New Books!

New to the bookshelf!

I was at a Christmas craft sale and happened to spy a box of books.

The sign on the box read 3 for $1...

how can you beat that?!?!

I sorted through the box to find a couple of treats.

Firstly I found a book called "Vegetables from a Country Garden" by Anstace and Larry Esmonde-White.

This book excited me because these folks are gardening in Kemptville, Ontario.

I get excited when I find a book that illustrates gardening in my region.

You come across so many gardening books, but if they are offering advise from another region than you're in...than the advise given isn't worth a lot to you.

While the knowledge and methods may work for their region, 

it isn't going to work for you.

Keep that in mind when you are thumbing through gardening books.

I was so excited to read this book.

That was, until I saw one sad picture that made me reconsider the whole book.

It shows the lovely Anstace with gloves and mask, hosing down her garden with pesticides.

While I admit, there are a lot of good suggestions in this book, that one photo made

me reconsider using this book at all.

How can you trust the other pieces of advise, knowing that she sprays her garden?

That brings me to the glory of the second book!

I have been wanting to get a hold of a copy of this book for some time now.
"Carrots Love Tomatoes" by Louise Riotte.

This book discusses companion planting.
There are a ton of reasons why you would want to know more about companion planting!
Certain plants grow better when planted next to each other.
Certain plants keep pests away from their neighbouring plants.
It also discusses what plants do not like other plants.
Some plants have nutritional requirements that differ from others,
so planting them next to those other plants would result in a less-than-bumper crop.

I must admit, I had heard about an old Native practice called "The Three Sisters".
It involves planting corn first, then beans and the squash at the bottom.
I never truly understood the rationale behind the practice though.
(I thought it was all about saving space, honestly)
Just a quick reading of this book quickly explained most of it!
The beans provide protection for the corn from raccoons,
the squash keep weeds down and keep moisture in the ground for the corn.
The corn provides shade for the squash and a natural structure for the beans to climb.
Some plants, like dill or sunflowers, can keep pests away from your crops too!

You can bet that by the end of winter, "Carrots Love Tomatoes" will be dog eared, scribbled upon and probably be almost falling apart!

I would love to maximize my yield!
To improve the quality and quantity of my harvest sounds ideal!
So I believe I will be adding this book to the permanent resource shelf.

Now as for the former book...I'm still on the fence.
While I love reading about gardening in my area...I don't believe I should have to gas my food.

Stay tuned for more "novel" insights...sorry couldn't help it.


What resource books have your discovered lately?