The Market Gardener
A Successful Grower's Handbook for Small-Scale Organic Farming
by Jean-Martin Fortier
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Pub Date Mar 01 2014 | Archive Date Apr 30 2014
Description
Grow better not bigger with proven low-tech, human-scale, biointensive farming methods
Making a living wage farming without big capital outlay or acreages may be closer than you think. Growing on just 1.5 acres, Jean-Martin and Maude-Helene feed more than 200 families through their thriving CSA and seasonal market stands. The secret of their success is the low-tech, high-yield production methods they've developed by focusing on growing better rather than growing bigger, making their operation more lucrative and viable in the process.
The Market Gardener is a compendium of proven horticultural techniques and innovative growing methods. This complete guide is packed with practical information on:
Setting-up a micro-farm by designing biologically intensive cropping systems, all with negligible capital outlay; Farming without a tractor and minimizing fossil fuel inputs through the use of the best hand tools, appropriate machinery and minimum tillage practices; Growing mixed vegetables systematically with attention to weed and pest management, crop yields, harvest periods and pricing approaches.Inspired by the French intensive tradition of maraichage and by iconic American vegetable grower Eliot Coleman, author and farmer Jean-Martin shows by example how to start a market garden and make it both very productive and profitable.
A Note From the Publisher
Author is founder of les Jardins de la Grelinette in southern Quebec, which is recognized in Canada and internationally as an alternative model for people who want to get established and make a living from small-scale farming.
He has been working with Equiterre for over 7 years to establish a network of CSA farms
Author is partnering with FarmStart.ca who will provide extensive support including an author tour.
The book will be used as a textbook for workshops helping establish beginning farmers in “incubator” farms. In 2012, these were attended by over 3,000 people.
Author’s method of farming and for training new farmers has been proven to be highly successful. Increasingly, people are turning to market gardening as a way to make a living
Organic cropland is growing at 15% in the United States and the Canadian organic market demand has increased 160% since 2006.
Advance Praise
I've read this book in french and all I can say is that, if you want
to engage yourself in the market gardening, the Market Gardener is far
more than a simple manual, it's the story of a life and a major giveaway
of knowledge without the shadow of a secret. A must have, nothing else.
Michel Michiels,
Arlon / Belgium
We
are so excited that "Le Jardinier-Maraîcher" is finally translated in
English! This book was an inspiration for many of our French members (we
are a farmers' co-op) and now we can recommend it to all ....
especially to the new generation interested in small scale farming...
Thank you!
Nicole Briand
Communications
La Récolte de Chez Nous / Really Local Harvest
In
his revolutionary book, JMF brings about a change of paradigm that
couldn't come any sooner. New gardeners will find in this book a
step-by-step recipe that almost guarantees success, while the more
seasoned ones can use it as a steppingstone for future achievements.
Ever since its release in Quebec, it has reached thousands of readers
and caused a ripple of benefits: people of all ages, especially the
young, can now aspire to buy or rent their own land and live a
fulfilling -and profitable- life in the countryside, which a few years
back was still a wild dream for most of us. Aside from being very
technically dense, it offers viable solutions to social problems such as
land access, unemployment in regions, and the unsustainable nature of
modern agricultural practices. It has literally been training an entire
army of Davids that is now starting to address the bulk of these
problems, or Goliath. And it's happening all across the province! Most
importantly, this book deeply inspired me and gave me hope for the
future without having to consult an eco-therapist.
Alexandre J-Nicole
Biologist, graphic designer and illustrator
Jean-Martin
Fortier extols the virtues of being small-scale, and expertly details
the use of such scale-appropriate tools as broadforks, seeders, hoes,
flame weeders, low tunnels, high tunnels, and many other unique tools,
specifically designed for this brand of farming. He picks up right where
Eliot Coleman has left us, applying many of his core principles, but
doing it in such a brilliant way as to provide beginning farmers a solid
framework of the information they need to start up and become
successful small-scale organic growers themselves.
- Adam Lemieux, Product Manager of Tools & Supplies, Johnny's Selected Seeds
Marketing Plan
Co-op available
Promotion to Mother Earth News, Organic Gardening Magazine, Urban Farm, Hobby Farm Permaculture ActivistCountryside and Growing for Market
Email
promotion to CSAs as well as Small Business Enterprise Centres and
Agriculture Management and Community Development organizations.
Author may attend the Mother Earth News Fairs
Targeted review mailing to magazines, newspapers and bloggers
Promotion on New Society Publishers Facebook page, Twitter and blog
Ebook
will be available at the same time as print publication to maximize
sales and the Ebook ISBN will be included on all press materials, author
and publisher websites
Ebook promotion with Kobo and Apple as appropriate
Electronic galley on Net Galley
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9780865717657 |
| PRICE | $24.95 (USD) |
