Gardening When it Counts is a marvelous addition to a sustainability library. People new to gardening will avoid numerous pitfalls, and those who are seasoned gardeners--like myself--will learn more than a new trick or two. My copy is on it's eighth printing, and that's saying something right there. Land selection, tool selection, and especially seed selection (the author used to run a seed company) are covered, as are common growing problems for various types of food. I learned an cheap and easy way to stop powdery mildew on my pumpkins and squashes. That saved me he cost of the book right there.

Also covered are innovative ideas on irrigation, and there is an extremely useful guide to composting and one on "green manures" a.k.a. overwintering cover crops you can till in to enrich the soil.

I recommend this book heartily.