{"product_id":"9781932113433","title":"Sundown Seasons","description":"Ever just want to drop out of your hectic life and get back to basics? Maybe\u003cp\u003ebuy a little plot of land next to a peaceful lake and grow your own herbs, \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eflowers or vegetables? Well,that's what Dorothy Holderbaum did 30 years \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eago, and she's never looked back.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDorothy didn't know a lot about gardening when she and her husband Russell \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eabandoned city life in Detroit and bought Sundown Acres located near Allegan, \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMichigan, just a few short minutes from Lake Michigan. \"The soil was sandy and dead when we arrived,\" Dorothy says. \"The neighbors thought we were crazy trying to grow a garden there. But we kept composting and digging and composting and soon the soil began to come back to life.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFascinated by the rich Native American history of Allegan and the wealth of\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003einformation about gardening, she unearthed in old herbal books and local \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003efolklore, Dorothy quickly became a student of nature. Soon she knew the birds,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ebees and insects of Sundown Acres like old friends. She began to look forward \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eto each season as it brought out new neighbors from the woods in the form of \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003echipmunks, squirrel, deer and owls to keep her company and help her in her \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003egardening efforts. Over the next few years, life for Russell and Dorothy changed. Dorothy studied nutrition and worked hard to raise foods to feed them that were both healthy and enjoyable. Soon she fell in love with the process of planting tiny seeds in fresh turned soil and watching them grow rapidly into something she could cook and serve on the dinner table, or freeze and can for winter. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Having things canned and frozen was like storing up treasure,\" Dorothy says.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBefore long neighbors began to consult her on her strategies for growing such \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ewonderful herbs and beautiful flowers. For years, Dorothy wrote about her \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eexperiences and shared her recipes in the Allegan newspaper. Those columns \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003esoon grew into a book. In addition, she was hired by Rodale to do research \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eon the planting, cultivation and harvesting of amaranth. Over the years, she's \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003edone presentations for local libraries, and garden clubs. She's also appeared on WKZO TV Studio, to discuss herbs and their healing properties. During this \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003etime Dorothy was a guest on the Suzanne Geha Show.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lauric Enterprises, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47040267944176,"sku":"9781932113433","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781932113433_p0.jpg?v=1763638729","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781932113433","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}