Grow a Sustainable Diet: Planning and Growing to Feed Ourselves and the Earth (32 page)

amendments,
47
,
52

intensive growing and,
41
,
88

rotations and,
86

See also
composting

soil temperature,
75–76

solar drying,
19
,
85
,
94
,
141
,
142–144

The Solar Food Dryer
(Fodor),
143

sorghum,
32
,
43
,
45

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange,
34
,
102
,
110

Southern peas.
See
cowpeas

soybeans,
28
,
30

space use (efficiency)

bed width and,
9

calorie yields,
26
,
28

mapping and,
88

oil and sweetener crops and,
32
,
44–45

rotations and,
85–86

soil quality and,
41

See also
garden maps

spacing, plant,
88
,
106–107

spiders,
71

spinach,
31
,
86
,
95

spined soldier bugs,
67
,
71

squash,
29
,
33
,
68–69
,
108

See also
winter squash

Stocking Up
(Stoner),
129

storage.
See
preservation and storage

succession planting,
79

sulfur,
47

sunflowers

beneficial insects and,
67

composting,
54
,
91

sunflower seeds for oil,
31–32
,
44

sustainable diet

animal products as part of,
3
,
25–26
,
113–116
,
126

defined,
1
,
2
,
159
,
162–163

transitioning to,
6–8
,
41

Sustainable Market Farming
(Dawling),
61
,
87
,
110

sweeteners, crops for,
31–32
,
46–47

sweet potatoes,
86

as calorie crop,
26
,
27

harvest,
76
,
78

interplanting with corn,
96–97

in rotation,
90
,
95
,
97

storage,
43
,
132
,
133

timing,
90

Swiss chard,
31
,
79–80
,
86

T

tansy,
67
,
70–71

tea,
44
,
160

Thai Red Roselle (hibiscus),
44

Three Sisters interplanting,
29
,
33
,
68–69

threshing,
59–60

tilling

avoiding,
50
,
54
,
94

beneficial insects and,
71

resources,
61

The Timber Press Guide to Vegetable Gardening in the Southeast
(Wallace),
34

tomatoes

determinate
vs.
indeterminate,
80–81
,
91

disease problems,
103

preserving,
43–44
,
90
,
140–142
,
142–143

in rotation,
86
,
89–90
,
94

seed saving,
110

starting,
75–76

trellising,
90
,
154
,
156

for variety,
32

tools.
See
hand tools

transplanting,
77
,
81
,
90
,
107

trellises

for cucumbers,
93
,
154
,
156

for peas/beans,
78

for tomatoes,
90
,
154
,
156

turnips,
86

The 12-Month Gardener
(Ashton),
152

U

USDA
Complete Guide to Home Canning,
140

USDA Standard References,
114

Ussery, Harvey,
119
,
120

V

VABF (Virginia Association for Biological Farming),
xix

variety selection

catalog availability and,
110

for oil,
31–32
,
44

planting/harvest timing and,
77
,
78
,
142

for regional adaptations,
3
,
33–35
,
96

temperature considerations,
34–35

Victorio Strainer,
141

Virginia State University,
xix

Virginia Tech,
xvii–xviii
,
66

vitamin A,
114

vitamin B
₁₂
,
113–115

dairy,
115

eggs,
114–115
,
116

in meat,
120
,
123
,
125
,
126

vitamin D,
31

vitamin E,
114

voles,
87
,
88
,
98

W

Wallace, Ira,
34
,
110

walnuts,
32
,
135

washing stations,
150–152

water

for beneficial insects,
71

for cows,
122–123

for ducks,
120

storage of,
150

for washing,
151

weather records,
34–37

Weston A. Price Foundation,
30

wheat,
30

for chicken feed,
118

composting,
54

harvesting,
59–61
,
93

legume interplanting,
55

milling,
144–145

planting,
92–93

in rotation,
87
,
89
,
92–93
,
95
,
97

as staple,
43

wild areas,
22–23
,
69

Wild Fermentation
(Katz),
93
,
137
,
138

winnowing,
60

winter squash,
86

importance of,
33

as pig feed,
125

in rotation,
19
,
95
,
96
,
98

seed saving,
110

storage,
43
,
131–132
,
133

wire grass,
13–14
,
70

worksheets

bed crop months,
57

crop quantity planning,
40

plant/harvest schedule,
82

plant/harvest times,
75

precipitation records,
37

seed inventory,
104

seeds and plants needed,
106

temperature records,
36

worms,
118
,
125

Y

yarrow,
67

yields

oil crops,
44–45

record-keeping,
39–41
,
47–48
,
107–108

Z

zucchini,
143

About the Author

C
INDY
C
ONNER
grew up in Parkman, Ohio. Having been active in 4-H, she naturally went to Ohio State University where she met her husband and received a degree in Home Economics Education. Since she learned to make her own clothes in 4-H, sewing was her first area of interest in home economics. With arms and legs longer than average, she realized you don’t have to settle for what’s available in the store when you can make your own clothes to fit.

Being a stay-at-home mom to their four children gave Cindy the opportunity to carry that kind of thinking over to the food she prepared for her family. Her study of organic gardening and sustainability led her to become a market gardener, then an educator.

Cindy Conner founded Homeplace Earth to provide permaculture education with an emphasis on sustainable food production, including getting the food to the table using the least fossil fuel. She researches how to sustainably grow a complete diet in a small space at her home near Ashland, Virginia, and has produced the videos
Develop a Sustainable Vegetable Garden Plan
and
Cover Crops and Compost Crops IN Your Garden
. Cindy was instrumental in establishing the sustainable agriculture program at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in Goochland, Virginia and taught there from 1999–2010. You can follow Cindy’s blog at
HomeplaceEarth.wordpress.com
.

All the worksheets in this book are available for download at
http://tinyurl.com/mf4a33r

A Guide to Responsible Digital Reading

Most readers understand that buying a book printed on 100% recycled, ancient-forest friendly paper is a more environmentally responsible choice than buying one printed on paper made from virgin timber or old-growth forests. In the same way, the choices we make about our electronic reading devices can help minimize the environmental impact of our e-reading.

Issues and Resources

Before your next electronic purchase, find out which companies have the best ratings in terms of environmental and social responsibility. Have the human rights of workers been respected in the manufacture of your device or in the sourcing of raw materials? What are the environmental standards of the countries where your electronics or their components are produced? Are the minerals used in your smartphone, tablet or e-reader conflict-free? Here are some resources to help you learn more:

•
The Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics

•
Conflict Minerals: Raise Hope for the Congo

•
Slavery Footprint

Recycle Old Electronics Responsibly

According to the
United Nations Environment Programme
some 20 to 50 million metric tonnes of e-waste are generated worldwide every year, comprising more than 5% of all municipal solid waste. Toxic chemicals in electronics, such as lead, cadium and mercury, can leach into the land over time or can be released into the atmosphere, impacting nearby communities and the environment. The links below will help you to recycle your electronic devices responsibly.