Farmbrarian

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 to find at a library near you!

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!