Gaia's Garden by Toby Hemenway

Question, I heard that in chapter 5 of Gaia´s Garden he talks about how to keep water underground. I have a field in an arid area that I visit once a year and I am curious about any system that may include digging a trench and filling it with rocks, and how to do this effectively. Any hints?

I give this book 8 out of 10 acorns. It is one of the first books on my shelf that I reach for when I'm looking for information and it often provides what I am looking for. This would be a great book to give to someone that is just starting to show interest in permaculture, or someone already knee-deep into it. I like the style of writing and the inclusion of case studies of successful applications of the techniques described in the book. Most importantly though, I have watched enough videos of Toby that my brain has been programmed to hear his voice when I'm reading his words. He had a very calming, reassuring and encouraging way of speaking that I'm quite happy to remember so clearly.

I give this book 9 out of 10 acorns.  To cover areas I have not encountered in previous posts, while it is extremely informative as other have mentioned, I find it seems to be slanted towards the western states. This is not to say that it’s content does not pertain to other areas.  While is is not a difficult read ...it is not easy either. It reads somewhat like a text book.  But to stress, this is an excellent book.

I give this book 8 out of 10 acorns.

An oft-cited introduction to permaculture, Hemenway’s book provides a philosophical model for gardening the permaculture way. While I caution readers away from the irresponsible use of known invasive plants in your gardening schemes—a rather bewildering practice on the part of permaculturists like Hemenway—there’s enough else here to make the read worthwhile, not the least of which is a soaring symphony to soil in “Chapter Four: Bringing the Soil to Life,” which will forever alter how you think about dirt. Bonus: This book is 35% off in publisher Chelsea Green's year-end sale for 2022.

Addendum: If you're interested in more book recommendations, check out my list, "For gardening bookworms."