Manual of Seed Saving by
From the publisher: "This guide brings together the experience of experts in the field who have found, through careful trialing, how to reliably maximize seed quality and yield for more than 100 crop plants. Clear information on critical issues such as pollination, isolation distances, cultivation, harvest, storage, and pests and diseases is provided."
Seed Libraries and Other Means of Keeping Seeds in the Hands of People by
Cindy Connor's _Seed Libraries_ is a handbook for organizing and running a seed library, including subjects such as finding seeds, partnering with other organizations, and attracting patrons.
Seed Underground: a Growing Revolution to Save Food by
Essayist and naturalist Janisse Ray combines narrative with research to argue for local agriculture, explaining that while "seeds are only a small part of life," they nevertheless, "represent everything else."
The Food Sharing Revolution by
Marvin is a contract hog farmer in Iowa. He owns his land, his barn, his tractor, and his animal crates. He has seen profits drop steadily for the last twenty years and feels trapped. Josh is a dairy farmer on a cooperative in Massachusetts. He doesn't own his cows, his land, his seed, or even all of his equipment. Josh has a healthy income and feels like he's made it. In The Food Sharing Revolution, Michael Carolan tells the stories of traditional producers like Marvin, who are being squeezed by big agribusiness, and entrepreneurs like Josh, who are bucking the corporate food system. The difference is Josh has eschewed the burdens of individual ownership and is tapping into the sharing economy. Josh and many others are sharing tractors, seeds, kitchen space, their homes, and their cultures. They are business owners like Dorothy, who opened her bakery with the help of a no-interest, crowd-sourced loan. They are chefs like Camilla, who introduces diners to her native Colombian cuisine through peer-to-peer meal sharing. Their success is not only good for aspiring producers, but for everyone who wants an alternative to monocrops and processed foods. The key to successful sharing, Carolan shows, is actually sharing. He warns that food, just like taxis or hotels, can be co-opted by moneyed interests. But when collaboration is genuine, the sharing economy can offer both producers and eaters freedom, even sovereignty. The result is a healthier, more sustainable, and more ethical way to eat.
