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Edible Forest Gardens (2 volume set) | 
| Authors: Dave Jacke, Eric Toensmeier
Publisher: Chelsea Green
Category: Book
List Price: $150.00
Buy New: $94.50
You Save: $55.50 (37%)
New (17) Used (6) from $94.50
Avg. Customer Rating:  6 reviews
Sales Rank: 19775
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 2
Pages: 1068
Shipping Weight (lbs): 6.4
Dimensions (in): 10.4 x 8.3 x 2.8
ISBN: 1890132608
Dewey Decimal Number: 635.09152
EAN: 9781890132606
ASIN: 1890132608
Publication Date: November 15, 2005
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Product Description
Edible Forest Gardens is a groundbreaking two-volume work that spells out and explores the key concepts of forest ecology and applies them to the needs of natural gardeners in temperate climates. Volume I lays out the vision of the forest garden and explains the basic ecological principles that make it work. In Volume II, Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier move on to practical considerations:concrete ways to design, establish, and maintain your own forest garden. Along the way they present case studies and examples, as well as tables, illustrations, and a uniquely valuable "plant matrix" that lists hundreds of the best edible and useful species.
Taken together, the two volumes of Edible Forest Gardens offer an advanced course in ecological gardening-one that will forever change the way you look at plants and your environment.
What is an edible forest garden?
An edible forest garden is a perennial polyculture of multipurpose plants. Most plants regrow every year without replanting: perennials. Many species grow together: a polyculture. Each plant contributes to the success of the whole by fulfilling many functions: multipurpose. In other words, a forest garden is an edible ecosystem, a consciously designed community of mutually beneficial plants and animals intended for human food production. Edible forest gardens provide more than just a variety of foods. The seven F's apply here: food, fuel, fiber, fodder, fertilizer, and "farmaceuticals," as well as fun. A beautiful, lush environment can be a conscious focus of your garden design, or a side benefit you enjoy
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
Great mix of theory and practical! Very thorough! September 19, 2008
I bought the books to understand the practical aspects of building a forest garden on my 2 acre land. I started reading the vol 2 because that seemed to contain the practical advice. However, soon after, I became convinced that vol 1 can not be ignored. Now I have read vol 1 and am truly in awe of the authors' clarity of thinking and organizing the vast amounts of material and data. The theory is clear and up-to-date with vast recent scientific knowledge- a rare combination indeed.
My only advice to a beginning reader would be to read the last part (conclusion) of vol 1 before and in between the various chapters in order to maintain motivation and interest in the overly theoretical- but necessarily so- parts of vol 1. That chapter really ties the theory together with your reasons of going into such details as are presented.I found in that chapter my "aha" moment.
Thanks to the authors for these wonderful and helpful books. Are worth their weight in gold- or rich moist forest humus!
Thorough, thorough, thorough April 24, 2008
These books are very thorough. They take you through all the processes you need to get your garden started, and they provide many perennial garden design methods. There are plenty of charts and graphs in each book which help tremendously with making complete sense of the material.
The second volume is about double the size of Volume One. My only real issue with this set is that Volume One is in color and Volume Two is black and white. Is this a big deal? Not really. Though, if I had the option of paying ten dollars to swap out Volume Two in black and white for a color version, I would.
These two books could keep you busy for quite some time... August 23, 2007
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
It's really amazing how much information the authors have compiled on the subject matter they cover. Which, by the way, has to to with creating forest gardens, but with so much more as well, and in incredible depth.
These two books can provide one with material to study for a long time and be a reference source forever.
PermaCulture for Temp. climates!! June 14, 2007
2 out of 6 found this review helpful
This book is a must for anyone who wants a future on this planet, especially in temperate climates
Excellent for anyone hoping to get a handle on sustainable agriculture January 3, 2007
19 out of 19 found this review helpful
As a graduate of a Permaculture Design Course, organic farm worker and someone generally interested in virtually all aspect of sustainable ag, I found this book incredible. Now, I've only read the first one (about to start on volume number 2), but the quality of information in the first volume in outstanding. Volume 1 is concerned with the theory behind forest gardening, but with a keen eye towards using that information in the second volume (which includes detailed information on actually creating a forest garden). David Jacke does a great job of covering everything from invasive plants to forest succession to what a guild is and how to build one to underground microbes and why we should care about them. Full of informative figures, graphs and sidebars, this book does an excellent job of filling a niche that has been otherwise missed by many permaculture and sustainable ag books - what to do in the more temperate, rainy parts of the world. I'd recommend this book over Patrick Whitfield's great book if you live in the U.S. because it suggests a variety of plants native to the U.S. and has a larger number of useful species for people who live in the U.S. and are dealing with colder temperatures than those seen in Britain. Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone with the slightest interest in creating an edible landscape on a piece of property.
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