Today The Ruminant debuts a new feature that shares readers’ recommended reading for new farmers

About a month ago I unceremoniously created a page on this site that allows readers to suggest up to five books new farmers (or really, any farmers wishing to brush up on their knowledge) should consider reading. Until yesterday I hadn’t received any submissions. I now have three, and I’ve decided to feature the odd one on the main blog. The first is by Daniel Brisebois, an organic market gardener, seed producer, and co-author of Crop Planning for Vegetable Growers. Here are Dan’s suggestions:

Type of farming this list instructs: Great vegetable farming

Farming/Gardening Background of the submitter: I’ve been farming for 12 years. I run a CSA, market garden and seed company with 4 other folks (Tourne-Sol co-operative farm).

Book 1:

The Organic Farmer’s Handook, Richard Wiswall

This book will challenge you understanding of your farms profitability and make you wonder whether you should be growing so many peas. Tons of good business management advice.

Book 2:

Diseaese and Pests of Vegetable Crops in Canada. Entomological Society of Canada

Great pictures of horrible pests and diseases. 500+ pages of information and some management solutions. The best disease/pest reference.

Book 3:

Whole Farm Planning. Elizabeth Henderson and Karl North

A guide to set your farm goals to meet your financial, ecological, and quality of life targets. If you don’t take the time to set your targets, how can you know if you’re working towards them?

This a simplified version of Allan Savory’s holistic management model.

Book 4:

Seed to Seed. Suzanne Ashworth

Because farmers should be saving seed and this book has all the basics.

Book 5:

Crop Planning for Organic Vegetable Growers. Fred Thériault and Dan Brisebois

As one of the co-authors I am a touch biased but we wrote the book we wished we could have read when we were starting.

*******

Thanks, Dan, for taking the time to submit. Anyone else who would like to recommend some books for new farmers can do so using the form I’ve got set up in the right-hand column there.

Subscribe to The Ruminant newsletter! Click here.