The following book looks like it would be very useful to vegetable growers.
I add the standard disclaimer:
"Mention of a product does not imply endorsement by the USDA or the
University of Maryland."
This press release and the Table of Contents can be viewed at
http://www.nraes.org/publications/nraes104.html
Sustainable Vegetable Production from Start-Up to Market
280 pages $42.00 NRAES-104
ISBN 0-935817-45-X
Successful vegetable farmers do much more than produce vegetables; they also
manage money, people, and natural resources
effectively. A new book from NRAES, the Natural Resource, Agriculture, and
Engineering Service, can broaden the knowledge
and guide the planning of those who grow vegetables or are considering
beginning a vegetable production business. Sustainable
Vegetable Production from Start-Up to Market, NRAES-104 ($42.00 plus
S&H/sales tax, 280 pages, August 1999),
introduces the full range of processes for moderate-scale vegetable
production using ecological practices that minimize the need
for synthetic inputs and maximize stewardship of resources. The book
includes in-depth profiles of 32 vegetable producers.
Sustainable Vegetable Production from Start-Up to Market provides practical
information on such essential matters as
selecting a farm site; planning and record keeping; marketing options; and
systems for starting, planting, protecting, and harvesting
crops. The 280-page book is enhanced by 91 illustrations, 36 sidebars, and
20 tables. Individual chapters cover fundamental aspects
of economic and environmental sustainability. Initial chapters address
principles and practices essential to planning and launching a
business: the practical implications of sustainability, getting started,
farm business management, and marketing. The chapters that
follow discuss essential production processes, focusing on soil fertility,
composting, crop rotation, cover crops, tillage equipment and
field preparation, seeds and transplants, irrigation and spraying systems,
harvest and postharvest handling, season extension,
integrated pest management, and environmentally friendly strategies for
managing insects, diseases, weeds, and wildlife. A final
chapter profiles the experiences of individual vegetable growers and
provides their enterprise budgets for a number of crops. The
grower profiles offer real-life examples of how farmers think about and deal
with specific conditions. Appendixes include additional
information resources, sources of supplies, a work sheet for developing
vegetable enterprise budgets, vegetable crop nutrient
recommendations, and useful conversions and calculations. A glossary and
references are also included.
Sustainable Vegetable Production from Start-Up to Market was written by
Vernon P. Grubinger, vegetable and berry
specialist for University of Vermont Extension and director of the
University of Vermont Center for Sustainable Agriculture.
Recommended for anyone concerned with the balance between crop production
and stewardship of resources, Sustainable
Vegetable Production from Start-Up to Market will be a valuable resource for
aspiring and beginning vegetable growers,
experienced growers, extension personnel, and serious gardeners, and a
useful text for college-level vegetable production courses.
Sustainable Vegetable Production from Start-Up to Market, NRAES-104, is
priced at $42.00 per copy, plus shipping and
handling and sales tax. The shipping and handling charge is $5.50 for a
single copy within the continental United States. New York
residents, add 8% sales tax (calculated on both the cost of the publication
and shipping and handling charges. Click here for more
information). If ordering more than one copy or if ordering from outside the
U.S., please contact NRAES for shipping rates.
Orders from outside the U.S. must be prepaid in U.S. funds. Major credit
cards are accepted, and checks should be made payable
to NRAES. For information about quantity discounts, or for a free
publications catalog, contact NRAES by phone at (607)
255-7654, by fax at (607) 254-8770, or by e-mail at nraes@cornell.edu. Or
visit our web site at www.nraes.org.
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