"The most successful farmers of the present day are those who work in harmony with the forces and laws of nature ..." With this simple yet profoundly prescient opening line, Charles L. Goodrich sets the wise, practical and eminently earth-friendly tone that informs every page of The Better Days Books First Book of Farming: A Step-By-Step Guide for the Origiganic Grower . Originally published in 1905, this timeless primer for the aspiring farmer (or backyard or market gardener!) "begins at the beginning," exploring the hidden secrets of how plants grow and what they need to flourish. It then takes the reader on a step-by-step journey through the worlds of roots, seed, soil and water, then on into the fundamental "orgiganic" methods by which bountiful harvests can reaped without recourse to poisonous chemical fertilizers or insecticides. Includes chapters on restoring and maintaining soil fertility, fixing drainage problems, and strategies for successful crop rotation.