well laid out reference manual on organic principles.

As a newcomer to organic agriculture and permaculture practices.I have read several works on the principles of organic agricultural practices but keep coming back to this excellent book.The only drawback I have found in reading it is that it is slightly more biased to the small scale commercial grower.Having said that ,all the points it brings out are relevant to all the organic philosiphies.Once again though it is an invaluable aid and thought provoking piece of work.I would highly recommend it.

A PRIMARY WORK FROM A MASTER

For over three thousand years there has been a written record of agricultural and horticultural curiosity and creativity. It is a domain of understanding where observation has always been the source of creativity. During that long history there have been many brilliantly creative observers of nature whose passions form the backbone of what we know about growing plants. Eliot Coleman is one of those true masters. He has spent his life applying his enormous, practical curiosity to HOW TO GROW FOOD PLANTS. If you grow vegetables and fruits, for pleasure or for market, you owe it to yourself to sit at the feet of one of the very best. from Nicholas Lore, best selling author of "THE PATHFINDER: How To Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success"

useful to growers on any scale

I could not recomend another book more highly. The information in this book is useful to growers on any scale. The chapters on soil preparation and crop rotaion are worth the price alone. I am online right now ordering a copy for my dad as a gift. Enjoy!