How to identify a first printing
- c.1970-1983 (publishing arm of Garden Way Inc.): gardening, homesteading, and country-skills how-to. First printings: earliest copyright year; many trade titles and saddle-stitched bulletins carry no number line, so identify by 'Garden Way Publishing' with a Charlotte or Pownal, Vermont imprint on the title page and the absence of later-printing notation. The imprint passed to the Storeys in 1983 (see Storey).
- Note: titles reissued after 1983 carry the Storey imprint, so a Garden Way Publishing imprint reliably indicates the pre-1983 first-state window.
Notable points & cautions
- Publishing arm of Garden Way Inc. (maker of Troy-Bilt rototillers and garden carts); the Country Wisdom Bulletin pamphlet format carried forward into Storey's long-running Country Wisdom Bulletin series.
- In 1983 John and Martha Storey bought the publishing arm of Garden Way and formed Storey Communications in Pownal, Vermont, so a 'Garden Way Publishing' imprint reliably dates a book before 1983.
- Practical gardening and homesteading list; foundational to the later Storey catalog.
Imprints
First editions also appear under: Garden Way Publishing, Country Wisdom Bulletins (predecessor of Storey's Country Wisdom Bulletins). Each generally follows the house convention above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my Garden Way Publishing book is a first edition?
Check the copyright page. c.1970-1983 (publishing arm of Garden Way Inc.): gardening, homesteading, and country-skills how-to. First printings: earliest copyright year; many trade titles and saddle-stitched bulletins carry no number line, so identify by 'Garden Way Publishing' with a Charlotte or Pownal, Vermont imprint on the title page and the absence of later-printing notation. The imprint passed to the Storeys in 1983 (see Storey). Note: titles reissued after 1983 carry the Storey imprint, so a Garden Way Publishing imprint reliably indicates the pre-1983 first-state window.
Does Garden Way Publishing use a number line?
Note: titles reissued after 1983 carry the Storey imprint, so a Garden Way Publishing imprint reliably indicates the pre-1983 first-state window.
Is a book-club edition a Garden Way Publishing first edition?
No. Book-club editions reprint the text but are not the true first edition. Publishing arm of Garden Way Inc. (maker of Troy-Bilt rototillers and garden carts); the Country Wisdom Bulletin pamphlet format carried forward into Storey's long-running Country Wisdom Bulletin series.
What era does this cover?
This covers Garden Way Publishing (c.1970-1983). Conventions changed over time, so confirm the era of your copy.