This book is friggin' great. Coleman outlines the basics of the four-season harvest method; namely, composting, the outdoor garden, the covered garden, and the underground garden (or root cellar). His explanations are clear and detailed, and the wonderful illustrations provide a great working model for readers interested in tackling some of the construction projects Coleman describes.

What I particularly loved about this book is Coleman's dedication to simplicity. Through careful planning, he has developed a system that spreads his gardening efforts over longer periods, thus avoiding the spring sowing frenzy and the often overabundance of yields all ready for harvesting at the same time. Instead, Coleman utilizes succession planting to space out his crops, and through the use of cold frames and garden "tunnels" (simple greenhouses), he extends the harvesting season throughout the winter months.

He provides detailed plans for constructing cold frames, various types of simple greenhouses, from basic tunnels to mobile structures set on wooden rails, and simple root cellars, while the latter half of the book is a comprehensive list of plants with growing, harvesting, and natural pest control pointers. This book is a must-have for organic gardeners interested in enjoying their harvests year round or simply improving their yields during the summer months.