Farmbrarian

Click to find at a library near you!

Throughout time, humans have domesticated a few select animals to meet their tastes for meat and poultry. In both categories, four species dominate the market: cows, pigs, sheep, and goats for meat and chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese for poultry. In his new book Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food (2010), Paul Greenberg investigates the fish that most often occupy our plates.

Over time, salmon, sea bass, cod, and tuna have emerged as top choices for seafood. Greenberg discusses how the fish gained widespread popularity and the threats each now face as a result. He delves into how humans have attempted to develop aquaculture systems to supplement decreasing wild stocks. And he speculates on the future of the four species.

Our expansive oceans lead most to believe seafood supplies are endless. But fish populations are extremely fragile and cannot support the demand of an ever-increasing human population. More consumers need to be made aware of the complexities associated with seafood. Greenberg’s book gives readers just that.

For a detailed synopsis and excerpt read NPR’s coverage of the book here.

Click to find at a library near you!

Illinois is known for its vast fields of corn and soybeans. But nestled in the Mackinaw River Valley, somewhere in between the cities of Peoria and Bloomington, lays Henry’s Farm. The farm is small and diversified with more than 650 varieties of produce being grown each year on 10 acres of land—a stark contrast to the monocrops seen elsewhere throughout the state.

Henry’s sister Terra Brockman describes the rhythms of the farm in her book The Seasons on Henry’s Farm: A Year of Food and Life on a Sustainable Farm (2009). Among the many other food and farming memoirs, this book stands out.

Like the fine mixes of mesclun she describes, Brockman’s book is a beautiful blend. Accounts of planting, harvesting and growing are mixed with childhood memories, family history, and some simple recipes. E.B. White, Shakespeare, Robert Frost and others also appear throughout the text.

Although Henry’s Farm is organically managed, Brockman doesn’t demonize conventional agriculture. Instead she focuses on the inherent values of sustainable farming by discussing biology, ecology, and natural history.

Nominated for a 2010 James Beard Award, Brockman’s yearlong account is captivating. As you read, you’ll practically feel the sweat on your brow, smell the soil on your hands, and taste the produce on your tongue.

Thanks to Agate Publishing for providing a review copy upon request!

Click here to find at a library near you!

“Local is the new organic,” is a phrase I’ve heard a lot lately. Does it mean that organic is no longer needed, or that the two are mutually exclusive? Maria Rodale makes her declaration that not only is organic still relevant, but it is actually more important than local.

The book builds a case for worldwide organic farming, which includes lengthy history and condemnation of chemical companies like DuPont, Bayer and of course Monsanto. Aside from an interesting description of an insecticide manufacturer employing Dr. Seuss before he became famous, there isn’t much new information here. Those unfamiliar with the general exploits of these chemical companies will certainly find it compelling and frightening, however.

Rodale likes the movement towards local food production, it is just that she likes organic production better. This means supporting what Michael Pollan would call “Big Organic,” meaning large scale organic farms, the recently criticized Whole Foods, and even (gasp) Wal-Mart, who has attempted to improve food sourcing by beginning to work with smaller farms and of course offering organic foods. Also, she says, smaller farms operating organically should seek USDA certification, mainly to bolster the movement (more certified organic farms means better awareness and eventually maybe even a tipping point). Examined at length are hurdles in place that impede farmers from going organic and/or getting certified.

My favorite parts of this manifesto include: a good look at the much maligned Farm Bill, her useful “five solutions that might save us”, and a worthwhile defense of Whole Foods (CEO John Mackey says “It’s like I’ve been out in the wilderness hacking away with a machete for 30 years – and they drive up in an SUV and say, ‘Is this as far as you’ve gotten?’ Get out of the car and help me build the road!” (129)). Yes, this book actually offers solutions, which are notably missing from other similar books. These include actionable items for consumers, farmers, businesses, government officials (and therefore voters) and even economists. The proposals are useful, and if heeded, will make a difference.

A review copy of this book was generously provided by 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!

Award-winning journalist and non-fiction writer Taras Grescoe takes readers on a whirlwind tour of our oceans within his 2008 book Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood. Grescoe seamlessly integrates cultural culinary traditions, investigative reporting and travel writing within the book.

Grescoe begins in New York City where he explores how monkfish gained popularity and how catching the elusive fish harms ocean floors. From there, he moves around the globe: cod in England, sardines in the Mediterranean, shrimp in India, and so on. As Grescoe visits each country, he samples local fare, mingles with fishermen and fishmongers, and discusses the threats facing regional species and waters. Grescoe explains in detail concerns such as overfishing, invasive species and pollution.

Bottomfeeder is meticulously researched and eloquently written. For environmentally conscious consumers who want to learn how to responsibly eat seafood, this is a must-read. Even those well versed in the threats facing our oceans will learn something by reading this book.

Click to find at a library near you!

“We need to fence the range, even in the wildest and remotest parts of the ocean. And we should not weep for the death of the cowboy” (327).

Author Charles Clover refers to fishermen as cowboys in this analogy lifted from his book The End of the Line: How Overfishing Is Changing the World and What We Eat (2008). Clover explains that overfishing is an urgent concern worldwide, and action can no longer be delayed no matter who will be affected. Ultimately, if appropriate steps aren’t taken, the affects of overfishing will extend much further than just fishermen.

The book touches on nearly every aspect of fishing: fishing practices and technology, resistance to limiting catch, history, canned tuna, methods of action and more. The End of the Line will certainly change the habits of anyone who reads it. Those changes of habit, coupled with changes in law all around the world, are almost certainly necessary to avoid the collapse of many fishing stocks, similar to stocks that have already collapsed (ex: Atlantic Cod) and devastated more than just local ‘cowboys.’

Click here to find at a library near you!

The Viarsa, a fishing vessel registered in Uruguay but owned in Spain, has loaded up on illegally caught Patagonian toothfish (commonly called Chilean Sea Bass), and is now on the run. In pursuit is Southern Supporter, a Fisheries and Patrol vessel belonging to the Australian government. Unarmed and unsure how to proceed, Southern Supporter decides to pursue the chase. What results, is probably the longest pursuit on the high seas in history. At stake, ultimately, is the fate of our world’s oceans, which were once thought to be an endless source of food. Author G. Bruce Knecht articulates this incredible true story in his book Hooked: Pirates, Poaching and the Perfect Fish (2006).

The Southern Supporter’s actions, along with many others attempts to thwart illegal pirating, have helped shape the current international policy on protecting fisheries around the world.

While parts of the book read like fiction, the rest is an interesting and informative look at the state of global fishing stocks and what is being done to ensure the survival of endangered species and ecosystems. I started the book with the understanding that sustainable fishing is important. I didn’t realize, however, how important it truly is, and just how severely overfished many species and areas are. Perhaps most shocking though, is the regular consumer’s complete lack of understanding and general apathy about the fish on their plate and the fish remaining in the sea.

This is a message that absolutely must be heard, and author G. Bruce Knecht does his part with the enlightening and entertaining book Hooked.

Keep an eye out in April as we post two more reviews on books about sustainable fishing and the current state of the world’s fishing stocks.

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.

Click to find at a library near you!

Jonah Raskin’s Field Days: A Year of Farming, Eating and Drinking Wine in California (2009) is a poetic love letter to Sonoma County. Readers will most definitely fall hard for the area’s agricultural history, idyllic landscape, hard-working people and fresh food as described by Raskin.

The memoir recounts a year’s worth of experiences traveling throughout Sonoma working on sustainable farms, most notably Oak Hill Farm in Glen Ellen, California. Raskin meets an array of people who are passionate about growing food that is healthy for us and the planet, and he eloquently shares each of their stories. The strongest aspect of the text is the focus on immigrant workers and the role they play in supporting our food system.

Raskin captures the romantic notions and realities of small-scale sustainable farming in a book the San Francisco Chronicle named one of the “50 notable Bay Area books of 2009.” Anyone who has felt a tug to escape a conventional lifestyle and connect with the land that sustains us will appreciate Raskin’s journey.

Click to find at a library near you!

Like those who went back to the land in the widespread movement of the 1970’s, more and more people are now attempting to live self-sufficient lifestyles in cities and countrysides alike. For anyone captivated by the idea of breaking with mainstream society to pursue an agrarian lifestyle, this book will greatly pique your interest.

In Back from the Land: How Young Americans Went to Nature in the 1970’s and Why They Came Back (2007), Eleanor Agnew skillfully pieces together her experiences and those of many others as they participated in the Back to the Land exodus. She tells of their aspirations, their many struggles, and the reasons why many eventually entered back into mainstream living.

For younger audiences, Agnew’s story will shed light on some of the often-ignored, more challenging aspects of homesteading; and for those that were part of the movement, the tale will likely provide a poetic avenue for reminiscing.