Books

Stella Natura Biodynamic Planting Calendar for 2025.  Working with Cosmic Rhythms.

In addition to planting and astronomical information, the monthly charts continue to be hand-written and accompanied by the thoughtful, inspiring, and informative articles for which Stella Natura has become well-known and appreciated.  Also new this year ~ each calendar now includes a link to our free introductory webinar on its principles and practical application!

Initiated by Sherry Wildfeuer in 1978 and heartfully produced by her since that time, Stella Natura has long been a meaningful part of the biodynamic movement. With insightful and engaging articles about agriculture, cosmic influences, and anthroposophy, as well as meticulously hand-drawn charts that detail dates and times for planting/tending/harvesting various crops based on planetary and cosmic influences, it is a faithful companion to gardeners, farmers, and those seeking a glimpse into the practical application of anthroposophical insight to the natural world.

Sherry and Spikenard’s Director, Alex Tuchman, have worked mindfully and joyously together on this transition and have collaborated closely on the last several calendars.

In Cider Planet, Claude Jolicoeur—a longtime, passionate cider maker and author of the international bestseller New Cider Maker’s Handbook—takes readers with him to the world’s greatest cider regions, providing an expertly guided tour laced with his deep understanding and appreciation for how this “Prince of Beverages” is made.

Inside Cider Planet you’ll find:

• Descriptions of global orchard practices

• Specific apple varieties used in different countries and regions

• Detailed histories of the world’s oldest ciderlands

• Profiles of different cider styles and rituals

• Tips and tricks from some of the most knowledgeable cider producers

Cider, long perceived as a European country drink, is now truly a worldwide culinary delight. Jolicoeur talks about new and emergent regions that have contributed to this growing appreciation, and how they are building upon the old traditions while creating their own new ones. 

Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nuts is a one-stop compendium of the most productive, edible fruit-and nut-bearing crops that push the boundaries of what can survive winters in cold-temperate growing regions. While most nurseries and guidebooks feature plants that are riddled with pest problems, veteran growers and founders of the Hortus Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Allyson Levy and Scott Serrano, focus on both common and unfamiliar fruits that have few, if any, pest or disease problems and an overall higher level of resilience.

Inside Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nuts you’ll find:

•   Taste profiles for all fifty hardy fruits and nuts, with notes on harvesting and uses
•   Plant descriptions and natural histories
•   Recommended cultivars, both new and classic
•   Propagation methods for increasing plants
•   Nut profiles including almonds, chestnuts, walnuts, and pecans
•   Fertilization needs and soil/site requirements
•   And much more!

Coppice Agroforestry is a richly illustrated, comprehensive guide to resprout silviculture – managing trees and shrubs by coppicing, pollarding, shredding, and pleaching – for a continuous supply of small diameter polewood for products from firewood to fine furniture. Contextualizing resprout silviculture historically, ecologically, and economically, Coppice Agroforestry is a decade in the making, encyclopedic in scope, and written by the hand of a woodsman. Coppice Agroforestry is a deep dive into this ancient practice, blending it with modern science, systems thinking, and tools to land it firmly in the 21st century. 

The first in-depth guide for farmers and gardeners who have access to an established woodland and are looking for productive, innovative ways to create a natural forest ecosystems that produces a wide range of food, medicinals, and other non-timber products.

Farming the Woods covers in detail:

• How to cultivate, harvest, and market high-value non-timber forest crops
• Comprehensive information on historical perspectives of forest farming
• How to mimic the forest in a changing climate
• Cultivation of medicinal crops
• How to create a forest nursery
• Harvesting and utilizing wood products
• The role of animals in the forest farm
• How to design and manage your forest farm once it’s set up

Co-authored by Silver Creek Nursery's own Steph! This book was written for all the wonderful folks who have asked us so many grafting questions over the years! Our online grafting course delves into even more detail, but this book is the ultimate guide to get you started!

This book offers a results-oriented approach to mastering grafting techniques. Whether you’re adding a new branch to an existing tree, crafting a whole new tree from a rootstock, or propagating a beloved heirloom tree, this book is your road map to success.

Susan Poizner, author of Fruit Tree Grafting for Everyone and creator of the online grafting and fruit tree care courses at OrchardPeople.com, is joined by Steph Muma of Silver Creek Nursery to help you transform your garden through fruit tree grafting. In this guide, you will learn:

• How to harvest scionwood in the winter.
• Techniques for cleft, bark, and whip grafting in the spring
• Methods for chip and T-bud grafting in the summer
• Essential aftercare practices for long-term graft success

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced grower, Fruit Tree Grafting for Everyone will empower you to create productive, diverse, and fruit-filled landscapes in your own backyard and beyond.

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When you prune your fruit tree, you’re not just cutting branches; you’re partnering with a living organism to help it thrive. Together, you and your tree work toward a shared goal: a healthy harvest of delicious fruit.

In this book, Susan Poizner, ISA Certified Arborist and award-winning creator of OrchardPeople.com, combines science-based insights with practical strategies to make pruning intuitive. By understanding your tree’s needs, you’ll learn how to work with its natural growth patterns for healthier, more productive results.

With Susan’s guidance, you’ll discover:

• How proper pruning improves your tree’s health and directs its energy into producing higher-quality fruit
• Why winter pruning encourages rapid growth, while summer pruning slows it down
• Step-by-step techniques for Central Leader and Open Center pruning
• How to make your first pruning cut—often on the same day you plant your tree!
• How to train fruit tree branches with weights or clothespins to make them stronger and more productive

Susan Poizner has over a decade of experience helping growers master the art of fruit tree care. In this book, she shares everything you need to know about pruning, with clear, step-by-step instructions to guide you through the process.

Are you thinking of growing fruit trees? Are you in a hurry to enjoy a delicious organic harvest? Fruit trees don’t grow overnight, but the choices you make and the care you give them can speed up the process. You don’t need a degree in horticulture, and you don’t need to use toxic sprays. Growing fruit trees successfully is simply a matter of knowing what to do and when to do it—and if you know what to look for, your trees will tell you exactly what they need.

This book is for you if you:

• Want to grow fruit trees (like apple, peach, pear, cherry, apricot and plum)
• Are looking for easy techniques that will give you abundant harvests
• Don’t have a lot of time to devote to fruit tree care
• Have never planted a thing
• Are an experienced gardener
• Want to avoid the frustration of trial-and-error learning

If your goal is to grow fruit trees fast, take an hour to read this book. Follow the simple steps inside and you’ll be enjoying a healthy harvest in record time.

Growing Figs in Cold Climates is a complete, full-color, illustrated guide to organic methods for growing delicious figs in cold climates, well outside the traditional hot, arid home of this ancient fruiting tree. Coverage includes:

• Five methods for growing figs in cold climates including overwintering
• Cultivar selection for cool and cold climates
• Pruning techniques for a variety of methods of growing figs in cold climates
• Pest problems and solutions
• Harvesting, including ways to speed ripening, identify ripe fruit, and manage an overabundance
• Small-scale commercial fig production in cold climates.

Fresh figs are juicy, full-bodied, and filled with a honey-sweet flavor, and because truly ripe figs are highly perishable, they are only available to those who grow their own.

By choosing the right cultivars and techniques, figs can be grown across cool and cold growing zones of North America, Europe, and beyond, putting them within reach of almost every gardener. Easy and delicious — if you can grow a houseplant, you can grow a fig.

Fruit trees are delicate and need specialized care, especially when they’re planted in an urban environment, which comes with its own unique challenges. Whether you want to plant a single fruit tree or an entire orchard, this book will show you how to save time and money and be successful right from the start.

Susan Poizner lives in Toronto, and is an excellent resource to anyone seeking to plant fruit trees in their back-yard. We find her book easy to read with clear, concise information and excellent pictures and diagrams.