DIG IN

The latest articles from Chelsea Green and our authors: offering tips and techniques about how you can bring our books to life in your kitchen, backyard, or community.

eco friendly

Making Change, Big and Small

In a time when change is necessary and inevitable, leading by example is invaluable. Not only has Jane Davidson spent a significant portion of her professional life working on legislation to build a greener, brighter future, but she has also integrated green changes into her personal life. It’s easy to talk the talk, but walking…

Read More
motivation

The Motivation Behind Change

In #futuregen, Jane Davidson explains how, as Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing in Wales, she proposed the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015—the first piece of legislation on Earth to place regenerative and sustainable practice at the heart of government. Unparalleled in its scope and vision, the Act connects environmental and social health…

Read More
windmills in a field

A Conversation with Paul Hawken

Paul Hawken is an environmentalist, entrepreneur, author, and activist who has dedicated his life to environmental sustainability and changing the relationship between business and the environment. He is a member of Ray Anderson’s original EcoDreamTeam. The following is an excerpt from Mid-Course Correction Revisited by Ray C. Anderson and John A. Lanier. It has been…

Read More

Recipe: Hibiscus and Rose Hip Soda

In today’s world of processed foods and too much sugar, it can seem impossible to find truly natural ingredients that taste good. Look no farther than your backyard! Hibiscus and roses are two common flowers that can be used to make natural soda that tastes fresh and have healing properties. The following is an excerpt…

Read More
ferment

Become a Fermentation Sensation with these 8 Recipes!

Fermentation can take any ordinary ingredient and turn it into something amazing and delicious! To prove it to you, we’ve compiled some of our best fermentation recipes that you can try at home. Kvass: A Nourishing, Fermented Beverage Looking to add another recipe to your fermenting repertoire? Try your hand at kvass. This nourishing beverage…

Read More
voting

Election Year: Inspirational Reading Before Voting

The following is from the Chelsea Green 2020 Spring Journal. It has been adapted for the web. Rules for Revolutionaries Becky Bond and Zack Exley A riveting behind-the-scenes look at how a small “distributed organizing” team operating on the fringes of the Bernie Sanders campaign was able to identify, recruit, train, and activate hundreds of…

Read More
dentist

Changing Oral Medicine

Did you know that many common chronic conditions—including obesity, inflammation, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and cancer, among others—often have their origins in the mouth? Dr. Dominik Nischwitz is an expert on the mouth’s vital role in the body’s microbiome. His groundbreaking book, It’s All in Your Mouth, presents a necessary new approach to natural…

Read More

The Lean Farm Guide: CSA Boxes

CSA boxes are becoming popular as the idea of buying local continues to become more appealing. As a farmer, offering a CSA box to your community is a great way to ensure that you have a market! Author Ben Hartman talks about this concept, and the overall idea of lean farming to reduce waste, in…

Read More

Artisan Foods: Inspiration from Masters of the Craft

Artisan food-makers spend years studying their craft and perfecting their culinary techniques in order to give us the most delicious food possible. Our authors are sharing their knowledge with the world, whether it be brewing beer or making cheese. Pick up any one of the books this list to learn from the best! If these…

Read More
books

6 Books That Bring Hope to Life

Books can bring comfort, happiness, and most important: hope. Let these books fill you with inspirational stories of perseverance, hope, and innovation. Following the collapse of Ireland’s Celtic Tiger economy, social activist Ruairí McKiernan questions whether he should join the mounting number of emigrants searching for greater opportunity elsewhere. McKiernan embarks on a hitchhiking odyssey…

Read More
koji

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Koji

What if we told you there’s a world of flavor that you’ve never tasted before? There is, and it all starts with a little mold called koji! In the right hands, koji makes anything taste better, from bread to cheese to ice cream. Check out our post on growing your own koji to get started.…

Read More

Sleep, Performance, and the 21st-Century Athlete

Sleep seems to be the thing that escapes most of us. In a society that praises long hours, we aren’t getting the rest needed for optimal physical and mental performance. Continuously practicing to be the best is an unhealthy myth that drives many athletes. Studies recently conducted are reporting that the best way improve athletic…

Read More
hemp

Hemp Can Do That: The Forgotten History of Hemp Cultivation

The stat sheet on hemp sounds almost too good to be true: its fibers are among the planet’s strongest, its seed oil the most nutritious, and its potential as an energy source vast and untapped. Our extensive use of hemp may seem like a hot new trend, but hemp is actually inextricably intertwined with human…

Read More
sheet mulch diagram

The Ultimate Guide to Sheet Mulching

Sheet mulching is a layered mulch system that nurtures the soil. You start with a biodegradable weed barrier like cardboard. From there, you build a thick, layered substrate for your garden with compost and mulch. As the materials break down, worms move in, softening the soil below, and creating a healthy, aerated planting bed where…

Read More
powelines

A History of Electricity and Its Impact on Planetary and Human Health

The story of the invention and use of electricity has been told before, but never from an environmental point of view. An assumption of safety, and the conviction that electricity has no negative impact on life, are by now so entrenched in the human psyche that new research and testimony by those who’ve been injured…

Read More

American Hemp Farmer: An Interview with Doug Fine

Investigative journalist, farmer, and goat herder Doug Fine has been writing about hemp for 26 years. Author of Hemp Bound and Too High to Fail, he believes that hemp can lead the way toward a new, regenerative economy. In this interview with Chelsea Green, Fine gives us the straight dope on one of the world’s…

Read More

Bacteria: The Unsung Heroes of Oral Hygiene

Good oral hygiene equals a squeaky clean mouth, free of all bacteria, right? Wrong! Our mouths are actually at their healthiest when we have a thriving population of good bacteria. So ease up on those microbes, they get a bad rap! The following is an excerpt from It’s All in Your Mouth by Dominik Nischwitz.…

Read More
produce

Autoimmune Diets: Six Principles to Follow When Starting

Inspired by a combination of his work treating patients with autoimmune disease and working in his garden, Dr. Cowan has developed six principles to help patients create healthy, natural autoimmune diets. He emphasizes the importance of sourcing quality food from your immediate environment and consuming the correct macronutrients. The following excerpt is from Vaccines, Autoimmunity,…

Read More
lisa fithian talking to a crowd

Change Ourselves, Change the World

Lisa Fithian has shut down the CIA. She has disrupted the World Trade Organization and camped in a ditch with Gold Star mom and protester of the Iraq War, Cindy Sheehan. She has stood her ground in Tahrir Square, occupied Wall Street, marched in the streets of Ferguson, and walked in solidarity with tribal leaders…

Read More

Malt Your Own Grain at Home: Brewing from Scratch

Do you think making a 100%-from-scratch beer is near-to-impossible? We’re here to tell you, it’s not! With just a few ingredients and a little patience, you can malt your own grain at home and get started on a brewing a batch of beer completely from scratch! The following excerpt is from Brew Beer Like a…

Read More

The Spirit of Hitching

Gone are the days where you can stick out your thumb to catch a carefree ride. For a long time though, hitchhiking was considered normal and even reasonably safe. Even more, it gave people a chance to connect with strangers, share stories, and spend a bit of time in someone else’s shoes. While the days…

Read More
cow

Why Cows are the Premier Dairy Choice

Let’s be honest… cows (should) rule the world. Well, at least the dairy world. While many grazing animals have been milked throughout the course of history (reindeer and horses included), none have been more valued than the cow – a producer of wealth and nourishment and stability. The following excerpt is from Keeping a Family…

Read More
ladybug

Learning to Love Insects

With spring in full swing, bugs are making a reappearance in our gardens and in our lives. Before you reach for the fly swatter, consider this: While they inspire fear in many of us, bugs also play an important role in the ecosystem. So let’s learn to live with bugs, not in fear of them!…

Read More
chickens, goats, and a young farmer feeding the animals

Homesteading: Highlighting Our Need For Each Other

Homesteading isn’t meant to be a solitary adventure, done in isolation. Building and living on your land takes at least one partner, if not several. That’s why homesteaders have come to rely not just on their specialized skills, but on the skills of their neighbors, family, friends, and other homesteaders as well. It doesn’t make…

Read More
hemp

A Gold Rush: The Rise of CBD

Cannabidiol – CBD – has become the new favorite natural wellness supplement for many ailments. It’s become near-impossible to find a product that hasn’t been infused with CBD, the non-hallucinogenic compound extracted from the hemp plant. Drinks, pet chews, smoothies, gummies — you name it, the exploding CBD industry has you covered. While many farmers are…

Read More