December 1, 2011

Book Giveaway - The Quarter-Acre Farm


It’s true when they say that anyone can benefit from rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands a little dirty, all for the sake of growing something. It’s true because this simple act of growing—whether in a pot on your patio, or in your home garden—teaches you as much about life as it does the art of bringing a plant from seedling to fruit.

The same is true of The Quarter-Acre Farm book by award-winning author Spring Warren. It’s more than informative, as it too is a tale about life and humor and enjoying food as Spring tells the stories and recipes behind her year of eating from her yard’s bounty. 



Living in Davis, California, Spring created an adventure of a lifetime for herself and her family when she decided to “take control of her family’s food choices, get her hands dirty, and create a flourishing garden in her not so spacious suburban yard.”

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A View of The Quarter-Acre Farm - Backyard

Whether you consider yourself to have a green or black thumb, you'll find that Spring's book reads like a novel with witty adventure, good times and bad times and a humorous cast of real characters from her own family, their pets, the local community and her childhood. Not your typical how-to-garden book, she shares stories of "bunny berries," coffee-ground Christmas presents and "mummifying" olives!


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A View of  The Quarter-Acre Farm - Front Yard

And did we mention that there are seasonal recipes! 

We would also like to mention that Spring has very generously donated two signed copies of The Quarter-Acre Farm to share with you!  And she keeps the goodness coming by appearing as a guest blogger here on our site next week with a wonderful post and recipe using fall & winter greens.



Quarter-Acre Farm as Illustrated by "Nemo" Spring's oldest son Jesse

Here's How to Enter –

To win one of two signed copies of Spring's The Quarter-Acre Farm book, simply leave a comment below answering this question by Monday, December 5th -

 As we head into the chilly season, how do you continue to enjoy the natural world around you?  What's your favorite part of the late fall and winter season?  Is it the leaves?  Watching the rain?  Getting muddy? 
Tending a winter garden?





Thank you for all the amazing comments! They were so wonderful that we chose TWO WINNERS!

The first winner chosen at random is: Shari who wrote: 
     I like my rain barrels being full from the rain and being able to water my fruit trees with my own saved rain. Watching my chickens thrive while looking for worms in the wet earth. The long evenings mean that I stay home and cook my wonderful organic vegi's.

The second winner chosen at random is: Susan who wrote:
     Living in Southern CA it can be difficult to tell that Fall has truly arrived some years! I know fall has arrived when I rake the neighbor's leaves from my yard and start dreaming of baked sweet potatoes, fresh pomegranate, and pumpkin bread!

Thank you again to all who entered - we are enjoying your comments so very much!  Winners were chosen by Random Number Generator and announced on our blog on Tuesday. December 6th.
 A big thank you to Spring Warren and be sure to check out The Quarter-Acre Farm and Guest Blog Post & Recipe. 

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vcb's avatar

vcb · 697 weeks ago

My fave way to enjoy late fall and winter is "nature walks" with my 3 year old where she picks up leaves, acorns, seed pods, etc for her collection. The book looks great and I would love to receive a signed copy!
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joan's avatar

joan · 697 weeks ago

love the colors of fall! & eating new squash -- like "delicata" that i got in my box!! yummm
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Diane's avatar

Diane · 697 weeks ago

Love the smell and chill of the air after it rains, and the light snow that dusted the mountains!
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Theresa's avatar

Theresa · 697 weeks ago

My favorite part of late Fall/early Winter is watching my 7 & 8 year old sons dig a "big" hole (as big of one that they can manage to do themselves. The hole is getting bigger as they get bigger!) and then they fill it with water to make the Annual-Mud-Hole. They play all winter, rain or shine, in this hole adding as much water as they want.

The great thing is that the Annual-Mud-Hole is located in our backyard garden. Every year I have them move the location of the hole. I tell them how they are helping to keep our soil turned and irrigated through the winter months. They play in mud as we watch our broccoli, radishes, lettuce and carrots grow.

It's a win-win for everyone!
The book looks fabulous...thanks for offering the give-away.
1 reply · active 695 weeks ago
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Nicole's avatar

Nicole · 697 weeks ago

My favorite season is fall. I celebrate my birthday and anniversary during this beautiful season. My favorite activity is walking around with my three-year-old finding leaves if all shapes and sizes. We love eating persimmons and squash and are looking forward to eating seasonal fruits and veggies from our box.
1 reply · active 695 weeks ago
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Kristina Lawrence's avatar

Kristina Lawrence · 697 weeks ago

The leaves have to be my favorite with the rain being a close second. And a nice cup of hot cocoa on those rainy evenings!! I would love to tend to a winter garden, If I had one. It's on the list of things we want to do but can't do just yet, and we have dry clay-ish dirt that does not grow things well. And of course, Thanksgiving. We deep gry turkeys and our friends and family bring the sides. It's my favorite holiday because I get to see our family together under one roof, over a nice beer or glass of wine.
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Gina's avatar

Gina · 697 weeks ago

I enjoy walking my dog......listening as he crunches through the leaves in pursuit of the invisible squirrel, feeling the cool bite in the air and watching as the leaves change colors and fall from the branches.
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Anna 's avatar

Anna · 697 weeks ago

I enjoy rugging up and taking walks with my girls, 4 and 2 years old, who get so much pleasure from playing in piles of gorgeous Autumn leaves. My second favourite thing to do is return home to a slow cooked casserole or soup!
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~Suzanne's avatar

~Suzanne · 697 weeks ago

I love to watch as the season lays our yard bare....strips her of her leaves, quiets the growing grass, and softens the last of our summer garden. All is a riot of rustling leaves, waving branches, and then..... quiet. The still of the cold and the frost. The gentle crackle of an evening fire warming our walls as we watch the world outside go to sleep.
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Katrina H.'s avatar

Katrina H. · 697 weeks ago

I love to take walks on warm, windy afternoonss in the fall and this year I am enjoying growing a winter garden!
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Cara's avatar

Cara · 697 weeks ago

I love going on winter hikes. Bundled up and feeling the chilly air as I warm myself up with the hiking. That and coming home to warm tea!
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The Crowleys · 697 weeks ago

We have been "farming" in our frontyard in Menlo Park for the past 4 years (while being Farm Fresh to You customers). Our "farm" is the best neighbor-magnet imaginable -- dozens of people stop weekly by to compliment, discuss and receive the fruits of our labors. We won't stop planting where the lawn used to be! Still and all, we're not professionals; our organic farmer distributer fills in all the gaps and inspires us to keep working on our little urban farm. We encourage you to try it too. Pull out the grass or asphalt and give it a try. You'll celebrate your accomplishment, eat better for it, and feel SO much better for the effort.
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Aubrey B.'s avatar

Aubrey B. · 697 weeks ago

Love bundling my little one in warm clothes and taking nature walks. The little one love the beautiful leafs on the ground and and the cool gusts of wind. When we get home we make crafts with the things they found.
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kendell's avatar

kendell · 697 weeks ago

Love it! And the farm box on Tuesday mornings delivered in the city!
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Eileen Andersen's avatar

Eileen Andersen · 697 weeks ago

I enjoy making home made soup on a cold day - usually 2 different soups and serving to my family when they come come home cold and tired. Watching them as they eat and relax and just savoring all the different herbs and veggies makes my whole week. My daughter sent us a box of veggies and fruit and they are already gone!
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Sha's avatar

Sha · 697 weeks ago

Fall has the best scents. Fresh air after the rain, cinnamon and clove in mulling spices, chimney smoke, the inside of a freshly carved pumpkin...
I like to take a brisk walk after the rain, enjoying the fresh air and colorful leaves and then warm up with a glass of mulled wine or hot cocoa.
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Sarah · 697 weeks ago

Fall is a wonderful time of year to take your camera for a walk. I take mine for a walk everyday. I walk past the community gardens at Village Homes and on to West Pond. The Fall color is a treat and the migrating birds this time of year give me plenty to photograph. Every day is different even if I walk the same route. The colors change and I see different birds each time. I see people out working in their gardens and enjoying the cooler weather, flowers and vegetables provide more subject matter. I've decided that carrying my camera while walking is weight bearing exercise. It doesn't get better than that!
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Susan's avatar

Susan · 697 weeks ago

I love to wake up the day after a good winter's rain, sit down at the table with a cup of very fine coffee and look out at the mountains and see them with their first covering of snow.
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Brigit's avatar

Brigit · 697 weeks ago

Some of the things I like about Fall are the hard squashes, persimmons, the leaves ( I took pictures of my nectarine tree this afternoon), hearty homemade soups with homemade bread, and rain (usually). I don't like the heating bill!
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Joey's avatar

Joey · 697 weeks ago

In fall I love the colors and going birding to see who is dropping by on their way south. I also enjoy my yearly battle to have a fall/winter garden in the cold and wet. Getting better at that.
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Mary Lou's avatar

Mary Lou · 697 weeks ago

My favorite part of the fall season is the colors. I have several trees that radiate beautiful color this time of year. I would like to grow more fall and winter crops so winning this book would be very helpful in helping me with this endeavor! Happy Thanksgiving.
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Skjdouglas's avatar

Skjdouglas · 697 weeks ago

Fall is my time for reflection and personal inventory. How have we grown and changed over the past year? What are the fruits of our harvest. Do I like what I'm reaping? Do I need to change what I'm sowing? Am I honoring the blessings I receive. How am I a blessing to others?
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Allison Kerr's avatar

Allison Kerr · 697 weeks ago

I continue to head outdoors just with a few more layers and a hat as the weather chills and dampens. My favorite part of fall and winter is learning to embrace change and accepting renewal. The garden begins indoors in our living room with seeds from the previous years and maybe a few newbies. Somehow the garden gets bigger and bigger each year, but we would not want it any other way. Cheers to the cold weather.
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Denise's avatar

Denise · 697 weeks ago

Love fall and the fruit she brings..Pomegranates and Persimmons
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Michelle's avatar

Michelle · 697 weeks ago

I love the changing of the seasons. After a long hot summer, I look forward to the crisp days and cold nights (when I can finally snuggle under my covers and get a good night's sleep). I love the squashes and other cool season vegetables. After a summer of tomatoes and zucchini and other bounty from my garden, I love switching over to cooking warming, satisfying stews and roasted vegetables. I am new to seasonal eating and really having fun learning new ways to use the seasonal fruits and vegetables that I get in my box each week.
2 replies · active 695 weeks ago

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