Wednesday, February 1, 2012

The Heirloom Gardener Review

Book Title:  The Heirloom Gardener

Authors:  Jere and Emilee Gettle
Website: Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company
Don't forget to visit them on facebook as well.

This review took me longer than I had hoped it would as the weather has been so beautiful that we've been outside every spare moment!  But the nice weather also made me want to get my garden planned out and get my hands in the soil.

Now onto the book.  The book starts out with some background history on Jere Gettle and how he came to love seeds and planting.  He shares his early life and his move from Minnesota to Missouri(I'm partial to this part as I'm a Missouri native).  He also shares how he became involved in the seed saving movement to preserve our heirlooms and how he started his seed company.

I love the "life story" inside the book! Wow is all I can say to all the travels.  I've always wanted to travel the world, but reading about his travels and how he got off the beaten path to find these great seeds is almost as good as getting to go there yourself.  Not only does Jere Gettle tell us how to garden, he also shares the best ways to garden, to care for you soil year round, and how to save your own seeds!  Wow!  Here is someone who can't be in this for the money.  He's telling you how to save your seeds so you don't have to buy from him again! 

The last half of the book is an A-Z growing guide of all kinds of fruits and vegetables.  This resource is astounding.  It answers all your questions of when to plant, where to plant, what not to plant next to what, what bugs and pests to watch out for and how to prevent them organically.  This is definitely a resource I will be consulting this year as I finish the planning and preparation for making my garden a reality this year.

Baseline review:  I love this book.  I highly recommend this book!  If you like gardening and want information this book is for you.  Not only does Jere Gettle share how he became involved with seeds and started his own company but he imparts onto you, the reader, his knowledge of seeds and planting.  He shares how to save your own seeds, where to plant what, how to care for them, and other wonderful ideas.  The vivid photographs and variety of plants is astounding.  The colors just leap right off the page at you.

I have always liked Baker Creek Seeds and have ordered from them for a while now, but this book has given me many ideas and ways to change how I garden to make everything better.  Oh, and don't worry if you don't live on a big farm, this book also has ideas for the city gardener!

This book gets 5 stars from me!

If you want to learn more about Baker Creek Seeds visit their website or facebook page.  They have been more than helpful to me in the past with any questions I have had.  You can also check out my blog post about the seeds I ordered for my garden this year by going here.

This review is my opinion of the book The Heirloom Life Gardener.   My opinion has not been influenced by the Gettles or Baker Creek Seeds or anyone else.  It is just that, my opinion.  I have not received any compensation for this review other than the book in question.  To view my full disclosure go Here.

20 comments:

  1. I just planted my first garden last year. It actually went really well but a book with a story and gardening tips sounds pretty cool

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  2. I have been thinking about planting a garden and I may get this book to give me more ideas. Thanks

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  3. I love gardening. I try to save my own seeds. Sometimes successful, sometimes...not so much.

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  4. Thanks so much for reviewing this book. I'm just beginning to learn about gardening, so every bit of info helps!

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  5. Great review. I've seen their heirloom seed catalog and would love to order some of their seeds. This book is on my wish list!!

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  6. This sounds like a great review and I am looking forward to buying the book, The Heirloom Gardener Review soon.

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  7. This book sounds fascinating. I also like the way he weaves an autobiography into the non-fiction. Thanks for the info!

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  8. One of these days I'm going to try to get a green thumb of my own.

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  9. I would love to learn more about Heirloom gardening

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  10. I am not a great gardener but I still like to try. Maybe this could help.

    email/ daveshir2005@yahoo.com
    fb/ shirley greenawalt zolenski

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  11. Looks like a good book! I could use some help with my gardening skills....or lack of them!

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  12. I have this book on my nightstand to read this winter. I love their magazine, so I look forward to learning more from the Gettles. Thanks for sharing on www.craftygardenmama.com for Tuesday Greens!

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  13. This b ook sounds very good! I like books about travels!

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  14. I love that he combines his knowledge of gardening with other facts and history.

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  15. sounds like a really good gardening book, thanks for your insight !!

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  16. I'm already in love with this book and I haven't even read it yet! I can't wait to break out my seeds and get to planting this year! Maybe I'll order some brand new heirloom plants from the author!

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  17. I really enjoyed the review for this book. My family and I always grow a small garden and I love having fresh vegetables available. I am very new to the heirloom plants and had some purple heirloom tomatoes last year that I loved. This book is one id love to read in it's entirety to learn more and would love to find some more great heirloom plants, especially tomatoes. Thanks for the great review. Dh_jax@yahoo.com

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  18. I think heirloom gardening is SO important to saving our ecosystems. If I had a garden (I live in a condo!) you can bet I would buy this book and love it!

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