Welcome to Friday 16 October 2026.
I've had a really busy week off-field so I haven't got anything productive done but I have acquired a large volume of cardboard boxes, which are going to be laid over my beds this winter to protect the soil. I've also bought some more of my best-selling shrubs (and where I'm going to plant them) and I had a great polish hot dog (and that's not a euphemism).
Tonight I'm talking about the Top 5 Books that I have found invaluable for learning more about my soil, being more efficient when moving around the field, mulching, interplanting, improving soil fertility, reducing waste, ring-fencing profit, saving for tax and capital expenditure, everything about hardy and tender annuals, plus pricing, record-keeping, marketing and crop planning. All the details of the books are below. Do let me know if you read any of them and how you get on with them.
I hope you enjoy the episode - please come back and join me for the next one - you're always very welcome.
BOOKS:
1. The Living Soil Handbook by Jesse Frost. Also check out his daily podcast, Growers Daily, because it's great.
2. The Lean Farm by Ben Hartman. Very clever and insightful book.
3. Profit First by Mike Michalowicz.
4. The Cut Flower Handbook by Lisa Mason Ziegler. She also has a podcast called Field & Garden Podcast. Lisa is the queen of growing hardy annuals.
5. Flower Farming For Profit by Lennie Larkin. Brilliant book, brilliant woman.
Text The Podcast Here
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Join me on my journey through a year of growing and selling cut flowers in England. I'm giving you the low-down on what it's really like, how I'm getting started, what you do and don't need, what I do when and why, the successes and failures, and just about everything in between. All in real time. With guest appearances from my chickens every now and then.
