Microclimate and site assessment, firebreaks, windbreaks

Western Fruit Berries and Nuts: How to Select, Grow, and Enjoy, by Robert L. Stebbins and Lance Walheim. H.P. Books, 1981.

An Introduction to Permaculture, by Bill Mollison. Tagari, 1988.

Permaculture: A Designers’ Manual, by Bill Mollison. Tagari, 1988.

Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability, by David Holmgren. Holmgren Design Services, 2002, www.holmgren.com.au/.

Energy Conserving Site Design, edited by E. Gregory McPherson. American Society of Architects, 1984.

Sun, Wind, and Light: Architectural Design Strategies, 2nd ed., by G.Z. Brown and Mark DeKay. William Stout Architectural Books, 2000.

Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally, by Robert Kourik. Metamorphic Press, 1986. A comprehensive and integrated guide on growing vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs for ornamental and culinary purposes. The emphasis is on California climates, but the concepts are broadly applicable.

Native plant identification

Shrubs and Trees of the Southwest Deserts, by Janice Emily Bowers. Southwest Parks and Monuments Association, 1993.

Shrubs and Trees of the Southwest Uplands, by Francis H. Elmore. Southwest Parks and Monuments Association, 1976.

Botany in a Day: Herbal Guide to Plant Families, 4th ed., by Thomas Elpel. HOPS Press, 2000.

Native Plants for Southwestern Landscapes, by Judy Mielke. University of Texas Press, 1993.

Uses of native plants including cooking, eating, medicinal use, and more

Food Plants of the Sonoran Desert, by Wendy Hodgson. University of Arizona Press, 2001.

Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West, by Michael Moore. Museum of New Mexico Press, 1989.

American Indian Cooking: Recipes From the Southwest, by Carolyn J. Niethammer. University of Nebraska Press, 1999.

The Tumbleweed Gourmet: Cooking with Wild Southwestern Plants, by Carolyn J. Niethammer. University of Arizona Press, 1987.

Handbook of Indian Foods and Fibers of Arid America, by Walter Ebeling. University of California Press, 1986.

Wild Plants and Native Peoples of the Four Corners, by William Dunmire and Gail Tierney. Museum of New Mexico Press, 1997.

Guide to Wild Foods and Useful Plants, by Christopher Nyerges. Chicago Review Press, 1999.

The Prickly Pear Cookbook, by Carolyn Niethammer. Rio Nuevo Publishers, 2004.

Primitive Technology: A Book of Earthskills, edited by David Wescott. Gibbs Smith, 1999.

Uses of native and exotic plants with culinary emphasis

Cornucopia II: A Source Book of Edible Plants, by Stephen Facciola. Kampong Publications, 1998.

You Can Have Your Permaculture and Eat It Too, by Robin Clayfield. Earthcare Education, 1996.

The Forager’s Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants, by Samuel Thayer. Forager’s Harvest Press, 2006.

The Neighborhood Forager: A Guide for the Wild Food Gourmet, by Robert Henderson. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2000.

The Permaculture Book of Ferment and Human Nuturition, by Bill Mollison. Tagari Publications, 1993.

Fruits of the Desert, by Sandal English. The Arizona Daily Star, 1981.

Fruit tree grafting

The Grafter’s Handbook, by R.J. Garner. Cassell Publishers Limited, 1999.

Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally, by Robert Kourik. Metamorphic Press, 1986.

Food from Dryland Gardens, by David Cleveland and Daniela Soleri. Center for People, Food, and Environment, 1991. CD-ROM, 2002.

Lists and suppliers for multi-use climate-appropriate perennial and annual fruits, nuts, and other plants

Western Fruit Berries and Nuts: How to Select, Grow, and Enjoy, by Robert L. Stebbins and Lance Walheim. H.P. Books, 1981.

Citrus: Complete Guide to Selecting and Growing More than 100 Varieties for California, Arizona, Texas, the Gulf Coast, Florida, by Lance Walheim. Ironwood Press, 1996.

Cornucopia II: A Source Book of Edible Plants, by Stephen Facciola. Kampong Publications, 1998.

Fruit, Berry and Nut Inventory: An Inventory of Nursery Catalogs Listing All Fruit, Berry and Nut Varieties Available by Mail Order in the United States, by Kent Whealy and Joanne Thuente. Seed Savers Exchange, 2001.

Garden Seed Inventory: Inventory of Seed Catalogs Listing All Non-Hybrid Vegetable Seeds, Available in the United States and Canada, by Kent Whealy, Seed Savers Exchange, 2005.

Organizations

Southwest Regis-Tree. A program documenting and promoting use of traditional fruit and nut tree cultivars. For more information, see http://home.nau.edu/environment/land_orchards.asp.

Rare Fruit Tree Growers. Search online for an affiliate in your state/area. They promote the growing and use of rare cultivars to enhance diversity.

Nurseries, trees

Edible Landscaping, Afton, Virginia, www.ediblelandscaping.com.

Santa Cruz Olive Tree Nursery, Santa Cruz, California, www.santacruzolive.com.

Greenfield Citrus Nursery, Mesa, Arizona, www.greenfieldcitrus.com.

Seed catalogs

Native Seeds/SEARCH, Tucson, Arizona, www.nativeseeds.org. Specializing in traditional Native American crops of the southwest region of North America.

Seeds of Change, www.seedsofchange.com. Organically-grown seed.

Territorial Seed Company, Cottage Grove, Oregon, www.territorialseed.com. Vegetable and flower seeds, live plants, and supplies. Many heirloom varieties.

Southwestern U.S. native grasses and annuals, seed suppliers

Plants of the Southwest, New Mexico, www.plantsofthesouthwest.com.

Wildlands Restoration, Tucson, Arizona. Phone: 520-882-0969.

For seed sources in your area, check with your regional or state native plant society for reputable distributors. You can also inquire with the Plant Material Centers of the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), United States Department of Agriculture, which maintain lists of seed sources.

Arizona plant lists with water need listings

Arizona Department of Water Resources’ Low Water Use/Drought Tolerant Plant List. Online: www.water.az.gov/dwr/content/Find_by_Program/Drought_and_Conservation/LowWaterPlantLists/default.htm.

Plant guilds

Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, by Toby Hemenway. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2001.

Permaculture: A Designers’ Manual, by Bill Mollison. Tagari, 1988.

Edible Forest Gardens, by Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier. Chelsea Green, 2005.

“Hackberry/Walnut Guilds,” by Tim Murphy. Permaculture Activist, Volume V, No. 2, May 1989.

“Pinyon-Juniper Guild Associations,” by Ben Haggard. Permaculture Drylands Journal, Number 23, August 1995.

Planting guidelines: container trees and shrubs

For a guide (though not using water-harvesting basins) from the Arizona Cooperative Extension see: http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1022.pdf.

Alternative irrigation strategies

Beyond Drip Irrigation: Hyper Efficient Irrigation Systems, by D. A. Bainbridge, 2006. Proceedings American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineering Annual International Meeting, Portland, Oregon, 2006. ASABE#062073; St. Joseph, Michigan.

“Alternative Irrigation Systems for Arid Land Restoration,” by D.A. Bainbridge. Ecological Restoration 20(1):23-30, 2002.

“Rainfall Catchments Improve Survival of Container Transplants at Mojave Desert site,” by F. Edwards, D. A. Bainbridge, T. A. Zink, and M. F. Allen. Restoration Ecology 18(2):100-103, 2000.

“Techniques for Plant Establishment in Arid Ecosystems,” by D. A. Bainbridge, M. Fidelibus, and R. F. MacAller. Restoration and Management Notes 13(2):198-202, 1995.

“Surface Shaping to Improve Grass Establishment,” by D. A. Bainbridge. Grasslands 10(3):1, 6-8, 2000.

“Pitcher Irrigation for Small Family Farmers,” by D. A. Bainbridge. International Development Digest 2(4):4, 1989.

Self-reliant Agriculture for Dry Lands, by D. A. Bainbridge. Sierra Nature Prints, Twain Hart, CA, 1988, 48 p.

For additional alternative irrigation strategy information in this resources appendix, see “deep pipe irrigation” under section XII (French drains); “clay pot irrigation” under section XIII (Infiltration Basins); and section XV (Mulching).

Virtues of certain weeds

Weeds: Guardians of the Soil, by Joseph A. Cocannouer. Devin-Adair, 1950. Online: http://journeytoforever.org/farm_library/weeds/WeedsToC.html.

Gardening/farming organically/naturally

Publications

Food from Dryland Gardens, by David Cleveland and Daniela Soleri. Center for People, Food and Environment, 1991. CD-ROM, 2002.

Desert Harvest: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening in Arid Lands, by Jane Nyhuis. Growing Connections, 1982.

Growing Food in the Southwest Mountains, 3rd ed., by Lisa Rayner. Flagstaff Tea Party, 2002.

Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally, by Robert Kourik. Metamorphic Press, 1986.

Seed to Seed: Seed Saving Techniques for the Vegetable Gardener, by Suzanne Ashworth and Kent Whealy. Seed Saver Publications, 2002.

Perennial Vegetables: From Artichokes to Zuiki Taro, A Gardener’s Guide to Over 100 Delicious and Easy to Grow Edibles, by Eric Toensmeier. Chelsea Green, 2007.

Farming with the Wild: Enhancing Biodiversity on Farms and Ranches, by Daniel Imhoff. Sierra Club Books, 2003.

Four Season Harvest, by Elliot Coleman., Chelsea Green, 1999.

Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades: The Complete Guide to Natural Gardening, by Steve Soloman. Sasquatch Books, 2002.

Videos

Ruth Stout’s Garden. Ruth Stout’s Garden,” Arthur Mokin Productions. An inspirational and entertaining 23 minute video on the life of 100+ year old, mulch-loving gardener Ruth Stout.

Online

www.cityfarmer.org. Urban Agriculture Notes by City Farmer–Canada’s Office of Urban Agriculture.

Eating locally and organically

Publications

Coming Home To Eat: The Pleasures and Politics of Local Foods, by Gary Paul Nabhan, W.W Norton & Co., 2002.

Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, by Michael Pollan. Penguin Press, 2006.

The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved: Inside America’s Underground Food Movements, by Sandor Ellix Katz. Chelsea Green, 2006.

Organization

Organic Consumers Association, www.organicconsumers.org. This non-profit deals with crucial issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, children’s health, corporate accountability, Fair Trade, environmental sustainability and other key topics.

Green burials

Publications

Grave Matters: A Journey Through the Modern Funeral Industry to a Natural Way of Burial, by Mark Harris. Scribner, 2007.

Caring For the Dead: Your Final Act of Love, by Lisa Carlson. Upper Access Books, 1998.

Online

www.greenburialcouncil.org. They set standards for and certify providers of green burials in which no water- and soil-contaminating chemical toxins are used. The planting of trees is encouraged as a living monument.

Street tree orchards and milling mesquite pods into edible flour

www.DesertHarvesters.org. A grassroots effort based in Tucson promoting the planting of indigenous, food-bearing shade trees (such as the velvet mesquite) in water-harvesting earthworks, and then educating the public on how to harvest and process the bounty. Great photos and recipes.

Community tree planting

The Simple Act of Planting a Tree: Healing Your Neighborhood, Your City, and Your World, by TreePeople with Andy and Katie Lipkis, Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc., 1990. Also online: www.treepeople.org/simpleact/.