In Growing Food in a Short Season, Melanie J. Watts explains that with the right gardening practices the short northern summer can lead to an explosion of life, producing enough color and food to see anyone through the dark days of winter. Providing helpful hints and a wise gardening philosophy for a productive food garden, Watts begins at ground level with instruction on how to use compost and manure to create fertile soil that will lend its life to plants. A variety of seed options and planting methods are presented — including start times and placement — taking into account microclimates that occur in each garden as well as the benefits of companion planting. Additionally, plants that are easily grown in zones two and three are listed with concise how-to-grow information. Watts provides full chapters on garden maintenance and harvesting, as well as tips on cooking and preserving the bounty with great recipes that focus on eating seasonally.