The Market Gardener: A Successful Grower's Handbook for Small-Scale Organic Farming (Spiral Bound)

Biographical Note:

Jean-Martin Fortier is a farmer, author, educator, and advocate for regenerative, human-scale, profitable agriculture. For over 20 years he and his wife Maude-Helene Desroches have operated les Jardins de la Grelinette, a successful 2-acre microfarm.The Market Gardener, has sold a quarter million copies in nine languages, describes the biointensive principles used at his micro-farm. In 2015, he established a research farm, la Ferme des Quatre-Temps, where he trains apprentices and develops new strategies for market gardening, including year-round production. His methods of production are taught to a worldwide audience through the Market Gardener Masterclass, an online course of the Market Gardener Institute, which is tailored to small-scale food growers. He is the founder of Growers & Co., a tool and apparel company which celebrates sustainable, local, and equitable food producers. He is the co-author of The Winter Market Gardener and author of the Grower's Guides from the Market Gardener series. Jean-Martin farms and lives in Quebec, Canada.

Grow better not bigger

...should be of great use to market growers everywhere.
-- Eliot Coleman, organic farming pioneer and author, Winter Harvest Handbook

This is a fantastic addition to any aspiring market gardener's library...
-- Josh Volk, Slow Hand Farm, Portland, Oregon

AS LOCAL ORGANIC agriculture continues to flourish, young professional growers like Jean-Martin Fortier are leading the way with their innovative ideas about how to start a farm. Growing on just 1.5 acres, he and his wife have been making a good living from their vegetable operation for over 10 years, feeding more than 200 families through their thriving CSA and seasonal market stand.

Based on low-tech, high-yield methods of production, The Market Gardener is packed with practical information on:

• Setting-up a micro-farm by designing biologically intensive cropping systems, all with negligible capital outlay
• Farming without a tractor and minimizing fossil-fuel inputs through the use of the best hand tools, appropriate machinery and minimum tillage practices
• Growing mixed vegetables systematically with attention to weed and pest management, crop yields, harvest periods and pricing approaches.

The Market Gardener is a complete, modern, micro-scale farming handbook which shows that making a living wage growing food without large capital outlay or access to an acreage may be closer than you think.

... picks up right where Eliot Coleman has left us, applying many of his core principles, but doing it in such a brilliant way as to provide beginning farmers a solid framework of the information they need to start up and become successful small-scale organic growers themselves.
-- Adam Lemieux, Product Manager of Tools & Supplies, Johnny's Selected Seeds

JEAN-MARTIN FORTIER and his wife Maude-Hélène Desroches are the founders of Les Jardins de la Grelinette, an internationally recognized micro-farm known for its high productivity and profitability using low-tech, high-yield methods of production. A leading practitioner of biologically intensive cropping systems, Jean-Martin has more than a decade's worth of experience in organic farming. Jean-Martin lives and farms in Southern Quebec, Canada, with his wife and their two children.

Jean-Martin's book is very well done and should be of great use to market growers everywhere. Exchange of ideas and information is so important because when we pass ideas on, the next person gets to start where we got to and take the ideas to another level.
-- Eliot Coleman, organic farming pioneer and author of the Winter Harvest Handbook

I've read this book in French and all I can say is that, if you want to engage yourself in the market gardening, The Market Gardener is far more than a simple manual, it's the story of a life and a major giveaway of knowledge without the shadow of a secret. A must have, nothing else.
-- Michel Michiels, Arlon / Belgium

We are so excited that Le Jardinier-Maraîcher is finally translated in English! This book was an inspiration for many of our French members (we are a farmers' co-op) and now we can recommend it to all.... especially to the new generation interested in small scale farming...Thank you.
-- Nicole Briand Communications, La Récolte de Chez Nous / Really Local Harvest

In his revolutionary book, JMF brings about a change of paradigm that couldn't come any sooner. New gardeners will find in this book a step-by-step recipe that almost guarantees success, while the more seasoned ones can use it as a steppingstone for future achievements. Ever since its release in Quebec, it has reached thousands of readers and caused a ripple of benefits: people of all ages, especially the young, can now aspire to buy or rent their own land and live a fulfilling-and profitable-life in the countryside, which a few years back was still a wild dream for most of us. Aside from being very technically dense, it offers viable solutions to social problems such as land access, unemployment in regions, and the unsustainable nature of modern agricultural practices. It has literally been training an entire army of Davids that is now starting to address the bulk of these problems, or Goliath. And it's happening all across the province! Most importantly, this book deeply inspired me and gave me hope for the future without having to consult an eco-therapist.
-- Alexandre J-Nicole, Biologist, graphic designer and illustrator

Jean-Martin Fortier extols the virtues of being small-scale, and expertly details the use of such scale-appropriate tools as broadforks, seeders, hoes, flame weeders, low tunnels, high tunnels, and many other unique tools, specifically designed for this brand of farming. He picks up right where Eliot Coleman has left us, applying many of his core principles, but doing it in such a brilliant way as to provide beginning farmers a solid framework of the information they need to start up and become successful small-scale organic growers themselves.
-- Adam Lemieux, Product Manager of Tools & Supplies, Johnny's Selected Seeds

Acknowledgments
Foreword
Preface

1 Small Is Profitable
Can You Really Live ff 1.5 Acres?
Not Just Making a Good Living, but Making a Good Life

2 Succeeding as a Small-Scale Organic Vegetable Grower
A Biologically Intensive Approach
Minimizing Start-Up Costs
Minimizing Production Costs
Direct Selling
Adding Value to the Crops
Learning the Craft

3 Finding the Right Site
Climate and Microclimate
Market Access
Growing Space Needed
Soil Quality
Topography
Drainage
Access to Water
Infrastructure
Assessing Possible Pollution Problems

4 Designing the Market Garden
Buildings and Foot Traffic
Standardizing the Garden Layout
Locating the Greenhouse and Tunnels
Protection against Deer
Windbreaks
Irrigation

5 Minimum Tillage and Appropriate Machinery
Permanent Raised Beds
The Two-Wheel Tractor
The Broadfork (Grelinette)
Tarps and Pre-Crop Ground Cover
To Till or not to Till

6 Fertilizing Organically
Soil Tests
Crop Requirements
Managing Soil Fertility
Good Compost
Relying on Natural Fertilizers - Why?
Establishing Crop Rotation
Crop Rotation at Les Jardins de la Grelinette
Green Manure and Cover Crops
Connecting with Soil Ecology

7 Starting Seeds Indoors
Seeding in Cell Flats
The Soil Mix
Filling Cell Flats
The Seedling Room
The Evolving Plant Nursery
Heating and Ventilation of the Nursery
How to Water Seedlings
Potting up
Transplanting into the Gardens

8 Direct Seeding
Precision Seeders
Seedbed Preparation
Record Keeping

9 Weed Management
Cultivating with Hoes
Weeding with Tarps
The Stale Seedbed Technique
Flame Weeding
Mulching
Weed Control Technology

10 Insect Pests and Diseases
Scouting
Disease Prevention
Using Biopesticides

11 Season Extension
Floating Row Cover and Low Tunnels
Caterpillar Tunnels
Hoophouses

12 Harvest and Storage
Harvesting Efficiently
Harvest Help
The Cold Room

13 Crop Planning
Setting Farming Objectives
Determining Production
Establishing a Crop Calendar
Making a Garden Plan
Record Keeping

Conclusion: Farming for Ecology, Community, and Lifestyle

Appendix 1: Crop Notes
Appendix 2: Tools and Suppliers
Appendix 3: Garden Plan
Appendix 4: Annotated Bibliography
Appendix 5: Glossary

Index
About the Author

• French edition, Le jardinier-maraicher has sold over 15,000 copies
• Author is founder of les Jardins de la Grelinette in southern Quebec, which is recognized in Canada and internationally as an alternative model for people who want to get established and make a living from small-scale farming
• He has been working with Equiterre for over 7 years to establish a network of CSA farms
• Author is partnering with FarmStart.ca who will provide extensive support including an author tour
• The book will be used as a textbook for workshops helping establish beginning farmers in "incubator" farms. In 2012, these were attended by over 3,000 people
• Author's method of farming and for training new farmers has been proven to be highly successful.
• Increasingly, people are turning to market gardening as a way to make a living
• Organic cropland is growing at 15% in the United States and the Canadian organic market demand has increased 160% since 2006.

"Jean-Martin's book is very well done and should be of great use to market growers everywhere. Exchange of ideas and information is so important because when we pass ideas on, the next person gets to start where we got to and take the ideas to another level."
-- Eliot Coleman, organic farming pioneer and author of the Winter Harvest Handbook

"I've read this book in French and all I can say is that, if you want to engage yourself in the market gardening, The Market Gardener is far more than a simple manual, it's the story of a life and a major giveaway of knowledge without the shadow of a secret. A must have, nothing else."
-- Michel Michiels, Arlon / Belgium

"We are so excited that Le Jardinier-Maraîcher is finally translated in English! This book was an inspiration for many of our French members (we are a farmers' co-op) and now we can recommend it to all.... especially to the new generation interested in small scale farming...Thank you."
-- Nicole Briand Communications, La Récolte de Chez Nous / Really Local Harvest

"In his revolutionary book, JMF brings about a change of paradigm that couldn't come any sooner. New gardeners will find in this book a step-by-step recipe that almost guarantees success, while the more seasoned ones can use it as a steppingstone for future achievements. Ever since its release in Quebec, it has reached thousands of readers and caused a ripple of benefits: people of all ages, especially the young, can now aspire to buy or rent their own land and live a fulfilling-and profitable-life in the countryside, which a few years back was still a wild dream for most of us. Aside from being very technically dense, it offers viable solutions to social problems such as land access, unemployment in regions, and the unsustainable nature of modern agricultural practices. It has literally been training an entire army of Davids that is now starting to address the bulk of these problems, or Goliath. And it's happening all across the province! Most importantly, this book deeply inspired me and gave me hope for the future without having to consult an eco-therapist."
-- Alexandre J-Nicole, Biologist, graphic designer and illustrator

" Jean-Martin Fortier extols the virtues of being small-scale, and expertly details the use of such scale-appropriate tools as broadforks, seeders, hoes, flame weeders, low tunnels, high tunnels, and many other unique tools, specifically designed for this brand of farming. He picks up right where Eliot Coleman has left us, applying many of his core principles, but doing it in such a brilliant way as to provide beginning farmers a solid framework of the information they need to start up and become successful small-scale organic growers themselves."
-- Adam Lemieux, Product Manager of Tools & Supplies, Johnny's Selected Seeds

Jean-Martin's book is very well done and should be of great use to market growers everywhere. Exchange of ideas and information is so important because when we pass ideas on, the next person gets to start where we got to and take the ideas to another level.
-- Eliot Coleman, organic farming pioneer and author of the Winter Harvest Handbook

I've read this book in French and all I can say is that, if you want to engage yourself in the market gardening, The Market Gardener is far more than a simple manual, it's the story of a life and a major giveaway of knowledge without the shadow of a secret. A must have, nothing else.
-- Michel Michiels, Arlon / Belgium

We are so excited that Le Jardinier-Maraîcher is finally translated in English! This book was an inspiration for many of our French members (we are a farmers' co-op) and now we can recommend it to all.... especially to the new generation interested in small scale farming...Thank you.
-- Nicole Briand Communications, La Récolte de Chez Nous / Really Local Harvest

In his revolutionary book, JMF brings about a change of paradigm that couldn't come any sooner. New gardeners will find in this book a step-by-step recipe that almost guarantees success, while the more seasoned ones can use it as a steppingstone for future achievements. Ever since its release in Quebec, it has reached thousands of readers and caused a ripple of benefits: people of all ages, especially the young, can now aspire to buy or rent their own land and live a fulfilling-and profitable-life in the countryside, which a few years back was still a wild dream for most of us. Aside from being very technically dense, it offers viable solutions to social problems such as land access, unemployment in regions, and the unsustainable nature of modern agricultural practices. It has literally been training an entire army of Davids that is now starting to address the bulk of these problems, or Goliath. And it's happening all across the province! Most importantly, this book deeply inspired me and gave me hope for the future without having to consult an eco-therapist.
-- Alexandre J-Nicole, Biologist, graphic designer and illustrator

Jean-Martin Fortier extols the virtues of being small-scale, and expertly details the use of such scale-appropriate tools as broadforks, seeders, hoes, flame weeders, low tunnels, high tunnels, and many other unique tools, specifically designed for this brand of farming. He picks up right where Eliot Coleman has left us, applying many of his core principles, but doing it in such a brilliant way as to provide beginning farmers a solid framework of the information they need to start up and become successful small-scale organic growers themselves.
-- Adam Lemieux, Product Manager of Tools & Supplies, Johnny's Selected Seeds

"Jean-Martin's book is very well done and should be of great use to market growers everywhere. Exchange of ideas and information is so important because when we pass ideas on, the next person gets to start where we got to and take the ideas to another level."
-- Eliot Coleman, organic farming pioneer and author of the Winter Harvest Handbook

"I've read this book in French and all I can say is that, if you want to engage yourself in the market gardening, The Market Gardener is far more than a simple manual, it's the story of a life and a major giveaway of knowledge without the shadow of a secret. A must have, nothing else."
-- Michel Michiels, Arlon / Belgium

"We are so excited that Le Jardinier-Maraîcher is finally translated in English! This book was an inspiration for many of our French members (we are a farmers' co-op) and now we can recommend it to all.... especially to the new generation interested in small scale farming...Thank you."
-- Nicole Briand Communications, La Récolte de Chez Nous / Really Local Harvest

"In his revolutionary book, JMF brings about a change of paradigm that couldn't come any sooner. New gardeners will find in this book a step-by-step recipe that almost guarantees success, while the more seasoned ones can use it as a steppingstone for future achievements. Ever since its release in Quebec, it has reached thousands of readers and caused a ripple of benefits: people of all ages, especially the young, can now aspire to buy or rent their own land and live a fulfilling-and profitable-life in the countryside, which a few years back was still a wild dream for most of us. Aside from being very technically dense, it offers viable solutions to social problems such as land access, unemployment in regions, and the unsustainable nature of modern agricultural practices. It has literally been training an entire army of Davids that is now starting to address the bulk of these problems, or Goliath. And it's happening all across the province! Most importantly, this book deeply inspired me and gave me hope for the future without having to consult an eco-therapist."
-- Alexandre J-Nicole, Biologist, graphic designer and illustrator

"Jean-Martin Fortier extols the virtues of being small-scale, and expertly details the use of such scale-appropriate tools as broadforks, seeders, hoes, flame weeders, low tunnels, high tunnels, and many other unique tools, specifically designed for this brand of farming. He picks up right where Eliot Coleman has left us, applying many of his core principles, but doing it in such a brilliant way as to provide beginning farmers a solid framework of the information they need to start up and become successful small-scale organic growers themselves."
-- Adam Lemieux, Product Manager of Tools & Supplies, Johnny's Selected Seeds

Transform 1.5 acres into a 6 figure annual income through proven small-scale organic farming methods. Jean-Martin Fortier demonstrates how he and his wife built a thriving market garden operation feeding 200+ families while maintaining work-life balance using low-tech, high-yield techniques that work in any climate.

Why This System Works Where Others Fail:

Unlike industrial farming that requires massive acreage and equipment, this micro-farming approach maximizes profits per square foot through intensive, sustainable methods. Based on 10+ years of real-world success, these techniques have been replicated by thousands of growers worldwide.

What You'll Master:

• Profitable crop selection - which vegetables generate $15-20 per square foot annually


• Efficient farm layout - design systems that minimize work while maximizing yields


• Tool and equipment choices - cost-effective alternatives to expensive machinery


• Four-season production - extend harvests for year-round income streams


• Direct marketing strategies - command premium prices through CSA and farmers markets


• Financial planning templates - track profits, plan cash flow, and scale systematically

Proven Results from Real Farmers: Over 200,000 copies sold worldwide have helped farmers like you transition from hobby gardening to profitable small-scale agriculture. Jean-Martin's students report achieving financial independence on 2-5 acres using these exact methods.

Start building your profitable market garden operation today. This isn't theory - it's a complete playbook from someone who's actually making a living from small-scale farming.