Nearly 60% of the earth's land surface receives twenty inches or less of annual rainfall- a parched percentage predicted to dramatically increase as global warming takes its toll on our environment. John Widtsoe's classic DRY-FARMING: A Complete System for Achieving Bountiful Harvests Where Rain is Scarce, and Without Irrigation shares scientifically proven, time-tested - and almost forgotten in our era - late 19th and early 20th Century methods for growing more and better crops using far less water. The key lies in smart soil, seed and plant management, following the100% chemical free, Earth friendly, "origiganic" Dry-Farming techniques outlined in this book. From the backyard garden to the hundred acre farm, whether you already reside in an arid region, or just want to prepare for looming climate change, DRY-FARMING: A Complete System for Achieving Bountiful Harvests Where Rain is Scarce, and Without Irrigation is an indispensable addition to your homestead library.

"The most successful farmers of the present day are those who work in harmony with the forces and laws of nature ..." With this simple yet profoundly prescient opening line, Charles L. Goodrich sets the wise, practical and eminently earth-friendly tone that informs every page of The Better Days Books First Book of Farming: A Step-By-Step Guide for the Origiganic Grower. Originally published in 1905, this timeless primer for the aspiring farmer (or backyard or market gardener!) "begins at the beginning," exploring the hidden secrets of how plants grow and what they need to flourish. It then takes the reader on a step-by-step journey through the worlds of roots, seed, soil and water, then on into the fundamental "orgiganic" methods by which bountiful harvests can reaped without recourse to poisonous chemical fertilizers or insecticides. Includes chapters on restoring and maintaining soil fertility, fixing drainage problems, and strategies for successful crop rotation.

John Andreas Widtsoe demonstrates an immense knowledge of soil and farming conditions; much of the advice in this classic manual remains useful and relevant to this day. An excellent collection of knowledge is united in this guidebook, which commences by setting out the concept and core principles of dry farming. Much of the Earth is covered by land which receives only modest rainfall each year; coupled with a lack of an underground water source and/or water rights, many landowners found themselves having to grow crops with dry farming methods. Widtsoe was one such farmer, and his knowledge of the land's properties would prove decisive in his success. The properties and composition of the soil are crucial in deciding what crops to grow, making maximum use of limited water resources in an unirrigated plot by encouraging the soil's water retention, and sowing seeds with methods to maximize germination are all important aspects of running a dry farm.

Snail Farming is a highly profitable business. The profit margin on snail farming is high, and it requires low capital investment. In the US, for example, snails can go for $50 a pound or two dollars a snail. Similarly, in the UK, snail meat is a delicacy amongst the African population, and prices can range from £1.5 to £2 per snail. Snails are easily exportable live, with a shelf life ranging from 2 to 6 months. Snail meat is high in protein and low in fat and is a recognized health food. Backyard Snail Farming For Beginners provides you a complete guide to Snail farming in your own backyard. Snail farming can be started with a relatively low capital compared to other forms of animal farming. It is a high profit yielding farming venture if it is professionally managed. Managing a snail farm is less stressful and relatively easy compared to the other sort of animal farming. Snails are extremely easy to handle and control as they are slow-moving creatures. Small land space is enough to rear thousands of snails. Therefore, anyone can rear snails in their home garden. Snail droppings are odourless, and snails are silent creatures. Therefore, they do not cause any disturbance to the environment like other farm animals. The feed given to the snails is cheap and grows locally. Snail meat has a market value locally and internationally. Snail meat has a market value locally and internationally

Written by John Andreas Widtsoe, noted author, scientist, and an academic, this work is the first attempt to gather and arrange the known facts of science in their link to the production of plants, without irrigation, in areas with very little rainfall. The needs of genuine farmers have been kept in mind, those farmers who must first understand all the regulations, before their procedures can be completely satisfactory. It is hoped that the enlarging group of dry-farm investigators will also be helped by this representation of the principles of dry-farming. Widtsoe states in the preface. "The subject is now growing so rapidly that there will soon be room for two classes of treatment: one for the farmer, and one for the technical student." This book was written with help from large libraries, and the material was drawn from the available sources of that time. Widtsoe became the director of the Agricultural Experiment Station at Utah State Agricultural College in 1900.