I have been reading a lot of gardening, farming, and cooking books lately.  While this was one of the books that Jill originally requested from the library, I thoroughly enjoyed it!  In many ways, it reminded me of reading Driving Over Lemons – which I read a couple of years ago on our trip to Spain – because of its chronological nature and honest assessment of growing your own food, but unlike that book, it hit closer to home.  Very few people will move to Andalusia and purchase a farm, but many of us could move across the country (or just across the state) to live in a community where growing one’s own food is not only possible but common.  And, this is why I enjoyed this book so much!

While Barbara Kingsolver’s plan was unique, it is not beyond the capabilities of many Americans.  All of us can grow some food ourselves, all of us can purchase food grown locally, and many of us could, like her and her family, create a home where nearly everything we ate was grown by us.  So, reading this book has made me more aware of what I eat and where it is coming from … and, maybe some day, I will be in a situation where I can grow everything that lands on my plate!

This is a wonderful book, and on a practical note, one of the few places where turkey reproduction is discussed in the modern world!

You might also want to check out their little website.  It has a good number of resources and other links for the home gardener and locavore.