Winner of the American Horticulture Society Book Award "Phillip’s first-hand knowledge anchors this innovative and highly readable book in practical wisdom that both beginner and long-time fruit growers will find invaluable."—Toby Hemenway, author of Gaia’s Garden Many people want to grow fruit on a small scale but lack the insight to be successful orchardists. As The Holistic Orchard illustrates, growing tree fruits and berries is something virtually anyone can do. A holistic grower knows that producing fruit is not about manipulating nature but more importantly, fostering nature. The Holistic Orchard demystifies the basic skills everybody should know about the orchard ecosystem, focusing on: Orchard design Soil biology Organic health management Grafting Planting Pruning Choosing the right varieties for your climate Includes a step-by-step instructional calendar to guide growers through the entire orchard year! Fruit profiles include: pome fruits (apples, pears, asian pears, quinces) stone fruits (cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums) berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, gooseberries, currants, and elderberries) Phillips completely changed the conversation about healthy orcharding with his first bestselling book, The Apple Grower, and now he takes that dialogue even further by exploring: The connections between home orcharding and permaculture The importance of native pollinators Plantings with shade-tolerant berry bushes and other insectary plants Information on cover crops and biodiversity Safe, homegrown solutions to pest and disease challenges All along the way, Phillips' expertise and enthusiasm for healthy growing shines through, as does his ability to put the usual horticultural facts into an integrated ecology perspective. With The Holistic Orchard in your hand you have every reason in the world to confidently plant that very first—or next—fruit tree!

Every farm and homestead can enjoy the timeless pleasure of a fruit orchard. Yet this can also be challenging, because few people today have the depth of knowledge and experience that’s needed to produce healthy trees and nutritious, great-tasting fruit. At the same time, both orchardists and consumers are looking to avoid spraying harmful and expensive chemicals on their trees. The answer is to create a more holistic orchard, one that emphasizes biological health and diversity – from the microscopic fungi in the soil to the beneficial insects, companion plants, and the birds and wildlife that together form a complete and living orchard ecosystem. In other words, it’s time for us to start working with nature, rather than fighting against it. Michael Phillips is a pioneering author and orchardist whose books include The Holistic Orchard and The Apple Grower. In this book & DVD bundle you'll get Phillips's award-winning book The Holistic Orchard, which offers step-by-step information on all aspects of total orchard health, plus detailed growing information on fruit tree and berry species. You'll also get the DVD Holistic Orcharding with Michael Phillips, which shows Phillips's techniques at work in his own orchard. About the Book: The Holistic Orchard demystifies the basic skills everybody should know about the inner-workings of the orchard ecosystem, as well as orchard design, soil biology, and organic health management. Detailed insights on grafting, planting, pruning, and choosing the right varieties for your climate are also included, along with a step-by-step instructional calendar to guide growers through the entire orchard year. The extensive profiles of pome fruits (apples, pears, asian pears, quinces), stone fruits (cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums), and berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, gooseberries, currants, and elderberries) will quickly have you savoring the prospects. Phillips completely changed the conversation about healthy orcharding with his first bestselling book, The Apple Grower, and now he takes that dialogue even further, drawing connections between home orcharding and permaculture; the importance of native pollinators; the world of understory plantings with shade-tolerant berry bushes and other insectary plants; detailed information on cover crops and biodiversity; and the newest research on safe, homegrown solutions to pest and disease challenges. About the DVD: Holistic Orcharding with Michael Phillips leads viewers through a year in his own orchard, demonstrating basic horticultural skills like grafting and pruning, but also revealing groundbreaking and field-tested strategies for growing apples and other tree fruits not just organically, but holistically.

For decades fruit growers have sprayed their trees with toxic chemicals in an attempt to control a range of insect and fungal pests. Yet it is possible to grow apples responsibly, by applying the intuitive knowledge of our great-grandparents with the fruits of modern scientific research and innovation. Since The Apple Grower first appeared in 1998, orchardist Michael Phillips has continued his research with apples, which have been called "organic's final frontier." In this new edition of his widely acclaimed work, Phillips delves even deeper into the mysteries of growing good fruit with minimal inputs. Some of the cuttingedge topics he explores include: The use of kaolin clay as an effective strategy against curculio and borers, as well as its limitations Creating a diverse, healthy orchard ecosystem through understory management of plants, nutrients, and beneficial microorganisms How to make a small apple business viable by focusing on heritage and regional varieties, value-added products, and the "community orchard" model The author's personal voice and clear-eyed advice have already made The Apple Grower a classic among small-scale growers and home orchardists. In fact, anyone serious about succeeding with apples needs to have this updated edition on their bookshelf.

This updated edition of The Village Herbalist provides a complete guide to the art and practice of herbalism, as well as an introduction to the herbalist's role in family and community life. Inspirational profiles of practicing herbalists from across the country add a human touch to the authors' wealth of practical herbal knowledge. The Herbalist's Way includes time-honored healing wisdom from many cultures, as well as information on: - Roles and responsibilities of herbalists in their communities - Herbal workshops, conferences, and education centers - Growing, drying, and preparing medicinal herbs - Learning to listen to clients and recommend holistic treatments for healing and continued wellness - Licensing, marketing, and other legal and business issues facing modern herbalists - Comprehensive resources and suggestions for building your herbal library

Developed especially for use by backyard orchardists, rare fruit growers, and small-scale growers, The Home Orchard offers a comprehensive look at standard growing methods, as well as some innovative practices that enthusiasts have developed in recent years, some of which are uniquely suited to the small-scale grower. You will learn how trees grow, which species grow best in the different regions and soils, varieties from which to select, preparing the soil, planting, watering and fertilizing, pruning and grafting, thinning the fruit, diagnosing problems, controlling pests, and harvesting. You'll also find special attention given to organic and non-toxic pest management and fertilization methods. Key pests and diseases are identified and natural control methods are emphasized. Irrigation methods for the backyard grower are discussed and the difficult task of how often and how much water to apply is simplified. The focus is on giving the trees enough water but doing so in an efficient, water-saving manner. Included are hundreds of photographs and diagrams that clearly show how to produce the best crops. Photos of several practices, such as key budding and grafting methods, are depicted in step-by-step photos. No other publication provides this breadth and depth of coverage --

In this time of ecological crisis, all that is holy calls us into a more intimate partnership with the diverse and beautiful beings of this earth. In Finding Our Way Home, Myke Johnson reflects on her personal journey into such a partnership and offers a guide for others to begin this path. Lyrically expressed, it weaves together lessons from a chamomile flower, a small bird, a copper beech tree, a garden slug, and a forest fern, along with insights from Indigenous philosophy, environmental science, fractal geometry, childhood Catholic mysticism, the prophet Elijah, fairy tales, and permaculture design. This eco-spiritual journey also wrestles with the history of our society's destruction of the natural world, and its roots in the original theft of the land from Indigenous peoples. Exploring the spiritual dimensions of our brokenness, it offers tools to create healing. Finding Our Way Home is a ceremony to remember our essential unity with all of life.

This book brings together the best advice for cultivating fruit trees, berries and shrubs using biodynamic methods, with the aim of harvesting healthy fruit free of pesticides. Ehrenfried Pfeiffer discusses the principles of tree biology before describing the measures that can be taken to develop a pest-free orchard without the use of chemicals, including soil preparation, the selection of trees for planting, issues of transplanting and pruning, the application of pastes, green cover crops, and pest control. Michael Maltas ran fruit tree experiments on his biodynamic farm in Missouri for four years. The results are recorded in a highly practical annual spraying schedule for orchards, which is reproduced in this book. A month-by-month calendar gives information on specific methods and controls, based on Maltas's extensive experience. This is an invaluable book with practical advice on all aspects of planning and maintaining a healthy orchard. This is a thoroughly revised and updated combined edition ofBiodynamic Treatment of Fruit Trees, Berries and Shrubs by Ehrenfried Pfeiffer andOrchard Pest Management and Spray Schedule by Michael Maltas. Published in association with the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association of North America.