs@swcs.org

  • On-Farm Composting Handbook, edited by Robert Rynk, Cornell University; to order call 607-255-7654, or e-mail the NRAES

  • The Soul of Soil: a Soil-Building Guide for Master Gardeners and Farmers, by Grace Gershuny and Joseph Smillie

  • The Rodale Book of Composting, by Deborah L. Martin and Grace Gershuny


Cover Crops

Pest Management

  • Pests of the Garden and Small Farm: A Grower's Guide to Using Less Pesticide, Second Edition , by Mary Louise Flint

  • Natural Enemies Handbook: The Illustrated Guide to Biological Pest Control, by Mary Louise Flint and Steve Dreistadt

  • The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control, edited by Barbara W. Ellis and Fern Marshall Bradley

  • Biological Control of Insects and Mites: an Introduction to Beneficial Natural Enemies and Their Use in Pest Management, by Daniel L. Mahr and Nino M. Ridgway, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Enhancing Biological Control: Habitat Management to Promote Natural Enemies of Agricultural Pests, edited by C.H. Pickett and R.L. Bugg
  • Conservation Biological Control, edited by Pedro Barbosa
  • Garden Insects of North America, by Whitney Cranshaw
  • Insects and Gardens, by Eric Grissell
  • A Field Guide to the Insects, by Donald J. Borror and Richard E. White
  • Simon & Schuster’s Guide to Insects, by Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Richard L. Jacques
  • Insects: their Natural History and Diversity – with a Photographic Guide to Insects of Eastern North America, by Stephen A. Marshall
  • Steel in the Field: A Farmer's Guide to Weed Management Tools, edited by Greg Bowman

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Marketing

  • The New Farmers' Market: Farm Fresh Ideas for Producers, Managers, and Communities, by Vance Corum, Marcie Rosenzweig, and Eric Gibson
  • Sell What You Sow: the Grower's Guide to Successful Produce Marketing, by Eric Gibson
  • Sharing the Harvest: a Guide to Community Supported Agriculture, by Elizabeth Henderson
  • Farms of Tomorrow Revisited: Community Supported Farms, Farm Supported Communities, by Trauger Groh and Steven McFadden
  • Community Supported Agriculture...Making the Connection, by University of California Cooperative Extension Placer County and Small Farm Center, UC Davis; contact UC Cooperative Extension at 916-889-7385, or email ceplacer@ucdavis.edu to order

Vegetable Production

  • Knott's Handbook for Vegetable Growers, 4th edition, by Donald N. Maynard and George J. Hochmuth
  • How to Grow More Vegetables, by John Jeavons
  • Seed to Seed: Saving our Vegetable Heritage, by Suzanne Ashworth

  • Heirloom Vegetable Gardening: A Master Gardener's Guide to Planting, Seed Saving, and Cultural History, by William Woys Weaver

  • Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties, by Carol Deppe
  • 100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden, by Carolyn Male
  • Sustainable Vegetable Production from Start-up to Market, by Vernon Grubinger

  • Growing Great Garlic: The Definitive Guide for Organic Gardeners and Small Farmers, by Ron L. Engeland


Herb Production

  • Herbs for Sale, by Lee Sturdivant

  • Growing and Selling Fresh-Cut Herbs, by Sandie Shores
  • Medicinal Herbs in the Garden, Field, and Marketplace, by Lee Sturdivant and Tim Blakley


Fruit Production

  • Old Southern Apples, by Lee Calhoun (Chatham County apple grower!); order from the author by calling 919-542-4480
  • The Apple Grower: A Guide for the Organic Orchardist, by Michael Phillips


Cut Flower Production

  • Specialty Cut Flowers, by Allan Armitage
  • The Flower Farmer: an Organic Grower's Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers, by Lynn Byczynski
  • We're Gonna Be Rich: Growing Specialty Cut Flowers for Market, by Frank and Pamela Arnosky
  • Field Grown Cut Flowers: A Practical Guide and Sourcebook, by Alan Stevens
  • Flowers for Sale, by Lee Sturdivant
  • Cut Flower Quarterly, ASCFG Newsletter; to subscribe, call ASCFG at 440-774-2887 or email ascfg@oberlin.net


Small-scale Livestock

  • A Conservation Breeding Handbook, by Carolyn Christman and D. Phillip Sponenberg; to order, call American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) at 919-542-5704 or order on-line.
  • A Rare Breeds Album of American Livestock, by Carolyn Christman, D. Phillip Sponenberg, and Donald Bixby; to order, call American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) at 919-542-5704 or order on-line.
  • Chicken Tractor: the Gardener's Guide to Happy Hens and Healthy Soil, by Andy Lee and Patricia Foreman; to order, call American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) at 919-542-5704 or order on-line.
  • The Book of Geese: a Complete Guide to Raising the Home Flock, by David Holderread; to order, call American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) at 919-542-5704 or order on-line.
  • Guides from Storey - guide books for raising beef cattle, ducks, chickens, turkeys, pigs, and horses; to order, call American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) at 919-542-5704 or order on-line.
  • May Safely Graze: Protecting Livestock Against Predators, by Eugene L. Fytche; to order, call American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) at 919-542-5704 or order on-line.

  • Wild Predators? Not in my Backyard!, by Eugene L. Fytche; to order, call Fytche Enterprises at 613-256-1798 or email Eugene Fytche.
  • Fences for Pasture and Garden, by Gail Damerow; to order, call American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) at 919-542-5704 or order on-line.
  • Salad Bar Beef, by Joel Salatin
  • Pastured Poultry Profits, by Joel Salatin


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This document is a partial list of resources for growers and does not imply endorsement by North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, or North Carolina Cooperative Extension of any of the companies, products, or organizations listed.

This page last updated August 17, 2008.

 

 

North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Chatham County Center
P.O. Box 279, Pittsboro, NC 27312
919-542-8202

Website created and maintained by Debbie Roos, Agricultural Extension Agent.

URL: www.growingsmallfarms.org

North Carolina Cooperative Extension is an educational partnership helping people put research-based
knowledge to work for economic prosperity, environmental stewardship and an improved quality of life.