Diary of a compost hotline operator

After 10 days of very run-of-the-mill books, I finally have something to write about. The sun is shining and the seed catalogues have been showing up in the mail so it's time to read books with a gardening theme.

Diary of a compost hotline operator is a quick introduction to the world of urban horticulture. Spring Gillard (not a pen name) wears several hats on the job at the Vancouver-based City Farmer's garden where their aim is world change through education. The demonstration garden teaches visitors about composting, companion planting, organic pest and disease control, water conservation, vermiculture, and a host of other small space garden practices. Visitors come from all over the world for a hands-on look (and feel).

The book is an easy to read combination of newspaper article excerpts, journal musings, humourous anecdotes, how-to notes, and lots of contact information - websites, organizations, more books to read, people to consult, etc. Gillard is not afraid to write about failures or near-failures along with successes. She's also not afraid to reveal that much of their knowledge comes from other experts. The philosophy at City Farmer appears to be "learn with me as we explore" rather than "learn from me as I show you how it must be done."

I've been composting as long as I can remember. I've been gardening almost as long, and I've read a lot of gardening books over the years. I expected to read this book for the stories and amusement factor but I ended up learning a few new tricks to try as well. Vancouver weather is very different from south-western Ontario weather so some of the problems are different and some of the solutions for common problems may not work in the cooler, dryer climate, but I do have some new ideas to play with and that's always fun.

Many of the contacts are local to Vancouver, or at least BC, but there's still a lot of valuable information packed into this small book, even for those of us who live far away from the Pacific coast.

If you have written off the possibility of gardening or composting because you live in the city, or, worse yet, live in an apartment, think again. There are still options to explore and Spring Gillard is happy to point you in the right direction. Even if, like me, you consider yourself a veteran, give this book a try. The stories are amusing, it will get your brain thinking "spring," and you might end up with a new technique to try.

Diary of a compost hotline operator : edible essays on city farming by Spring Gillard. Published in 2003 by New Society Publishers. ISBN: 978-0-86571-492-4