Recommendation: Mike McGrath’s Book of Compost
I’m working my way through a very wonderful yet incredibly dense book, so I’m not sure when I’ll get another review up here. In the meantime, I’d like to recommend Mike McGrath’s Book of Compost
, which I read before I started this project.
I, like a lot of freelancers, are under an avalanche of assignments about green living. I’m not complaining — I won’t claim to be the most green person, but I bought my house where I did with the idea that I wouldn’t have to drive everywhere (to check out how walking-friendly your town is, check out www.walkscore.com). I also wrote an article for the fall issue of Edible Jersey about composting, and in the last two weeks, I’ve had three people ask me about that article. At a party I had two weeks ago, I even gave people a tour of how I compost (not a grand tour, but they seemed to like it).
This book really helped. McGrath, who is the former editor of Organic Gardening and current voice behind You Bet Your Garden, writes in such a lively, fun way that the book doesn’t feel like a reference guide but still has all that information need to compost right.
Plus, composting is one of the easiest and best ways to go green. Not only are you putting less trash out by the curb (and therefore in a landfill), but you’re putting nutrients back into the earth.
I’m also writing this on a day where it was 60 degrees in New Jersey in February, so anything we can do at this point is a good thing.
For more tips on green living, check out Leah Ingram’s excellent “Lean Green Family” blog at suddenlyfrugal.blogspot.com.