Great Books for Mending, Darning and Improving Your Clothes

You’ve heard of the Japanese art of kintsugi, where broken pots are repaired with lacquer mixed with gold so they’re more beautiful than they were to begin with.   We can do the same things with our clothes, blankets and other belongings with darning, embroidery, patching and other techniques.  It’s wonderful to learn simple mending techniques, […]

The Joy of Foraging: Gary Lincoff's Illustrated Guide to Finding, Harvesting, and Enjoying a World of Wild Food

Review: The Joy of Foraging (What’s Good, What’s Bad)

I read The Joy of Foraging: Gary Lincoff’s Illustrated Guide to Finding, Harvesting, and Enjoying a World of Wild Food while vacationing at a friend’s house, courtesy of her library book pile.  It’s a good book to get from the library before purchasing it to get a feel for whether it will be a good fit […]

Trees of Power Review

Trees of Power: A Must-Read for Foragers, Homesteaders and Environmentalists

A somewhat nerdy looking new book was quietly published this year that has the potential to not just greatly improve your life, but greatly improve the world.  I admit that sounds like a bit of hyperbole, but Trees of Power offers a really inspirational look at how the trees that are all around us can […]

Tales from a Foragers Kitchen

Rodale Pulls Foraging Cookbook That Gives Dangerous Information on Elderberries, Acorns and Mushrooms

A well-known Instagram star’s popular new foraging cookbook has been pulled by its publisher, thanks to the fact that some actual foragers got a hold of it and alerted readers to some dangerous (and seriously unpalatable) recipes inside it. Tales from a Forager’s Kitchen: The Ultimate Field Guide to Evoke Curiosity and Wonderment with More […]

The Fruit Forager's Companion: Ferments, Desserts, Main Dishes, and More from Your Neighborhood and Beyond

A New Favorite Foraging Book: The Fruit Forager’s Companion

When I received a digital ARC of Sara Bir’s The Fruit Forager’s Companion, the only thing I didn’t like about it was the fact that it was deleted after the review period and I didn’t get to keep a copy.   I absolutely loved this book and plan to purchase a copy of my own. […]

Unbiased Review: Modern Pressure Canning

Unbiased Review: Modern Pressure Canning

I have experience with pressure canning but I’m always happy to find new recipes and learn more. When I got an opportunity to read a temporary digital Advanced Reader Copy of the new book, Modern Pressure Canning by Amelia Jeanroy, I was happy to check it out. While this book has basic information to get […]

Must Modern Cider Making Be Chemical-Laden and Complicated?

As an avid home brewer of wines and ciders, I was excited to read an ARC copy of Modern Cider: Simple Recipes to Make Your Own Ciders, Perries, Cysers, Shrubs, Fruit Wines, Vinegars, and More, by Emma Christensen, through Net Galley. I am always looking for more recipes and for ideas to simplify the process. […]

Upcycling Outdoors: 20 Creative Garden Projects Made from Reclaimed Materials

Review: Upcycling Outdoors (20 Creative Garden Projects Made from Reclaimed Materials)

Looking for some upcycling inspiration for your yard and garden?  Upcycling Outdoors: 20 Creative Garden Projects Made from Reclaimed Materials, a new book by Max McMurdo, is a fun, inspirational and educational read. I read a temporary digital ARC of this book through Net Galley. I really enjoyed it, but found it had limited use […]

Stephanie Tourles's Essential Oils: A Beginner's Guide: Learn Safe, Effective Ways to Use 25 Popular Oils; Make 100 Aromatherapy Blends to Enhance Health; Soothe Common Ailments and Promote Well-Being

Review: Stephanie Tourles’s Essential Oils: A Beginner’s Guide

The world of essential oils has become increasingly complicated since the rise of multi-level marketing EO companies in the past couple of decades.  I started using essential oils regularly about 15 years ago, when a trusted friend in a natural parenting forum posted about how wonderful lavender oil was for healing wounds.  It really was […]

Composting for a New Generation: Latest Techniques for the Bin and Beyond

Review: Composting for a New Generation Will Get You Excited About Composting — Really!

If you’ve always wanted to compost but didn’t know where to start, or if you’ve been composting for years but want to switch up your methods, a great new book has you covered. Michelle Balz’s  Composting for a New Generation: Latest Techniques for the Bin and Beyond is a phenomenal book to answer any questions […]

The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook: Recipes Inspired by the Extraordinary Produce of California's Most Iconic Market

Review: The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook Gives Recipes for Exotic Produce and Wild Foods

I was able to read a digital copy of The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook: Recipes Inspired by the Extraordinary Produce of California’s Most Iconic Market this week through Net Galley.  I was excited to read it, not because I have access to an elaborate produce market like the famous Berkeley Bowl, but because some of the […]

Fabulous free permaculture book teaches DIY urban rainwater harvesting

Fabulous Free Permaculture Book Teaches DIY Urban Rainwater Harvesting

Here’s a wonderful free booklet to help you use permaculture principles to harvest rainwater and put it to use in your yard and gardens.     The wonderfully-illustrated 8-page primer was created by by Joe Linton (of LA Creek Freak) to accompany a workshop he did in 2008.   The guide draws heavily from Brad […]

Wild foods list of each of Samuel Thayer's foraging books: Incredible Wild Edibles, Nature's Garden & The Forager's Harvest

Which Wild Edible Plants Are Covered in Samuel Thayer’s Foraging Books?

Samuel Thayer’s foraging books Nature’s Garden and The Forager’s Harvest are well loved by foragers, and his upcoming book, Incredible Wild Edibles, promises to be another great resource.  Thayer doesn’t cover the same wild edible foods in any of his books.  Each book goes into great detail about a few dozen wild foods to forage, […]

The Fascinating History of Racahout, an Acorn Delicacy and Cure-all

The Fascinating History of Racahout, an Acorn Delicacy and Health Remedy — and the Modern Knock-Off It Inspired

As many readers know, I have been writing an acorn foraging guide and cookbook.  My research led to a fascinating bit of history this week when I stumbled upon a reference to Racahout des Arabes, which was apparently once a very popular hot drink or hot cereal (depending on how much hot milk you used) made […]

It’s Elderberry Season!

Daryl and I have been faithfully checking our elder patches for the past few weeks and he brought home a bag of our first elderberry bounty for the year this week. This particular clump of elders is bordering a nursing home that has given us permission to pick their pears and elderberries.  He harvested them […]

Foraging and cooking with elderberries and elder flowers

Now in Paperback!

  My elderberry book is now available in a paperback edition!  We heard from many people who wanted a physical copy of the book, especially to make use of it while foraging and for the cookbook section.  I worked over the past couple of months to create the best possible paperback version, with black and […]

Elderberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Elderberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Elderflower season is coming to an end and that means elderberry season is coming soon!  Make sure you use some of this year’s elderberry crop to make some elderberry jam and elderberry pie filling, because they’re so wonderful in recipes like elderberry cream cheese cupcakes (and elderberry thumbprint cookies, and elderberry fluff, and elderberry frosting….). […]

Make your own elderberry schnapps from dried elderberries

Make Your Own Elderberry Schnapps!

Here’s another easy recipe from my new book, Elderberries: The Beginner’s Guide to Foraging, Preserving and Using Elderberries for Health Remedies, Recipes, Drinks and More (available now on Kindle and in paperback). This is a beautiful, deep purple schnapps that is so simple to make with either fresh or frozen elderberries.  See the directions at […]

elderberry cream cheese spread

Elderberry Cream Cheese Spread

Here’s a quick, easy and delicious recipe to make use of elderberry jam that you may have put up.  I featured it in my new book, Elderberries: The Beginner’s Guide to Foraging, Preserving and Using Elderberries for Health Remedies, Recipes, Drinks and More, which went live on Amazon at the Kindle store on Friday and […]

Tree Craft offers easy projects from tree trimmings and found wood

I have a new favorite craft book. I just got Tree Craft in the mail yesterday and already I’ve read it cover to cover and am planning projects to do with my kids. Tree Craft, by Chris Lubkemann, offers “35 rustic wood projects that bring the outdoors in.” From salt and pepper shakers to coat […]

Review: Wild Berries & Fruits Field Guide of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan by Teresa Marrone

Note:  This post contains affiliate links.  Purchases made through our links earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you. RATING: ***** Wild Berries & Fruits Field Guide of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan by Teresa Marrone is by far the most indispensable foraging book I have ever owned, or even seen. It is […]