Book Reviews

Making a living as a farmer isn’t easy. Small farms have so much work on their plates, adding marketing into the mix may seem like an impossible task. But taking the time to make a farm more visible to consumers and to grow the businesses is a vital task for economic … [Read more...] about Cultivating Customers For the Bounty of Small Farms: Strategies For Economic Survival

Many are the cookbooks that are underlain by themes or contain winsome backstories, but far less common is a cookbook in which the backstory holds its own with - and imparts meaning to - the recipes. The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen by Sean Sherman with Beth Dooley (University … [Read more...] about Reaching Well Beyond Wheat Flour, Sugar & Dairy: Sean Sherman’s The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen

For brothers David and Dan Podoll, one of the solutions to the economic stresses of operating their North Dakota farm turned out to be heirloom seeds. The brothers' farm has been in their family since 1953, with wheat and turkeys providing their main revenue stream. But their … [Read more...] about Farmers Seeking Economic Stability While Protecting Deep Roots In Land They Love

Like most everyone, I know how important pollinators are to the food chain. What I didn’t realize, until I read this book, was how artisanal honeys, like fine wines or single source coffees, have distinctive flavors rooted in terroir. To find a spot on my shelf these days a … [Read more...] about 84 Recipes From Beekeeper Laurey Masterton’s Kitchen

 That's Not Fair! Emma Tenayuca's struggle for justice/ No Es Justo! La lucha de Emma Tenayuca por la justicia (Wings Press, San Antonio, Texas, 2008) by Carmen Tafolla and Sheryl Teneyuca (illustrated by Terry Ybañez) and Amelia’s Road (Lee & Low Books, Inc., New York, NY, … [Read more...] about Two Inspiring & Timely Children’s Books Shining Light On The Children Of Migrant Farmworkers & Laborers