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.
Homage to Chef Kurt Michael Friese
Chef Kurt Michael Friese, a Chelsea Green author and friend to staff, contributors and readers, died at age 54 in his home in Iowa City, Iowa. It would be hard to find a more multi-talented and compassionate individual in America’s heartland. A tireless innovator and promoter of Iowa’s non-profits and for-profits, Kurt was a pivotal…
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How to End a Food Apartheid
Apartheid ended in 1994, right? Not according to Leah Penniman, a young, black farmer living in the South End of Albany, NY where a modern day apartheid is taking place. At the root of this issue? Food. Or better said, the lack of access to affordable, healthy food options in Black communities across the country…
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How to Cheat In an Argument: A Beginner’s Guide
Manners. We were all taught them from a young age, and yet, they are oft forgotten when we find ourselves in the heat of an argument about a topic we are passionate about. Before we know it, we are mere shells of ourselves, using cutthroat tactics to win our case. Unfortunately, our momentary loss of…
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Politics: There’s No Room for Politeness
The polite thing to do when asking for something is to say “please” and wait patiently. However, this doesn’t work in politics currently. Movements and change will only occur when the people demand action, when they have strong voices delivering their messages, and when they leave politeness on the table. Take Bernie Sanders for example.…
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Northeastern Kvass
When you’re on a fall hike, taking in the colorful leaves, sharp snaps of twigs beneath your feet, marveling at the beautifully knotted roots of the trees in front of you, you’re probably not thinking about how delicious they all taste together. But boy, you should be! Almost every ingredient in this nature-infused Northeastern Kvass…
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Farming Against Nature
When you’re walking around the grocery store looking at all of the different vegetables, it’s probably hard to imagine that a century ago there was twice the amount of options to choose from. Hundreds of years of growing crops and infusing the soil with chemicals have depleted the dirt of the essential nutrients needed to…
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What is Bioregulatory Medicine?
Finding out you have a chronic or degenerative illness can be overwhelming and mind-numbing on its own. Add to that already spinning emotional rollercoaster the possible treatment options, and you may find yourself unable to move forward. For those who are looking for alternative methods to traditional treatment plans, Bioregulatory Medicine could provide a solution.…
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A Story for Parents: A Parent’s Worst Nightmare
For parents, there’s nothing more nerve wracking than making sure our children are safe and healthy. Unfortunately, it’s not always clear how to do that especially when it comes to vaccines. In his new book, How to End the Autism Epidemic, author J.B. Handley confronts the common misconceptions about vaccines and empowers parents to be…
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Heart Health: Herbal Formulas and Medicinals
Whether you use them as a precautionary measure or for their restorative properties, there’s no denying the power of herbs when it comes to caring for your heart. You may already know that garlic reduces arrhythmias but are you aware that black currants can improve lipid ratios? As always, when working with herbal formulas you…
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For the Love of A Child: A Family’s Fight and a Father’s Love
It all started when his second child was just two months old. After receiving six separate vaccines at a well baby visit, J.B. Handley’s son’s health quickly deteriorated. He developed eczema. He wasn’t sleeping. His play habits changed. Right before his parent’s eyes, Jamison Handley was changing, and they didn’t know why. In his new…
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Vegetable Farm Tips: The Keys to Efficient Veggie Production
If the idea of running a vegetable farm sounds daunting, you’re not alone. How can you ensure success while also being environmentally conscientious? What can you do to simplify techniques and reduce expenses? Where do you even begin? Well, young farmer, we’re here to help. Eliot Coleman, a pioneer of organic gardening, has identified the…
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Homesteading Skills: The Gateway to True Freedom
We wanted to touch on some of the important homesteading skills you may need to use on any given day. Some are learned while others are passed down from homesteader to homesteader, all are important. In this excerpt from The Nourishing Homestead, author Ben Hewitt talks about why these skills are important to pass down…
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Recipe: Fall Harvest Garden Fries
Got a lot of root veggies in your fall harvest? Garden fries are an easy and delicious way to use them up! Enjoy them sans sauce, with ketchup, or if you’re looking to impress dinner guests pair them with a garlicky leek dipping sauce. Bon appetit! The following recipe is from Cooking Close to Home…
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Emergence of the Mechanical Mind and Its Dire Implications
For as far back as we can remember, humans have been driven by the Mechanical Mind – a desire to evolve, to expand, to consume, to manipulate everything around them to meet their needs without thinking about the consequences. Yet some 200,000 years ago, before the advent of agriculture, there was a different view and…
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Ancient Customs: Drinking to Good Health and More
It’s a little-known fact, but we here at Chelsea Green Publishing love a good piece of trivia. (Did you know beavers have a second set of lips behind their teeth?) When we found out that the saying “to the last drop” comes from ancient Danish drinking customs, you know we were thrilled. Who doesn’t love…
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Cooking with Mesquite: Ancient Nourishment
Mesquite has been a staple in desert dwellers’ diet for far longer than maize or even livestock. With its nutritional value (it’s filled with both complex carbs and protein!) and endless possibilities for preparation, it’s no wonder it was once an integral source of sustenance for such a large region. If you happen to get…
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Celebrate Homesteading Month with Chelsea Green
That’s right, September is International Homesteading Education Month, and throughout the month we’ll be publishing some of our favorite homesteading tips, techniques, recipes, and more. We’ll be featuring some of our favorite homesteading authors including Ben and Penny Hewitt, Beth and Shawn Dougherty, and Carole Deppe. We’ll also be sharing a few sneak peek excerpts from…
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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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The Man Who Loved Labor And Hated Work
In response to one of the nation’s darkest labor-history chapters, Congress passed a law in 1894 making the first Monday of every September “Labor Day,” to pay tribute and honor the achievements and contributions of American workers. While the passing of the law helped to improve conditions, standards, and relations there was still work to…
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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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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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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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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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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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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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