Homesweet Homegrown: How to Grow, Make and Store Food, No Matter Where You Live by Robyn Jasko

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There really is no shortage of gardening books out there. I have checked out dozens from the library, usually for a quick skim for tips and ideas. Many times I get overwhelmed with the sheer amount of information, stuff that as a newbie I have no point of reference to even give meaning to.

I just found this garden-tip book and I think it’s one I’ll buy (I have a tiny collection so far. Most books get returned to the library after I jot down a few relevant notes that I MIGHT use one day).

I like this book because it’s tiny. I can skim through it in 20-30 minutes. It has all the good stuff: tips on specific plants, simple projects for the garden, practical tips and natural sprays that are easily made at home, and even…drumroll…recipes for EATING! I am a sucker for garden books that include recipes. I guess because I love to cook, I love to garden, and I can’t see how the two are separate. The recipes have enough of a twist from the usual (including a method for kraut that seems simpler than any method I’ve seen so far) to have me intrigued and ready to try them out.

Since I can read this book in one sitting, maybe if I read it enough times, the information will stick and I can give the impression I know what I’m talking about. Ha!

The back of the book includes a nice handful of websites to check out for garden tips and gadgets. I plan to go browse them, specifically the site that sells canning lids that can be reused…never knew something like that even existed!

The book comes from micropublishing.com, which appears to specialize in publishing tiny books like this that are filled with good information. I may have come upon a goldmine of wonderful books. I really like this snippet from the website’s ‘about’ section:

“Microcosm continues to challenge conventional publishing wisdom, influencing other publishers large and small with books and bookettes about DIY skills, food, zines, and art. Microcosm constantly strives to be recognized for our spirit, creativity, and value. As a commitment to our ethics, our books are printed by union workers in the U.S. and we are moving towards all production using post-consumer papers, with vegan inks and bindings. Further, while only 25-35% of authors are women, we continue to publish about 50% of books by women.”