The ultimate resource for growers interested in no-till market gardening, sustainable agriculture principles, and farm-tested practices for healthier, more productive soil
From the host of the popular The No-Till Market Garden Podcast--heard around the world with nearly one million downloads
Discovering how to meet the soil's needs is the key task for every market gardener. In this comprehensive guide, Farmer Jesse Frost shares all he has learned through experience and experimentation with no-till practices on his home farm in Kentucky as well as from his podcast interviews and visits with highly successful market gardeners. He provides practical information on all the best tools and practices for growers who want to build their livelihood around maximizing the health of their soil.
Farmer Jesse reminds growers that "as possible" is the mantra for protecting the living soil: disturb the soil as little as you possibly can. He provides in-depth information on:
- Turning over beds
- Using compost and mulch
- Path management
- Incorporating biology and maintaining fertility
- Cover cropping
- Diversifying plantings through intercropping
- Production methods for 7 major crops
Jesse's goal is to provide a comprehensive set of options, materials, and field-tested practices to inspire growers to design a soil-nurturing no-till system in their unique garden or farm ecosystem.
"Frost offers a comprehensive, science-based, sympathetic, wholly practical guide to soil building . . . A gift to any vegetable plot that will keep on giving."--Booklist (starred review)
"Over my years practicing no-till market gardening, I've come to truly appreciate listening to The No-Till Market Garden Podcast and Farmer Jesse's exploration of no-till systems. Now, this research is inked into Jesse's very well-written and valuable guide, The Living Soil Handbook. This book is a gold mine filled with tips, tricks, and effective practices you can apply to your crop itineraries. I advise any grower to follow Jesse's mantra: A no-till system is not a dogma, it's a direction." --Jean-Martin Fortier, author of The Market Gardener
"The best way to produce healthier soils, fight climate change, and reduce work all at the same time is to disturb the soil less. The Living Soil Handbook shows growers how to do just that. I highly recommend this practical and beautifully designed book." --Ben Hartman, author of The Lean Farm and The Lean Farm Guide to Growing Vegetables
Jesse Frost, aka Farmer Jesse, is a certified organic market gardener, freelance journalist, and the host of The No-Till Market Garden Podcast. He is also a cofounder of notillgrowers.com, where he helps collect the best and latest no-till insights from growers in the United States, Canada, the UK, and Europe. He and his wife, Hannah Crabtree, practice no-till farming at Rough Draft Farmstead in central Kentucky.