Farmbrarian

Author and photographer Lisa Hamilton features three farmers who decide eschew conventional agriculture for methods they (and we) view as healthier for people and the planet. The value of this book is in the more realistic evaluation of forgoing conventional practices. Namely, running an organic farm, or simply refusing to use conventional pesticides, makes life more difficult in a lot of ways. Growing a diverse crop and listening to the land is hard work and for the farmers featured here things are not as rosy as we might idealize. Hamilton focuses on the people, the farmers, and this is an important distinction if we are to foster more farmers like these brave souls.

On Amazon or at your local library.

So many books on beekeeping exist, I can’t possibly put together a comprehensive list of the best. But here are few that have recently sparked my interest. I never tire of reading about these fascinating insects who play such a pivotal role in our food system.

The Beekeeper’s Bible by Richard Jones and Sharon Sweeney-Lynch

Honeybee Democracy by Thomas D. Seeley

Beekeeping: A Seasonal Guide by Ron Brown

The Beekeeper’s Lament by Hannah Nordhaus

Homemade Living: Keeping Bees with Ashley English

Also find these books at your local library.

Want more suggestions? Check out this great list on GoodReads.

Click here to find at a library near you!

How did the implementation of NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) displace 1.3 million Mexicans from their land and simultaneously decrease industrial wages in Mexico by 10%? Why is “food aid” of commodity surplus foods given by the US and other wealthy nations to poorer nations ultimately detrimental to those it is purported to help? How have genetically modified Roundup Ready crops from Monsanto lead to a dramatic increase in suicides among India’s poor farmers? Raj Patel investigates these questions, and many more, in his 2008 book Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System.

Anyone who keeps up with Farmbrarian book reviews is probably plenty cynical about the food system. Many of us, however, probably have trouble articulating exactly what is wrong, either locally or globally, and we can’t exactly articulate how to improve the situation. We can point out that most people don’t know where their food comes from and that we eat too much processed food. These accusations are certainly true, and as a result, many of us are choosing to shake the hand of a farmer, or to eat less processed food. Both of these changes are helpful, but it takes authors like Patel, Michael Pollan or Vandana Shiva to think bigger. Patel points out, for example, that “organic” food is perfectly aligned with large-scale, monoculture farming that can still line the pockets of Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland (although it may cut Monsanto out of the loop). The point is that changes like this will have very little impact on obesity and global food security. It is quite clear that we are producing plenty of food to feed the world, yet the distribution system is such that as many as a billion people don’t have enough. Furthermore many people have diet-related chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. At its core, this book seeks to understand how such a huge proportion of the world can have problems related to nourishment when we have developed the ability to grow anything and ship it anywhere.

Ironically, the capitalist system that provided the ingenuity necessary to create such a powerful and diverse food system is also largely responsible for the considerable flaws in the system. It is likely that families in Rwanda would rather grow food for their communities instead of growing just coffee, which must be traded for nourishment. We might feel proud to buy such coffee with a “Fair Trade” label on it, thinking we have helped provide a good life to these Rwandan farmers, but don’t believe for one moment that this is a system put in place or preferred by the people working on a farm or in a processing plant. Having the ability to choose between farming coffee and farming vegetables and meat requires that you own the land. Corporate farm ownership and contract farming are disruptive to food sovereignty, an idea presented by Via Campesina, an “International Peasant Movement,” which essentially states that people, communities and countries should be able to decide for themselves what food to produce and eat. That this idea even has to exist is a sad reminder of how corporations, countries and “free trade” have truly dominated and enslaved many of the world’s poor.

Readers gain from the book, above all, a global perspective on the broken food system. Though it is rather long and verbose, it never felt like a chore to read. In the end Patel offers readers a broad outline for changes that includes ten items like supporting local business, living wages for all and “eating agroecologically,” which sum up the book nicely and provide important actionable items for anyone involved in the food system (hint: that definitely includes you).

You might also like: Stolen Harvest by Vandana Shiva

Click to buy this book!

In a recent Grist article, Michael Pollan named Farm Together Now: A Portrait of People, Places, and Ideas for a New Food Movement (2010) his “favorite book of the season.” This powerful and inspirational book deserves every bit of praise.

In the book, authors Amy Franceschini and Daniel Tucker give a voice to individuals working at the grassroots level to improve food throughout the United States. They specifically profile twenty projects of varying nature and, through interviews, highlight the diverse work being done by farmers, activists, social workers, and environmentalists.

The interview style allows you to interact with the featured individuals on an intimate level. You’ll directly learn about the hopes, fears and accomplishments of people such as the founders of Participation Park in Baltimore–where a vacant lot is now being used to grow food and revive the surrounding, impoverished community. Some of the people, like Myles Harston of AquaRanch, have created model systems or initiatives that are now being replicated. Others are working to foster the next generation of farmers through education and training. The portraits also demonstrate that although the rewards can be great, the challenges are many. Financial and policy barriers, for example, often impede efforts.

The growers also get to share their stories visually through Anne Hamersky‘s talented photojournalism. She beautifully captures the raw joy, determination and satisfaction of the people and places of Farm Together Now. The images that accompany each profile speak as loudly as the interviews.

Everyone needs to eat, and these stories illustrate how food issues permeate all aspects of society. Read Farm Together Now and get to know those who are making great strides towards improving access to clean, healthy food, achieving social and environmental justice, and preserving food and farming traditions. You’ll gain a greater understanding of the impact individual efforts can have on improving our food system. An even greater impact can be made if we work to farm together–now!

Buy this book instead of borrowing from your library, if you can. Fifty percent of the profits will help fund “new documentaries about food production in the United States” (189). Contest update: Thanks to everyone who participated and congratulations to our randomly selected winner Bonnie Schulz. Lookout for more giveaways in the future!

You might also like: Farmer Jane: Women Changing the Way We Eat by Temra Costa

Click here to find at a library near you!

The US Farm Bill is a major point of contention among those concerned with human and environmental health. Most notably, the Farm Bill is responsible for subsidies paid to farmers for growing commodity grains on a large scale in order to provide a lot of cheap (and processed) food. As author Daniel Imhoff points out in his book Food Fight: The Citizen’s Guide to a Food and Farm Bill (2007), however, this legislation is much more than just corn subsidies.

In the foreword, Michael Pollan sums it up nicely by explaining that the legislation determines “what happens on a couple hundred million acres of private property in America, what sort of food Americans eat (and how much it costs), and as a result, the health of our population.” With such enormous implications, it is amazing the extent to which the Farm Bill flies under the radar.

Food Fight appears to be the only recent book attempting to explain the Farm Bill to the lay person. Imhoff succeeds in that the book is informative, readable, and thorough, without getting caught up in the minutia of an enormous piece of legislation.

Every 5 or so years, this legislation is changed, and I suspect (and hope) major changes will continue to come. The more educated John Q. Public is on what is really happening here, the better chance that we can improve this bill. Making positive steps is important, because as Michael Pollan points out, our health depends on it.

You might also like: The Organic Manifesto by Maria Rodale

Click to find at a library near you!

Ever since Frances Moore Lappe’s 1971 book Diet For a Small Planet, many have accepted as near fact that a vegetarian or vegan diet is the most environmentally friendly way to dine. Lierre Keith, author of The Vegetarian Myth: Food, Justice and Sustainability (2009), begs to differ. “Frances Moore Lappe says it takes twelve to sixteen pounds of grain to make one pound of beef. Meanwhile [farmer Joel] Salatin raises cattle with no grain at all, rotating ruminants on perennial polycultures, building topsoil year by year,” Keith states (5).

The author explains that our current model of industrial farming is unsustainable, but so is vegetarianism. Plants, she says, require the input of animals in some form (manure, blood and bones) or fossil fuel (ancient and finite organisms). Without some form of fertilizer, they won’t grow. Grains are generally the basis of a vegetarian diet and are most often grown in an ecosystem-destroying monoculture. Plus, people haven’t necessarily evolved to eat grains.

Keith was vegan for 20 years, believing of course that it was the healthiest option for herself and her beloved earth. Today she preaches about the dangers of such a lifestyle and discusses the health problems she experienced as a result. It is important to note that her main condemnation of vegetarian and vegan diets is on the basis of sustainability. Vegetarians can certainly lead healthy lives, but the author would prefer we eat as nature intended. For example, a cow grazes on grass inedible to humans then we eat the cow or drink her milk. Grass will not grow indefinitely on the pasture without animals. A system void of animals will in fact become no system at all in a short period of time.

Also included in the book is a deep condemnation of agriculture itself. She argues that humans were healthier as hunter-gatherers; a sentiment shared by others. When possible, and even when inappropriate, Keith makes clear her status as a feminist. The book would flow better without these odd interruptions. Conspicuously absent is any concrete recommendation on how we, a world of more than 6 billion, should acquire food given today’s circumstances.

On the whole, The Vegetarian Myth is a good read for anyone seeking answers on personal health and environmental sustainability. The arguments are persuasive, and for the most part, well rooted in biology. Keith shows courage by writing the book because her ideas, though not conventional in their wisdom, ring quite true.

Click to find at a library near you!

Women everywhere are working to improve the American food system. In her new book Farmer Jane: Woman Changing the Way We Eat (2010), Temra Costa recognizes 26 such women. Inspiring stories are shared about women changing the way we eat in a variety of ways. The book is divided into six chapters to spotlight women who are: growing food in new, dynamic ways; advocating for improved food policies;  promoting local foods; creating support networks; building urban farms; or committing to farming at a young age. Every story is incredibly inspiring and informational.

Traditionally, women have been marginalized in the field of agriculture. But Costa’s book emphasizes that throughout every region of the U.S., women are using their many talents to improve our health, our lands and our future. This book demonstrates, through strong prose and stories of even stronger personalities, that individuals can make great strides towards improving our food system.

Who’s your farmer jane? Visit http://www.farmerjane.org/ to submit your own story. And, thanks to Gibbs Smith for the review copy.

Click to find at a library near you!

Anna Lappé carries on the family tradition by examining the effects of modern agriculture on our planet in her new book Diet For A Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis At the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do About It. Lappé aims to answer three primary questions: What affect does our diet have on global warming? Why are people ignoring agriculture’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions? And finally, what should we do (or perhaps, eat)?

Lappé echoes her mother Frances Moore Lappé, author of Diet for a Small Planet (1971), by advocating for reduced consumption of meat and animal products. Included is a lengthy analysis of the greenhouse gas contributions of farm animals. Her arguments are persuasive, but ultimately I see a valid argument against animal factory farming—not animal foods in general.

Lappé looks at how the industrial food system affects climate change from start to finish. She first analyzes farming (including tilling, fertilizers, carbon sequestering, etc.); then moves on to transportation, storage, and processing; and finally discusses food waste (hint – landfills deserve real blame on this issue). All too often companies squirm their way out of culpability somewhere along the line. For example, as you’ll learn in the book, palm oil is in many processed food products; and major agribusinesses like Archer Daniels Midland have destroyed frightening amounts of rainforest (without anyone really knowing) to produce it.

In the interest of time, but to the detriment of her conclusions, Lappé often relies on limited supporting science, even when additional information exists. This is not to say her conclusions are wrong, but rather that nearly every topic covered could be examined in greater depth. For example, when countering a poorly supported claim that organic farming reduces yield, she relies on only two studies that assigned higher yields to organic farming when compared to conventional. Though I agree with her argument, more data would be useful for drawing significant conclusions.

Readers will walk away with an improved understanding of how food choices affect climate change, as well as with pre-formulated rebuttals to common arguments presented by doubters of wide scale organic, climate-friendly agriculture. Though it is no game changer, the book will certainly play a role as one piece of the puzzle in the movement towards sustainability in agriculture.

Click to find at a library near you!

Based on the title, I expected a different story than the one told here.  In fact, I was expecting to learn about a happy community with a well established local food culture showing the rest of us how it could be done.  What I wasn’t expecting was the author asking really tough questions about the feasibility of local food systems. Can communities in a country that prides itself on independence (really, the illusion of independence) embrace the interdependence necessary to build and maintain a local food system? What defines a local system?  Is it truly local if the people who live nearby can’t afford to buy it? How do communities react when the media pays attention only to those who have just recently discovered local food, while overlooking those who’ve been eating and producing it their entire lives? The author’s pragmatism challenged my local-food passion throughout the story and I was starting to worry that building alternatives to the current industrial food system is all a pipe dream. The good news is…I’m not going to tell. You’ll have to read the book.

Slow Food USA recently reviewed this book as well. Check out their comments here. Guest review kindly submitted by Shelley of Local Food Northern Nevada.

Click to find at a library near you!

The monumental shift in agriculture from local food economies to food supplies driven by gross domestic product and corporate profit gave rise to the modern food movement. Many now understand the frightening implications for our own health and that of and our communities. Mostly, the topic is contemplated with a strictly western perspective, even though it is lesser developed countries who have suffered the most; a pattern that isn’t likely to change. One such country is India, and it was Indian author and environmentalist Vandana Shiva who provided new insight on the issue in her 2000 book Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply.

India has traditionally been an agrarian culture. One in which farming is a common occupation, which is a far cry from the current American economy which aims to distance people from farming as much as possible. This lifestyle has obvious effects on Indian culture. For example, in India, the cow is considered sacred “because it is at the heart of the sustainability of an agrarian civilization.” (75) Furthermore, scattered across India are Chakki Wallas (local flour mills), which produce almost all the flour consumed. In fact, less than one percent of their flour is actually a brand name. (87)

Shiva explains the many ways companies like Monsanto (specifically accused) and organizations like the WTO (World Trade Organization) have deeply hurt India on a local community level. As an example she details Monsanto’s promotion of the Bollgard cotton seed, which is genetically engineered to defend itself against bollworm. While Monsanto’s marketing in India reported a 50% increase in yield, another evaluation found essentially the same yields as traditional seeds. (100) In addition, of course, farmers are legally prohibited from reusing seeds from Monsanto’s Bollgard cotton plant, despite the fact that seed-saving is as old as agriculture itself.

This book has certainly done its part to promote organic, sustainable farming, or what Indians call ahimsic krishi, which means “non-violent agriculture.” (119) Stolen Harvest delivers, in a small and readable package, an important, yet under-represented perspective on the current food system. I can only hope the world begins to hear the stories of this and other similarly vandalized cultures.