Spring Reading

In between managing things here on the farmlette, work and getting sucked into serial episodes of Midsomer Murders and Dr. Who, I seem to spend a fair amount of time reading.  This spring, I've stumbled across several good reads:

I am intrigued by this one!  One of my garden dreams is to have wandering chickens in a secure area, happily scavenging for bugs and grubs of all sorts amongst my happy vegetables and flowers.  I don't know if it will ever happen for me here on the tiny farm in the backyard, but there are some lovely pictures (and brilliant ideas) inside this book.

I love Gene Logsdon.  His writing is so witty, so full of information, and is just plain fun to read.  This is one of his more recent books, and shares what has worked for him on his farm, which sounds positively glorious.  Just reading a few pages makes me have a vision for my future "big farm", with wandering chickens, sheep and more (peacocks??) wandering about cheerfully.  Ahhh, my future farm...

I have great plans to unlock the secrets of companion gardening in my backyard this year.  This is the fourth (or possibly fifth) copy of this book I have owned over the years.  I keep loaning it out, and then off it goes into the cosmos, spreading gardening joy wherever it wanders.  Hopefully, this one will stay for a bit, and I can see if planting tomatoes near to carrots (but well away from potatoes) really does work.

This author, Jenna Woginrich, has a wonderful little farm in upstate New York.  I've followed her blog for a couple years now, and it has been a wonderful journey to watch from afar.  Currently, I am madly envious of her new Fell pony named Merlin, and her collection of geese.  Oh, did I mention that she also has sheep and a pony named Jasper?  All this, and she's a published author, too.  Before you think I am completely green with envy, her story is truly remarkable, and beautifully written in this memoir of how she found her farm.

Just because you can't have enough Jamie Fraser in your life.  I have loved Diana Gabaldon's world of scottish intrigue--particularly a certain red-headed hero who embodies the fabulousness that only a kilt wearing, whiskey brewing, fierce warrior-combined with-gentle soul, can carry across the page.  Oooh, my.  It's worth a read, but I recommend starting waaaaaay back at the beginning with Outlander.  Trust me, it's addictive.  (Oh my, I am feeling slightly flushed...tee hee.)