In these brief, elegant essays, the author raises the concept of dirt to new levels. William Bryant Logan, a monthly columnist for the New York Times, looks at soil formation and development. His topics range from quarries and the foundations of cathedrals to graveyards and earthworms, from husbandry in ancient Rome to composting in Florida. Logan pays tribute to the dung beetle as a symbol of renewal; he notes that dirt is the source of many drugs that work against infectious diseases (penicillin, streptomycin). He discusses the many forms of clay and the agricultural practices of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and the Iroquois. Dirt is a natural history of the soil and our connection with it.

More mushrooms, less pollution! Yes, you heard right: growing more mushrooms may be the best thing we can do to save the environment. Microscopic cells called "mycelium"—the fruit of which are mushrooms —recycle carbon, nitrogen, and other essential elements as they break down plant and animal debris in the creation of rich new soil. What fungi expert Paul Stamets has discovered is that mycelium also breaks down hydrocarbons —the base structure in many pollutants. So, for instance, when soil contaminated with diesel oil is inoculated with strains of oyster mushroom mycelia, the soil loses its toxicity in just eight weeks. In MYCELIUM RUNNING, Stamets discusses this revolutionary trend in mushroom cultivation and provides tips for choosing the appropriate species of fungi for various environmental purposes.

Professional arborist and award-winning nature writer William Bryant Logan deftly relates the delightful history of the reciprocal relationship between humans and oak trees since time immemorial—a profound link that has almost been forgotten. From the ink of Bach's cantatas, to the first boat to reach the New World, to the wagon, the barrel, and the sword, oak trees have been a constant presence throughout our history. In fact, civilization prospered where oaks grew, and for centuries these supremely adaptable, generous trees have supported humankind in nearly every facet of life. "With an unabashed enthusiasm for his subject" Logan combines science, philosophy, spirituality, and history with a contagious curiosity about why the natural world works the way it does. At once humorous and reverent, his work reintroduces the oak tree so that we might see its vibrant presence throughout our history and our modern world.

Dirt: it's everywhere we go. It is the root of our existence, supporting ourfeet, our farms, our cities. This fascinating yet disquieting book finds, however, that we are running out of dirt. A rich mix of history, archaeologyand geology, it traces the role of soil use and abuse in the history of
Mesopotamia, Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, China, European colonialism,
Central America, and the American push westward. We see how soil has shaped
us and we have shaped soil. It also explores how we might avoid the fate of
previous civilizations.

A story about dirt-and about sun, water, work, elation, and defeat. Andabout the sublime pleasure of having a little piece of French land all tooneself to till. In this entrancing memoir, a Manhattan transplant recountsthe year he spent tending a small vegetable garden in the tiny Provencalvillage of St. Sebestien de Caisson. Describing a neophyte's discovery of
the joys of creating a vegetable garden, he also draws a humorous portrait
of the village with its highly polarized partisans of night-vs.-morning
watering and its generous, hardworking villagers.

This is the first comprehensive guide to in-prison and post-release horticultural training programs. James Jiler combines an engaging personal account of running a highly successful horticultural vocation program at the largest jail complex in the United States with a practical guide to starting and managing prison and re-entry gardening programs.

This new publication was prepared by Woods End staff based on authored contributions from notable speakers at European symposiums on composting and natural farming. The book presents an overview of compost principles followed by sections on composting in the home-garden and farm composting. Also offered is a special section on determining compost quality with tests that can be easily user-performed. The final section develops a picture of standard and unusual uses of compost products, including some discussion of the principles and practice of compost teas used for natural pesticides.

Healthy soil for healthy plants. Gourmet potting soil, compost and fertilizer. Available in the Northeast.

For ordering information, please visit: http://www.coastofmaine.com/

The Solvita® Soil CO2 Respiration Test is Woods End's newest test designed to substitute complicated and costly lab procedures for soil respiration. It enables farmers and scientists for the first time to evaluate microbial respiration rate and carbon mineralization easily in large quantities of samples, in a very cost-effective manner.

Soil respiration represents the driving energy of soil microbial systems and is an important component of the overall soil-quality index.

With increased use or organic soil amendments, monitoring mineralization rates becomes an important component of soil management strategies. The Solvita-response for soil indicates CO2-respiration over a practical range of 5 - 100mg C/kg soil (24 hr rate).

6-pk includes 12 tests and 6 test jars