[.uk] Four-Season Harvest: Organic Vegetables from Your Home ... (ISBN 1890132276)

Know Your Location's Relative Cloudiness Before Buying:
When first reading this book, I got really excited about the prospects of greenhouse growing in Michigan during the winter. That is until someone reminded me how cloudy MI is during the winter...so I did some research, and sure enough, the part of Maine the author lives in has *more* sunny days than the US average in winter, whereas Michigan is among the cloudiest of all areas, with a number of sunny days far below the national average. It's still a good book, but I think the author should've made as much a point of cloud cover as he did latitude and day length.

Not A Waste Of Money:
I've been familiar with Eliot Coleman's work for a few years now. I found an interesting article in Mother Earth News, 2004, regarding his daughter, Clara, and her attempts at gardening in the winter. It peaked my curiosity, so I saved the article. I have yet to get myself organized enough to attempt what she did, but I took it another step and purchased this particular book so that I would have more step-by-step help. Still, yet, I'm not quite brave enough to try, but if I can't do it with the help of this awesome book, I shouldn't waste my time!! The book is simple to understand, has perfectly understandable drawings to go by, and has about all the information one would need to be a success. I live in Central Maine and can't wait to be picking spinach and other greens in the cold of winter!! What more could you ask for, except for Mr. Coleman and/or his wife to come to your home and start the project with you??!! Thanks for a superb book...now if I can only get myself brave enough to try. Wish me luck.

leading the way:
Coleman leads the way in articulating the what, why and how of the four season garden. The pictures of his beautiful farm/unheated hoophouse are enough to inspire most skeptics. Hardly anyone mentions the great recipe ideas included here. My favorite is the salad made with cooked beets and mache. True they are sketchy descriptions, not cookbook recipes per se but most gardening cooks will be able to figure out a good rendition. In addition, I appreciate his detailed glossary with specific cultivars of vegetables, such as bull's blood beets greens grown in the winter for their colorful leafy presence in the salads. These and many other of the insights in this book can only come from a seasoned master and veteran gardener/farmer.

Rave reviews from the recipient:
I gave this to my parents for Christmas since they are considering a small organic farming venture, including cold frames and a hoop house, and my mother has been poring over the book ever since. The auther lives in a zone 5, where my parents live, and apparently he is very informative regarding exact dates for planting/harvesting/etc. They are so glad I found this book. I would recommend it.

Great Quick Read:
I couldn't stop reading Four-Season Harvest. Elliot Coleman has an easy to read style that is no-nonsense. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to grow fresh veggies for her family. Garden in the spring/summer and harvest nearly year-round is the jest of it all. Great book!