If you are starting new at gardening and are keen to trying growing your own fruits and vegetables, then I can thoroughly recommend these books as staples for whatever your questions are, from where and how to grow them, soils, fertilisers, different varieties, pest and disease control, and even preparation and storage. If you are a more experienced gardener, they are still a valuable resource for trying out new varieties, something you haven't grown before, or a new pest that has arrived in … [Read more...]
A Sting in the Tale: My Adventures with Bumblebees
When we think of pollinating garden plants most people think of honey bees, but there are lots of other insects that perform this valuable task. As I started to plant more flowers to attract honey bees, I noticed that the numbers of bumblebees had increased as well. At about that time my friend Michele recommended a book to read - about bumblebees. "A Sting in the Tale: My Adventures with Bumblebees" by Dave Goulson is definitely worth a read. Dave is a Professor of Biology but this isn't … [Read more...]
The Manuka Honey Story
Since I got a beehive in my garden I have become fascinated with bees and have been reading up more about them. "Manuka, the biography of an extraordinary Honey" is well worth a read. Manuka honey is a New Zealand 'rags to riches' success story and this book is written by a New Zealand beekeeper who has observed the story unfold; it was published in 2014 by Exisle Publishing, an independent NZ publishing house. Manuka is the native NZ tea tree and the scrubby plant once covered huge areas … [Read more...]
Cider-making
After trying my hand at cider making, I wanted to read some more about the history of cider making and see what would be involved if I wanted to produce some starting from fresh apples (rather than using a kit). Well, I now have a whole new respect for the people at Mad Millie and what they had to do to create a simple kitset product that could produce a perfect cider in a short period of time, time after time, even if attempted by a total novice! In their book "Real cider-making on a small … [Read more...]
Pink Boots and a Machete
I have just finished re-reading "Pink Boots and a Machete" and loving it just as much as I did the first time round. I have avidly read National Geographic every month since I was a child and love to read stories of its explorers, particularly those studying wildlife and exotic places and peoples. I devoured books with tales of women like Jane Goodall and Joy Adamson. It was an absolute delight to discover this book which tells the story of Mireya Mayor who started life as the child of … [Read more...]
Galapagos: Further Information
Insight Guides: Equador & Galapagos My go-to source of information before (and after) a trip are the Insight Guides. I particularly like their format with lots of information on the people, history and culture of the country as well as its geography, regions and environment. They also give detail about places and things to see and do, with lots of useful information on things like currency, power plugs, and transport. This guide has several chapters on the Galapagos Islands covering the … [Read more...]