It’s a big week over here as my new book, “Grow Great Grub: Organic Food from Small Spaces” (I’m already an expert at saying the title super fast) hits bookstores TODAY!
Except that we spotted it at a Chapters/Indigo here in Toronto last night.
If you pre-ordered a copy, it should be arriving any day now. Yay!
Books are available through a variety of bookstores across North America. I will also be selling signed copies via my online store. Details on that are forthcoming but I will post here once my shipment arrives.
Meanwhile, some very excellent reviews of the book have appeared online and in print media. Check those out over here if you’re so inclined.
I wanted to make a much larger book and was sad to have to leave out chapters on seed harvesting (luckily you can find that here & here), extending the growing season (you can also find THAT here), more recipes, and so many plants that I just love, love, love. Over the coming weeks I will be rolling out some of the extra content that I had to edit out.
To support the book we are furiously organizing media appearances and events to begin this month and continue right through the spring season. A full list of events as they are confirmed can be found on the Grow Great Grub website or the “Upcoming Events” sidebar on the right side of the YouGrowGirl.com homepage. If you’d like to have me speak at your event, garden shop, or bookstore please get in touch.
In the meantime, here’s what’s confirmed for the month of February so far:
TODAY! Tuesday February 2, 2010
Martha Stewart Living Radio Show
Morning Living
8 am EST
Saturday, February 13 & Sunday, February 14, 2010
Montreal Seedy Saturday & Sunday
Montréal Botanical Garden / Jardin botanique de Montréal
Montreal, Canada
10am-4pm
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Toronto Seedy Saturday (on a Sunday)
12:30-6pm
Artscape Wychwood Barns (Barn #2)
601 Christie St., Toronto, Canada
I’ll be here as always selling copies of the book along with some of my other gardening goodies.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Grow Great Grub Book Launch Party
Lula Lounge
1585 Dundas Street West
Toronto, Canada
6:30-10:30pm
FREE Admission!
Come out and help celebrate the launch of the book! Door prizes, book giveaways, seed starting station, nibbles, and music by DJ General Eclectic (Footprints, Uma Nota).
TEN YEARS!
And if that wasn’t enough, February also marks the 10th year that this here internet website has been online. Ten years! All last week I pondered something profound to say to mark the occasion but all I’ve managed to come up with is, ten years. TEN YEARS. Ten [insert expletive here] years.
When I look back on ten years it kind of blows my mind. When I started the site I was practically a baby, you know, comparatively. I worried about being blasted for starting an online magazine about gardening (that’s what it was then) without being a horticulturalist (in conclusion: irrelevant). I worried I didn’t know enough botanical names, like there was going to be some kind of test. As if I were applying to be on a game show. Name 300 plants, common name followed by Latin. GO! Over the last ten years I have worried about all sorts of things that I can now say with authority were kind of dumb and not worth the anxiety.
Ten years ago I was a graphic designer and that’s what I planned to continue to be when I grew up. Ten years later I still do some graphic design but it’s no longer my full time job. Not by a long shot.
Having spent a decade writing about gardening, speaking about gardening, teaching others how to garden and doing a heck of a lot of gardening myself, I find that I am even more enthusiastic, more challenged, and more excited about plants then I was back then. Ten years ago I would not have thought that possible. A big part of what fuels that excitement is YOU. Your enthusiasm is infectious as is seeing what you are doing in your gardens, and hearing about your trials and triumphs. I think of it like I am a part of a giant international classroom devoted entirely to gardening Show & Tell and I hope to bring more of that to the next ten years.
THANKS!
Congratulations for the new book and ten years on the web! It’s people like you who inspire people like me to get beyond the “I dunno how” to “Let’s do it and figure it out along the way” – especially in the garden! Thank you.
This post makes me so happy. Much love and congratulations to you and Davin on such an awesome day — woot! woot! xox
congratulations to you, gayla. i’ve had “you grow girl” on my gardening book shelf for years, dirtying it up with each new project. you’ve provided so much inspiration, with a healthy, and mightily appreciated, dose of sass along the way. can’t wait to curl up with “grow great grub.” kudos!
congratulations
Congrats Gayla!!
Congratulations! And Martha Stewart radio – quite a nice way to mark 10 years! Thanks for publishing so much great content!
Just got your book in the mail and loving it so far.
Good job!
congratulations!!!
Over the weekend, Amazon told me my GGG book is on the way… I simply can’t wait!
Huge congratulations on ten years. I only wish that I had found you (and gardening, for that matter) a wee bit earlier. As a fellow sometimes-graphic designer (3 days per week), I’m inspired by your career pivot. Or maybe it’s more of a branching out. Pun intended :)
I saw a copy of your book at Schuler Books in Lansing, MI last Sunday. I was surprised, because I didn’t know it was out yet.
Congrats! I heard yesterday that my book was winging its way to me from Amazon. Can’t wait!!
Has it really been that long? Wow! Time flies!
Congrats on the new book (can’t wait to pick it up) and thank you for your first book which really sparked my interest in plants and in turn gave me a whole new perspective on how I view the world. Weird how that happens. :)
I can’t wait I can’t wait! I’m camped out beside the mailbox, itching for my book to arrive. CONGRATULATIONS to you Gayla, and THANK YOU for keeping our growing passions fed.
This is all so exciting, and I’m so excited for YOU. A new book, 10 year anniversary…. all at the same time. It’s a huge accomplishment and I for one know when I happened upon this site eight years ago it had a huge impact on me (“oh my god, a website about gardening that doesn’t cater to the 40-something housewife crowd, this is awesome, I knew I wasn’t the only one!”
Oh, the rest of my comment was cut off! Obviously I typed way too much. My point (short and sweet): you should be really proud of yourself :).
A big, green, shiny, leafy, sweet-smelling congratulations to you Gayla!
Congratulations on 10 years. That’s awesome.
Congratulations! When I think of your renegade garden escapades and your frankness in sharing them, I think of that movie we love, “Ikiru”. Every day you truly are inspiring people to get out there and “live”- by making gardens, sharing their bounty, and even forging community gardens. I hope you continue to have success for ten more years to come!
Van: Wow! That is such a high compliment. Ikiru is in my top 5 if not my favourite movie!
Everyone go out and see that movie at your nearest convenience. Akira Kurosawa’s best. Very touching and heartfelt. It makes me tear up just thinking about it.
congrats Gayla!
And yes, my reserved book is in transit to me now. Can’t wait.
I just commented on this, but it was gone…
Again:
Congrats, Gayla!
Just after my first attempt of commenting, I got a notification by amazon.de, that they’ll deliver your book to me.
Yeah!
Your happy german reader Petra :-)
Ciao Gayla-
We’re all so very proud of you! Talk about infectious enthusiasm, you inspire us all the time and your heart-wrenching humanity during times when hungry critters devour your plants or thoughtless humans wreck something you tried so hard to keep beautiful helps all of us show our vulnerability. Perfection isn’t necessary here and acceptance is always in abundance.
Grazie, cara!
Gayla, I reserved my book through B&N here in Ohio, and picked it up on my lunch break today. I cracked it open slowly, feeling like it was Christmas! I wasnt disappointed. I have YGG, and all that I love about that book is in GGG. I love the recipes, and the self-watering container project. I also love the container tips for different varieties. Thanks for such great info, your site and book(s) are a standby for me, and I’m so happy for you and your huge milestones!
Congratulations on your new book and 10 years with your blog. I only discovered you less than a year ago but you have been an inspiration to me. You’ve inspired me not only as a gardener but as a person who has carried on with something that she is passionate about, isn’t afraid to be absolutely real and is living their dream.
Many congratulations on all that you’ve accomplished–two terrific books with great attitude and solid information, and a website that helps new and experienced gardeners from all over. You’ve brought a real enthusiasm and practicality to gardening media that’s been missing for awhile. Good on you!
I just bought your book two days ago and have effectively devoured it cover to cover. I already own a sizeable library of gardening books (all of which I love), but I really think your book stands out as a new triumph for organic, urban gardening. The photos are beautiful, the layouts are very crisp and enticing, but — most importantly — the advice is clear, specific, and useful. Rather than having to glean tips from several sources and allow for the differing opinions and contexts of the various authors, your book is an excellent go-to source for ideas and answers.
With your background in Graphic Design, I suppose I should not be surprised now why your site, books, and merchandise look beautiful!
Congratulations on your 10 years. I haven’t picked up a copy of your book yet, but I plan to and hopefully can get you to sign it at either Toronto Seedy Saturday or your launch party.
Thanks so much for all of your well wishes!
Mel: You can also pick up a copy at either event. I’ll be selling at both.
Congratulations Gayla! It’s because of you, your first book and this website that I have grow lights in my basement, I saved my first batch of seeds last summer, and I fully intend to support biodiversity any way I can. The new book arrived in the mail this week, and I’m looking forward to the bounty of 2010. Thank you for your wonderful “produce”!
Big congrats! My brother bought me your new book for Christmas and I’m looking forward to its delivery!
Congrats! Life is good! I bought 2 copies..one for me and one for my sister who made her first garden last season. It was tiny and productive and fun! Thanks!
Hi Gayla,
My husband dragged me to Barnes & Noble yesterday. Ok, well… he dragged me to the cafe… and I drug him the rest of the way into the store.
I discovered your book. And was instantly smitten. I stayed up past bedtime reading and admiring. And today… I ordered my first small batch of Organic/Heirloom seeds. I’m starting small. But starting. Thanks for the inspiration.
By the way, I had never heard of you OR your blog until buying your book yesterday. So I thought that was pretty cool and you might like to know. :)