Alamosa Public Library

Owning chickens is fast becoming the latest in metropolitan chic. If you can't own them, you'll still want to read about them. Primal urges, the quest for ultimate power, sex, death, gender bending, and huge vet bills-these are the things that chickens are made of. Martin Gurdon's hilarious Hen and the Art of Chicken Maintenance relives the highs and lows of chicken ownership. This unique chicken memoir follows the Gurdon family through the ups and...

This book discusses the causes and effects of the disastrous dust storms that hit the Great Plains in the 1930s.

From the publisher. Storey's Guide to Raising Beef Cattle is the go-to reference for new and experienced cattle ranchers, providing expert advice on everything from breed selection, calving, feeding, and housing, to humane handling and slaughter practices. The 3rd edition, now with 125,000 copies in print contains new and expanded features: up-to-the-minute coverage of diseases and vaccination options; complete information on raising grass-fed animals,...

Publisher's description: Over the course of a year, in just one national forest in California, raids on illegal marijuana growing operations yielded 19,710 pounds of infrastructure, 138 ounces of restricted poisons, 4,595 pounds of fertilizer, 12 gallons of common pesticides, 5.6 miles of waterlines, and 102 propane bottles. Even as efforts to legalize marijuana accelerate, such "trespass grows" spread exponentially--as does their effect on the environment....

In recent years, there has been a surge of folks struck with the desire to build and nurture beehives of their own. Beekeeping has become the passion of farmers in rural Vermont, urbanites with rooftops in LA, and thousands of people in between. This book is for beginners and experts alike, with all the basic information you need to get started, as well as stories and tips that will inspire and instruct the most seasoned beekeeper.

"The tomato gets no respect. Never has. Lost in the dustbin of history for centuries, accused of being vile and poisonous, subjected to being picked hard-green and gassed, even used as a projectile, the poor tomato has become the avatar for our disaffection with industrial foods - while becoming the most popular vegetable in America (and, in fact, the world). Each summer, tomato festivals crop up across the country; the Heinz ketchup bottle, instantly...

"Travelling around the world to places as far-flung as Vietnam, Kenya, India, and the US, Stephen Le introduces us to people who are growing, cooking, and eating food using both traditional and modern methods, striving for a sustainable, healthy diet ... Le contends that our ancestral diets provide the best first line of defense in protecting our health and providing a balanced diet. Fast-food diets, as well as strict regimens like paleo or vegan,...

Covers a broad range of ecological, economic, social, and political perspectives on one of natures' most potent forces, and the past century of failed attempts to control these wild events. Through photographs and essays by scientists, media critics, firefighters, and activists, this book challenges the view of wildfire as a destructive element and encourages us to embrace its positive role in nature's ecological processes.

With Disney Planes: The Essential Guide, readers are invited into the world of Disney's newest character: Dusty, a big-hearted, fast-flying crop duster who dreams of competing in the most exhilarating around-the-world air race in history. They'll also learn more about his mentor, a naval aviator named Skipper, and the defending champ of the race circuit, Ripslinger, who will stop at nothing to see Dusty fail. Packed with facts, character profiles,...