Growing Food in the Southwest Mountains - A guide to high altitude, semi-arid home permaculture gardens. 4th Edition (2013)
"Lisa Rayner's book removes much of the mystery and guesswork involved in the endeavor of growing food in these harsh and, at times, unforgiving climates. Lisa draws from her extensive background in ecology and permaculture to create a holistic approach to gardening. The  book contains critical information on microclimates and soils and on selecting appropriate species and varieties that are adapted to high elevations and short growing seasons.She also incorporates helpful information on the history of growing food in the Southwest, describes guilds of species that create thriving forest gardens, and recommends appropriate times to plant your seeds and starts.The appendices, which include a list of food substitutes, a glossary of food crops, and several pages of additional resources are well worth the price of the book. I highly recommend this book for anyone in the Southwest Mountains who is serious about growing their own food."-- Judith D. SpringerCo-editor of Field Guide to Forest & Mountain Plants of Northern Arizona"... a remarkably thorough and carefully assembled handbook for the home gardener in these challenging environments.Handsome original line drawings by Zachary Zdinack and old-fashioned woodcuts of garden scenes and plants ably enhance the text.The large, spiral-bound book, five to eight times the volume of its original predecessor, lays open easily....There is excellent material on the political and economic imperatives for local food production, climate and microclimate, plants, soils, water management, garden pests, seeds, composting and basic garden layout.I really like the book and respect the hard work it took to assemble so much useful information on crops, soil, and climates....the template Rayner has created is an exemplary model for parallel work to be done in any major ecoregion. She has delved deeply into the synergistic implications of climate - including climate change - topography, transportation, demographics, microclimates, and much more......should be a first go-to reference for sustainable food system designers, home gardeners, and permaculture designers in the mountain Southwest."--Peter Bane, Permaculture Activist Magazine"With nearly four times as much information as the 3rd edition,Growing Food in the Southwest Mountains... is a methodical, user-friendly, in-depth guide written especially for people living in the states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.... Discusses the basics of the Southwest Mountain climate, how to create permaculture zones, warnings against invasive species, tips for creating garden-friendly eco-communities, soil maintenance advice, watering strategies, advice for dealing with so-called 'pests' ... and much more."-- Midwest Book Review