Food Science for Gardeners

Robert Pavlis is a Master Gardener with over 45 years' experience in the art and science of horticulture, with a particular focus on soil chemistry and health. He is the owner and developer of Aspen Grove Gardens, a 6-acre botanical garden featuring 3,000 varieties of plants. A sought-after speaker and lecturer, Robert has published many articles in magazines such as Mother Earth News and Ontario Gardening. He maintains a widely read blog – gardenmyths.com – and a well-known YouTube channel, Garden Fundamentals, with tens of thousands of subscribers. Robert is the award-winning author of many published works, including the popular Soil Science for Gardeners series and Building Natural Ponds. He lives in Guelph, Canada.

• 1. IntroductionWhy Do We Eat?What Is Food Quality?Do Gardeners Produce High Quality Food?Gardeners Affect QualityThe History of Food Science2. Understanding NutritionHuman Nutrients vs Plant NutrientsNutrients vs CaloriesNutrients in FoodFactors Affecting NutrientsNutrition Myths3. Food Safety— ChemicalsChemical ToxicityPesticidesHeavy MetalsFood Safe PlasticsSafe Material for Raised BedsMicroplasticsGrowing Food Near Toxic PlantsAllelopathyGMO FoodAllergies and Sensitivities4. Food Safety— BiologicalThe Microbes Among UsWhat Is a Foodborne IllnessHow Microbes GrowDetecting a ProblemBuying FoodFood Safety MythsFinal Thoughts5. Nutrient DensityMeasuring Nutrient DensitFactors Affecting Nutrient DensityWhat Does Science Know About Growing Nutrient-Dense Food?Factors Affecting Nutrients6. The Flavor of FoodNutrition and FlavorWhy Does Grocery Store Produce Taste Bland?Sweetness vs AcidityFactors Affecting Flavor7. Growing Great FoodSelecting the Right CultivarImportance of Days to MaturityHeirlooms vs HybridsIs Organic Food Better?Fresh Is Best8. Handling and Storing FoodWashing Hands and ProduceFood Storage9. Preserving FoodPreserving TechniquesMethods for Preserving Food10. Cooking FoodWhy Do We Cook Food?How Does Cooking Affect Flavor?How Does Cooking Affect Nutrition?Cooking Creates Undesirable CompoundsFood That Needs CookingCooking MythsCooking Methods11. Growing and Serving Quality FoodBeans, Green (Snap Beans)CucumbersGarlicLettuceOnionPeasRadishRaspberriesStrawberriesTomatoZucchiniNotesIndexAbout the AuthorConnect with Robert PavlisAbout New Society Publishers

If you eat what you grow, you need this book!–Jeff Lowenfels, a.k.a. Lordr to of the Roots, and author, Teaming With Microbes Tetralogy and DIY Autoflowering Cannabis Up-to-date, scientific, and leavened with common sense, what a useful reference this is for anyone interested in growing food! —Linda Gilkeson, educator and author, Backyard Bounty This is a much needed book! We need to get back to nature and the food that keeps us healthy. —Lynn Gillespie, organic farmer, thelivingfarm.org Praise for Robert Pavlis and the Garden Science series I've been following Robert's work for a long time and I trust his science-based, no-nonsense approach to helping us all debunk gardening myths while making us all smarter gardeners in the process. Robert is one of my trusted, go-to sources when I want to get to the bottom line. ---Joe Lamp'l, Creator and Host of Emmy Award-winning PBS television series, Growing a Greener World® and Founder, joegardener.com and The joe gardener® Show podcast It's hard not to appreciate Pavlis' clear and consistently myth-busting approach, guiding the reader with a precise balance of science and analogy. There is loads of good information coupled with actionable insight throughout. –Jesse Frost, author, The Living Soil Handbook: The No-till Grower's Guide to Ecological Market Gardening Be sure to give Plant Science for Gardeners an honored place on your bookshelves, next to Mr. Pavlis' groundbreaking Garden Myths series. —Rebecca Martin, technical editor, Mother Earth News magazine