Small-Scale Grain Raising [Hardcover]

Gene Logsdon (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Press; First Edition edition (August 18, 1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0878571345
• ISBN-13: 978-0878571345
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,397,427 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gene Logsdon farms in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. He is one of the clearest and most original voices of rural America. He has published more that a dozen books; his Chelsea Green books include Living at Nature's Pace, The Contrary Farmer's Invitation to Gardening, Good Spirits, and The Contrary Farmer.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reference Book, February 24, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Shepherdstown, WV) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Small-Scale Grain Raising (Hardcover)

Logsdon provides the expertise needed plant, grow, harvest, and store all common (and some uncommon) grains using a low level of technology. If you want to know how to raise your own grains without major equipment - THIS IS THE BOOK. At least some of this knowledge is in danger of being lost. An EXCELLENT reference book!

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wealth of Information, August 20, 2004

By 

Andrew H. "ajhmerc" (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Small-Scale Grain Raising (Paperback)

Logsdon provides much practical information about how to raise a few square yards for grain to several acres. He explains how he raises each different type of grain (oats, wheat, corn, soybeans ect.), controls weeds, and problems associated with each grain. Logsdon also gives an explantion of how to properly rotate your different grain crops to improve soil fertility. Different tools one might use to plant, weed, and harvest grain are discussed. An added bonus is his discussion of grasses and clovers. My soybeans (raised solely for green manure) did very well. This is worth reading if one is interested in growing grains, in particular if one is interested in growing grains a naturally as possible.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Questions Answered, May 22, 2007

By 

Erika Mitchell (E. Calais, VT USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Small-Scale Grain Raising (Paperback)

This book provides an excellent introduction to growing grains for gardeners or small farmers. It covers corn, wheat, sorghum, oats, soybeans, rye, barley, buckwheat, millet, rice, and other small grains, such as triticale, spelt, beans, flax, and sunflowers. Each chapter includes information on planting the crop, diseases and pests, harvesting the crop, storing and processing, and even a few recipes. The book also concludes with an illustrated glossary and an index.

Logsdon argues that growing your own grains is not that difficult, and can make financial sense for homesteaders. The biggest hurdle is the Knowledge--how do you do it? The best way to learn to farm is by working with a farmer, someone who already knows the trade and is willing to share the Knowledge. These days, however, it's becoming harder and harder to find someone with experience in growing grains on a small-scale, even harder than it was in the 1970s when Logsdon originally published this book. If you've got to rely on book learning to get started in grain growing, then this book makes an excellent reference. The illustrated glossary at the back is particularly useful for farming newbies.