About Us
From bestselling books to quality gardening products, our passion for sustainable gardening has guided our journey.
About The Authors
Since the 1980’s, compost educators and professional organic gardeners, C. Forrest McDowell, PhD and Tricia Clark-McDowell, have taught thousands of people how to compost and garden naturally and easily. Honored by the White House in 2000, their 22-acre Cortesia Sanctuary, Eugene, Oregon is the hub of their educational efforts in gardening and herbal knowledge.
Through grants and donations in the 1990’s, the McDowells’ nonprofit organization, the Garden Stewards Project, created raised-bed gardens for hundreds of Oregon citizens. They learned that educational materials needed to be affordable, easy to read and learn and do! They also learned that gardens are often viewed as necessary sanctuaries in peoples’ lives – havens of peace and enjoyment of nature.
Home Composting Made Easy (32 pages, Cortesia Press), has become the most distributed compost guide in North America, with over 1 million copies in print. It has been used by dozens of municipalities, organizations, businesses, and gardeners since 1998. It is an invaluable resource guide for quick and easy how-to-do-it composting guidance. The best, concise and accurate composting guide of its kind!
Grow Your Own Food Made Easy (68 pages, Cortesia Press) is a favorite among gardeners, with over 300,000 in print since 2006. It is an excellent “almanac” of information about preparing and stewarding the garden for growing favorite vegetables, fruits, and herbs. It has nutritional information for over 40 such plants, including a season-by-season planting guide. Color illustrations, and a dose of home-spun wisdom make this guide an invaluable, easy-to-learn resource.
In 1998, the McDowells ground-breaking book, The Sanctuary Garden (Fireside Books, out-of-print) was published to critical acclaim. It launched a national movement of people creating peace gardens, quiet gardens, healing gardens, spiritual gardens, sanctuary gardens, and the like. The theme of the book is to garden with reverence for life, as exemplified in the word Cortesia. It reverently shares 7 Design Elements in creating and stewarding one’s sanctuary garden.
Having researched the healing effects of numerous herbs, in 2004 the McDowells launched their line of herbal remedies. The remedies are centered around using the ancient, diverse, and historically praised herb, Solomon’s Seal. Their website, Cortesia Herbal Products (www.cortesiaherbalproducts.com) is the original and most trusted source of Solomon’s Seal remedies on the Internet, helping thousands of people worldwide understand and experience the herb’s potential healing benefits.
Mission
To empower every gardener with expert guidance and sustainable tools for a thriving, green lifestyle.
Vision
To become the world’s most trusted source of gardening wisdom, inspiring communities to cultivate greener homes.
Values
We champion sustainability, quality, and community, ensuring every interaction nurtures growth and environmental care.
Our Journey
What began as a commitment to share practical, sustainable gardening wisdom has blossomed into a trusted brand with over 2 million copies of “Home Composting Made Easy” and 500,000 copies of “Grow Your Own Food Made Easy” in print. Our mission is simple: empower gardeners to create beautiful, eco‑friendly spaces at home by providing the best resources, tools, and expert advice.
We believe that every garden – no matter how big or small – can be a sanctuary of growth and abundance.
Our Commitment
At the heart of our brand is a deep respect for nature and a commitment to sustainable practices. We believe in:
Eco-Friendly Gardening: Promoting organic composting and responsible gardening techniques.
Education & Empowerment: Providing clear, actionable advice that helps gardeners succeed.
Quality & Integrity: Delivering products and resources that truly make a difference in your garden. Together, these values guide every decision we make, ensuring that our community of gardeners is always supported and inspired.
Our Commitment
At the heart of our brand is a deep respect for nature and a commitment to sustainable practices. We believe in:
Eco-Friendly Gardening: Promoting organic composting and responsible gardening techniques.
Education & Empowerment: Providing clear, actionable advice that helps gardeners succeed.
Quality & Integrity: Delivering products and resources that truly make a difference in your garden. Together, these values guide every decision we make, ensuring that our community of gardeners is always supported and inspired.
Recognized & Trusted
Fastest Work
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High Skill
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Clean Work
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Proper Take Care
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