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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Book Review and Giveaway

Don't judge a book by its cover...unless it is the book Homegrown by Marta Teegen because not only is the cover beautiful, but the content is beautifully written.

Teegan goes over many of the aspects of gardening in raised beds, containers, and in small spaces. I really like her approach to planting the garden, not in neat and tidy rows, but simulating nature. I wrote plenty of notes in the margins so I can refer back to the book when I'm ready to start my garden in our next house.

One thing I thought was really interesting was the combination she uses to make up the soil. She uses composted horse manure, wood shavings, and straw with a touch of bone meal and green sand. I still have to research what green sand is!  I like this idea because it seems like it would be a heck of a lot cheaper than Mel's Mix used in square foot gardening.

There is a gallery of plants and produce where she goes over many of the different plants you may be interested in planting. For each plant she lists the best climate and site to plant, growing season, how much to plant, how to grow it, good companion plants, problems you may have, how to harvest it, and even how to eat it. 

To top it all off, Teegen is a chef and has included many recipes to use all the good grub you grow in your garden. We tried out the Shaved Fennel Salad with arugula, avocado, and almonds. It was delish!!! The combination of textures and flavors was just perfect.

This book covers a lot of the basics, so it would be great for a beginner as well as the seasoned gardener. Some days I feel like I'm a beginner even though I've been gardening for about 8 years and I still learned many new things. I'm so glad to have this book in my library, and we want one of you lucky readers to be able to add it to your library as well.

To win a copy of this book, simply leave a comment. Be sure to check back to see if you won.

Giveaway will close Friday May 21st at midnight. 

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55 comments:

Gail said...

I have been reading your blog for about a month now, but I have never commented. I really enjoy the topics you cover and have shared the link to your blog with those seeking out the information you are writing about.That book sounds really wonderful! I love to read good gardening books! Please enter my name in the giveaway. Thank you!
Blessings from Kansas!
Gail

Erica said...

I am starting with some raised beds this year and would love a book like this.

Unknown said...

I need this book, I want this book, I've GOT TO HAVE THIS BOOK!! ha!! It sounds wonderful :)

Love this blog by the way...I stumbled upon it a couple of weeks ago and have read everything up to this point. I still consider myself a beginner gardner, but one day, I hope to not only have a green thumb, but 2 green hands!!

Thanks!!

jones41704@bellsouth.net

Laura @ Getting There said...

Enter me, please! That book looks gorgeous and besides, one can never have too many gardening books!

Mackenzie said...

Thank you for all the great work you do with the blog! I have been reading it for months and have only commented occasionally.

This looks like a great book! I am a newbie gardener and can use all the help I can get.

Thanks for a great giveaway.

Unknown said...

This book looks beautiful and appears full of helpful advice. Please enter me in the giveaway!

MAYBELLINE said...

I don't use bone meal because of the whole mad cow scare. Horse $h!t is great if you have it. May I recommend bunny poop? Those little guys produce some great stuff.

Aly said...

Sounds like a great book! I would love to have some tips on adding smaller gardens around the yard in addition to our larger one :0).

Konnie said...

Oh boy do I want that book:) Even if I don't win, I will be looking for it at the book store. Thanks for the recommendation.
Konnie

Zachary and Jennifer said...

Neat book. Might even check it out even if I don't win. :-)

I am experimenting with square foot/raised bed gardening this year as being overwhelmed by my traditional garden layout for the last few years.

Thanks for the recommendation!

Jennifer

Elizabeth @ A Girl In Her Kitchen said...

I sure do need this book. I'm just getting into container gardening and can use all the help I can get. It's so time consuming to check the internet for every question on every plant. Having this book would be so helpful!

http://agirlinherkitchen.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Sounds like a great addition to any gardener's library!

Rachel said...

Greensand is a mined rock containing prehistoric (Jurassic and Cretaceous period) marine life. Because of the ethics behind open pit mining and the fact that it is not a renewable resource I won't use it. I also won't use the Sq Ft Gardening mix because of the peat in it for the same reason.

Elizabeth said...

That cover is gorgeous. No reason not to judge by it!

Eleanor said...

Wow. What a great book. I hope I win. It would make a great addition to my library.

Unknown said...

Marisa, this sounds like a WONDERFUL resource! I'd love to own a copy! Thanks for a great give-away opportunity!

Anna said...

This book looks great! I'd love to win it!

Penni said...

I enjoy reading your blog! This books sounds great. Please enter me in your drawing - thank you!!

JesR said...

Oh my goodness! That book is beautiful, and since we are FINALLY going to rent a house during my hubby's PhD program....I can get my hands in the dirt!
Thanks for the great blog!

bandwidow said...

Thanks for the chance to win!

megan said...

Love it!

Becky said...

Love the blog, would love the book. :)

Harvest Kitchen Sisters said...

Hello,

Book looks amazing. I would love some tips on making my garden grow and I know my sister (who I blog with) would love a little guidance on making her farm flourish.

Plus I live for new recipes and could use a book that combines gardening tips with food. My two favorite things combined.

Thanks for the opportunity!

amelia

Anonymous said...

Wow! That book looks amazing! I would love to win that! Thank you very much for the opportunity :)

Amy MacKenzie said...

Looks like a great book! We have just started our garden at our new house and i love new ideas. Hope I win :)

Nishant said...

Love the blog, would love the book. :)
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Nishant said...

That book looks gorgeous and besides, one can never have too many gardening books!
post free classified ads

Jana said...

Yes please...I'd love to be included in the drawing.
jana

Suzanne said...

I know where you live........I better win! That is all! Ha! Love ya! -Suzanne

-Sydney- said...

Looks like an interesting book! I do SFG but my mix is similar to Marta's--chicken manure, straw, leaves, compost and ground egg shells. Everything grows tremendously well!

sueguzman said...

The book looks AMAZING! I would LOVE to win a copy. Pick me! Pick me! :)

Jamie Allen said...

ooooh, I would love to have this one.

Julie said...

pick me!!

Steve Harwell said...

This looks like a great book.

Anonymous said...

I would love to have this book!

KarlandCara said...

I would really love to have this book!

Laura at By the Bushel said...

Working on my garden today... this book looks great, cover is beautiful, and would be a great read! Best- Laura

Jenny said...

It looks like a great read and inspirational. I would love to add it to our library.

JoyceAnn said...

Sounds like a great book! Thanks for hosting a wonderful giveaway.

~ Garden Blessings ~

Kenneth Moore said...

Any extra knowledge is good knowledge! I have a couple books with similar information, but each is presented in a different way, and I learn different things from each of them. I'd love to test this one out, too!

Kirsten said...

Our container back-deck garden could use a book like this!

bambugirl said...

Looking for info on tomato cages tonight and stumbled upon this site and your blog. My kids and I turned my husband's old paint table upside down and started a garden in it. We could really use some pointers on ALL of it! Thank you for great reading material

~liz said...

i'd love a copy! i'd love to learn to grow more in our yard...
~liz

Tammie said...

I am trying my hand at a raised bed garden this year. I hope I win this book to help me out.

Anonymous said...

I found your blog via...well, I don't know exactly! I just kept clicking links on blogs that had interesting topics and ended up here. I like what I see, so far!

The book sounds great and I would love to own a copy!

-Susan

Michelle said...

I've been reading your blog for about a month now and love it. We just planted our raised beds this year with Mel's mix - I would love another cheaper alternative - Teagan's book sounds very thorough and I can always use all the help I can get in the garden.
Blessings,
Michelle

Lindsay said...

I would love this book!!

Penny said...

I've been reading your blog for a little while and enjoying it very much.
The book looks like something I could use. =)

Proverbs Thirty One Woman said...

Looks like a really interesting book. Thanks for hosting the giveaway!

wendy_d23 said...

Yay! I am always looking for a new book on gardening!

Drucilla's Stitches said...

Looks like a wonderful book. Thanks for sharing!! If I don't win I will be looking for this at the book store soon. You have a great blog, look forward to visiting again soon.

mattbeatty said...

Love the Backyard Farming blog! Looks like a beautiful read.

Flassie's Fil'a said...

I'd be so pleased as dandelions
growing in a field with daisies,
if I won this fabulous giveaway!!

Thank You So Much for the
opportunity to WIN this
lovley book!!

I came by way of JoyceAnn's
blog Feather Spirits. She
had mentioned your giveaway.

God Bless You and Yours!!!

Amberley said...

I would LOVE a copy!

Day in the life of A Parmentier said...

I would love a copy of this wonderful resource! Thanks!
Amber