Growing Heirloom Flowers: Bring the Vintage Beauty of Heritage Blooms to Your Modern Garden

Growing Heirloom Flowers: Bring the Vintage Beauty of Heritage Blooms to Your Modern Garden

 by Chris McLaughlin

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Hard cover: 160 pages
Publisher: Cool Springs Press (May 8 ,2018)
ISBN-10: 0760359393
ISBN-13:978-0760359396

How is it possible to present so much valuable information in one book with so much ease and flare?  Chris McLaughlin. That’s how. “Growing Heirloom Flowers” is not too long and not too short. It is an easy read yet is packed with so many lessons. I expected to learn about a variety of heirloom flowers (including some history about them and how to grow them), and indeed I did. McLaughlin also included some precious and memorable stories associated with their past. She provides expert knowledge, yet her voice is light and fun. The bonus that came as a delightful surprise to me were the easy “how-to” lessons:  such as how to make rose water, how to make flower crowns, how to make floral arrangments, how to dry flowers, and so on. 

Announcing a new Ebook: From Farm to Table Through the Year

I LOVE this book (even if I wasn't in it . . . but I am!)

Subscribe to Maple Grove by email to receive a free copy of Farm to Table Through the Year.  è

My friend, Gretchen Carlson, from The Backyard Farming Connection worked diligently over the last several months collaborating with 11 fellow writers, gardeners and cooks to create "Farm to Table" that is being released on Thursday, March 14, 2013.  Gretchen is a firm believer that the best food comes from fresh local ingredients, and this ebook is a reflection of her passion.

"Farm to Table" is a culinary and gardening journey through the 12 months of the year with growing tips, first hand growing information, recipes, and photos to inspire you in your own backyard and in your kitchen this year. I am so honored and blessed that Gretchen invited me to be one of the contributing writers for this project, and I am offering a free digital copy of the book as a thank you for subscribing to follow Maple Grove by Email.

Free Download:

To get your free digital copy, just enter your email address in the subscription box in the top right column of this page.  (If you've subscribed to follow Maple Grove by email before, please enter your email address again to receive your free copy of Farm to Table.)

Thanks for visiting the Maple Grove blog, and I hope to see you again real soon!  ~Katie

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Plowing with Pigs - Something (and Much) for Everybody

Plowing with Pigs and Other Creative, Low-Budget Homesteading Solutions
by Oscar H. Will III & Karen K. Will
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: New Society (January, 2013)
ISBN: 978-0-86571-717-6

When I first read the title of this book, Plowing with Pigs I wasn't sure it would be the right read for me.  I don't have pigs, and I don't intend to have pigs.  But the subtitle, and Other Creative, Low-Budget Homesteading Solutions, told me to take a look. I'm glad I did!

Authors Oscar and Karen Will combine their knowledge and experience in homesteading, farming, gardening, resourcing and cooking with their creative writing skills to inspire the reader to "make better use of readily available renewable resources" and strive for a simpler, healthier lifestyle.

Like many people who consider themselves modern homesteaders, I crave a way of life that more closely resembles that of our grandparents and great-grandparents who lived closer to the land, raising animals and food that is healthy and untainted by the modern practices of using chemicals and genetically modifying our food sources.

Plowing With Pigs gives us a look at the past when farm animals were not raised in restrictive enclosures but were valued as hard working farm hands who "thrive at doing what comes quite naturally to them," and "are among the most likely to partner with you on the labor required around your place."  

This easy read provides very practical insights and instructions for making use of your property elements and resources for the "creation of sturdy fences, structures and tools that will benefit your place and your pocketbook."

Plowing With Pigs also includes several chapters on how to grow and harvest crops and then turn them into forage for your animals or food for your table.  The authors' conviction and detailed information makes it possible to envision "a society that values do-it-yourself skills" as they "encourage you to try the methods that make sense in your particular setting rather than blindly following some list of rules from some expert."

The concluding section of the book, "Home(stead) as a Production Center" contains  some heartwarming chapters on cooking from scratch (including lots of great recipes), upgrading your kitchen on a budget, and how to run a home-based food business. From the first chapter to the last, the Wills remind us that "recycling is the name of the game on the homestead, so don't overlook anything."

I was delightfully enthralled by Plowing With Pigs for its nostalgic look at the past, practical, useful information on "how to" be a homesteader today, and the wide gamut of topics that were covered in an easy-to-read, interesting and very instructional format.  It has something (and much) for everybody!  

Vertical Vegetable Gardening - A Must-Read for Any and All Gardeners

Vertical Vegetable Gardening: A Living Free Guide by Chris McLaughlin
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: ALPHA (December 31, 2012)
ISBN: 978-1615641833

If you're an experienced gardener, you're probably accustomed to thinking about your spring garden throughout the winter months.  But if you're new to gardening, like I am, it's probably been the furthest thing from your mind.  In either case, Chris McLaughlin's latest book release, Vertical Vegetable Gardening, is sure to become a favorite resource for anyone who is planning their next garden.

As a Master Gardener, McLaughlin has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share. Her vested interest in gardeners as well as gardens is evident in her writing as she conveys, "the whole point of gardening is to grow things, and a gardener's personal growth is perhaps the most important."  McLaughlin's insights and enthusiasm shared in Vertical Vegetable Gardening left me feeling excited and confident to begin my gardening adventure.