Good improvements in this 4th edition of a popular text, 13 Oct 2005
This new edition of a core text for students of horticulture is welcomed. The addition of colour plates is helpful and the layout has generally improved. I think the book does a difficult job well as the subject is huge and it must be very difficult to decide what to leave out and how much depth to go to. I'm hoping it will help me with the RHS Advanced Cerificate exam.

Good companion guide to RHS General Certificate studies, 21 Dec 2003
I'm pretty happy with this book. Having decided to do Horticulture studies by correspondence in Switzerland, this book came up when searching for some pre-study material. It is also first book off the list of recommended reading from my school, which I'm pleased to see. It provides further in-depth reading to the course material provided, although my one whinge is that it could expand its chapter on pests and diseases as there are so many covered in the course. Happily websites like the RHS help out here. However, this book is fine foundation reading.

brillant, 23 Jan 2002
if you are intrested in any part of horticulture for a hobby or study, this is a must have every thing is explained in full in terms that any one would understand.And this is a up dated one.

brillant, 27 Nov 2001
I have read the 2nd edition but this one is much better they keep adding more information. if you are into gardening of any type this is the book to have. Very easy to read.

Highly recommended for students and professionals, 14 Nov 2000
This book provides a valuable introduction to horticulture. The information covered is wide ranging, explained clearly and is accompanied on many occasions by useful pictures and diagrams. This text was useful to me on the HNC/HND (Horticulture) course and also occasionally during my horticultural degree. The book would also be of interest to many horticuural professionals. There are not currently enough text books available specifically for horticultural students so this book is a valuable one.

Good improvements in this 4th edition of a popular text, 13 Oct 2005
This new edition of a core text for students of horticulture is welcomed. The addition of colour plates is helpful and the layout has generally improved. I think the book does a difficult job well as the subject is huge and it must be very difficult to decide what to leave out and how much depth to go to. I'm hoping it will help me with the RHS Advanced Cerificate exam.

Good companion guide to RHS General Certificate studies, 21 Dec 2003
I'm pretty happy with this book. Having decided to do Horticulture studies by correspondence in Switzerland, this book came up when searching for some pre-study material. It is also first book off the list of recommended reading from my school, which I'm pleased to see. It provides further in-depth reading to the course material provided, although my one whinge is that it could expand its chapter on pests and diseases as there are so many covered in the course. Happily websites like the RHS help out here. However, this book is fine foundation reading.

brillant, 23 Jan 2002
if you are intrested in any part of horticulture for a hobby or study, this is a must have every thing is explained in full in terms that any one would understand.And this is a up dated one.

brillant, 27 Nov 2001
I have read the 2nd edition but this one is much better they keep adding more information. if you are into gardening of any type this is the book to have. Very easy to read.

Highly recommended for students and professionals, 14 Nov 2000
This book provides a valuable introduction to horticulture. The information covered is wide ranging, explained clearly and is accompanied on many occasions by useful pictures and diagrams. This text was useful to me on the HNC/HND (Horticulture) course and also occasionally during my horticultural degree. The book would also be of interest to many horticuural professionals. There are not currently enough text books available specifically for horticultural students so this book is a valuable one.

excellent book, 18 Sep 2007
I started my own business up in May this year and wish I'd bought this book alot earlier. It is excellent and anyone wanting to start up their own business should buy it. The advice given is great and from my own experience I know exactly where he is coming from. It has been through more luck than judgement that I did set up the business the way he suggests in the book. Personally, I wouldn't have set it up any other way because it really gives you a foundation to start from. It has certainly given me alot of ideas to work on and I know I'll always be rereading this book.

Covers all bases on starting your own gardening business... great book., 05 Mar 2007
My wife and I have followed this book to a tee and have found that it covers all bases in starting your own gardening business, right down to the accountancy side of it. We are now at the point where work is starting to come in and we are about to go at it full-time.
Thanks for your help Paul.
Andrew & Jane Lowe

Good improvements in this 4th edition of a popular text, 13 Oct 2005
This new edition of a core text for students of horticulture is welcomed. The addition of colour plates is helpful and the layout has generally improved. I think the book does a difficult job well as the subject is huge and it must be very difficult to decide what to leave out and how much depth to go to. I'm hoping it will help me with the RHS Advanced Cerificate exam.

Good companion guide to RHS General Certificate studies, 21 Dec 2003
I'm pretty happy with this book. Having decided to do Horticulture studies by correspondence in Switzerland, this book came up when searching for some pre-study material. It is also first book off the list of recommended reading from my school, which I'm pleased to see. It provides further in-depth reading to the course material provided, although my one whinge is that it could expand its chapter on pests and diseases as there are so many covered in the course. Happily websites like the RHS help out here. However, this book is fine foundation reading.

brillant, 23 Jan 2002
if you are intrested in any part of horticulture for a hobby or study, this is a must have every thing is explained in full in terms that any one would understand.And this is a up dated one.

brillant, 27 Nov 2001
I have read the 2nd edition but this one is much better they keep adding more information. if you are into gardening of any type this is the book to have. Very easy to read.

Highly recommended for students and professionals, 14 Nov 2000
This book provides a valuable introduction to horticulture. The information covered is wide ranging, explained clearly and is accompanied on many occasions by useful pictures and diagrams. This text was useful to me on the HNC/HND (Horticulture) course and also occasionally during my horticultural degree. The book would also be of interest to many horticuural professionals. There are not currently enough text books available specifically for horticultural students so this book is a valuable one.

excellent book, 18 Sep 2007
I started my own business up in May this year and wish I'd bought this book alot earlier. It is excellent and anyone wanting to start up their own business should buy it. The advice given is great and from my own experience I know exactly where he is coming from. It has been through more luck than judgement that I did set up the business the way he suggests in the book. Personally, I wouldn't have set it up any other way because it really gives you a foundation to start from. It has certainly given me alot of ideas to work on and I know I'll always be rereading this book.

Covers all bases on starting your own gardening business... great book., 05 Mar 2007
My wife and I have followed this book to a tee and have found that it covers all bases in starting your own gardening business, right down to the accountancy side of it. We are now at the point where work is starting to come in and we are about to go at it full-time.
Thanks for your help Paul.
Andrew & Jane Lowe

Back down to Earth, 19 Jun 2008
Everytime someone shoves me in the frozen food aisle at Sainsbury's, or I see a picture Gordon Brown smiling, or another 200 or 2000 troops get sent to Iraq - I think, "Screw it! I'm just going to stop contributing to this intoxicating globalised society and just go be a farmer for the rest of my life!" Well, it turns out you're just as subject to the banal horrors of Corporatism in overalls as you are in a business suit. This is good to realise, and encourages me to be a different/better kind of consumer in real life, not just in my dream world. Thanks Raj.

Timely, wide-reaching and a real wake-up call, 22 Apr 2008
Excellent. A must read. Anyone who is interested in what they eat, where it comes from, and how it reaches us should read this book. And be very worried.

Another predictable Globalisation basher, 08 Mar 2008
Being written by a former World Bank employee, i thought this book would offer a balanced analysis of the global food productiion system. Sadly, this is just another self-righeous, ahistorical, and simplistic critique of Globalisation. Apart from rare informative moments (chapters on soya beans and supermarkets for example), its pages are filled with the struggles between the 'good', dignified small farmers and 'bad', greedy corporations. The basic contention is for us, 'the people' to 'take back' control of our food supply chains, as if citizens of any modern society in history ever had such power. The author rightly points out the high level of suicides among the farmers and blames it on rampant capitalism. However, he fails to mention that farming in America had been the most suicide-prone vocation since the records began. For those who think that they are saving the world by buying local carrots and who like to take Fair Trade sugar with their organic cappucinos, this book might be able to pacify guilty consciousness. However, if you are looking for an authoritative, fair assesment of complex issues surrounding food production, stay clear of this one.

Lifting the lid on your TV dinner, 18 Feb 2008
A sweeping and passionate exposition of the global food system, 'Stuffed and Starved' is a masterly work that underlines why what we eat is so fundamental to who we are.

Patel's book lucidly and comprehensively deconstructs the idea that our current system is the only way, and the supermarket the only viable purveyor, to put food on our tables. He tracks the global food industry from grower to exporter, retailer to consumer, highlighting the many points at which the system is unsustainable, desperately exploitative, and, ultimately, frighteningly vulnerable.

Whether Patel is writing about urban gardening in south central Los Angeles, soy plantations in South America or the tragic plight of rural farmers in India, his voice is one suffused with a deep and lyrical compassion. And it's this humanity - and his hope that, however unlikely, another way lies within our reach - that makes 'Stuffed and Starved' truly special.

The best thing I've read since Naomi Klein's 'No Logo', Stuffed and Starved will shock, fascinate, anger and inspire you.

Don't trust your food to capitalism, 22 Jan 2008
Superbly written, well researched, and ambitious in its scope, Stuffed and Starved is an eye-opening exploration of capitalism's logic when it comes to food.
The title comes from the striking fact that Patel takes as his starting point - that there are 800 million hungry people in the world, and a billion overweight people. He proceeds to unpack this fact in the rest of the book, touching on the rise of ubiquitous ingredients such as soy or corn syrup, supermarkets, genetic engineering, and the economics at work behind these developments. I found the sections on the supply chain particularly good.
Patel doesn't need to ram his points home or play the guilt card. He presents the facts and the need for change is evident. Those changes, he suggests, include eating locally, rediscovering food as a pleasure, breaking the power of supply monopolies, and ensuring a living wage for everyone along the chain of production.
As a writer based in South Africa who has worked for the World Bank, Raj Patel is well placed to speak to both sides of the development debate. He has done so compellingly, and I will keep an eye out for anything he writes in the future.

Good improvements in this 4th edition of a popular text, 13 Oct 2005
This new edition of a core text for students of horticulture is welcomed. The addition of colour plates is helpful and the layout has generally improved. I think the book does a difficult job well as the subject is huge and it must be very difficult to decide what to leave out and how much depth to go to. I'm hoping it will help me with the RHS Advanced Cerificate exam.

Good companion guide to RHS General Certificate studies, 21 Dec 2003
I'm pretty happy with this book. Having decided to do Horticulture studies by correspondence in Switzerland, this book came up when searching for some pre-study material. It is also first book off the list of recommended reading from my school, which I'm pleased to see. It provides further in-depth reading to the course material provided, although my one whinge is that it could expand its chapter on pests and diseases as there are so many covered in the course. Happily websites like the RHS help out here. However, this book is fine foundation reading.

brillant, 23 Jan 2002
if you are intrested in any part of horticulture for a hobby or study, this is a must have every thing is explained in full in terms that any one would understand.And this is a up dated one.

brillant, 27 Nov 2001
I have read the 2nd edition but this one is much better they keep adding more information. if you are into gardening of any type this is the book to have. Very easy to read.

Highly recommended for students and professionals, 14 Nov 2000
This book provides a valuable introduction to horticulture. The information covered is wide ranging, explained clearly and is accompanied on many occasions by useful pictures and diagrams. This text was useful to me on the HNC/HND (Horticulture) course and also occasionally during my horticultural degree. The book would also be of interest to many horticuural professionals. There are not currently enough text books available specifically for horticultural students so this book is a valuable one.

excellent book, 18 Sep 2007
I started my own business up in May this year and wish I'd bought this book alot earlier. It is excellent and anyone wanting to start up their own business should buy it. The advice given is great and from my own experience I know exactly where he is coming from. It has been through more luck than judgement that I did set up the business the way he suggests in the book. Personally, I wouldn't have set it up any other way because it really gives you a foundation to start from. It has certainly given me alot of ideas to work on and I know I'll always be rereading this book.

Covers all bases on starting your own gardening business... great book., 05 Mar 2007
My wife and I have followed this book to a tee and have found that it covers all bases in starting your own gardening business, right down to the accountancy side of it. We are now at the point where work is starting to come in and we are about to go at it full-time.
Thanks for your help Paul.
Andrew & Jane Lowe

Back down to Earth, 19 Jun 2008
Everytime someone shoves me in the frozen food aisle at Sainsbury's, or I see a picture Gordon Brown smiling, or another 200 or 2000 troops get sent to Iraq - I think, "Screw it! I'm just going to stop contributing to this intoxicating globalised society and just go be a farmer for the rest of my life!" Well, it turns out you're just as subject to the banal horrors of Corporatism in overalls as you are in a business suit. This is good to realise, and encourages me to be a different/better kind of consumer in real life, not just in my dream world. Thanks Raj.

Timely, wide-reaching and a real wake-up call, 22 Apr 2008
Excellent. A must read. Anyone who is interested in what they eat, where it comes from, and how it reaches us should read this book. And be very worried.

Another predictable Globalisation basher, 08 Mar 2008
Being written by a former World Bank employee, i thought this book would offer a balanced analysis of the global food productiion system. Sadly, this is just another self-righeous, ahistorical, and simplistic critique of Globalisation. Apart from rare informative moments (chapters on soya beans and supermarkets for example), its pages are filled with the struggles between the 'good', dignified small farmers and 'bad', greedy corporations. The basic contention is for us, 'the people' to 'take back' control of our food supply chains, as if citizens of any modern society in history ever had such power. The author rightly points out the high level of suicides among the farmers and blames it on rampant capitalism. However, he fails to mention that farming in America had been the most suicide-prone vocation since the records began. For those who think that they are saving the world by buying local carrots and who like to take Fair Trade sugar with their organic cappucinos, this book might be able to pacify guilty consciousness. However, if you are looking for an authoritative, fair assesment of complex issues surrounding food production, stay clear of this one.

Lifting the lid on your TV dinner, 18 Feb 2008
A sweeping and passionate exposition of the global food system, 'Stuffed and Starved' is a masterly work that underlines why what we eat is so fundamental to who we are.

Patel's book lucidly and comprehensively deconstructs the idea that our current system is the only way, and the supermarket the only viable purveyor, to put food on our tables. He tracks the global food industry from grower to exporter, retailer to consumer, highlighting the many points at which the system is unsustainable, desperately exploitative, and, ultimately, frighteningly vulnerable.

Whether Patel is writing about urban gardening in south central Los Angeles, soy plantations in South America or the tragic plight of rural farmers in India, his voice is one suffused with a deep and lyrical compassion. And it's this humanity - and his hope that, however unlikely, another way lies within our reach - that makes 'Stuffed and Starved' truly special.

The best thing I've read since Naomi Klein's 'No Logo', Stuffed and Starved will shock, fascinate, anger and inspire you.

Don't trust your food to capitalism, 22 Jan 2008
Superbly written, well researched, and ambitious in its scope, Stuffed and Starved is an eye-opening exploration of capitalism's logic when it comes to food.
The title comes from the striking fact that Patel takes as his starting point - that there are 800 million hungry people in the world, and a billion overweight people. He proceeds to unpack this fact in the rest of the book, touching on the rise of ubiquitous ingredients such as soy or corn syrup, supermarkets, genetic engineering, and the economics at work behind these developments. I found the sections on the supply chain particularly good.
Patel doesn't need to ram his points home or play the guilt card. He presents the facts and the need for change is evident. Those changes, he suggests, include eating locally, rediscovering food as a pleasure, breaking the power of supply monopolies, and ensuring a living wage for everyone along the chain of production.
As a writer based in South Africa who has worked for the World Bank, Raj Patel is well placed to speak to both sides of the development debate. He has done so compellingly, and I will keep an eye out for anything he writes in the future.

a delicous nut, 15 May 2003
what a great little book, when i first got it i was dissapointed by its small size, but as with many nuts - there is a whole lot of protein and other good things in a small package!!

the book is a great introduction to permaculture, perfect for the beginner who wants to know about farms, gardens, and city living and not just to specialise in one area. It has great examples and is very well written and has a great biblio at the end to give lots of info sources.

to sum up, its a great mulch from which to grow ideas!

Good improvements in this 4th edition of a popular text, 13 Oct 2005
This new edition of a core text for students of horticulture is welcomed. The addition of colour plates is helpful and the layout has generally improved. I think the book does a difficult job well as the subject is huge and it must be very difficult to decide what to leave out and how much depth to go to. I'm hoping it will help me with the RHS Advanced Cerificate exam.

Good companion guide to RHS General Certificate studies, 21 Dec 2003
I'm pretty happy with this book. Having decided to do Horticulture studies by correspondence in Switzerland, this book came up when searching for some pre-study material. It is also first book off the list of recommended reading from my school, which I'm pleased to see. It provides further in-depth reading to the course material provided, although my one whinge is that it could expand its chapter on pests and diseases as there are so many covered in the course. Happily websites like the RHS help out here. However, this book is fine foundation reading.

brillant, 23 Jan 2002
if you are intrested in any part of horticulture for a hobby or study, this is a must have every thing is explained in full in terms that any one would understand.And this is a up dated one.

brillant, 27 Nov 2001
I have read the 2nd edition but this one is much better they keep adding more information. if you are into gardening of any type this is the book to have. Very easy to read.

Highly recommended for students and professionals, 14 Nov 2000
This book provides a valuable introduction to horticulture. The information covered is wide ranging, explained clearly and is accompanied on many occasions by useful pictures and diagrams. This text was useful to me on the HNC/HND (Horticulture) course and also occasionally during my horticultural degree. The book would also be of interest to many horticuural professionals. There are not currently enough text books available specifically for horticultural students so this book is a valuable one.

excellent book, 18 Sep 2007
I started my own business up in May this year and wish I'd bought this book alot earlier. It is excellent and anyone wanting to start up their own business should buy it. The advice given is great and from my own experience I know exactly where he is coming from. It has been through more luck than judgement that I did set up the business the way he suggests in the book. Personally, I wouldn't have set it up any other way because it really gives you a foundation to start from. It has certainly given me alot of ideas to work on and I know I'll always be rereading this book.

Covers all bases on starting your own gardening business... great book., 05 Mar 2007
My wife and I have followed this book to a tee and have found that it covers all bases in starting your own gardening business, right down to the accountancy side of it. We are now at the point where work is starting to come in and we are about to go at it full-time.
Thanks for your help Paul.
Andrew & Jane Lowe

Back down to Earth, 19 Jun 2008
Everytime someone shoves me in the frozen food aisle at Sainsbury's, or I see a picture Gordon Brown smiling, or another 200 or 2000 troops get sent to Iraq - I think, "Screw it! I'm just going to stop contributing to this intoxicating globalised society and just go be a farmer for the rest of my life!" Well, it turns out you're just as subject to the banal horrors of Corporatism in overalls as you are in a business suit. This is good to realise, and encourages me to be a different/better kind of consumer in real life, not just in my dream world. Thanks Raj.

Timely, wide-reaching and a real wake-up call, 22 Apr 2008
Excellent. A must read. Anyone who is interested in what they eat, where it comes from, and how it reaches us should read this book. And be very worried.

Another predictable Globalisation basher, 08 Mar 2008
Being written by a former World Bank employee, i thought this book would offer a balanced analysis of the global food productiion system. Sadly, this is just another self-righeous, ahistorical, and simplistic critique of Globalisation. Apart from rare informative moments (chapters on soya beans and supermarkets for example), its pages are filled with the struggles between the 'good', dignified small farmers and 'bad', greedy corporations. The basic contention is for us, 'the people' to 'take back' control of our food supply chains, as if citizens of any modern society in history ever had such power. The author rightly points out the high level of suicides among the farmers and blames it on rampant capitalism. However, he fails to mention that farming in America had been the most suicide-prone vocation since the records began. For those who think that they are saving the world by buying local carrots and who like to take Fair Trade sugar with their organic cappucinos, this book might be able to pacify guilty consciousness. However, if you are looking for an authoritative, fair assesment of complex issues surrounding food production, stay clear of this one.

Lifting the lid on your TV dinner, 18 Feb 2008
A sweeping and passionate exposition of the global food system, 'Stuffed and Starved' is a masterly work that underlines why what we eat is so fundamental to who we are.

Patel's book lucidly and comprehensively deconstructs the idea that our current system is the only way, and the supermarket the only viable purveyor, to put food on our tables. He tracks the global food industry from grower to exporter, retailer to consumer, highlighting the many points at which the system is unsustainable, desperately exploitative, and, ultimately, frighteningly vulnerable.

Whether Patel is writing about urban gardening in south central Los Angeles, soy plantations in South America or the tragic plight of rural farmers in India, his voice is one suffused with a deep and lyrical compassion. And it's this humanity - and his hope that, however unlikely, another way lies within our reach - that makes 'Stuffed and Starved' truly special.

The best thing I've read since Naomi Klein's 'No Logo', Stuffed and Starved will shock, fascinate, anger and inspire you.

Don't trust your food to capitalism, 22 Jan 2008
Superbly written, well researched, and ambitious in its scope, Stuffed and Starved is an eye-opening exploration of capitalism's logic when it comes to food.
The title comes from the striking fact that Patel takes as his starting point - that there are 800 million hungry people in the world, and a billion overweight people. He proceeds to unpack this fact in the rest of the book, touching on the rise of ubiquitous ingredients such as soy or corn syrup, supermarkets, genetic engineering, and the economics at work behind these developments. I found the sections on the supply chain particularly good.
Patel doesn't need to ram his points home or play the guilt card. He presents the facts and the need for change is evident. Those changes, he suggests, include eating locally, rediscovering food as a pleasure, breaking the power of supply monopolies, and ensuring a living wage for everyone along the chain of production.
As a writer based in South Africa who has worked for the World Bank, Raj Patel is well placed to speak to both sides of the development debate. He has done so compellingly, and I will keep an eye out for anything he writes in the future.

a delicous nut, 15 May 2003
what a great little book, when i first got it i was dissapointed by its small size, but as with many nuts - there is a whole lot of protein and other good things in a small package!!

the book is a great introduction to permaculture, perfect for the beginner who wants to know about farms, gardens, and city living and not just to specialise in one area. It has great examples and is very well written and has a great biblio at the end to give lots of info sources.

to sum up, its a great mulch from which to grow ideas!

A helpful and interesting read, 29 Dec 2007
Since having started training as a land agent, this book has proved a superb reference tool on regular occasions. As mentioned already, it doesn't cover the minutiae of every aspect of farming and rural business, but as a broad-spectrum reference book, I can't fault it. It's written in a very clear and unpatronising way.

A broad range of information, 03 Jun 2001
The agricultural notebook covers a vast range of agricultural areas which is very good however it does not go in to too much detail in the specific areas. Therefore if you have a specific area to look at like dairy for instance there are other books which look at this area in greater detail and would be of more use.

An excellent general reference textbook, 11 Jan 2001
The Agricultural Notebook has been the mainstay of most general agricultural courses for a number of years. As a single source, it provides a great deal of relevant information for students and farmers alike. However, the field of UK and European agriculure is so large and one book can only hold so much information. In summery, this book is highly recommended but on the understanding that, unless suplimented by additional texts, its generality somewhat limits its overall value.

Good improvements in this 4th edition of a popular text, 13 Oct 2005
This new edition of a core text for students of horticulture is welcomed. The addition of colour plates is helpful and the layout has generally improved. I think the book does a difficult job well as the subject is huge and it must be very difficult to decide what to leave out and how much depth to go to. I'm hoping it will help me with the RHS Advanced Cerificate exam.

Good companion guide to RHS General Certificate studies, 21 Dec 2003
I'm pretty happy with this book. Having decided to do Horticulture studies by correspondence in Switzerland, this book came up when searching for some pre-study material. It is also first book off the list of recommended reading from my school, which I'm pleased to see. It provides further in-depth reading to the course material provided, although my one whinge is that it could expand its chapter on pests and diseases as there are so many covered in the course. Happily websites like the RHS help out here. However, this book is fine foundation reading.

brillant, 23 Jan 2002
if you are intrested in any part of horticulture for a hobby or study, this is a must have every thing is explained in full in terms that any one would understand.And this is a up dated one.

brillant, 27 Nov 2001
I have read the 2nd edition but this one is much better they keep adding more information. if you are into gardening of any type this is the book to have. Very easy to read.

Highly recommended for students and professionals, 14 Nov 2000
This book provides a valuable introduction to horticulture. The information covered is wide ranging, explained clearly and is accompanied on many occasions by useful pictures and diagrams. This text was useful to me on the HNC/HND (Horticulture) course and also occasionally during my horticultural degree. The book would also be of interest to many horticuural professionals. There are not currently enough text books available specifically for horticultural students so this book is a valuable one.

excellent book, 18 Sep 2007
I started my own business up in May this year and wish I'd bought this book alot earlier. It is excellent and anyone wanting to start up their own business should buy it. The advice given is great and from my own experience I know exactly where he is coming from. It has been through more luck than judgement that I did set up the business the way he suggests in the book. Personally, I wouldn't have set it up any other way because it really gives you a foundation to start from. It has certainly given me alot of ideas to work on and I know I'll always be rereading this book.

Covers all bases on starting your own gardening business... great book., 05 Mar 2007
My wife and I have followed this book to a tee and have found that it covers all bases in starting your own gardening business, right down to the accountancy side of it. We are now at the point where work is starting to come in and we are about to go at it full-time.
Thanks for your help Paul.
Andrew & Jane Lowe

Back down to Earth, 19 Jun 2008
Everytime someone shoves me in the frozen food aisle at Sainsbury's, or I see a picture Gordon Brown smiling, or another 200 or 2000 troops get sent to Iraq - I think, "Screw it! I'm just going to stop contributing to this intoxicating globalised society and just go be a farmer for the rest of my life!" Well, it turns out you're just as subject to the banal horrors of Corporatism in overalls as you are in a business suit. This is good to realise, and encourages me to be a different/better kind of consumer in real life, not just in my dream world. Thanks Raj.

Timely, wide-reaching and a real wake-up call, 22 Apr 2008
Excellent. A must read. Anyone who is interested in what they eat, where it comes from, and how it reaches us should read this book. And be very worried.

Another predictable Globalisation basher, 08 Mar 2008
Being written by a former World Bank employee, i thought this book would offer a balanced analysis of the global food productiion system. Sadly, this is just another self-righeous, ahistorical, and simplistic critique of Globalisation. Apart from rare informative moments (chapters on soya beans and supermarkets for example), its pages are filled with the struggles between the 'good', dignified small farmers and 'bad', greedy corporations. The basic contention is for us, 'the people' to 'take back' control of our food supply chains, as if citizens of any modern society in history ever had such power. The author rightly points out the high level of suicides among the farmers and blames it on rampant capitalism. However, he fails to mention that farming in America had been the most suicide-prone vocation since the records began. For those who think that they are saving the world by buying local carrots and who like to take Fair Trade sugar with their organic cappucinos, this book might be able to pacify guilty consciousness. However, if you are looking for an authoritative, fair assesment of complex issues surrounding food production, stay clear of this one.

Lifting the lid on your TV dinner, 18 Feb 2008
A sweeping and passionate exposition of the global food system, 'Stuffed and Starved' is a masterly work that underlines why what we eat is so fundamental to who we are.

Patel's book lucidly and comprehensively deconstructs the idea that our current system is the only way, and the supermarket the only viable purveyor, to put food on our tables. He tracks the global food industry from grower to exporter, retailer to consumer, highlighting the many points at which the system is unsustainable, desperately exploitative, and, ultimately, frighteningly vulnerable.

Whether Patel is writing about urban gardening in south central Los Angeles, soy plantations in South America or the tragic plight of rural farmers in India, his voice is one suffused with a deep and lyrical compassion. And it's this humanity - and his hope that, however unlikely, another way lies within our reach - that makes 'Stuffed and Starved' truly special.

The best thing I've read since Naomi Klein's 'No Logo', Stuffed and Starved will shock, fascinate, anger and inspire you.

Don't trust your food to capitalism, 22 Jan 2008
Superbly written, well researched, and ambitious in its scope, Stuffed and Starved is an eye-opening exploration of capitalism's logic when it comes to food.
The title comes from the striking fact that Patel takes as his starting point - that there are 800 million hungry people in the world, and a billion overweight people. He proceeds to unpack this fact in the rest of the book, touching on the rise of ubiquitous ingredients such as soy or corn syrup, supermarkets, genetic engineering, and the economics at work behind these developments. I found the sections on the supply chain particularly good.
Patel doesn't need to ram his points home or play the guilt card. He presents the facts and the need for change is evident. Those changes, he suggests, include eating locally, rediscovering food as a pleasure, breaking the power of supply monopolies, and ensuring a living wage for everyone along the chain of production.
As a writer based in South Africa who has worked for the World Bank, Raj Patel is well placed to speak to both sides of the development debate. He has done so compellingly, and I will keep an eye out for anything he writes in the future.

a delicous nut, 15 May 2003
what a great little book, when i first got it i was dissapointed by its small size, but as with many nuts - there is a whole lot of protein and other good things in a small package!!

the book is a great introduction to permaculture, perfect for the beginner who wants to know about farms, gardens, and city living and not just to specialise in one area. It has great examples and is very well written and has a great biblio at the end to give lots of info sources.

to sum up, its a great mulch from which to grow ideas!

A helpful and interesting read, 29 Dec 2007
Since having started training as a land agent, this book has proved a superb reference tool on regular occasions. As mentioned already, it doesn't cover the minutiae of every aspect of farming and rural business, but as a broad-spectrum reference book, I can't fault it. It's written in a very clear and unpatronising way.

A broad range of information, 03 Jun 2001
The agricultural notebook covers a vast range of agricultural areas which is very good however it does not go in to too much detail in the specific areas. Therefore if you have a specific area to look at like dairy for instance there are other books which look at this area in greater detail and would be of more use.

An excellent general reference textbook, 11 Jan 2001
The Agricultural Notebook has been the mainstay of most general agricultural courses for a number of years. As a single source, it provides a great deal of relevant information for students and farmers alike. However, the field of UK and European agriculure is so large and one book can only hold so much information. In summery, this book is highly recommended but on the understanding that, unless suplimented by additional texts, its generality somewhat limits its overall value.

giggling;y good, 07 Oct 2008
I bought this to read on a flight, and it was a delightful book. Chas had me giggling so much! If you enjoyed Urban Dreams, Rural Realities then give this book a try, it's not in chronological order, but it flows nicely from one subject to another.

Also pick up more scenes from a smallholding!

Great Read!, 05 Oct 2008
What a great read!! Funny and quite informative if you are thinking of starting a smallholding... couldn't put it down until I finished it and wanted more... fancy finding a book that helps you see what difficulties you might face if you start a new life in the country, gives you helpful hints AND is such a good read that even if you weren't thinking of a move it is just so funny.

Scenes from a smallholding , 16 Jan 2008
This was a most entertaining book. Once you are used the chronological layout, it is humourous, touching and inspiring. I urge you to read it

Best book I've read in a long time, 05 Jun 2007
Scenes from a Smallholding is one of best books I've ever read, simple as that. Incredibly funny, perceptive, thought provoking and motivational. What more could you want?

Learn about one man and his family's life changing experience and have an absolute whale of time to boot!



An Original Downshifter....., 16 Aug 2005
Chas Griffin had an 'Epiphany'in Urban Birmingham and that was that. Chas, wife & children soon swapped grey for green, fumes for fertiliser (organic of course) and a self- sufficient lifestyle in rural Wales soon becoming Organic Garlic Growers to provide a small income. Things ain't easy for the Griffins but despite the hard work and set backs, their ability to view their lives with humour and Chas's ability to contemplate the bizarre make this book truley different from others. I liked the writing style, intelligent, quirky, informative, gentle but passionate- above all its a great human story and the ending will have you wanting the author to write book 2- right away.....

Good improvements in this 4th edition of a popular text, 13 Oct 2005
This new edition of a core text for students of horticulture is welcomed. The addition of colour plates is helpful and the layout has generally improved. I think the book does a difficult job well as the subject is huge and it must be very difficult to decide what to leave out and how much depth to go to. I'm hoping it will help me with the RHS Advanced Cerificate exam.

Good companion guide to RHS General Certificate studies, 21 Dec 2003
I'm pretty happy with this book. Having decided to do Horticulture studies by correspondence in Switzerland, this book came up when searching for some pre-study material. It is also first book off the list of recommended reading from my school, which I'm pleased to see. It provides further in-depth reading to the course material provided, although my one whinge is that it could expand its chapter on pests and diseases as there are so many covered in the course. Happily websites like the RHS help out here. However, this book is fine foundation reading.

brillant, 23 Jan 2002
if you are intrested in any part of horticulture for a hobby or study, this is a must have every thing is explained in full in terms that any one would understand.And this is a up dated one.

brillant, 27 Nov 2001
I have read the 2nd edition but this one is much better they keep adding more information. if you are into gardening of any type this is the book to have. Very easy to read.

Highly recommended for students and professionals, 14 Nov 2000
This book provides a valuable introduction to horticulture. The information covered is wide ranging, explained clearly and is accompanied on many occasions by useful pictures and diagrams. This text was useful to me on the HNC/HND (Horticulture) course and also occasionally during my horticultural degree. The book would also be of interest to many horticuural professionals. There are not currently enough text books available specifically for horticultural students so this book is a valuable one.

excellent book, 18 Sep 2007
I started my own business up in May this year and wish I'd bought this book alot earlier. It is excellent and anyone wanting to start up their own business should buy it. The advice given is great and from my own experience I know exactly where he is coming from. It has been through more luck than judgement that I did set up the business the way he suggests in the book. Personally, I wouldn't have set it up any other way because it really gives you a foundation to start from. It has certainly given me alot of ideas to work on and I know I'll always be rereading this book.

Covers all bases on starting your own gardening business... great book., 05 Mar 2007
My wife and I have followed this book to a tee and have found that it covers all bases in starting your own gardening business, right down to the accountancy side of it. We are now at the point where work is starting to come in and we are about to go at it full-time.
Thanks for your help Paul.
Andrew & Jane Lowe

Back down to Earth, 19 Jun 2008
Everytime someone shoves me in the frozen food aisle at Sainsbury's, or I see a picture Gordon Brown smiling, or another 200 or 2000 troops get sent to Iraq - I think, "Screw it! I'm just going to stop contributing to this intoxicating globalised society and just go be a farmer for the rest of my life!" Well, it turns out you're just as subject to the banal horrors of Corporatism in overalls as you are in a business suit. This is good to realise, and encourages me to be a different/better kind of consumer in real life, not just in my dream world. Thanks Raj.

Timely, wide-reaching and a real wake-up call, 22 Apr 2008
Excellent. A must read. Anyone who is interested in what they eat, where it comes from, and how it reaches us should read this book. And be very worried.

Another predictable Globalisation basher, 08 Mar 2008
Being written by a former World Bank employee, i thought this book would offer a balanced analysis of the global food productiion system. Sadly, this is just another self-righeous, ahistorical, and simplistic critique of Globalisation. Apart from rare informative moments (chapters on soya beans and supermarkets for example), its pages are filled with the struggles between the 'good', dignified small farmers and 'bad', greedy corporations. The basic contention is for us, 'the people' to 'take back' control of our food supply chains, as if citizens of any modern society in history ever had such power. The author rightly points out the high level of suicides among the farmers and blames it on rampant capitalism. However, he fails to mention that farming in America had been the most suicide-prone vocation since the records began. For those who think that they are saving the world by buying local carrots and who like to take Fair Trade sugar with their organic cappucinos, this book might be able to pacify guilty consciousness. However, if you are looking for an authoritative, fair assesment of complex issues surrounding food production, stay clear of this one.

Lifting the lid on your TV dinner, 18 Feb 2008
A sweeping and passionate exposition of the global food system, 'Stuffed and Starved' is a masterly work that underlines why what we eat is so fundamental to who we are.

Patel's book lucidly and comprehensively deconstructs the idea that our current system is the only way, and the supermarket the only viable purveyor, to put food on our tables. He tracks the global food industry from grower to exporter, retailer to consumer, highlighting the many points at which the system is unsustainable, desperately exploitative, and, ultimately, frighteningly vulnerable.

Whether Patel is writing about urban gardening in south central Los Angeles, soy plantations in South America or the tragic plight of rural farmers in India, his voice is one suffused with a deep and lyrical compassion. And it's this humanity - and his hope that, however unlikely, another way lies within our reach - that makes 'Stuffed and Starved' truly special.

The best thing I've read since Naomi Klein's 'No Logo', Stuffed and Starved will shock, fascinate, anger and inspire you.

Don't trust your food to capitalism, 22 Jan 2008
Superbly written, well researched, and ambitious in its scope, Stuffed and Starved is an eye-opening exploration of capitalism's logic when it comes to food.
The title comes from the striking fact that Patel takes as his starting point - that there are 800 million hungry people in the world, and a billion overweight people. He proceeds to unpack this fact in the rest of the book, touching on the rise of ubiquitous ingredients such as soy or corn syrup, supermarkets, genetic engineering, and the economics at work behind these developments. I found the sections on the supply chain particularly good.
Patel doesn't need to ram his points home or play the guilt card. He presents the facts and the need for change is evident. Those changes, he suggests, include eating locally, rediscovering food as a pleasure, breaking the power of supply monopolies, and ensuring a living wage for everyone along the chain of production.
As a writer based in South Africa who has worked for the World Bank, Raj Patel is well placed to speak to both sides of the development debate. He has done so compellingly, and I will keep an eye out for anything he writes in the future.

a delicous nut, 15 May 2003
what a great little book, when i first got it i was dissapointed by its small size, but as with many nuts - there is a whole lot of protein and other good things in a small package!!

the book is a great introduction to permaculture, perfect for the beginner who wants to know about farms, gardens, and city living and not just to specialise in one area. It has great examples and is very well written and has a great biblio at the end to give lots of info sources.

to sum up, its a great mulch from which to grow ideas!

A helpful and interesting read, 29 Dec 2007
Since having started training as a land agent, this book has proved a superb reference tool on regular occasions. As mentioned already, it doesn't cover the minutiae of every aspect of farming and rural business, but as a broad-spectrum reference book, I can't fault it. It's written in a very clear and unpatronising way.

A broad range of information, 03 Jun 2001
The agricultural notebook covers a vast range of agricultural areas which is very good however it does not go in to too much detail in the specific areas. Therefore if you have a specific area to look at like dairy for instance there are other books which look at this area in greater detail and would be of more use.

An excellent general reference textbook, 11 Jan 2001
The Agricultural Notebook has been the mainstay of most general agricultural courses for a number of years. As a single source, it provides a great deal of relevant information for students and farmers alike. However, the field of UK and European agriculure is so large and one book can only hold so much information. In summery, this book is highly recommended but on the understanding that, unless suplimented by additional texts, its generality somewhat limits its overall value.

giggling;y good, 07 Oct 2008
I bought this to read on a flight, and it was a delightful book. Chas had me giggling so much! If you enjoyed Urban Dreams, Rural Realities then give this book a try, it's not in chronological order, but it flows nicely from one subject to another.

Also pick up more scenes from a smallholding!

Great Read!, 05 Oct 2008
What a great read!! Funny and quite informative if you are thinking of starting a smallholding... couldn't put it down until I finished it and wanted more... fancy finding a book that helps you see what difficulties you might face if you start a new life in the country, gives you helpful hints AND is such a good read that even if you weren't thinking of a move it is just so funny.

Scenes from a smallholding , 16 Jan 2008
This was a most entertaining book. Once you are used the chronological layout, it is humourous, touching and inspiring. I urge you to read it

Best book I've read in a long time, 05 Jun 2007
Scenes from a Smallholding is one of best books I've ever read, simple as that. Incredibly funny, perceptive, thought provoking and motivational. What more could you want?

Learn about one man and his family's life changing experience and have an absolute whale of time to boot!



An Original Downshifter....., 16 Aug 2005
Chas Griffin had an 'Epiphany'in Urban Birmingham and that was that. Chas, wife & children soon swapped grey for green, fumes for fertiliser (organic of course) and a self- sufficient lifestyle in rural Wales soon becoming Organic Garlic Growers to provide a small income. Things ain't easy for the Griffins but despite the hard work and set backs, their ability to view their lives with humour and Chas's ability to contemplate the bizarre make this book truley different from others. I liked the writing style, intelligent, quirky, informative, gentle but passionate- above all its a great human story and the ending will have you wanting the author to write book 2- right away.....

Industrial Agriculture is arguably Mankind's greatest folly, 29 Nov 2006
In this 100-or-so page book, Dale summarises the position modern Agriculture is in today, how it is already providing diminishing returns, and how fossil fuel depletion will hasten its departure. There are a few "Oh My God" moments.

The Introduction outlines the Green Revolution with its effects on soil, hunger, population and how it is utterly dependent on the availability of cheap fossil fuels.

Chapter 1, "Food = Energy + Nutrients", outlines how fossil fuels were created, and how humans developed from hunter-gatherering to agriculture.
The laws of Thermodynamics and Entropy are presented, the Green Revolution is revisited, indicating the energy inputs, and how it's already failing.

Chapter 2, "Land Degradation", describes how soil naturally replenishes its nutrients, and just how quickly this is being undermined by erosion,
with the knock-on effect of having to apply ever more pesticides and fertiliser.

Chapter 3, "Water Degradation", describes how modern agriculture is overdrafting rivers and aquifiers, with details regarding how much water is needed to feed a few different crops. Pollution from pesticides and fertiliser is also mentioned.

Chapter 4, "Eating Fossil Fuels", summarises a few studies undertaken to estimate the fossil energy inputs to provide food energy.
Studies of food toxicology is also described, for instance some foods are imported from countries where "banned" pesticides are still in use.
Food miles is described, as well as how the globalisation of food is leading to the spread of disease.

Chapter 5, "The End of the Oil Age", describes Peak Oil and the Natural Gas Cliff.

Chapter 6, "The Collapse of Agriculture", describes how industrial agriculture has been pushed to the limit and how it will fail to continue to feed the world by 2050, and how fossil fuel depletion will accelerate the coming crisis.
A model of how bad it could be is demonstrated with a description of the collapse of North Korea's industrial agriculture following the crash of the USSR.
Particular emphasis is given on how power failures and a lack of spare machinery parts contributed to a series of positive feedback loops which has created a series of humanitarian disasters.

Chapter 7, "The Next 'Green Revolution': Cuba's Agricultural Miracle" describes how Cuba responded to the USSR crash. Cuba was fortunate to have well educated scientists who had already developed Agroecology, a sustainable Organic farming system. Details are given of how the Cuban government embraced their methods and restructured the farms into smaller units to be compatible with the new methods. Urban gardens are also described as being a further, unplanned, response from individuals.

Chapter 8, "Building A Sustainable Agriculture", outlines how agriculture should be relocalised, supported by Urban food production, with a closed-loop approach to replenish nutrients. The difference between the effects of the USSR crash and the fossil fuel rate of depletion is covered with an optimistic view.

Chapter 9, "Twelve Fun Activities for Activists", outlines how grass-roots efforts should be attempted to engage with communities.

14 pages of resources follow, and 14 pages of source-material references.


This book is suitable for use as an introduction to the subjects covered. It should be read by everyone involved in agriculture, and every MP.

Chapters 6 and 7 are arguably the best parts of the book with a fair
amount of detail on how a sudden collapse of industry and fossil fuels affected two different countries in arguably the worst way and the best way. The book would be better if it featured flow diagrams illustrating the flows of all of the agricultural system's inputs and outputs. Chapter 4 should have provided some of the detail from the referenced studies.

Good improvements in this 4th edition of a popular text, 13 Oct 2005
This new edition of a core text for students of horticulture is welcomed. The addition of colour plates is helpful and the layout has generally improved. I think the book does a difficult job well as the subject is huge and it must be very difficult to decide what to leave out and how much depth to go to. I'm hoping it will help me with the RHS Advanced Cerificate exam.

Good companion guide to RHS General Certificate studies, 21 Dec 2003
I'm pretty happy with this book. Having decided to do Horticulture studies by correspondence in Switzerland, this book came up when searching for some pre-study material. It is also first book off the list of recommended reading from my school, which I'm pleased to see. It provides further in-depth reading to the course material provided, although my one whinge is that it could expand its chapter on pests and diseases as there are so many covered in the course. Happily websites like the RHS help out here. However, this book is fine foundation reading.

brillant, 23 Jan 2002
if you are intrested in any part of horticulture for a hobby or study, this is a must have every thing is explained in full in terms that any one would understand.And this is a up dated one.

brillant, 27 Nov 2001
I have read the 2nd edition but this one is much better they keep adding more information. if you are into gardening of any type this is the book to have. Very easy to read.

Highly recommended for students and professionals, 14 Nov 2000
This book provides a valuable introduction to horticulture. The information covered is wide ranging, explained clearly and is accompanied on many occasions by useful pictures and diagrams. This text was useful to me on the HNC/HND (Horticulture) course and also occasionally during my horticultural degree. The book would also be of interest to many horticuural professionals. There are not currently enough text books available specifically for horticultural students so this book is a valuable one.

excellent book, 18 Sep 2007
I started my own business up in May this year and wish I'd bought this book alot earlier. It is excellent and anyone wanting to start up their own business should buy it. The advice given is great and from my own experience I know exactly where he is coming from. It has been through more luck than judgement that I did set up the business the way he suggests in the book. Personally, I wouldn't have set it up any other way because it really gives you a foundation to start from. It has certainly given me alot of ideas to work on and I know I'll always be rereading this book.

Covers all bases on starting your own gardening business... great book., 05 Mar 2007
My wife and I have followed this book to a tee and have found that it covers all bases in starting your own gardening business, right down to the accountancy side of it. We are now at the point where work is starting to come in and we are about to go at it full-time.
Thanks for your help Paul.
Andrew & Jane Lowe

Back down to Earth, 19 Jun 2008
Everytime someone shoves me in the frozen food aisle at Sainsbury's, or I see a picture Gordon Brown smiling, or another 200 or 2000 troops get sent to Iraq - I think, "Screw it! I'm just going to stop contributing to this intoxicating globalised society and just go be a farmer for the rest of my life!" Well, it turns out you're just as subject to the banal horrors of Corporatism in overalls as you are in a business suit. This is good to realise, and encourages me to be a different/better kind of consumer in real life, not just in my dream world. Thanks Raj.

Timely, wide-reaching and a real wake-up call, 22 Apr 2008
Excellent. A must read. Anyone who is interested in what they eat, where it comes from, and how it reaches us should read this book. And be very worried.

Another predictable Globalisation basher, 08 Mar 2008
Being written by a former World Bank employee, i thought this book would offer a balanced analysis of the global food productiion system. Sadly, this is just another self-righeous, ahistorical, and simplistic critique of Globalisation. Apart from rare informative moments (chapters on soya beans and supermarkets for example), its pages are filled with the struggles between the 'good', dignified small farmers and 'bad', greedy corporations. The basic contention is for us, 'the people' to 'take back' control of our food supply chains, as if citizens of any modern society in history ever had such power. The author rightly points out the high level of suicides among the farmers and blames it on rampant capitalism. However, he fails to mention that farming in America had been the most suicide-prone vocation since the records began. For those who think that they are saving the world by buying local carrots and who like to take Fair Trade sugar with their organic cappucinos, this book might be able to pacify guilty consciousness. However, if you are looking for an authoritative, fair assesment of complex issues surrounding food production, stay clear of this one.

Lifting the lid on your TV dinner, 18 Feb 2008
A sweeping and passionate exposition of the global food system, 'Stuffed and Starved' is a masterly work that underlines why what we eat is so fundamental to who we are.

Patel's book lucidly and comprehensively deconstructs the idea that our current system is the only way, and the supermarket the only viable purveyor, to put food on our tables. He tracks the global food industry from grower to exporter, retailer to consumer, highlighting the many points at which the system is unsustainable, desperately exploitative, and, ultimately, frighteningly vulnerable.

Whether Patel is writing about urban gardening in south central Los Angeles, soy plantations in South America or the tragic plight of rural farmers in India, his voice is one suffused with a deep and lyrical compassion. And it's this humanity - and his hope that, however unlikely, another way lies within our reach - that makes 'Stuffed and Starved' truly special.

The best thing I've read since Naomi Klein's 'No Logo', Stuffed and Starved will shock, fascinate, anger and inspire you.

Don't trust your food to capitalism, 22 Jan 2008
Superbly written, well researched, and ambitious in its scope, Stuffed and Starved is an eye-opening exploration of capitalism's logic when it comes to food.
The title comes from the striking fact that Patel takes as his starting point - that there are 800 million hungry people in the world, and a billion overweight people. He proceeds to unpack this fact in the rest of the book, touching on the rise of ubiquitous ingredients such as soy or corn syrup, supermarkets, genetic engineering, and the economics at work behind these developments. I found the sections on the supply chain particularly good.
Patel doesn't need to ram his points home or play the guilt card. He presents the facts and the need for change is evident. Those changes, he suggests, include eating locally, rediscovering food as a pleasure, breaking the power of supply monopolies, and ensuring a living wage for everyone along the chain of production.
As a writer based in South Africa who has worked for the World Bank, Raj Patel is well placed to speak to both sides of the development debate. He has done so compellingly, and I will keep an eye out for anything he writes in the future.

a delicous nut, 15 May 2003
what a great little book, when i first got it i was dissapointed by its small size, but as with many nuts - there is a whole lot of protein and other good things in a small package!!

the book is a great introduction to permaculture, perfect for the beginner who wants to know about farms, gardens, and city living and not just to specialise in one area. It has great examples and is very well written and has a great biblio at the end to give lots of info sources.

to sum up, its a great mulch from which to grow ideas!

A helpful and interesting read, 29 Dec 2007
Since having started training as a land agent, this book has proved a superb reference tool on regular occasions. As mentioned already, it doesn't cover the minutiae of every aspect of farming and rural business, but as a broad-spectrum reference book, I can't fault it. It's written in a very clear and unpatronising way.

A broad range of information, 03 Jun 2001
The agricultural notebook covers a vast range of agricultural areas which is very good however it does not go in to too much detail in the specific areas. Therefore if you have a specific area to look at like dairy for instance there are other books which look at this area in greater detail and would be of more use.

An excellent general reference textbook, 11 Jan 2001
The Agricultural Notebook has been the mainstay of most general agricultural courses for a number of years. As a single source, it provides a great deal of relevant information for students and farmers alike. However, the field of UK and European agriculure is so large and one book can only hold so much information. In summery, this book is highly recommended but on the understanding that, unless suplimented by additional texts, its generality somewhat limits its overall value.

giggling;y good, 07 Oct 2008
I bought this to read on a flight, and it was a delightful book. Chas had me giggling so much! If you enjoyed Urban Dreams, Rural Realities then give this book a try, it's not in chronological order, but it flows nicely from one subject to another.

Also pick up more scenes from a smallholding!

Great Read!, 05 Oct 2008
What a great read!! Funny and quite informative if you are thinking of starting a smallholding... couldn't put it down until I finished it and wanted more... fancy finding a book that helps you see what difficulties you might face if you start a new life in the country, gives you helpful hints AND is such a good read that even if you weren't thinking of a move it is just so funny.

Scenes from a smallholding , 16 Jan 2008
This was a most entertaining book. Once you are used the chronological layout, it is humourous, touching and inspiring. I urge you to read it

Best book I've read in a long time, 05 Jun 2007
Scenes from a Smallholding is one of best books I've ever read, simple as that. Incredibly funny, perceptive, thought provoking and motivational. What more could you want?

Learn about one man and his family's life changing experience and have an absolute whale of time to boot!



An Original Downshifter....., 16 Aug 2005
Chas Griffin had an 'Epiphany'in Urban Birmingham and that was that. Chas, wife & children soon swapped grey for green, fumes for fertiliser (organic of course) and a self- sufficient lifestyle in rural Wales soon becoming Organic Garlic Growers to provide a small income. Things ain't easy for the Griffins but despite the hard work and set backs, their ability to view their lives with humour and Chas's ability to contemplate the bizarre make this book truley different from others. I liked the writing style, intelligent, quirky, informative, gentle but passionate- above all its a great human story and the ending will have you wanting the author to write book 2- right away.....

Industrial Agriculture is arguably Mankind's greatest folly, 29 Nov 2006
In this 100-or-so page book, Dale summarises the position modern Agriculture is in today, how it is already providing diminishing returns, and how fossil fuel depletion will hasten its departure. There are a few "Oh My God" moments.

The Introduction outlines the Green Revolution with its effects on soil, hunger, population and how it is utterly dependent on the availability of cheap fossil fuels.

Chapter 1, "Food = Energy + Nutrients", outlines how fossil fuels were created, and how humans developed from hunter-gatherering to agriculture.
The laws of Thermodynamics and Entropy are presented, the Green Revolution is revisited, indicating the energy inputs, and how it's already failing.

Chapter 2, "Land Degradation", describes how soil naturally replenishes its nutrients, and just how quickly this is being undermined by erosion,
with the knock-on effect of having to apply ever more pesticides and fertiliser.

Chapter 3, "Water Degradation", describes how modern agriculture is overdrafting rivers and aquifiers, with details regarding how much water is needed to feed a few different crops. Pollution from pesticides and fertiliser is also mentioned.

Chapter 4, "Eating Fossil Fuels", summarises a few studies undertaken to estimate the fossil energy inputs to provide food energy.
Studies of food toxicology is also described, for instance some foods are imported from countries where "banned" pesticides are still in use.
Food miles is described, as well as how the globalisation of food is leading to the spread of disease.

Chapter 5, "The End of the Oil Age", describes Peak Oil and the Natural Gas Cliff.

Chapter 6, "The Collapse of Agriculture", describes how industrial agriculture has been pushed to the limit and how it will fail to continue to feed the world by 2050, and how fossil fuel depletion will accelerate the coming crisis.
A model of how bad it could be is demonstrated with a description of the collapse of North Korea's industrial agriculture following the crash of the USSR.
Particular emphasis is given on how power failures and a lack of spare machinery parts contributed to a series of positive feedback loops which has created a series of humanitarian disasters.

Chapter 7, "The Next 'Green Revolution': Cuba's Agricultural Miracle" describes how Cuba responded to the USSR crash. Cuba was fortunate to have well educated scientists who had already developed Agroecology, a sustainable Organic farming system. Details are given of how the Cuban government embraced their methods and restructured the farms into smaller units to be compatible with the new methods. Urban gardens are also described as being a further, unplanned, response from individuals.

Chapter 8, "Building A Sustainable Agriculture", outlines how agriculture should be relocalised, supported by Urban food production, with a closed-loop approach to replenish nutrients. The difference between the effects of the USSR crash and the fossil fuel rate of depletion is covered with an optimistic view.

Chapter 9, "Twelve Fun Activities for Activists", outlines how grass-roots efforts should be attempted to engage with communities.

14 pages of resources follow, and 14 pages of source-material references.


This book is suitable for use as an introduction to the subjects covered. It should be read by everyone involved in agriculture, and every MP.

Chapters 6 and 7 are arguably the best parts of the book with a fair
amount of detail on how a sudden collapse of industry and fossil fuels affected two different countries in arguably the worst way and the best way. The book would be better if it featured flow diagrams illustrating the flows of all of the agricultural system's inputs and outputs. Chapter 4 should have provided some of the detail from the referenced studies.


Wooo!, 07 Oct 2008
When I got off my flight I had to get this sent to me, another hilarious recounting of tales of a smallholder, well done chas

And again!!!, 16 Jan 2008
I read the first and had to buy this. Again, it is a fantastic read. This book gives more detail on how the Author's mind works and thinks. It too is truely inspiring!

Good improvements in this 4th edition of a popular text, 13 Oct 2005
This new edition of a core text for students of horticulture is welcomed. The addition of colour plates is helpful and the layout has generally improved. I think the book does a difficult job well as the subject is huge and it must be very difficult to decide what to leave out and how much depth to go to. I'm hoping it will help me with the RHS Advanced Cerificate exam.

Good companion guide to RHS General Certificate studies, 21 Dec 2003
I'm pretty happy with this book. Having decided to do Horticulture studies by correspondence in Switzerland, this book came up when searching for some pre-study material. It is also first book off the list of recommended reading from my school, which I'm pleased to see. It provides further in-depth reading to the course material provided, although my one whinge is that it could expand its chapter on pests and diseases as there are so many covered in the course. Happily websites like the RHS help out here. However, this book is fine foundation reading.

brillant, 23 Jan 2002
if you are intrested in any part of horticulture for a hobby or study, this is a must have every thing is explained in full in terms that any one would understand.And this is a up dated one.

brillant, 27 Nov 2001
I have read the 2nd edition but this one is much better they keep adding more information. if you are into gardening of any type this is the book to have. Very easy to read.

Highly recommended for students and professionals, 14 Nov 2000
This book provides a valuable introduction to horticulture. The information covered is wide ranging, explained clearly and is accompanied on many occasions by useful pictures and diagrams. This text was useful to me on the HNC/HND (Horticulture) course and also occasionally during my horticultural degree. The book would also be of interest to many horticuural professionals. There are not currently enough text books available specifically for horticultural students so this book is a valuable one.

excellent book, 18 Sep 2007
I started my own business up in May this year and wish I'd bought this book alot earlier. It is excellent and anyone wanting to start up their own business should buy it. The advice given is great and from my own experience I know exactly where he is coming from. It has been through more luck than judgement that I did set up the business the way he suggests in the book. Personally, I wouldn't have set it up any other way because it really gives you a foundation to start from. It has certainly given me alot of ideas to work on and I know I'll always be rereading this book.

Covers all bases on starting your own gardening business... great book., 05 Mar 2007
My wife and I have followed this book to a tee and have found that it covers all bases in starting your own gardening business, right down to the accountancy side of it. We are now at the point where work is starting to come in and we are about to go at it full-time.
Thanks for your help Paul.
Andrew & Jane Lowe

Back down to Earth, 19 Jun 2008
Everytime someone shoves me in the frozen food aisle at Sainsbury's, or I see a picture Gordon Brown smiling, or another 200 or 2000 troops get sent to Iraq - I think, "Screw it! I'm just going to stop contributing to this intoxicating globalised society and just go be a farmer for the rest of my life!" Well, it turns out you're just as subject to the banal horrors of Corporatism in overalls as you are in a business suit. This is good to realise, and encourages me to be a different/better kind of consumer in real life, not just in my dream world. Thanks Raj.

Timely, wide-reaching and a real wake-up call, 22 Apr 2008
Excellent. A must read. Anyone who is interested in what they eat, where it comes from, and how it reaches us should read this book. And be very worried.

Another predictable Globalisation basher, 08 Mar 2008
Being written by a former World Bank employee, i thought this book would offer a balanced analysis of the global food productiion system. Sadly, this is just another self-righeous, ahistorical, and simplistic critique of Globalisation. Apart from rare informative moments (chapters on soya beans and supermarkets for example), its pages are filled with the struggles between the 'good', dignified small farmers and 'bad', greedy corporations. The basic contention is for us, 'the people' to 'take back' control of our food supply chains, as if citizens of any modern society in history ever had such power. The author rightly points out the high level of suicides among the farmers and blames it on rampant capitalism. However, he fails to mention that farming in America had been the most suicide-prone vocation since the records began. For those who think that they are saving the world by buying local carrots and who like to take Fair Trade sugar with their organic cappucinos, this book might be able to pacify guilty consciousness. However, if you are looking for an authoritative, fair assesment of complex issues surrounding food production, stay clear of this one.

Lifting the lid on your TV dinner, 18 Feb 2008
A sweeping and passionate exposition of the global food system, 'Stuffed and Starved' is a masterly work that underlines why what we eat is so fundamental to who we are.

Patel's book lucidly and comprehensively deconstructs the idea that our current system is the only way, and the supermarket the only viable purveyor, to put food on our tables. He tracks the global food industry from grower to exporter, retailer to consumer, highlighting the many points at which the system is unsustainable, desperately exploitative, and, ultimately, frighteningly vulnerable.

Whether Patel is writing about urban gardening in south central Los Angeles, soy plantations in South America or the tragic plight of rural farmers in India, his voice is one suffused with a deep and lyrical compassion. And it's this humanity - and his hope that, however unlikely, another way lies within our reach - that makes 'Stuffed and Starved' truly special.

The best thing I've read since Naomi Klein's 'No Logo', Stuffed and Starved will shock, fascinate, anger and inspire you.

Don't trust your food to capitalism, 22 Jan 2008
Superbly written, well researched, and ambitious in its scope, Stuffed and Starved is an eye-opening exploration of capitalism's logic when it comes to food.
The title comes from the striking fact that Patel takes as his starting point - that there are 800 million hungry people in the world, and a billion overweight people. He proceeds to unpack this fact in the rest of the book, touching on the rise of ubiquitous ingredients such as soy or corn syrup, supermarkets, genetic engineering, and the economics at work behind these developments. I found the sections on the supply chain particularly good.
Patel doesn't need to ram his points home or play the guilt card. He presents the facts and the need for change is evident. Those changes, he suggests, include eating locally, rediscovering food as a pleasure, breaking the power of supply monopolies, and ensuring a living wage for everyone along the chain of production.
As a writer based in South Africa who has worked for the World Bank, Raj Patel is well placed to speak to both sides of the development debate. He has done so compellingly, and I will keep an eye out for anything he writes in the future.

a delicous nut, 15 May 2003
what a great little book, when i first got it i was dissapointed by its small size, but as with many nuts - there is a whole lot of protein and other good things in a small package!!

the book is a great introduction to permaculture, perfect for the beginner who wants to know about farms, gardens, and city living and not just to specialise in one area. It has great examples and is very well written and has a great biblio at the end to give lots of info sources.

to sum up, its a great mulch from which to grow ideas!

A helpful and interesting read, 29 Dec 2007
Since having started training as a land agent, this book has proved a superb reference tool on regular occasions. As mentioned already, it doesn't cover the minutiae of every aspect of farming and rural business, but as a broad-spectrum reference book, I can't fault it. It's written in a very clear and unpatronising way.

A broad range of information, 03 Jun 2001
The agricultural notebook covers a vast range of agricultural areas which is very good however it does not go in to too much detail in the specific areas. Therefore if you have a specific area to look at like dairy for instance there are other books which look at this area in greater detail and would be of more use.

An excellent general reference textbook, 11 Jan 2001
The Agricultural Notebook has been the mainstay of most general agricultural courses for a number of years. As a single source, it provides a great deal of relevant information for students and farmers alike. However, the field of UK and European agriculure is so large and one book can only hold so much information. In summery, this book is highly recommended but on the understanding that, unless suplimented by additional texts, its generality somewhat limits its overall value.

giggling;y good, 07 Oct 2008
I bought this to read on a flight, and it was a delightful book. Chas had me giggling so much! If you enjoyed Urban Dreams, Rural Realities then give this book a try, it's not in chronological order, but it flows nicely from one subject to another.

Also pick up more scenes from a smallholding!

Great Read!, 05 Oct 2008
What a great read!! Funny and quite informative if you are thinking of starting a smallholding... couldn't put it down until I finished it and wanted more... fancy finding a book that helps you see what difficulties you might face if you start a new life in the country, gives you helpful hints AND is such a good read that even if you weren't thinking of a move it is just so funny.

Scenes from a smallholding , 16 Jan 2008
This was a most entertaining book. Once you are used the chronological layout, it is humourous, touching and inspiring. I urge you to read it

Best book I've read in a long time, 05 Jun 2007
Scenes from a Smallholding is one of best books I've ever read, simple as that. Incredibly funny, perceptive, thought provoking and motivational. What more could you want?

Learn about one man and his family's life changing experience and have an absolute whale of time to boot!



An Original Downshifter....., 16 Aug 2005
Chas Griffin had an 'Epiphany'in Urban Birmingham and that was that. Chas, wife & children soon swapped grey for green, fumes for fertiliser (organic of course) and a self- sufficient lifestyle in rural Wales soon becoming Organic Garlic Growers to provide a small income. Things ain't easy for the Griffins but despite the hard work and set backs, their ability to view their lives with humour and Chas's ability to contemplate the bizarre make this book truley different from others. I liked the writing style, intelligent, quirky, informative, gentle but passionate- above all its a great human story and the ending will have you wanting the author to write book 2- right away.....

Industrial Agriculture is arguably Mankind's greatest folly, 29 Nov 2006
In this 100-or-so page book, Dale summarises the position modern Agriculture is in today, how it is already providing diminishing returns, and how fossil fuel depletion will hasten its departure. There are a few "Oh My God" moments.

The Introduction outlines the Green Revolution with its effects on soil, hunger, population and how it is utterly dependent on the availability of cheap fossil fuels.

Chapter 1, "Food = Energy + Nutrients", outlines how fossil fuels were created, and how humans developed from hunter-gatherering to agriculture.
The laws of Thermodynamics and Entropy are presented, the Green Revolution is revisited, indicating the energy inputs, and how it's already failing.

Chapter 2, "Land Degradation", describes how soil naturally replenishes its nutrients, and just how quickly this is being undermined by erosion,
with the knock-on effect of having to apply ever more pesticides and fertiliser.

Chapter 3, "Water Degradation", describes how modern agriculture is overdrafting rivers and aquifiers, with details regarding how much water is needed to feed a few different crops. Pollution from pesticides and fertiliser is also mentioned.

Chapter 4, "Eating Fossil Fuels", summarises a few studies undertaken to estimate the fossil energy inputs to provide food energy.
Studies of food toxicology is also described, for instance some foods are imported from countries where "banned" pesticides are still in use.
Food miles is described, as well as how the globalisation of food is leading to the spread of disease.

Chapter 5, "The End of the Oil Age", describes Peak Oil and the Natural Gas Cliff.

Chapter 6, "The Collapse of Agriculture", describes how industrial agriculture has been pushed to the limit and how it will fail to continue to feed the world by 2050, and how fossil fuel depletion will accelerate the coming crisis.
A model of how bad it could be is demonstrated with a description of the collapse of North Korea's industrial agriculture following the crash of the USSR.
Particular emphasis is given on how power failures and a lack of spare machinery parts contributed to a series of positive feedback loops which has created a series of humanitarian disasters.

Chapter 7, "The Next 'Green Revolution': Cuba's Agricultural Miracle" describes how Cuba responded to the USSR crash. Cuba was fortunate to have well educated scientists who had already developed Agroecology, a sustainable Organic farming system. Details are given of how the Cuban government embraced their methods and restructured the farms into smaller units to be compatible with the new methods. Urban gardens are also described as being a further, unplanned, response from individuals.

Chapter 8, "Building A Sustainable Agriculture", outlines how agriculture should be relocalised, supported by Urban food production, with a closed-loop approach to replenish nutrients. The difference between the effects of the USSR crash and the fossil fuel rate of depleti