Gardeners like to read. We like to read about what to plant, what NOT to plant, what others grow….. This week I thought it might be fun to look at some literature that isn’t so instructional so I am highlighting a couple of books I have enjoyed.
How Carrots Won the Trojan War
The first is by Rebecca Rupp and it is called How Carrots Won the Trojan War. This is a wonderful collection of fun stories about vegetables. Did you know that kale is historically been used as food for livestock? Not being a big fan of kale, that one doesn’t surprise me. Or that Madame Pompadour, a favorite mistress of King Louis XV, served him a dish of asparagus as an aphrodisiac? It is still known today in France as “Asperges a la Pompadour.” Last one, historically cabbage was considered food for the wealthy and not the lowly commoner. Thank you, David Knauft for this fun recommendation.
Seedfolks
Those of you who work in community gardens will appreciate this gem of a book, Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman. Fred Conrad, of Atlanta Community Food Bank fame, recommended it to me. Community gardens are about so much more than growing food. They are about building neighborhoods and friendships. This book describes the blending of people, cultures, and vegetables!
So it is your turn. Georgia gardeners, what are you reading?
Becky is a Georgia Certified Beekeeper and works with community and school gardeners to increase beneficial insect habitat.She is the coordinator of the Great Georgia Pollinator Census, happening this year on August 19th and 20th, 2022.She is also part of UGA's Native Plants and Beneficial Insect Working Group.
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Thanks for the recommendations!