Read SmallScale Grain Raising An Organic Guide to Growing Processing and Using Nutritious Whole Grains for Home Gardeners and Local Farmers 2nd Edition Gene Logsdon Jerry O'Brien 9781603580779 Books
First published in 1977, this book—from one of America’s most famous and prolific agricultural writers—became an almost instant classic among homestead gardeners and small farmers. Now fully updated and available once more, Small-Scale Grain Raising offers a entirely new generation of readers the best introduction to a wide range of both common and lesser-known specialty grains and related field crops, from corn, wheat, and rye to buckwheat, millet, rice, spelt, flax, and even beans and sunflowers.
More and more Americans are seeking out locally grown foods, yet one of the real stumbling blocks to their efforts has been finding local sources for grains, which are grown mainly on large, distant corporate farms. At the same time, commodity prices for grains—and the products made from them—have skyrocketed due to rising energy costs and increased demand. In this book, Gene Logsdon proves that anyone who has access to a large garden or small farm can (and should) think outside the agribusiness box and learn to grow healthy whole grains or beans—the base of our culinary food pyramid—alongside their fruits and vegetables.
Starting from the simple but revolutionary concept of the garden “pancake patch,” Logsdon opens up our eyes to a whole world of plants that we wrongly assume only the agricultural “big boys” can grow. He succinctly covers all the basics, from planting and dealing with pests, weeds, and diseases to harvesting, processing, storing, and using whole grains. There are even a few recipes sprinkled throughout, along with more than a little wit and wisdom.
Never has there been a better time, or a more receptive audience, for this book. Localvores, serious home gardeners, CSA farmers, and whole-foods advocates—in fact, all people who value fresh, high-quality foods—will find a field full of information and ideas in this once and future classic.
Read SmallScale Grain Raising An Organic Guide to Growing Processing and Using Nutritious Whole Grains for Home Gardeners and Local Farmers 2nd Edition Gene Logsdon Jerry O'Brien 9781603580779 Books
"Thank goodness, we can now put our 32-year-old copy of this book out to pasture; it is falling apart at the seams. We bought a copy from a used bookseller about 5 years ago, and have used it to formulate an approach for small-scale grain raising. Our old book has become considerably more threadbare than it already was.
This book introduces grain growing to the gardener or small-acreage homesteader. It offers many options for expediently producing and using grains (for both human and animal consumption) without needing to own the big iron usually associated with grain farming. It brings out the character of each type of grain as well as how to grow, harvest, and use it. And it introduces some grains that many gardeners might not be familiar with. There are great descriptions of hand tools which are no longer in use commercially, but which can still be quite useful to the small-scale grain producer.
On top of that, the book is well written and a pleasure to read. This is one of our most treasured homesteading reference books."
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Tags : Small-Scale Grain Raising An Organic Guide to Growing, Processing, and Using Nutritious Whole Grains for Home Gardeners and Local Farmers, 2nd Edition [Gene Logsdon, Jerry O'Brien] on . First published in 1977, this book—from one of America’s most famous and prolific agricultural writers—became an almost instant classic among homestead gardeners and small farmers. Now fully updated and available once more,Gene Logsdon, Jerry O'Brien,Small-Scale Grain Raising An Organic Guide to Growing, Processing, and Using Nutritious Whole Grains for Home Gardeners and Local Farmers, 2nd Edition,Chelsea Green Publishing,1603580778,Cookery (Cereals),Farms, Small,Farms, Small.,Grain,Grain.,Organic farming,Organic farming.,Agriculture - Sustainable Agriculture,Farming Homesteading,GARDENING / Organic,Gardening / Horticulture,How-to/Do-it-yourself,Non-Fiction,Organic,Organic gardening,SCI/TECH,Science/Math,Science/Mathematics,Sustainable agriculture,TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING / Agriculture / Sustainable Agriculture,Technology Engineering,Technology Engineering/Agriculture - Sustainable Agriculture,United States,small scale; small scale grain raising; farming; homestead; homesteading; gardening; corn; wheat; rye; buckwheat; millet rice; flax; beans; agriculture; sunflowers; organic,Gardening / Vegetables
SmallScale Grain Raising An Organic Guide to Growing Processing and Using Nutritious Whole Grains for Home Gardeners and Local Farmers 2nd Edition Gene Logsdon Jerry O'Brien 9781603580779 Books Reviews :
SmallScale Grain Raising An Organic Guide to Growing Processing and Using Nutritious Whole Grains for Home Gardeners and Local Farmers 2nd Edition Gene Logsdon Jerry O'Brien 9781603580779 Books Reviews
- Gene Logsdon's "Small Scale Grain Raising" is less useful as a practical guide than might have been hoped.
The text is not well-structured, and is as much memoir as instructive treatise. The quality of the descriptions of the different types of crops and their cultures varies rather widely. Discussions of specific grains frequently veer off into tangential anecdote, and skip over basic, important information. A more methodical approach could have imparted better guidance to a novice.
The book's apparent intended audience oscillates between established farmer and small-scale gardener, but generally places greater emphasis on larger tracts of land with extensive livestock holdings. Esoteric agricultural terms and practices are assumed to be understood on the part of the reader. An illustrated glossary of some phrases is included at the end of the book, but this section should have been expanded and placed at the beginning in order to properly orient those unfamiliar with the material.
The 2008 edition includes multiple references to the author's decision to intentionally excise factual material that had been included in the book's original edition; he chose to do so because he wanted to make the new edition more entertaining, and because he believes that the deleted information is now available on the Internet for whomever wishes to search for it. This reviewer would have personally preferred for Mr. Logsdon to leave in the useful facts, and to instead omit the numerous random and unappealing recipes that conclude each section (and which typically utilize a quantity of wheat flour larger than that of whatever particular grain is supposedly being highlighted).
Despite this book's failings, bits of practical information can be gleaned among the pages of extraneous rambling. If nothing else, it may help an aspiring farmer to broaden his or her notions of the range of possibilities with respect to grain production. - I didn't think this book was of much help to me as someone interested in very small grain production. The author talks a lot about big machinery and acres to be something I relate to. He also seems to assume the reader can go to a grain elevator or a feed mill. I have access to neither, being in Florida. ( Of course, I'm accustomed to having to translate everything to Florida's terms.) I am currently reading "Homegrown Whole Grains" by Sara Pitzer, and it seems to be geared more to my scale. Both books give good basic coverage of different grains, how to grow them, and recipes for their use. I did enjoy Mr. Logsdon's style of writing, and I hope to read more of his books. I just hope I will be able to put them into perspective for my own homestead's applications.
- Thank goodness, we can now put our 32-year-old copy of this book out to pasture; it is falling apart at the seams. We bought a copy from a used bookseller about 5 years ago, and have used it to formulate an approach for small-scale grain raising. Our old book has become considerably more threadbare than it already was.
This book introduces grain growing to the gardener or small-acreage homesteader. It offers many options for expediently producing and using grains (for both human and animal consumption) without needing to own the big iron usually associated with grain farming. It brings out the character of each type of grain as well as how to grow, harvest, and use it. And it introduces some grains that many gardeners might not be familiar with. There are great descriptions of hand tools which are no longer in use commercially, but which can still be quite useful to the small-scale grain producer.
On top of that, the book is well written and a pleasure to read. This is one of our most treasured homesteading reference books. - I confess to being a child of the 60's, sat in line during gas rationing in the 70's (were your license plates odd or even numbered; which day was your gas day?) and once again, the cost of living is far outrunning my paycheck. I did not read the first book, but I am so glad I did read this one!
Right off the bat, the author states that this "revised edition" has most of the "hot air" taken out. The Internet puts a lot of current and updated information at your fingertips. Easy access via Internet searches, which the author repeatedly recommends, makes contacting local groups for seeds cleaning services and agricultural support for the small farmer, the easiest thing to do... You are left with a book full of great information, recipes, planting estimates and advice that is timeless. This is for the back yard/smaller grower who wants to make really fresh food from their own grain, feed a chicken or two and in general get back in touch with the land..you know, become self sustaining.
When I first started this book, I though the author was exaggerating, being too much a gloom and doom Gus. HOWEVER, with the ever changing state of the world, the rising cost of oil, and also food stuffs, perhaps we should listen. It just might benefit us all to learn how to grow our own! If that is what you want, then you've come to the right place starting with this book! - I refer back to this periodically although we have not yet grown grain. Would like to see a cool proof way to winnow buckwheat to remove the cracked seed (to use the whole seed for sprouting without having a lot off rotting, cracked dead seed).
- I found this book very well written and extremely informative. I initially had reservation about ordering this book because of the reviews that stated it was not written for small gardeners. I found this to be untrue. Whether you are spreading the seed by hand or grain drill and harvesting by hand sickle or combine, you will find a wealth of information in this book. If you are looking to add an excellent book on Grain to your personal library shelf, this is it. If you need more basic information, try Carla Emery's "Encylopedia of Country living".
- I just started reading this book. There is so far not a page without yellow highlighting! This is one of those guides that will be kept in my library for my children and grandchildren. Thank you so much.