Recommended Reads: Harvest

When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,’ said Piglet at last, ‘what’s the first thing you say to yourself?’ ‘What’s for breakfast?’ said Pooh. ‘What do you say, Piglet?’ ‘I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?’ said Piglet. Pooh nodded thoughtfully. ‘It’s the same thing,’ he said.
- A. A. Milne, ‘The House at Pooh Corner’

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.
- Virginia Woolf

As a kid we had many empty lots in the neighborhood where there were wild blueberries, huckleberries, strawberries, blackberries, elderberries to be picked and enjoyed. My grandfather had a large garden where we could pull carrots and eat cucumbers and tomatoes off the vine. A farmer across the street let us pick corn, so sweet, tender and many times eaten on the way home.

The lots have been developed and the garden gone but with local farmer’s markets and CSAs, folks can again enjoy the fresh taste of local produce and preserve the bounty into the winter.

Recorded cassette (RC), digital book (DB), braille (BR), and large print (LT) copies of these books are available from the Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library. Please contact the library to order any of these books.

Prepared by Eileen Morange, Registration Services Manager
Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library

Designing the New Kitchen Garden by Jennifer R. Bartley.
RC 69998 IN PROC, DB 69998
Landscape designer discusses the medieval origins of potagers, year-round kitchen gardens that produce herbs and vegetables and incorporate ornamental perennial and woody plantings for aesthetic appeal. Covers design techniques and plant selection, using specific potagers in Maryland, Texas, and Vermont, her own in Ohio, and restaurant gardens as examples. 2006.

Preserving for All Seasons by Anne Gardon.
BR 12633
A guide to canning and pickling fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the year. Offers recipes for every season with creative suggestions for using the products. Includes directions for preparing pears in wine, Indian chutney, Chinese pickles, and other unusual concoctions. 1999.

Home Preserving Made Easy by Vera Gewanter.
BR 2960
A book of useful information on preserving and storing food, drawing on American and European traditions. Special sections on making wine, cheese, sausage, and other preserves. 1975.

Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky.
RC 55857, DB 55857 (BARD Download Only), LT 3153
Author explores the worldwide influence of the oldest and best preservative vital to animal and human survival. Discusses salt's impact on civilizations when it was a scarce and expensive commodity and its many uses beyond the culinary in the modern world. 2002.

Preserving the Fruits of the Earth: How to "Put up" by Stanley Schuler.
BR 2757
Instructions for curing foods by smoking, brining, freezing, and canning. Tells how to thresh and mill grain and how to make wine. 1973.

The Self-Sufficient Gardener: A Complete Guide to Growing and Preserving All Your Own Food by John Seymour.
RC 21141
Includes vegetables, fruits, and herbs and provides information on soil, climate, cultivation, pests and diseases, harvesting, and storing. Also explains how to salt, dry, pickle, can, or freeze produce. 1979.

Pickled, Potted, and Canned: How the Art and Science of Food Preserving Changed the World by Sue Shephard.
RC 55479, DB 55479 (BARD Download Only) 
Interweaves a chronicle of the development of preserved, portable food with a discussion of how this enabled people to evolve from hunter-gatherers to become explorers, settlers, and world traders. Uses facts and anecdotes to explain the connection between society's evolution and techniques for drying, smoking, pickling, potting, canning, freezing, and dehydrating. 2000.

A Celebration of Soups by Robert C. Ackart.
RC 19373 
Collection of versatile soup recipes includes traditional favorites plus many unusual selections, such as eggplant soup, dill pickle soup, and fruit and nut soups. Special sections are devoted to garnishes and stocks, and the country of origin is noted in each recipe. 1982.

An Ocean of Flavor: The Japanese Way with Fish by Elizabeth Andoh.
RC 29062
Through her dozens of classic recipes, Andoh introduces the home cook to the produce of Japan's seas and describes the myriad ways the Japanese use fish, not all of them employing seafood in raw state. Andoh's straightforward exposition of Japanese cooking methods takes away the aura of mystery so often surrounding Japanese cuisine. 1982.

Hallelujah! The Welcome Table: A Lifetime of Memories with Recipes by Maya Angelou.
RC 59469, DB 59469 (BARD Download Only)
Author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (RC 57200) shares favorite recipes from her southern childhood and penny-pinching days and from her more-recent repertoire of elaborate feasts. Includes anecdotes and stories of dining at home and with her good friends. Bestseller. 2004.

Four Seasons in Five Senses: Things Worth Savoring by David Mas Masumoto.
BR 14762
Japanese American organic farmer reflects on what can be seen, touched, heard, smelled, and tasted on his family's California farm. Observing cycles of renewal and harvest and recognizing realities of small-scale farming in the age of agribusiness, Masumoto groups his essays in five clusters, each identified with one of the senses. 2003.

Garden Way's Joy of Gardening by Dick Raymond.
RC 21472, DB 21472 (BARD Download Only), BR 6023
The author, who calls himself a lazy gardener, has perfected unbelievably easy ways to plant vegetables, to harvest, to get rid of weeds, and to improve soil. This book is a companion to the syndicated television series of the same name. 1983.

Dear Mr. Jefferson: Letters from a Nantucket Gardener by Laura Simon.
RC 47224
Imagined letters between Simon and Thomas Jefferson discuss the gardening cycle from penciled plan to harvest. The author, who lives year-round on Nantucket, needed to communicate with someone who shared her love of horticulture. She chose Jefferson after becoming convinced that he was a genuinely inspired gardener. 1998.

Jerry Baker's Fast, Easy Vegetable Garden by Jerry Baker.
BR 14841
Master gardener's step-by-step guide to planting, growing, and harvesting produce. Addresses seasonal schedules, soil and insects, common problems, and frequently asked questions. Includes chapters on herbs, tomatoes, and organic gardening along with helpful information specific to each state. 1985.

The Nonstop Garden: A Step-by-Step Guide to Smart Plant Choices and Four-Season Designs by Stephanie Cohen.
DB 71745 (BARD Download Only)
A columnist for Fine Gardening magazine and a horticultural consultant provide plans, plant lists, and tips for creating gardens that provide year-round interest. They suggest trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs, annuals, tropicals, edibles, and vines; discuss ornamentation, containers, and structures; and include a peak performance table. 2010.

The Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook: Seasonal Foods, Simple Recipes, and Stories from the Market and Farm by Amelia Saltsman.
BR 18113
Food writer offers tips on selecting, storing, and preparing fresh, seasonal produce like that found at one of California's oldest certified farmer's markets. Includes dozens of recipes, such as black cod with green tomatoes, for courses ranging from starters, soups, salads, and sides to main dishes and desserts. 2007.

French Lessons: Adventures with Knife, Fork, and Corkscrew by Peter Mayle.
RC 52170
Mayle describes how he was introduced to the pleasures of French culinary art at age nineteen. Living in the French countryside, he explores the small, out-of-the-way restaurants and local village markets. He participates in annual festivals and eats in three-star Michelin restaurants, all the while writing about his appreciation of French food. Bestseller. 2001.

Rooted in America: Foodlore of Popular Fruits and Vegetables by David Scofield Wilson.
BR 13740
Ten essays exploring the cultural impact of various fruits and vegetables on society. Apples bring to mind Halloween and Johnny Appleseed. Bananas inspire visions of Carmen Miranda wearing a fruit-bowl hat of bananas. Hot peppers make one think of bowls of chili. Also mentions corn, oranges, tobacco, and tomatoes. 1999.

Fallscaping: Extending Your Garden Season into Autumn by Nancy J. Ondra.
RC 66173, DB 66173
After introducing key plants for providing fall blooms, berries, seedheads, and foliage, the authors offer advice on combining these to create gardens that look good not only in the autumn but in one or more other seasons as well. Includes a fall garden-care primer and lists gardening techniques. 2007.

Fresh Food from Small Spaces: The Square-Inch Gardener's Guide to Yar-Round Growing, Fermenting, and Sprouting by R. J. Ruppenthal.
RC 69996 IN PROC, DB 69996
Believing energy costs will soon make it necessary for even urban dwellers to grow their own food, the author provides tips for vegetable and fruit gardening in nontraditional locations such as patios, balconies, rooftops, and windowsills. Also discusses making yogurt, kefir, and fermented foods and raising chickens and bees. 2008.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver.
RC 64800, DB 64800 (BARD Download Only)
Novelist Kingsolver, author of The Poisonwood Bible (RC 46882), describes moving back to an ancestral farm in the Appalachians with her biologist husband and two daughters to live off the land. Details caring for the garden, canning vegetables, and buying local meats. Decries the toxicity of industrial agriculture. Bestseller. 2007.

The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters.
RC 67096, DB 67096
Restaurant owner and chef offers recipes based on principles that support local farmers and foods produced by sustainable, environmentally responsible, and humane methods. Includes suggestions for sauces, salads, soup, pasta, bread, grains, eggs, vegetables, fish, poultry, meat, and desserts. Offers tips on cooking techniques and pantry stocking. 2008.

Foods of the Americas: Native Recipes and Traditions by Fernando Divina.
RC 59743, DB 59743 (BARD Download Only)
Introduces culinary practices of the Western Hemisphere, from indigenous customs to the use of local ingredients. Provides recipes for preparing exotic dishes with modern cooking techniques. Includes appetizers, relishes, soups, wild game, fish/seafood, breads, desserts, and beverages. 2004.

Union Oyster House Cookbook: Recipes and History from America's Oldest Restaurant by Jean Kerr.
BR 18606
Presents a brief history of Boston's Union Oyster House and sixty of its traditional recipes. Offers appetizers, soups and chowders, stocks and sauces, and entrées, many of which feature seafood. Side dishes include Boston baked beans and cornbread. Among the desserts are Boston cream pie and Indian pudding. 2008.

A Nation of Farmers: Defeating the Food Crisis on American Soil by Sharon Astyk.
RC 69769 IN PROC, DB 69769
Authors advocate reducing industrial agriculture to lessen negative environmental consequences such as global warming, soil degradation, and excessive energy use. They explore sustainable alternatives, including small family farms and gardens, and provide tips on food storage, cooking, and waste disposal, as well as easy-to-grow and easy-to-make recipes. 2009.

The Elements of Organic Gardening: Highgrove, Clarence House, Birkhall by Charles, Prince of Wales.
RC 66180, DB 66180
The Prince of Wales discusses the organic gardens he helped design and maintain during twenty-six years at Highgrove, and the two gardens he managed in London and Scotland after his grandmother's death. Describes using organic principles and stewardship to create a sustainable garden. 2007.

An American Homeplace by Donald McCraig.
RC 36967
National Public Radio commentator, writer, and homesteader McCaig tells of his and his wife's decision to exchange their New York life-styles for the farming life of Virginia in the 1970s. He relates the history of their chosen locale, the trials of learning a new profession, and discussions he has had with noted homesteader Helen Nearing and sustainable-agriculture pioneer Wes Jackson about the future of living off the land. 1992.

Where Our Food Comes From by Gary Paul Nabhan.
RC 68575, DB 68575
Ethnobiologist recounts his travels in the footsteps of Russian botanist Nikolay Vavilov (1887-1943), who collected food-crop seeds from five continents to preserve agricultural biodiversity. Nabhan documents varietal changes that have occurred since Vavilov's time to assess the effects of climate change, globalization, and genetic engineering on food resources. 2009.

The Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook by Christopher Kimball.
BR 12125
Reminiscences of life on a Vermont farm and recipes fondly remembered from days gone by. Each chapter includes tales from the author's rural background and directions for preparing favorite foods, often with several variations. Also offers information about purchasing basic equipment and assembling ingredients for cooking. 1998.

Wild About Herbs by Roger K. Tabor.
BR 14530
Advice on growing and preserving more than one hundred useful herbs - including tarragon, chamomile, fennel, licorice, basil, blackberry, and dandelion - and some toxic ones. Suggests practical applications for culinary and therapeutic purposes. Provides recipes and directions for home use and crafts. 2002.

The Patio Kitchen Garden by Daphne Ledward.
BR 15651
BBC gardening expert offers techniques for cultivating produce in apartments and other dwellings with limited outdoor space. Suggests using hanging baskets, window boxes, and other containers on balconies, patios, and indoor areas. Includes sowing and planting timetables as well as recommendations for vegetable, herb, and fruit varieties. 2001.

Vegetable Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens.
BR 00836
Explicit instructions for a variety of uses of 20 kinds of fresh or frozen vegetables. Includes soups and salads, general instructions for canning and freezing, and charts on seasoning, cooking, and nutritional values. 1965.

Gifts for Herb Lovers: Over Fifty Projects to Make and Give by Betty Oppenheimer.
BR 12116
Ways to use herbs in culinary, cosmetic, scented, and decorative products. Includes recipes for tea bags, herbal vinegar, bath salts, lip balm, and hand cream. Provides lists of materials, equipment, and step-by-step instructions for sachets, moth-repellent hangers, a living wreath, and pinecone fire starters. 1997.

Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies, and More by Cory Schreiber.
BR 19084 IN PROCESS
Schreiber, an award-winning chef, and bakery owner Richardson present suggestions for traditional fruit desserts inspired by seasonal, locally grown produce. Recipes are organized by season and include upside-down sweet cherry cake (spring); nectarine, boysenberry, and almond crisp (summer); pumpkin custard (fall); and caramelized pear bread pudding (winter). 2009.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl by Ree Drummond.
DB 72395 IN PROCESS
Award-winning blogger (www.ThePioneerWoman.com) relates her transformation from a city girl to a rancher's wife after meeting and marrying a cowboy she calls Marlboro Man. Provides step-by-step recipes from appetizers to dessert. Includes vignettes of Oklahoma country living. 2009.

Eat Fresh Food: Awesome Recipes for Teen Chefs by Rozanne Gold.
DB 72405 IN PROCESS
Teen guide to cooking simple meals and snacks using fresh, healthy ingredients. Includes step-by-step instructions and sample menus for special occasions that use seasonal fruits, vegetables, and herbs. For junior and senior high and older readers. 2009.

The New Low-Maintenance Garden: How to Have a Beautiful, Productive Garden and the Time to Enjoy It by Valerie Easton.
DB 72645 IN PROCESS
Garden columnist describes various simplified gardens that are comfortable in size and scale, have minimal lawn, and require little dividing, pruning, spraying, staking, or topiary. Gives tips for working with nature, banishing weeds, editing plant selections, and incorporating containers, raised beds, and edible gardening. 2009.

Gardening in Eden: the Joys of Planning and Tending a Garden by Arthur T. Vanderbilt.
LT 04008
Vanderbilt has gardened for over twenty years at his home in northern New Jersey, and in this familiar, small-scale suburban setting he finds the extraordinary and teaches us about the delights, joys, and occasional disappointments of gardening. In this celebration of life, we journey with the author through the four seasons of the gardening year. We feel the oppressiveness of endless winter days, the magic of an old-fashioned snow day, the heady, healing qualities of wandering through a greenhouse on a frozen February afternoon, the restlessness of a gardener waiting for spring. 2003.

The Town that Food Saved: How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food by Ben Hewitt
DB 72669 IN PROCESS
Chronicles efforts of the small community of Hardwick, Vermont, to reinvigorate its economy and create a farming environment that fosters a sustainable, local food system. Details the new agricultural business model that young entrepreneurs embraced during a distressed economic period. 2009.