Beyond organic-- a practical guide to nutrient-dense food.

BEYOND ORGANIC - A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO NUTRIENT-DENSE FOOD

"The Intelligent Gardener is more than just "intelligent," it is bold, it is courageous, and it challenges many of our preconceptions about food, about soils, about farming, and about health"
—Michael Ableman, farmer, author of Fields of Plenty, On Good Land, and From The Good Earth

Vegetables, fruits and grains are a major source of vital nutrients, but generations of intensive agriculture have depleted our soils to historic lows. As a result, the broccoli you consume today may have less than half the vitamins and minerals than the equivalent serving would have contained a less than a century ago. The Intelligent Gardener shows you how to achieve optimum health by remineralizing your soil using natural materials to grow nutrient-dense produce.

Starting with an overview of nutrient density, the history of organic agriculture and an accessible primer on basic soil chemistry, this comprehensive manual demonstrates how the home gardener can use the results of an inexpensive soil test to create their own individually tailored soil prescription. The author systematically demystifies the replacement of a wealth of essential minerals while simultaneously debunking much of the false and misleading information perpetuated by both the conventional and organic agricultural movements.

Nothing short of revolutionary in its approach, The Intelligent Gardener conclusively establishes the link between healthy soil, healthy food and healthy people. Caution: this book may change the way you think about your garden forever.

"It's hard to imagine this book not having a significant and lasting impact on the way organic farmers and gardeners grow their crops."
— Mark McDonald, West Coast Seeds

"We are what we eat, and our food is only as healthful as the soil we grow it in. The Intelligent Gardener is a valuable tool for anyone seeking to get the highest food value from their garden."
—Darrell Frey, author of Bioshelter Market Garden

Steve Solomon is the author of several landmark gardening books including Gardening When it Counts and Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades. The founder of the Territorial Seed Company, he has been growing most of his family's food for over 35 years.

Vegetables, fruits, and grains are a major source of vital nutrients, but centuries of intensive agriculture have depleted our soils to historic lows. As a result, the broccoli you consume today may have less than half of the vitamins and minerals that the equivalent serving would have contained a hundred years ago. This is a matter for serious concern, since poor nutrition has been linked to myriad health problems including cancer, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. For optimum health we must increase the nutrient density of our foods to the levels enjoyed by previous generations. To grow produce of the highest nutritional quality the essential minerals lacking in our soil must be replaced, but this re-mineralization calls for far more attention to detail than the simple addition of composted manure or NPK fertilizers. The Intelligent Gardener demystifies the process while simultaneously debunking much of the false and misleading information perpetuated by both the conventional and organic agricultural movements. In doing so, it conclusively establishes the link between healthy soil, healthy food, and healthy people. This practical step-by-step guide and the accompanying customizable web-based spreadsheets go beyond organic and are essential tools for any serious gardener who cares about the quality of the produce they grow. Steve Solomon is the author of several landmark gardening books including Gardening When it Counts and Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades. The founder of the Territorial Seed Company, he has been growing most of his family's food for over thirty-five years.