Step into the garden with writer and rural historian Jerry Apps. In this treasure trove of tips, recollections, and recipes, Jerry combines his hard-earned advice for garden success with a discussion of how tending a garden leads to a deeper understanding of nature and the land. From planning and planting to fending off critters and weeds, he walks us through the gardening year, imbuing his story with humor and passion and once again reminding us that working even a small piece of land provides many rewards.
Gardening has always been a group endeavor for the Apps family. In
Garden Wisdom, readers will learn gardening basics along with Jerry's grandchildren as they become a new generation of gardeners. They'll devour Ruth's recipes for preparing and preserving fresh garden veggies-from refrigerator pickles to rutabaga pudding. And they'll savor son Steve's beautiful color photographs, capturing the bounty of the family garden throughout the growing season.
Industry Reviews
"Winner, Midwest Independent Publishers Association Midwest Books Awards (Nature) " "Whether sharing boyhood memories, the times he spent gardening with his children and grandchildren, or his knowledge of growing vegetables and fruits, Apps combines memoir, useful information, and gardening philosophy with warmth and humor." ("Library Journal")"Those who have also grown to love the slow rhythms and quiet satisfactions of growing one's own food will enjoy the company of his recollections. The collection is filled with humorous anecdotes and quiet observations of the cycle of life in the humble vegetable patch plus an unexpected recipe for sorghum cookies. The pleasures he discovers in the garden come through on each page." ("Publishers Weekly")"Want to know how to transplant tomatoes, hoe a row of rutabaga, or put up a peck of pickled peppers? There's an Apps for that!. . . . As informative as it is entertaining, Apps' heartfelt chronicle transforms the standard gardening guidebook into a deeply personal appreciation for nature s bounty." ("Booklist") Jerry Apps has tapped into the wisdom of five generations of family from his grandparents to his grandchildren to create a richly personal and practical guide to growing, storing, and using foodstuffs in the Badger State. This is a wonderful book for all Wisconsin gardeners. (Jerry Minnich, author of "The Wisconsin Garden Guide "and" The Rodale Book of Composting"")" Jerry Apps sets the stage and draws readers in for a crop-by-crop, season-by-season saga as old as home vegetable gardening itself.He weaves the tale using the perfect balance of experience, folklore, and science.The UW Extension background of this husband and wife team lends added credibility to their gardening methods and recipes alike. In the end you feel more a part of thesociety of gardeners everywhere and a little bit a part of the Apps family. (Sharon Morrissey, UW Extension Consumer Horticulture Agent and cohost of Milwaukee FOX6-TV s Wake-up News gardening segments)" "Jerry Apps has tapped into the wisdom of five generations of family--from his grandparents to his grandchildren--to create a richly personal and practical guide to growing, storing, and using foodstuffs in the Badger State. This is a wonderful book for all Wisconsin gardeners." (Jerry Minnich, author of "The Wisconsin Garden Guide "and" The Rodale Book of Composting"")""Jerry Apps sets the stage and draws readers in for a crop-by-crop, season-by-season saga as old as home vegetable gardening itself. He weaves the tale using the perfect balance of experience, folklore, and science. The UW Extension background of this husband and wife team lends added credibility to their gardening methods and recipes alike. In the end you feel more a part of the society of gardeners everywhere and a little bit a part of the Apps family." (Sharon Morrissey, UW Extension Consumer Horticulture Agent and cohost of Milwaukee FOX6-TV's Wake-up News gardening segments) "Jerry Apps sets the stage and draws readers in for a crop-by-crop, season-by-season saga as old as home vegetable gardening itself. He weaves the tale using the perfect balance of experience, folklore, and science. The UW Extension background of this husband and wife team lends added credibility to their gardening methods and recipes alike. In the end you feel more a part of the society of gardeners everywhere and a little bit a part of the Apps family." (Sharon Morrissey, UW Extension Consumer Horticulture Agent and cohost of Milwaukee FOX6-TV's Wake-up News gardening segments)
