Microfarms: Organic Market Gardening on a Human Scale
About this ebook
Microfarms is a comprehensive guide to establishing and maintaining profitable small-scale vegetable farms, utilizing organic, low-tech, and highly effective crop production methods that are grounded in ecological principles and lifestyle considerations.
Richly adorned with full-color illustrations, this resource vividly brings to life the core principles of Jean-Martin Fortier's time-tested approach. It includes eight comprehensive case studies showcasing successful regenerative farming projects that have implemented his biointensive techniques. Key features of the book include:
- An extensive outline of the Fortier Method's framework, rooted in agroecology, permaculture, and small-scale business principles
- An exploration of its four essential pillars: proper crop planning, low-tech/low-investment farm tools, organic fertility management, and a business sales approach
- Strategies for enhancing farm profitability through direct marketing channels like farmstands, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes, and farmers markets
- Engaging and motivational stories of successful market gardeners, detailing their journey from initial setup and land procurement to crop planning, team coordination, and sales
- Proven techniques to boost crop yields while preserving biodiversity and improving the livelihoods of those working on the farm.
Microfarms champions a revolutionary approach to small-scale agriculture, advocating for a food system that honors the environment, nurtures communities, and supports farmers. This book is an essential read for aspiring small-scale farmers, market gardeners, homesteaders, eco-activists, and visionaries, promising to transform your perspective and actions toward local food systems.
About the author
Jean-Martin Fortier, a distinguished author, educator, and proponent of regenerative agriculture on a human scale, has been spearheading a movement in sustainable farming alongside his wife, Maude-Helene Desroches. For over twenty years, their venture, Les Jardins de la Grelinette, an efficient and productive 2-acre microfarm, has thrived on the principles of biointensive agriculture.
In 2015, Jean-Martin established la Ferme des Quatre-Temps, a research farm where he trains apprentices and develops new strategies for market gardening, including year-round production. His methods are taught worldwide through the Market Gardener Masterclass, an online course designed to empower and educate small-scale farmers around the world. He is the founder of Growers & Co., a tool and apparel company which celebrates sustainable, local, and equitable food producers.
Jean-Martin is the author of The Winter Market Gardener and The Market Gardener, which has sold over a quarter of a million copies in nine languages. His contributions to organic farming and regenerative agriculture earned him the Meritorious Service Cross from the Governor General of Canada. He farms and lives in Quebec, Canada.
