Gretchen Kruesi

wild deer

Happy National Wildlife Day!

By Gretchen Kruesi / September 4, 2018 / Comments Off on Happy National Wildlife Day!

Furry friends, ecological heroes, and wild beasts—we celebrate them all. In honor of wildlife and all there is to learn from our favorite creatures, we have curated a list of some of Chelsea Green’s best wildlife books. Get your hands on some of these and prepare yourself for a literary safari! Eager is a powerful story…

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open sign

Why Economic Development Incentive Programs Don’t Work

By Gretchen Kruesi / August 30, 2018 / Comments Off on Why Economic Development Incentive Programs Don’t Work

When it comes to economic development programs, most people are quick to hang their hat on the incentive rack. It’s shiny and big and full of promise.

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mushrooms

Foraging 101: Where to find your bounty

By Gretchen Kruesi / August 28, 2018 / Comments Off on Foraging 101: Where to find your bounty

We’ve given you descriptions. We’ve given you recipes. We’ve given you (hopefully) inspiration to explore. And now we’re giving you the information you need to begin foraging on your own: where to do it and how to be safe. So go forth, young foragers, and start gathering your bounty. The following excerpt is from Forage,…

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mitochondria

Mitochondrial Theory: Setting the Mitochondrial Thermostat

By Gretchen Kruesi / August 27, 2018 / Comments Off on Mitochondrial Theory: Setting the Mitochondrial Thermostat

In his new book, naturopathic doctor Lee Know takes a deep dive into how our mitochondrial work and
 the implications this system has on a number of age-related conditions including heart disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. The following excerpt is from Mitochondria and the Future of Medicine by Lee Know, ND. It has been adapted for the…

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farm

A Call for Regenerative Agriculture: From the Group Up

By Gretchen Kruesi / August 22, 2018 / Comments Off on A Call for Regenerative Agriculture: From the Group Up

Farmland covers 38 percent of the Earth’s land area and is a major contributor to climate change. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Soil and plants have the capacity to store huge amounts of carbon in the ground, thus how we grow food can be one of the key solutions to our climate…

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pesticides

A Grassroots Revolution for Pesticide-Free Communities

By Gretchen Kruesi / August 17, 2018 / Comments Off on A Grassroots Revolution for Pesticide-Free Communities

As the ‘poison cartel’ creeps relentlessly across food systems, there is overwhelming evidence that something must be done to stop them. The small town of Mals, Italy took a stand and started a revolution to stop the corruption and pave the way for a pesticide-free future.  The following excerpt is the foreword by Dr. Vandana…

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Patience Gray

The Life of Patience Gray: Gathering Honey from a Weed

By Gretchen Kruesi / August 16, 2018 / Comments Off on The Life of Patience Gray: Gathering Honey from a Weed

Iconoclastic food writer, forager, and force of nature Patience Gray always found the good in the simple.
 In Fasting and Feasting, Gray’s biographer Adam Federman discovers that her life was never simple. “Struck by Patience Gray’s mind, her vision and her prose, Federman went in search of her past. . . . He’s done the…

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book lovers day

It’s National Book Lovers Day! Hip Hip, Hooray!

By Gretchen Kruesi / August 9, 2018 / Comments Off on It’s National Book Lovers Day! Hip Hip, Hooray!

f you’re anything like us, this might be one of your favorite days of the year. To help you celebrate as only book lovers can (with a stack of tomes in your favorite reading nook), we’ve rounded up a few Chelsea Green faves – from bestsellers to staff favorites to brand new, just hit the…

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beaver

Give a Dam and Worth a Dam

By Gretchen Kruesi / August 8, 2018 / Comments Off on Give a Dam and Worth a Dam

If you’ve been following our blog recently, you’ve probably read about the myriad abilities beavers have. With the ingenuity to help with things like water conservation, flood damage, and wildfires beavers are one of the few species capable of cleaning up after the ecological destruction caused by humans. If you’re not a Beaver Believer yet,…

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food forest

Community Food Forests in Action

By Gretchen Kruesi / August 6, 2018 / Comments Off on Community Food Forests in Action

Alright. We’ve covered the basics of what a community food forest is, how to plan one, and which approach is best. Now it’s time to see some in action! Keep reading to learn more about some of the pioneers of the food forest movement. The following excerpt is from The Community Food Forest Handbook by Catherine Bukowski…

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hops

To Hop or Not to Hop?

By Gretchen Kruesi / August 3, 2018 / Comments Off on To Hop or Not to Hop?

For you IPA-loving readers, you may be asking yourself if there is any legitimacy to our query: The answer, of course, is TO HOP. But what if we told you there is another way? It’s okay, you can keep drinking your IPA while you read this but by the end, you may be rethinking everything…

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salmon

The Wild in Us and Us in the Wild

By Gretchen Kruesi / August 2, 2018 / Comments Off on The Wild in Us and Us in the Wild

In the following Q&A, Martin Lee Mueller, author of Being Salmon, Being Human, discusses the importance of rethinking the human-Earth relationship, why salmon are the perfect creatures to start the conversation, and what we can do to give back. Q: Part of your inspiration to write this book came from an opinion piece about the…

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taking blood pressure

Sustainable Medicine: Power to the Patients

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 31, 2018 / Comments Off on Sustainable Medicine: Power to the Patients

In her book Sustainable Medicine, Dr. Sarah Myhill aims to empower people to heal themselves by addressing the underlying causes of their illness. She presents a logical progression from identifying symptoms to understanding the underlying mechanisms, to relevant interventions and tests and tools to tackle the root causes, and she empowers her patients to take…

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beer

The Magic of Beer: Science Behind The Miracle Brew

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 27, 2018 / Comments Off on The Magic of Beer: Science Behind The Miracle Brew

Think back to science class… remember those lessons on photosynthesis? We sure don’t, which is unfortunate as we now know that it is crucial to the beer making process. Perhaps if we realized that simple biochemistry could turn barley into brews, we would have paid better attention. The following excerpt is from  Miracle Brew by Pete Brown.…

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cells

What is Autoimmunity?

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 24, 2018 / Comments Off on What is Autoimmunity?

Autoimmunity, the body’s immune system fighting off its own healthy cells and tissue, is concerning to the say the least. Add to that the 80 plus autoimmune diseases that can occur as a result and we’ve reached high alert. So what’s causing these diseases and is there anything we can do to prevent them? The…

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amaranth

An Amaranth Love Affair

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 23, 2018 / Comments Off on An Amaranth Love Affair

Our love affair with amaranth began long before the pseudo-grain became a trendy staple for gluten-free folk. The luscious leaves of this annual plant are not only packed with a plethora of health benefits – high levels of protein and calcium, aids in digestion and weight loss, and helps improve vision, to name a few!…

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spraying pesticides

The Pervasive Presence of Unregulated Chemicals in America

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 20, 2018 / Comments Off on The Pervasive Presence of Unregulated Chemicals in America

How are chemicals regulated for use on our food? How do they affect our bodies? These are just two of the crucial questions proposed by Michelle Perro and Vincanne Adams. Unfortunately, it seems the US government does not consider these questions as critically as they should. Read on to learn more about the genetically modified…

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people in community garden

A Community Food Forest: Planning and Managing

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 18, 2018 / Comments Off on A Community Food Forest: Planning and Managing

As Benjamin Franklin stated, “By failing to prepare, you’re preparing to fail.” A good community food forest will always require robust planning but don’t let that scare you! By breaking down the work into the following five project management phases, you not only establish an initial plan you’ve also developed a dynamic system to allow…

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parent feeding baby

Taking Action: A Parent’s Guide to Health in the 21st Century

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 12, 2018 / Comments Off on Taking Action: A Parent’s Guide to Health in the 21st Century

As chronic disorders among American children reach staggering levels, parents are starting to take action. They are on the front lines of changing the food landscape and have created a movement to ensure the health of future generations. As more people become involved, veteran pediatrician Dr. Michelle Perro and medical anthropologist Dr. Vincanne Adams deliver…

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beaver-cut tree

Appetite For Construction

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 9, 2018 / Comments Off on Appetite For Construction

Have you ever wondered why beavers build dams the way they do? Believe it or not, there is actually a method to the madness. Similar to the motives behind why humans manipulate the environment the way they do, beavers employ a strategic plan when building their dams. The animals are “among our closest ecological and…

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doughnut economics

The Twenty-First-Century Economist: Seven Ways to Think Like One

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 5, 2018 / Comments Off on The Twenty-First-Century Economist: Seven Ways to Think Like One

We’ve come a long way since the days of horse-drawn buggies and telegrams: We can send messages to someone across the globe in seconds, travel overseas takes hours not days, and yet, when it comes to how we think about the economy, we’re centuries behind the times. Renegade economist, Kate Raworth, proposes an entirely new…

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agroforestry - public garden

Agroforestry Versus Permaculture: Which Approach to Use for a Community Food Forest

By Gretchen Kruesi / July 2, 2018 / Comments Off on Agroforestry Versus Permaculture: Which Approach to Use for a Community Food Forest

Ok, so we’ve gone over some basics of community food forests: Now it’s time to figure out how to plan one. There are two schools of thought on the best approach to building a community food forest: agroforestry or permaculture. The former offers a science-based approach while the latter incorporates elements of social design. Both…

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two people gardening

Food Forests: What is a Community Food Forest?

By Gretchen Kruesi / June 27, 2018 / Comments Off on Food Forests: What is a Community Food Forest?

The recent rise of community food forests and similar projects have come at an imperative time. More than 80 percent of the US population now resides in urban areas. This number is projected to rise in the next few decades. Not only can food forests provide a local source of food they can also serve…

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salmon cakes with lemon pesto

Recipe: Salmon Cakes with Lemon Pesto

By Gretchen Kruesi / June 22, 2018 / Comments Off on Recipe: Salmon Cakes with Lemon Pesto

This salmon cake recipe makes for a simple and flavorful dinner. Delicious, golden-brown patties made with  salmon are a tasty alternative to crab cakes. Need a side dish? Check out our recipes for Summer Vegetable Tian and Ginger Carrots. The following excerpt is from The Heal Your Gut Cookbook by Hilary Boynton and Mary G. Brackett. It has been adapted for the…

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reading in the summer

Our Favorite Summer Reads

By Gretchen Kruesi / June 21, 2018 / Comments Off on Our Favorite Summer Reads

Wondering what to read this summer? Don’t worry, we have you covered! Grab your towel and claim the best pool chair or relax at your homestead with one of these perfect summer reads. Whether its nature reads, to healing your gut, everything wild, or inspirational books you’ll have your nose in a book all summer long…

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