"Guardians Of The Apple Tree Seedlings" is a series of thirty one essays centered around the nurturing and caring for apple tree seedlings which serves as a metaphor for the inner potential within all of us.

A limited, large-format edition of this gorgeous study of apples, featuring a print from the series This large-format (9 x 11.25 inches) special edition of New York photographer William Mullan's (born 1989) Odd Applesincludes a print of the photograph titled Hidden Rosehoused in a pergamin paper sleeve inserted in the book. Mullan's obsession with apples began when he saw his first Egremont Russet at a Waitrose grocery store outside of London. Fascinated by its gnarled, potato-like appearance and shockingly fresh, nutty flavor, Mullan began searching for, and photographing, rare apple varieties. In Odd Apples, each apple is lovingly rendered and styled according to its individual "personality"--a combination of its looks and its flavors. The apples are set against complementary brightly colored backdrops; they are peeled or unpeeled, cut or whole, skin shriveled or perfectly smooth and shiny. Mullan embraces each apple's idiosyncratic aesthetic qualities completely.

I have been working on Circassian Mythology of Narts for a long time. As a result of these studies, which started about fifteen years ago, some questions arose in my mind about the Circassian Mythology of Narts. One of them is how many themes in the Circassian Mythology of Narts are universal and have not been noticed until today. However, it is very clear that many themes in the Circassian Mythology of Narts are universal. At least most of them are certainly not regional. Undoubtedly, the themes related to Nart Wezırmes are at the forefront of such universal ones. I am amazed that it has not been noticed until today that the narratives of the character Rama in the Indian epic Ramayana and the hero named Nart Wezırmes in the Circassian Mythology of Narts are actually texts based on the same story. In the same way, the thematic similarities between Nart Wezırmes and Egyptian Osiris have not been noticed until now, which intrigues me. I dealt with this subject in my book, titled The Ancient Secret of Circassian and Egyptian Mythologies, From Narts to Neters.

The breakthrough resource for fruit and vegetable growers at every scale who want to go ‘beyond organic’ and build higher soil quality and fertility using fewer inputs through a unique ecosystem-balancing approach “Atthowe’s book takes ecological farming to the next level. It is packed with useful, field-tested, innovative techniques for farming more gently without sacrificing productivity. . . This is the future of farming. I highly recommend this book.”—Ben Hartman, author of The Lean Farm The Ecological Farm is the go-to guide for ecological growing, with a unique focus on reduced tillage, minimizing farm and garden inputs, and pest control. Reflecting the wisdom that farmer, consultant, and educator Helen Atthowe and her late husband, Carl Rosato, gained during decades of farming experience, this book guides readers on how to reduce or eliminate the use of outside inputs of fertilizer or pesticides—even those that are commonly used on certified organic orchards and market gardens. In clear language and with color photographs, charts, and graphs throughout, the book emphasizes the importance of managing the details of an entire growing system over the full life of the enterprise. Based on advances in scientific research in ecological food production, farmers, homesteaders, permaculturists, and gardeners alike will learn methods to: design a farm system that maintains a growing root in the soil year-round to feed the microbial community instead of just crops. strengthen the “immune system” of a farm or garden supply crop needs using only on-farm inputs such as cover crops and living mulch maximize the presence of beneficial insects and microbes that support healthy crop development minimize ecological impact in dealing with insect pest and disease problems The Ecological Farm also features a crop-by-crop guide to growing more than 25 of the most popular and profitable vegetables and fruits, including specific management advice for dealing with pests and diseases. The Ecological Farm makes complex, sometimes messy, ecological concepts and practices understandable to all growers, and makes healthy farming—in which nature is invited to participate—possible. "[This book] will guide all of us as we learn to farm in harmony with an ecosystem and to become obedient to the whole rather than being distracted by the urge to tinker with the parts.” —Wes Jackson, cofounder and president emeritus, The Land Institute