Farmbrarian

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Kristin Kimball, a New York based journalist, begins a whirlwind romance with a fervid farmer, and she quickly discovers that she’s also deeply in love with the agrarian lifestyle. The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food and Love is yet another story of a city girl turned farmer. Most of the memoir is set on a farm in upstate New York, where Kimball and her soon-to-be husband struggle to make their dream—to provide a year-round CSA with only the use of horsepower—a reality. Although the plot is similar to many others, the personal journey woven throughout sets this book apart.

In addition to discussing the challenges of farming, nose-to-tail cooking, and working with horses, Kimball incorporates her story of love, life and new beginnings. Throughout the book, Kimball constantly grapples with her fear of commitment. And readers are left wondering if she’ll stay on the farm or run.

The concept of providing a year-round CSA that extends beyond just vegetables to include meats, cheeses, maple sugar, and even grains is extremely ambitious. Rarely today does a small, organic farm provide so much—and with only the use of horsepower! The implementation and execution of such a comprehensive program will intrigue many. But Kimball doesn’t spend too much time discussing logistics. Instead, as the subtitle mentions, her conversation equally discusses food, farming and love. The combination is perfectly executed for those interested in a romantic read about the satisfactions of an agrarian lifestyle.

You might also like: The Egg and I by Betty MacDonald

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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!

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Richard Wiswall’s The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook: A Complete Guide to Managing Finances, Crops and Staff – and Making a Profit (2009), is an excellent resource for any farmer. Given the recent trend of abandoning a day job to start a small farm, this book should certainly be a success.

The book aims to teach readers how to run a profitable farm, and the focus is distinctly financial. Wiswall successfully explains how to treat your farm as a business and then how to run it profitably, like any good entrepreneur would. “Farm for profit, not production,” (15) he implores. Wiswall provides a step-by-step approach to reaching a target income, including exactly what to grow and how much, along with where to sell.  Also addressed are the often scary topics of writing a business plan, managing staff, marketing, and other concerns. Very little information is given on farming and growing practices, which was an appropriate choice by the author, given the plethora of existing material on such topics.

A successful farm truly is much more than growing and selling food. Richard Wiswall has provided a great asset–especially for farmers looking to improve profitability or get up and running.

This book was kindly provided by Chelsea Green Publishing–thanks for the resource!