{"title":"Farming","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"know-your-combines","title":"Know Your Combines","description":"The range of manufacturers is surprisingly wide, including: Case, Claas, Deutz-Fahr, International Harvester, John Deere, Laverda, Massey Ferguson, New Holland, Ransomes, Sampo and Wintersteiger. Some of the manufacturers have several models shown, with Claas particularly well represented. Each of the photographs has a full right-hand page. Opposite it is a concise text that describes the model's attributes and gives details of its range. The author describes the company ownership as well as country of assembly or manufacture. Cut-away diagrams showing the layouts of the three main combine types supported by a glossary of technical terms make this the ideal book for a novice enthusiast.","brand":"Chris Lockwood","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49267881705753,"sku":"3037","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-90685-303-7.jpg?v=1702658927"},{"product_id":"backyard-homesteading","title":"Backyard Homesteading","description":"Backyard Homesteading addresses the needs of many people who want to take control of the food they eat and the products they use--even if they live in a urban or suburban house on a typical-size lot. It shows homeowners how to turn their yard into a productive and wholesome \"homestead\" that allows them to grow their own fruits and vegetables, and raise farm animals, including chickens and goats. Backyard Homesteading covers the laws and regulations of raising livestock in populated areas and demonstrates to readers how to use and  preserve the bounty they produce.","brand":"David Toht","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49268033323289,"sku":"5216","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-58011-521-6.jpg?v=1697681383"},{"product_id":"farming-joke-book-the","title":"The Farming Joke Book","description":"The Farming Joke Book brings together around 500 jokes, amusing stories, and anecdotes about farmers, farm animals, and life on the farm in general. So, whether one has been farming for 'donkey's years' or is new to it, and whether these farming two-liners make the reader laugh, cry, or just groan out loud, there will definitely be something in this collection that will tickle anyone's farming funny bones. Divided into 16 categories, and with 32 specially commissioned illustrations by Rory Walker, this pocket sized book will provide hours of enjoyment and is the perfect tool for the farmer wanting to entertain friends, family, and colleagues, no matter his or her age. [Subject: Humor, Agriculture]","brand":"John Terry","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":51215229485337,"sku":"6118","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-91045-611-8.jpg?v=1702661236"},{"product_id":"david-brown-tractor-story-the-part-1","title":"The David Brown Tractor Story Part 1","description":"This is the first in a trilogy of books profiling in detail David Brown and its products. David Brown was a Yorkshire company, based around Huddersfield. Its roots lay in wooden-pattern making for the looms and weaving machinery of the area in the 1850s. This led to the manufacture of the machine-cut iron gears in which the company excelled. In 1914 the company patented a worm thread for gears that eventually was adopted as the British Standard thread. Their involvement with tractors began before World War II when they had an agreement with Harry Ferguson to manufacture the Ferguson-Brown. When working with Ferguson proved difficult the company developed its own ranges of wheeled and crawler tractors, the VAK series. Development was interrupted by the war during which the company's gears were used in the Merlin engines that powered the Spitfires. This closely researched, highly illustrated title tells the full story of this remarkable company's early years. It concludes when the VAK 1\/C became one of Britain's most popular tractors of the 1950s - the Cropmaster.  Author Stuart Gibbard has interviewed many of the surviving engineers, designers and other staff involved in the development and marketing of David Brown's products.","brand":"Stuart Gibbard","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49917184803097,"sku":"775D","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-90336-639-4.jpg?v=1740215745"},{"product_id":"farming-in-miniature-a-review-of-british-made-toy-farm-vehicles-up-to-1980-volume-2","title":"Farming in Miniature: A Review of British-Made Toy Farm Vehicles Up to 1980","description":"Attention, toy collectors! Here is an essential guide for collectors of British toy models interested in farm tractors, farm horses, and associated agricultural equipment. Many of the toys identified and described have never previously been mentioned in collectors' literature. Do you remember the days of the old-fashioned toy miniature farm vehicles? There were tractors, agricultural equipment, and even toy farm horses. Now you can revisit those days. If you were ever interested in collecting these, either back then or right now, find out how to take up that hobby once again. This is an essential book for collectors. Toymakers featured include: *Kayron Playthings *Dinky *Forest Toys *Corgi Juniors *Paramount *Speedwell *Rosedale *Tudor Rose *Dragon Toys *And more! Fully illustrated with color photography, here are the harnessed horses and model tractors you or your parents grew up with. Whether you already own a collection of toy farm vehicles or are just beginning to collect them, this is a guide you want on hand so you, your family, and friends can fully appreciate your toys and decide which you might want to add to your collection.","brand":"Robert Newson","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49917216555289,"sku":"7560F","price":78.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-90839-756-0.jpg?v=1702662300"},{"product_id":"nuffield-tractor-story-the-v-2-nuffield-leyland-1963-1982","title":"The Nuffield Tractor Story,: v. 2","description":"In Volume One of The Nuffield Tractor Story, author Tony Clare took the story up to 1967, the era of the powerful 10\/60 model. Now, in Volume Two, he continues with the inception, design and development of the Mini tractor. Tony shows the final development of the Nuffield mid-range tractors, the 4-65 and the 3-45, and their further evolution into the first of the re-badged Leyland Tractors, the 384 and the 344 models.  With detailed research and fine photographs  -  many previously unpublished - this book goes on to cover the roller-coaster background story that was to unfold around this key part of the British tractor industry.  The book deals with the later difficulties of the British Motor Corporation and the government-initiated merger with Leyland Vehicles to form the British Leyland group. Further development of the tractor range was to continue with the introduction of the '98' series engines, the introduction of safety cabs and the development of the 'Synchro' gearbox.  Additional technical changes took place with the introduction of the 'Harvest Gold' range until the decision was made by British Leyland to dispose of the tractor business, one of the first privatisations by Margaret Thatcher's government in 1982.  The influence of the poor national industrial situation and its affect on investment and the development of the tractor range are also dealt with in detail, as is the aftermath of the sale to a private purchaser who was to absorb the nationalised Leyland tractor range.","brand":"Anthony Clare","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49917220552985,"sku":"7652","price":34.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-90839-765-2.jpg?v=1702662406"},{"product_id":"rubber-track-revolution-the-c","title":"Rubber Track Revolution, The : C","description":"","brand":"Fox Chapel Publishing Co.","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":49267957661977,"sku":"3853","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-90685-385-3.jpg?v=1697678398"},{"product_id":"seventy-years-of-garden-machinery-1","title":"Seventy Years of Garden Machinery","description":"The range is wide: 2-wheeled garden tractors; rotary cultivators; 4-wheeled ride-on tractors; ploughs; drills; cultivators; sprayers; grass-cutting equipment; small trucks and miscellaneous estate items. For this enlarged edition (of \"Fifty Years of Garden Machinery\"), the author has fully revised all the sections, increased the length of the text and added many new photographs.","brand":"Brian Bell","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49268144800025,"sku":"768S","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-912158-76-8_69d74a6e-b30f-457d-9490-a51c2275f418.jpg?v=1699010205"},{"product_id":"know-your-classic-tractors-2nd-edition","title":"Know Your Classic Tractors, 2nd Edition","description":"Do you know which tractors became the most popular International tractors of the classic era? Discover tons of fascinating information about 41 different classic tractors produced from the late 1960s to the late 1980s. From Massey Ferguson and John Deere to Ford, Fiat, Lamborghini, and several other manufacturing companies around the world, Know Your Classic Tractors is filled with interesting details about each tractor’s current situation, where they were assembled or manufactured in, unique characteristics, and more. Know Your Classic Tractors is a must-have pocket guide for anyone with an interest in the classic era of tractors.","brand":"Chris Lockwood","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49058199929113,"sku":"148","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-913618-14-8.jpg?v=1757514066"},{"product_id":"the-self-sufficiency-handbook","title":"Self-Sufficiency Handbook","description":"Worried about ever-rising fuel bills and longing for the day when you can be off-grid and independent? Anxious about the quality of the food you eat and planning to go organic? Yearning to get back to the way it was but don't know where to start? This book will show you how to achieve the eco-friendly good life. The authors cover the ecological gamut from geothermal heating to crop rotation to soap making. They answer important questions like how much land is really needed to be self-sufficient, whether or not to depend entirely on natural forms of energy, and which farm animals will best meet your needs. There’s practical information here on building an insulated flue pipe chimney, identifying edible wild plants, and composting with worms—as well as recipes for jams, rhubarb wine, cheeses, and more. Packed with full-color photographs, helpful illustrations, and diagrams, Self-Sufficiency Handbook will appeal to urban dwellers who want to adopt certain aspects of greener living and to serious adherents of back-to-basics living.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInside Self-Sufficiency Handbook\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nInspirational yet practical introduction to a greener way of living.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEssential reading for anyone considering a shift to a more self-sufficient lifestyle, no matter how small the change. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEmphasis is on the positive aspects of self-sufficiency, such as cutting living costs and eating well.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCovers everything from fitting a wind turbine to making honey from your own beehives.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStep-by-step instructions on keeping animals, growing organic food, and preserving your own produce.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGuidelines for creating a self-sufficient home and eco-friendly home improvements.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\"\"This book shows that self-sufficiency is not only better for the planet - it's cheaper and more rewarding!\"\"—Green Rewards\/Sustainability Advisory Panel\"","brand":"Alan Bridgewater | Gill Bridgewater","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49058315895065,"sku":"2348S","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-62008-234-8.jpg?v=1757513611"},{"product_id":"organic-hobby-farming","title":"Organic Hobby Farming","description":"In Organic Hobby Farming, Andy Tomolonis, a longtime organic gardener, part-time hobby farmer, and award-winning Boston-area journalist, strips down the concept of ?organic” and explains why natural farming has emerged as the healthiest and most viable method of growing for hobby farms and other small-scale operations. In addition to the improved taste and the appeal of excluding toxic materials, organic farming benefits farmers, their families, and the environment. It offers economic plusses as well. The current consumer demand for ?local” and ?organic” food underscores the need for small hobby farms that offer unique high-end goods. Tomolonis explains the basic principles of organic farming and describes how hobby farmers and their families can eat healthier, save money, help preserve the environment, and even turn their passion into a small-scale side business.Chapter 1 will help you assess the land you live on to determine whether it’s suited for organic vegetables, fruit, berries, or livestock. Farmers who are looking to lease or buy land will find practical advice on how to evaluate properties and find their best use, taking climate, soil, water and geography into consideration. In Chapter 2, Tomolonis continues with practical advice on how to choose the right tools without overspending?starting slowly with quality hand implements and then expanding as you determine the need for costlier power equipment.Chapter 3 moves on to the heart of any successful organic farm?building the soil. ?The Good Earth” brings readers down to earth, i.e., the soil. You’ll learn how to evaluate and improve your soil with compost and cover crops and protect it from erosion, chemical contamination and other harm. The author also stresses the importance of understanding the complex relationship between underground soil organisms that play such a crucial role in natural plant health. The best soil, with the right balance of nutrients and a healthy population of microbes, will help your plants survive hardship, resist diseases and produce healthier more bountiful harvests, the author explains.Chapter 4 walks you through the steps needed to develop an organized farm plan. The chapter presents a convenient month-by-month overview of the farmer’s year, offering a timeline and detailed instructions for sowing seeds indoors, transplanting seedlings, guarding against insects and weeds, harvesting, planting cover crops extending the season and developing a schedule for successive food crops. Whether you want to feed your growing family all summer long or produce enough food for a small-scale agribusiness, the information here is invaluable. This chapter also covers organic methods for harnessing the power of nature by luring beneficial insects that will help control farm and garden pests.Learn about heirlooms, hybrids, and eclectic vegetable varieties in the comprehensive directory of vegetable crops and herbs introduced in Chapter 5. Tomolonis reveals his favorite varieties, including many alluring heirlooms that have grown in popularity. Each crop description offers detailed information on soil preparation, sowing, companion planting, and battling weeds and insects without harmful chemicals. The author, a former produce manager for a national grocery chain, also includes tips for harvesting crops, prepping them for display, and bringing the goods to market.If you’re looking for advice on fruits and berries, Organic Hobby Farms introduces new options in Chapter 6, where the author suggests ways to branch out with Asian pears, peaches, and apples, as well as nutritious blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. As he does in other chapters, Tomolonis explains in common terms, how to choose the best varieties for your region, prepare the soil for maximum production, and deal with pests and diseases organically.Organic Hobby Farming also describes the basics of adding chickens to your farm?for wholesome organic eggs or pastured meat. Select the right breeds, raise a flock from day-old chicks and protect the birds from predators and pests the natural way. Tomolonis also delves into the fascinating world of apiculture in Chapter 8. He and his wife, Valerie, are avid beekeepers with hives that produce gallons of healthy unpasteurized local honey. In addition to bees, the book provides insight into keeping such small livestock as meat rabbits and dairy goats.Hobby farmers who want to turn their agricultural skills into a money-making operation will find practical advice in Chapter 9, which discusses commercial options. Learn how to sell your goods to local restaurants, at farmers’ markets, or as part of  a community-supported-agriculture (CSA) program. And, once you make a decision to turn commercial, you’ll find advice in developing a business plan, crafting a mission statement, setting goals, and creating farm budgets. You’ll also learn the myriad benefits?and challenges?of becoming USDA certified organic.Finally, Organic Hobby Farming steers you to multiple sources of additional information with an extensive listing of resources, broken down by subject and chapter. With Organic Hobby Farming, creative-thinking readers will learn ways to increase the profitability of their organic ventures. The reader can decide to transform his hobby farm into a specialty destination for heirloom varieties, organic raw honey, preserves, dried herbs, or a particularly desirable breed of heritage livestock.As Tomolonis states in the book’s introduction, ?eat safer, more nutritious food, learn about your soil and plants, support the local food movement and help save the planet?one acre at a time.”","brand":"Andy Tomolonis","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49058666578201,"sku":"583","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-933958-58-3.jpg?v=1757521842"},{"product_id":"urban-farm-projects","title":"Urban Farm Projects","description":"From the editors of Urban Farm magazine, Urban Farm Projects expands the boundaries of city and suburban self-sustainability. Over 40 innovative do-it-yourself projects are stylishly presented and compiled in this entertaining and easy-to-follow user's manual.With projects ranging from the simple (candle making and canning) to the more ambitious (raising bees to pollinate your own crops), this crafty book will appeal to the thrifty and eco-conscious alike.Whether working with a pot or a plot, a backyard or a balcony, Urban Farm Projects is the consummate guide to self-sufficiency and a must-have for every urban dweller looking to make the most of his or her limited money, space, time and stuff!","brand":"Kelly Wood","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49917227598105,"sku":"783U","price":18.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-935484-78-3.jpg?v=1714613971"},{"product_id":"tractor-ploughing-manual-the-2nd-edition","title":"Tractor Ploughing Manual, The, 2nd Edition","description":"Perfect for both the novice and the experienced plougher, this comprehensive guide will show you everything you need to know about tractor ploughing, its history, and its competitive traditions – both past and present. Featuring detailed sections on various types of ploughs, basic techniques, the Society of Ploughmen’s rules for ploughing matches, and so much more, also included in this complete manual are high-quality photographs and helpful illustrations. This new, updated edition contains the current rules for match ploughing, judges’ scoring system, and a list of ploughing organizations around the world.","brand":"Brian Bell","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49450095182105,"sku":"117","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-913618-11-7.jpg?v=1757519602"},{"product_id":"urban-farming-2nd-ed","title":"Urban Farming 2nd Ed","description":"Comprehensive Guide to the Urban Farm Movement\n\nIt doesn’t take a farm to have the heart of a farmer. Thanks to the burgeoning sustainable-living movement, you don’t have to own acreage to fulfill your dream of raising your own food. Urban Farming 2nd Edition walks every city and suburban dweller down the path of self-sustainability. It offers practical advice and inspiration for gardening and farming from a high-rise apartment, participating in a community garden, vertical farming, and converting terraces and other small city spaces into fruitful, vegetableful real estate. This comprehensive guide to urban food growing will answer every up-and-coming urban farmer's questions about how, what, where and why—a new green book for the dedicated citizen seeking to reduce his carbon footprint and grocery bill. Winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award in Home \u0026amp; Garden from the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA).\n\nInside Urban Farming 2nd Edition\n\nPortraits of successful urban farmers\nDIY projects for container gardening\nInstructions for creating a garden calendar\nRecommendations for the most foolproof multi-zone plants\nPlans for companion gardening\nTime-saving advice about planting, seed starting, and harvesting\nCity-hall survival tips for navigating your town's ordinances\nZone map and extensive resource guide","brand":"Thomas Fox","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49450217046297,"sku":"3017U","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-62008-301-7.jpg?v=1757519544"},{"product_id":"50-projects-for-building-your-backyard-homestead-updated-edition","title":"50 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead, Updated Edition","description":"Ready for new 10 new practical ideas for creating your\nbackyard homestead? 50 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead: A\nHands-On, Step-By-Step Sustainable-Living Guide updates one of the most popular\nbooks on the subject with the addition of 10 new projects to help your\nhomestead thrive. Inside, experienced homesteader and contractor, David Toht,\nwill teach you backyard homestead project ideas like accessible garden paths,\ninsulated chicken coops, and backyard essentials from fences to feeders. Are you\na beginner? Don't worry; you'll learn how to handle simple builds like raised\ngardens. Getting a little more advanced as a homesteader? Learn how to build a\ndrought-resistant landscape or build passive ventilation systems to keep your\nchickens comfortable. Gardens, gates, PVC, pens, aquaponics, hydroponics, wind\nturbines, solar panels, roofing--it's all here. No matter what your homestead\nlooks like, you'll come away from 50 Projects for Building Your Backyard\nHomestead, Updated Edition with encyclopedic knowledge and inspiration for what\nproject to tackle next. This is an all-encompassing, comprehensive guide for\nthose looking to expand their current homestead or embark on a more\nself-sustaining lifestyle.","brand":"David Toht","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49617326670105,"sku":"6107","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-58011-610-7.jpg?v=1729668455"},{"product_id":"farm-diy","title":"Farm DIY","description":"Roll Up Your Sleeves and Build a Better Farm! Loaded with complete plans and easy-to-follow construction tips, this book offers a creative mix of both practical and decorative projects for working and hobby farms. Veteran family farmers and 4-H alumni Samantha and Daniel Johnson present 20 essential projects for aspiring homesteaders. From log jacks, rabbit hutches, and milking stools to a goat see-saw and a barn quilt, clear step-by-step color photographs guide the reader through each hands-on project. An introduction to the DIY mindset explains the positive benefits and satisfaction of building things yourself, and provides an overview of the basic tools and skills needed to complete each task. Farm DIY also includes a background discussion of farming today, and instructions for building an effective farmer’s market display stand for selling your products. Inside Farm DIY · 20 step-by-step, do-it-yourself projects for creating the farm of your dreams. · Build practical items like gates, bee houses, log jacks, rabbit hutches, and milking stools. · Make fun items like a barn quilt and a goat see-saw. · Create an attractive display stand for selling your products at farmer’s markets. · Easy-to-complete projects all feature inexpensive materials and basic techniques.","brand":"Daniel Johnson | Samantha Johnson","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49761729610009,"sku":"3321","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-62008-332-1.jpg?v=1728023075"},{"product_id":"the-woman-hobby-farmer","title":"The Woman Hobby Farmer","description":"Hobby farming is alive and thriving in semi-rural, suburban, and rural areas across the country, and female farmers have been cited as the fastest growing sector within the farming community in recent years. With more than 1 million women in the United States and Canada describing farming as their primary source of income, and many more for whom hobby farming is just that?a hobby?the time is right for a publication dedicated to hobby farming from a female perspective. Written for women, by a woman, this insightful volume is packed with stories and advice from women hobby farmers and looks at female-specific farming challenges as well as issues that all farmers face.Inside The Woman Hobby Farmer:?Discussions on the who, what, why, and where of hobby farming?Deciding on your farming goals and making a plan?What to expect in your new endeavor?How to decide what to plant and prepare your planting sites?Advice on feeding, caring for, and housing different types of livestock?A look at ?agripreneurship”?running and marketing your hobby farm as a successful business?Stories, quotes, and advice from successful female hobby farmers","brand":"Karen Lanier","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49790965743897,"sku":"2607W","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-62008-260-7.jpg?v=1728540835"},{"product_id":"the-essential-guide-to-hobby-farming","title":"The Essential Guide to Hobby Farming","description":"Six containers of heirloom tomatoes, miniature squashes, and herbs on your back patio or six acres of beets, cabbages, and strawberries? Five chickens and a honey bee hive or a small farm with three dozen sheep and a couple of quarter horses?Regardless of the size of your ?field of dreams,” Essential Guide to Hobby Farming is your best first step to making that hobby-farm aspiration a pleasurable and profitable reality. A hobby farmer for the past thirty years, Carol Ekarius shares the joys, challenges, and rewards of living the rural life. Hobby farming is as much a state of mind as it is an address in the country, and this instructive, beautifully photographed manual addresses every topic beginning hobby farmers need to know, from purchasing the right land and equipment to choosing and maintaining crops and livestock to marketing and selling your hobby farm’s yield.TOPICS DISCUSSED INSIDE:-Assessing finances and resources?land, water, tools of the trade (trucks, tractors, various implements)-Choosing the best crops for your land, climate, hardiness, and profitability-Selecting and caring for the livestock?chickens, goats, cows, sheep, etc.?that best fits your hobby farm-Protecting crops and livestock against predators, pests, and disease-Business and marketing options for selling your ?local food” directly to restaurants and farmers’ markets and through CSA programs-Preserving the harvest, through canning, drying, and freezing, plus over two dozen original recipes for your homegrown produceNEW FOR THE SECOND EDITION:Expanded section on chickens, including urban and suburban accommodations; honey bee keeping; adding a barn or annex building to the farm; trends in planting, including miniature vegetables, heirloom varieties, and ?hot” new vegetables and hybrids; adding flower beds to the property; getting involved with a CSA","brand":"Carol Ekarius | Leslie J Wyatt","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49916383101209,"sku":"1440","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-62008-144-0.jpg?v=1757511573"},{"product_id":"starks-harvesters","title":"Starks' Harvesters","description":"For Rob and Charlie this was the start of memorable years driving Massey Ferguson combines the length and breadth of the American wheat belt. This is Rob's story, a vivid account of endless hours of work, rattlesnakes, truck wrecks, summer lightning, tornados, favourite bars and the 'honeys' at the grain elevators.  Rob went on to do five years' harvesting with Dale Starks who comes to life in these pages with all his wisdom and cussedness. This is the man who starred in Yellow Trail from Texas, the BBC documentary that first inspired Rob and Charlie to make the trip.  In England, Rob was working as an agricultural contractor. For him, machines and harvesting were more than a way of life - they were a passion. This enthusiasm, which brought Rob long-lasting friendships from his American days, illuminates every page of his book.","brand":"Robert S. White","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49839976579353,"sku":"3464","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-90685-346-4.jpg?v=1757511835"},{"product_id":"know-your-farm-machinery","title":"Know Your Farm Machinery","description":"Know Your Farm Machinery follows on from the successful publication of Know Your Tractors, Know Your Combines and Know Your Classic Tractors.This pocket-sized book details 43 types of farm machinery most commonly seen on farms today including ploughs, cultivators, drills, spreaders and balers. A photograph of each machine is included.Chris Lockwood is a Suffolk based freelance agricultural journalist and producer of a long list of farming and farm machinery DVDs. This is his fourth book in the popular Know Your series.","brand":"Chris Lockwood","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49829054185753,"sku":"6316","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-91045-631-6.jpg?v=1757511718"},{"product_id":"know-your-tractors","title":"Know Your Tractors","description":"Chris has tried to show the tractors carrying out a wide range of tasks. His concise text explains what is going on in the pictures. He includes some basic technical specifications such as power outputs so that the reader can roughly compare different tractors and have an idea of the size and capability of each. The 41 tractors chosen come from 25 marques. Many of the tractor manufacturers have parent companies, some of which own a number of tractor makers. Chris gives these details as well as the country of assembly and\/or manufacture. Tractor enthusiasts will enjoy this book, but it is particularly designed to be an introduction for visitors to rural shows, farm parks and country bookshops.","brand":"Chris Lockwood","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49844878999833,"sku":"3917","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-90552-391-7.jpg?v=1757511681"},{"product_id":"farm-office-handbook-2nd-edition","title":"Farm Office Handbook, 2nd Edition","description":"Farm Office Handbook is a practical reference source for anyone involved in farm administration. It offers comprehensive guidance on farm office basics, from equipment to 'doing it online'; setting up accounting systems; computerising a manual accounting system; year-end procedures complete with a check list; management reporting and budgeting with useful templates.The chapters on VAT and payroll and statutory and assurance records have been thoroughly revised in this second edition to incorporate all the extensive changes made since the first edition was published in 2012. Additionally all the website addresses for legislative updates, contacts and online resources for rural businesses have been updated. It is an invaluable resource for someone tackling farm paperwork for the first time and for experienced staff seeking to improve their skills.From the foreword: \"It is a useful addition to any farm office as it gives a complete overview of what is expected from the administration of a farm from managing accounts to dealing with office logistics.\" - Sir Jim Paice Patron of IAgSA and Minister of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 2010 - 2012","brand":"Fox Chapel Publishing Co.","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49917192536345,"sku":"6576","price":29.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-91045-657-6.jpg?v=1757510381"},{"product_id":"forty-years-with-ford-tractors","title":"Forty Years with Ford Tractors","description":"David Pearson spent more than four decades working for Ford's tractor business, starting on the production line at the maker's Dagenham factory before moving to the Basildon tractor plant opened in 1964. He went on to become the maker's UK sales manager, and earned a reputation among farmers and dealers as the man who knew all there was to know about Ford tractors. Along the way, he was involved in the development of some of the most famous machines to bear the blue livery, from the Dexta to the 7000, and the FW articulated tractors to the 7810. Edited by agricultural journalist Martin Rickatson, Forty Years with Ford Tractors builds on a series of recollections which originally featured in Classic Tractor magazine, and includes additional material to tell David's fascinating story in full. It includes a comprehensive selection of black-and-white and colour photographs, many of which have never before been published and will be of interest to all Ford fans and tractor fans more generally.Front cover photograph: (c) Dave Franciosy \/ www.farmingphotography.co.uk","brand":"David Pearson","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":49845118468377,"sku":"6590","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-91045-659-0.jpg?v=1757510355"},{"product_id":"farming-stories-from-the-scottish-borders-hard-lives-for-poor-reward","title":"Farming Stories from the Scottish Borders: Hard Lives for Poor Reward","description":"This book is about the generations of people who have made the farms we know today. Engaging, enjoyable and informative, the author uses various family experiences to take the reader through three centuries of change in the countryside, including two farming revolutions. Connections are made with people both in and outside of agriculture. Farming issues, past and present, are illustrated by recounting the lives of country people from farm worker to estate owner.Focussing on the Scottish Borders but reflecting lives across the UK, these tales give historically factual accounts of real life people and their ups and downs in dealing with the forces of nature, the varying states of economic depression that swept through the countryside, and the everyday conflicts that arise in family life.Based on painstaking research and many interviews, as well as the author's own personal experience of a lifetime in farming, Farming Stories from the Scottish Borders tells of the struggle against adversity and the human story behind modern farming ways.It will appeal to anyone who has an interest in the history of the countryside and the people who live and work in it and particularly those with a nostalgia for the 'old days'.","brand":"Colin Whittemore","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":49917195485465,"sku":"6743F","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-91045-674-3.jpg?v=1757510381"},{"product_id":"oily-hands-and-the-smell-of-diesel","title":"Oily Hands and the Smell of Diesel","description":"1960 saw the dawn of an era of unprecedented innovation and development in farm machinery. It was a period of rapid technical advancement, that produced machines which are the mainstay of the current very buoyant vintage tractor restoration movement. At the start of the decade, spark-ignition Standard Fordson tractors still occasionally required repair; by the end of the decade, the Fordson Diesel Major had been replaced by the Ford 1000 series. The history of these iconic brands is well-known; Oily Hands and the Smell of Diesel gives an alternative view - the inside story of the agricultural machinery repair trade. First employed as an apprentice, then moving his way up to an engineer, David Harris gives an entertaining, informative and personal account of his time spent at a Ford main tractor dealership, working on Ford, Fordson, County, Roadless and Muirhill tractors, Chaseside loaders, Claas combines and New Holland and Jones balers amongst others. Including many historical photographs, David describes the technical challenges in detail, and tells of the ups and downs of life in the workshop and out in the field.  This book will be a must-read for anyone who is or was involved in the machinery industry; anyone looking to restore or repair vintage agricultural machinery and anyone with a general interest in farming and machinery history.","brand":"David Harris","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":49917200630041,"sku":"6989","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-91045-698-9.jpg?v=1757510365"},{"product_id":"six-inches-of-soil","title":"Six Inches of Soil","description":"","brand":"Fox Chapel Publishing Co.","offers":[{"title":"Book","offer_id":52243777388825,"sku":"005S","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/9781917159005.jpg?v=1781878946"},{"product_id":"optimum-vitamin-nutrition-for-more-sustainable-aquaculture","title":"Optimum Vitamin Nutrition for More Sustainable Aquaculture","description":"Food production, particularly animal protein production, is changing. While productivity, efficiency and food quality continue to be of vital importance, there is increasing pressure on producers to prioritize sustainability and animal health and welfare as well as minimize food waste.Optimizing vitamin nutrition can help make animal production more sustainable by optimizing animal health and welfare and animal performance and food quality, while reducing food waste.Optimum Vitamin Nutrition for More Sustainable Aquaculture contains concise, up-to-date information on vitamin nutrition for fish.This book, which follows the authoritative Optimum Vitamin Nutrition in the Production of Quality Animal Foods (5m Books, 2013), is a reference for research and extension specialists who need the most current, research-based information on vitamins in aquaculture. This book is part of a series covering Optimum Vitamin Nutrition in poultry, swine and ruminants.","brand":"André Dumas | Angela Liu | Ester Santigosa | Gilberto Litta | José-María Hernandez","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":52895286722841,"sku":"3467O","price":110.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/9781789183467.jpg?v=1781878464"},{"product_id":"optimum-vitamin-nutrition-for-more-sustainable-ruminant-farming","title":"Optimum Vitamin Nutrition for More Sustainable Ruminant Farming","description":"Food production, particularly animal protein production, is ever evolving.In adaptation to change, producers are required to push the boundaries of productivity, efficiency, and the minimization of food waste by driving increasing standards in animal health and welfare, sustainability, and food quality.Optimizing vitamin nutrition is a valuable tool enabling a more sustainable beef and dairy production by enhancing animal welfare, robustness, performance and reducing food waste by improved product quality.Optimum Vitamin Nutrition for More Sustainable Ruminant Farming contains concise, up-to-date information on vitamin nutrition for ruminants.This book, which follows the authoritative Optimum Vitamin Nutrition in the Production of Quality Animal Foods (5m Books, 2013), is a reference for research and extension specialists who need the most current, research-based information on vitamins in ruminants. This book is the fourth of a series of books covering Optimum Vitamin Nutrition in poultry, swine and aquaculture.","brand":"Edgar Oviedo-Rondon | Gilberto Litta | José-María Hernandez | Luis Tamassia | Sergio Calsamiglia","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":52895288688921,"sku":"3566O","price":110.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/9781789183566.jpg?v=1785022594"},{"product_id":"with-the-land","title":"With the Land","description":"With the Land marks 10 years of the Landworkers Alliance. It explores what it means to work with the land, reflects on the wider land work movement and celebrates what is achievable through collective action.With the Land is a seed store of stories and poetry, interviews, recipes, essays, artwork and song, by and about people who have tilled and cared for the lands of Britain to produce food, fuel and timber within a culture of regeneration. Old hands and young voices, activists and campaigners, foresters and farmers, shepherds and soil keepers, have come together to create a testament of the collaborative spirit, vision and hard work that goes into restoring our relationships with the natural world, and making a new approach to land use and food growing possible.It links the past, present and future by bringing together voices from our membership and beyond.Filled with song lyrics, texts, photography, poetry, a letter and recipe the individual pieces in the book cover issues such as access to land, the importance of seed sovereignty, gender and land work, as well as the ecological and social imperative of creating a better food and land work system by working in harmony with nature.Spanning landscapes that range from forests to uplands, city farms to rural hinterlands, each section tells the story of how a dedicated network of landworkers are pushing against history to create a radical future-looking movement.Published by the Landworkers Alliance, distributed by 5m Books.","brand":"Charlotte Du Cann | Joanna Blundell | Kate Briton | Lauren Simpson | Oli Rodker | Sally Lai | Yali Banton-Heath","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":52895290360089,"sku":"3818W","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/9781399953818.jpg?v=1781879567"},{"product_id":"smallholding","title":"Smallholding","description":"Smallholding as a concept is not limited to small-scale farming, and anyone can bring parts of it to their everyday lifestyle, whether it's a window box to grow produce, a garden to keep chickens or a field or two for other livestock. Providing a comprehensive overview of smallholding for the beginner, Smallholding is a practical guide to growing food and farming livestock. It helps the reader learn how to incorporate some self-sufficiency into their lifestyle, to become knowledgeable enough to keep livestock, and to enjoy working and being productive with the land they have. It also gives information about making a profit from the fruits of labour, such as selling surplus home grown produce at the farm gate or farmers markets. Contents include an A-Z growing guide for fruits and vegetables, topics such as buying or renting land, soil health, composting, fruit trees, pasture management, stock fencing; and detailed livestock information about keeping bees, caring for poultry, goats, llamas and alpacas, pigs, sheep and cattle, and the legal requirements that come with it. Smallholding is a practical, comprehensive guide to smallholding for beginners, aimed at people who have access to land, as well as those growing produce in their back garden.","brand":"Georgina Starmer","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":52895338168601,"sku":"920S","price":39.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/9781910455920.jpg?v=1781879055"},{"product_id":"profitable-farm-the","title":"The Profitable Farm","description":"Maximum sustainable output offers increased economic and environmental resilience at both the individual farm and wider industry levels.The Profitable Farm is a pragmatic guide for farmers and other interested parties to maximum sustainable output (MSO) concepts, practices and applications. The Profitable Farm is suitable for farmers seeking greater resilience and increased profitability, academics who need to re-visit the Standard Theory of The Firm as it applies to farming, and policy-makers charged with responsibility to secure food-supplies and provide support programmes for the sector.The Profitable Farm provides both the technical background and the practical implications of MSO practices. In particular, it addresses the inescapable realities of energy issues on profitability and environmental damage. Case studies are used throughout to emphasise key points and the appendices will satisfy those wishing to delve further into the technical concepts behind MSO. Unlike most publications on farming, which tend to focus on farming practices, sectoral economics (at a national planning level) or environmental impact issues, The Profitable Farm is essentially about farming as businesses with significant responsibilities to the natural environment and uncompromised animal welfare.","brand":"Brian Scanlon | Chris Clark | Johnnie Balfour","offers":[{"title":"Book","offer_id":52244084785433,"sku":"98P","price":40.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/9781917159098.jpg?v=1781878741"},{"product_id":"building-projects-for-backyard-farmers-and-home-gardeners","title":"Building Projects for Backyard Farmers and Home Gardeners","description":"This is a practical and engaging guide to transforming an ordinary backyard into a productive farm. Homesteading is experiencing a revival among both rural and urban residents who want to get back to basics and live closer to the land. With this book, homeowners will obtain both inspiration and instruction for transforming their grassy yard into a lush farm that can produce all the food they need. The author is an experienced woodworker and homesteader who shows how to plan and design a backyard farm. He offers expert advice for making all of the essential hard-working structures that are needed to sustain small-scale agriculture. Step-by-step instructions are provided for 21 projects including green houses, beehives, rabbit hutches, raised beds, potting sheds, trellises, fences, and more. Readers learn how to create an irrigation system, harvest rainwater, and keep their farms environmentally sound. Each detailed plan is accompanied by the author's clear, instructive drawings. More than just a manual, the book also offers entertaining and enlightening interviews with both experts and \"average Joe\" farmers. We learn what motivates them to become backyard farmers, the lessons that they have to share, and maybe even a couple of funny stories along the way.","brand":"Chris Gleason","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":67576866668825,"sku":"5434","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/6446\/3129\/files\/978-1-56523-543-4.jpg?v=1790381380"}],"url":"https:\/\/foxchapelpublishing.com\/collections\/farming-homeandgarden.oembed","provider":"Fox Chapel Publishing Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}