Readings

So, before I head to the farm tomorrow, I thought it might be a good idea to brush up on my reading about sustainable agriculture. You'd be amazed how much great material is out there on the subject. The first book that got me really excited about this whole world was Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. I happened upon this book accidentally in an airport bookstore (and I bought it because the cover was cool - against the rules). Reading this book reminded me of the fact that no person needs to depend on others for food. In today's economy, it's nice to know that I could live entirely off things I grow myself. I hope the time on the farm will help me gain more skill.

Another book that really inspired me (and, surprisingly, inspired Kingsolver's book) was This Organic Life by Joan Gussow. This book was so amazing because Gussow started thinking about local, organic food before it became chic. It also showed me that, if Gussow could live that way 20 years ago, I can absolutely live that way in today's world where it's become so much more accepted and encouraged.

Some other books on my reading list are:
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
Slow Food Nation by Carlo Petrini
Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health by Marion Nestle

If you are at all interested in this world of sustainable agriculture, all of these would be great books for you to read. The most accessible is Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I think this is because Kingsolver is a novelist and knows how to communicate well.

I hope these books will provide me with a good foundation for this summer.