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.
The Story Tools Tell
For such a materialistic world, we spend very little time considering the story objects hold. To most of us, a tool is just that, a tool – an object to help us complete a task. Master-craftsperson Nick Kary sees so much more in his tools, though. He sees the heritage of his craft, his own…
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Becoming a Maker: A Material Connection
In our present age of computer-assisted design, mass production and machine precision, the traditional skills of the maker or craftsperson are hard to find. Yet the desire for well-made and beautiful objects from the hands (and mind) of a skilled artisan is just as present today as it ever has been. Many of us harbor…
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Abolishing Debt
In May 2019, in the shadow of London’s financial district, Canary Wharf, a golden Ford transit van explodes. After years of planning, this is the final act that cancels $1.5 million of high interest ‘toxic debt’ for one London community. This ‘Big Bang 2’ was the culmination of an art project by filmmaker and artist…
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Saving the Soil, Saving Ourselves
The soil undeniably sustains us, without it there would be no gardens, no farms, no livestock– nothing. As we continue to overuse and undernourish the soil, we are shorting both the earth and ourselves. These three books map out different approaches to revitalizing our soil through regenerative agriculture. “In healthy, living soils covered with green plants…
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Seeding the Future
Widespread poverty and malnutrition, an alarming refugee crisis, social unrest, and economic polarization have become our lived reality as the top 1% of the world’s seven-billion-plus population pushes the planet—and all its people—to the social and ecological brink. In Oneness vs. the 1%, Vandana Shiva takes on the Billionaires Club of Gates, Buffet, and Zuckerberg,…
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Mesquite: Where There’s Smoke
Gary Paul Nabhan is an internationally celebrated nature writer, food and farming activist, and proponent of conserving the links between biodiversity and cultural diversity. He holds the W.K. Kellogg Endowed Chair in Sustainable Food Systems at the University of Arizona Southwest Center, where he works with students, faculty, and non-profits to build a more just,…
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Let’s Talk About Hemp
The hemp industry is booming, and with roots stretching throughout human history, it’s not going away any time soon. Here are some of our favorite articles and videos about this booming business. Hemp Can Do That: The Forgotten History of Hemp Cultivation The stat sheet on hemp sounds almost too good to be true: its…
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Growing Year-Round: Profitability & Tips
The growing season can feel much too short this time of year; it seems like spring just got here, but we’re already preparing to harvest the fruits of our labor. Growing year-round is a challenge, but it’s not impossible. Follow these growing tips, and you’ll be well on your way to growing year-round! The following…
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The Money Machine of the 1% — How to Break Free
“Breaking free of the 1% and their constructs is not just possible, it has become necessary. It is a human necessity because participating in a world of limitless greed, profit, violence and power robs us of our humanity.” —VANDANA SHIVA We can seed another future when we deepen our democracies, reclaim our commons and regenerate…
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Honoring the Cider Making Process
Cider making seems like a lot of work (and it is) but it makes itself more than you may know. With the addition of yeast, the apple juice ferments into cider after a few days. Andy Brennan, cider-enthusiast, advises to trust this process and not to interfere. Leaving nature to do its work yields a…
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Lessons From a Small Country
People say good things sometimes come in small packages, and the little country of Whales is an example of just that. As Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing in Wales, Jane Davidson 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…
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Owning Livestock: 7 Reads To Get You Started
Owning livestock is no small task, but the work certainly pays off. To help you out, we’ve rounded up 7 books that are sure to help you become a livestock guru in no time! The Small-Scale Dairy The Small-Scale Dairy includes everything you need to know in order to successfully produce nourishing, healthy, farm-fresh milk. Whether…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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.…
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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…
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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…
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