Summary
Women are leading the new farming revolution in America. Much of the impetus to move back to the land, raise our own food, and connect with our agricultural past is being driven by women. They raise sheep for wool, harvest honey from their beehives, grow food for their families and sell their goods at farmers' markets. What does a woman who wants to work the land need to do to follow her dream?
First, she needs this book. It may seem strange to suggest that women farmers need a different guide than male farmers, but women often have different strengths and goals, and different ways of achieving those goals. Audrey Levatino shares her experiences of running a farm and offers invaluable advice on how to get started, whether you have hundreds of acres or a simple lot for an urban community garden. Filled with personal anecdotes and stories from other women farmers, from old hands to brand new ones, from agricultural icons like Temple Grandin, to her own sister, this book is a reassuring and inspirational guide that discusses:
Should you do an internship or jump right in? How to find a farm or how to handle one that you've inherited Best practices for selling at the farmer's market and how to sell your goods locally Farmhouse chores and how to get them done right How to handle large power tools, including a chainsaw Planning and growing an organic farm garden Incorporating animals as part of a farm ecosystem Where to get started if you want to farm-school your kids Tips for keeping your mind, body and spirit healthy while undertaking the demanding nature of farm work
It's all here, in the same warm and friendly voice that readers embraced in The Joy of Hobby Farming. Full-color photography throughout provides step-by-step instructions for anything you'll need to do on your farm.
Audrey Levatino has been farming for thirteen years. For the last eight she has been growing specialty cut flowers and selling them at local farmers' markets, florists, restaurants, and for weddings. She and her husband, Michael, are the authors of The Joy of Hobby Farming. They care for crops and a menagerie of animals on their 23-acre farm, Ted's Last Stand, near Gordonsville, Virginia.
Michael Levatino works off the farm at a major publishing house, and is the co-author of The Joy of Hobby Farming His twenty-three-acre farm, Ted's Last Stand, is located outside of Gordonsville, Virginia.
