Book Review

By Tami Schlies

The 2007 Prairie Garden

The Edible Landscape

This 168 page paperback is a very nice compilation of articles written by experts in Western Canada.  Articles such as “Dwarf Sour Cherries for the Prairie” and “Wild Plums in the Northwest” are a wealth of information we orchardists in Alaska can make good use of.  Other articles on dehydrating fruit or “A Medicine Cabinet in Your Back Yard” appeal to all who like to eat the things they grow.  Or you could try “Grow a Row for Your Canine Friend;” suggestions on how to add healthy garden veggies to your dog’s diet.  There is even a fun article called “The Unwelcome Dinner Guest,” which is written from the point of view of a deer watching his native habitat give way to urban development.

The book is studded with black and white photos as well as pen and ink sketches.  A center section in this book boasts lovely color photos of various plants referred to in the articles.  And then there is the fact that almost every article is followed by a recipe, which makes the book a winner in my opinion.  I have included an excerpt from the article on flowering crabs by Jim Kohut in the featured fruit section.

If you are interested in this book or any back issues of The Prairie Garden, you can log on to www.theprairiegarden.ca.  As a club, we could also order the 2008 edition in quantity for a significant discount.  Please contact me soon if you are interested!