February/March 1983 RAIN Page 21 1 Urban Agriculture Survival Gardening, by John A. Freeman, John A. Freeman, John's Press Box 3405 CRS Rock Hill, SC 29731 $6.95,1982, 85 pp. The sub-title of the book says it in a nutshell: "enough NUTRITION from 1000 sq. ft. to LIV^ ON . . . just in case." Nestled between the covers of this book is the basic information you'll need to grow vegetables which are high in vitamins, minerals, protein, and calories. Included is a list of "Very Special Survival Vegetables (V.S.S.V.)" and their nutritive yield on a per-week basis. On the top of the V.S.S.V. list are turnips with greens, collard, kale, and mustard. One chapter is devoted to several charts and tables including an interesting chart of the nutritive yields per week you can expect when doing intensive gardening, as well as a list of the kind and quantity of seeds you should have on hand — just in case. My only concern is that if IT happens, who will be around to harvest the turnips? A Handbook ofCommunity Gardening Boston Urban Gardeners Susan Naimark, Editor Charles Scribner's Sons 597 Fifth Ave. New York, NY 10017 $14.95,1982,180 pp. There are several how-to books on community gardens, but how many are written by the gardeners themselves? In this book, urban gardeners give tips on how to organize, plan, and maintain a garden, and they are sensitive to the needs of both the gardeners and the gardened. Topics include all aspects of site selection and preparation as well as chapters on involving kids in the garden, using solar devices, and a whole section which focuses on community-oriented offshoots of the garden such as developing a land trust, a farmer's market, or a community canning center. Organic Orcharding: A Grove ofTrees to Live In. Gene Logsdon Rodale Press 33 E. Minor St. Emmaus, PA 18049 $16.95,1981,415 pp. A superb guide for creating an ecologically sound small-scale orchard. Says one self-taught orchardist, "it has many helpful ideas on just about any aspect of orcharding for the personal orchard grown for home use." Logsdon emphasizes the importance of choosing local, climate-specific varieties of trees which are more disease resistant. Of special interest is the section on insect and animal friends of the grove and what pests they like to gobble. This book is vet another milestone on the way back to an agricultural system in balance with Nature. The City Greenhouse Book, Paige Chapel, Editor Center for Neighborhood Technology 570 W. Randolph St. Chicago, IL 60606 $9.00,1980,177 pp. An excellent guide for planning, designing, and managing a neighborhood greenhouse project including creating a neighborhood base, acquiring a site, selecting an appropriate design, managing the greenhouse, and much more. Bibliog- aphies and resource listings are included for each of the sections on planning, design, and horticulture. If you are considering the idea of developing a community greenhouse, this book is a MUST. Gardens ForAU 180 Flynn Avenue Burlington, VT 05401 802/863-1308 A non-profit foundation established in 1972 to promote community gardening, GFA has since become a national clearinghouse for the movement. They publish a monthly newsletter ($12/yr., $21/2 vrs.) with an impressive circulation of 135,000. The organization focuses on several aspects of community gardening including youth gardening for schools and recreation clubs. Their publication. Youth Gardening Book: A Complete Guide for Parents, Teachers, and Youth Leaders by Lynne Ocone, $6.95, $1 for postage, 132 pp. will be available in March. Burlington has a model senior citizen community gardening project, where members have planted Christmas trees, fruit trees, and shrubs, and where container gardening is available for handicapped gardeners. GFA is sponsoring a garden grants program for senior citizens which will award 32 grants from $125 and $450 each for container gardening supplies, seeds, and hand tools. Applications, available from GFA, are due by April 1. The community gardening movement has blossomed and interest has taken root nationwide. Last summer GFA's Gallup survey showed that 76% of those interviewed wanted permanent gardening sites in their communities. Massachusetts Fruition Program do Division of Land Use, 100 Cambridge St. Boston, MA02202 This group sponsors a community tree planting program to promote "the productive use of open space." Local groups tend fruit and nut trees and berry vines which have been planted on public access lands. Illustrations from. Bringing Home the Bacon and Organic Orcharding
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