I’ve been an ecologist, scientist, organic farmer and gardener for over thirty years. I care deeply about our natural world and the devastating loss of biodiversity that is happening around the globe. As a long-term educator, I want to encourage people to diversify their gardens and lawns and become passionate observers of nature and our beautiful planet. We often throw our hands up because we don’t feel like we can do anything to help rectify environmental problems. But this is something we can all participate in whether we have land or not, but especially if we have access to land.
I wrote...
Farming on the Wild Side: The Evolution of a Regenerative Organic Farm and Nursery
This book is a deep dive into the importance of planting native species for creating healthy, biodiverse ecosystems at a time when global biodiversity is declining. Suburban lawns and home gardens featuring nonnative ornamentals are ecological wastelands. I was fascinated by the idea that increasing native plants in backyards could turn whole neighbors into wild ecological zones with more bees, butterflies, birds, and wildlife species.
I learned so much about how alien ornamental species do not provide the food and habitat resources needed by important native insects (the little things that run the world). Insects are the food source for many birds (at least at some point in the bird’s lifecycle) and other wildlife in our planet's complex food webs. I found this book to be rigorous without being dry or academic. It has great photographs, too.
This is a must-have book for farmers. It covers ways to increase beneficial insects on the farm. I learned so much about beneficial insects and how to enhance them on the farm through everything from using wild spaces, cover crops, and hedgerows.
So much of the information was applicable to our farm as well. The Xerces Society has many guidebooks for both farmers and gardeners, but I found this one especially fascinating for learning about insects, beneficial insects, and large-scale strategies for increasing biodiversity on the farm.
Harness the power of beneficial insects to deter pests and reduce crop damage. This comprehensive guide to farming with insects will have you building beetle banks and native plant field borders as you reap a bountiful and pesticide-free harvest. With strategies for identifying the insects you're trying to attract paired with step-by-step instructions for a variety of habitat-building projects, you'll soon learn how to employ your own biocontrol conservation tactics. Lay out the brush piles and plant the hedgerows because the insects are going to love it here!
I really liked this book because of its permaculture aspects and design for gardeners. It was one of the first widely read books related to permaculture. It originally came out in 1984, when we were first dreaming about having our own farm.
There’s an updated version that should appeal to those interested in permaculture. This book inspired generations including us, and I highly recommend it for gardeners who want a biodiverse productive garden.
The evergreen classic on ecological gardening, whatever size your garden!
Over a quarter of a million copies sold worldwide!
Working with Nature, not against her, results in more beautiful, abundant and resilient gardens.
In the revised, second edition of Gaia's Garden, Toby Hemenway extends his expert knowledge of permaculture to urban and suburban landscapes. A perfect beginner's guide to ecological gardening, Gaia's Garden dispels the notion that meaningful gardening can only take place on a large piece of land with lots of space to grow.
Readers can expect step-by-step instructions on:
Building and maintaining soil fertility and structure
Catching and…
This book offers a whole new perspective on why insects are important for global biodiversity. Instead of taking a strictly scientific and ecological approach, as in the other books I recommended, the author also examines mythology, history, folklore, and cultural traditions regarding our human relationship with insects.
It made me think about insects and my relationship with them in different ways. I loved this book.
Should we have compassion and respect for creeping, buzzing, stinging creatures? Joanne Lauck says yes—and challenges the reader to view six- and eight-legged beings as messengers, guides, initiatory figures, and friends. Drawing on myth, touching and funny anecdotes, Native American wisdom, and science, Lauck shows how we can live in harmony with insects, healing an inner aspect of ourselves in the process.
Jean Henri Fabre was a late 1800s educator, scientist, and writer whose words still resonate with readers, including myself, over one hundred years later. This book is a collection of many of his writings with beautiful watercolors by Marlene McLoughlin.
In the early days when Fabre was writing, someone studying the natural sciences would generally kill their subjects. Fabre was different. He observed them. He built fancy cages and fed his various subjects (mostly insects). In that way, he learned about their lifecycles, mating habits, and so much more. I was inspired to do more observing of insects and other wildlife in my own garden.
This book is a collection of Jean-Henri Fabr e''s musings on nature. Fabre''s words present a vivid picture of all he saw and experienced in the beautiful countryside in France, and his passionate observances shine in these exc erpts. '
Our book is about using an ecological approach to farming and gardening through the increased diversity of crops and native plants. Increasing plant biodiversity results in increasing pollinator and other beneficial insect diversity, as well as birds and other wildlife. As organic fruit growers, we relied on pollinators for fruit production and beneficial insects and birds for pest control. We had over twenty-five different fruit crops that helped in production resilience during extreme weather events.
The book covers our ecological approach, our no-pesticide philosophy, tips on planting, mulching, and growing perennial trees and shrubs, and beautiful photographs to inspire farmers and gardeners alike.
