Books are lovely things arn’t they? They mostly sleep on a shelf for most of their lives, and yet some can change the way we look at the world. There are those books that even get pulled from the shelf over and over again to reference their gathered wisdom. The three books I read for this quarter were the best of both these worlds. Books that could alter one’s life from the moment they laid eyes on it and books that have a seemingly endless (read: comprehensive) wealth of information like the encyclopedias of old. These books change your life every time you pluck it from the shelf. Reminders of how to live, eat and act intentionally with the resources and energy of the world. True wisdom that is not easily forgotten nor mastered. A spectrum of surreal simplicity and sometimes seemingly unmanageable for one person to fully comprehend.
For no other reason, other than the fact that it was published first, allow me to introduce The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. This book explores the natural history of four meals: fast food, industrial-organic, local pasture raised, and then the forest foraged. It is hard to believe that this book was published 12 years ago already. It was a true innovator in initiating the conversation between people and the sources of their sustenance. It is also equally unbelievable that it took until 2006 for the information inside to become known to a large audience.
The problems with industrial agriculture have long been around, of course. So long, in fact, that the sad facts inside this book have grown to disastrous proportions. The section on farmers essentially becoming bankrupt due to the business models of big industrial agriculture and federal governments is disturbing, to say the least. Without government subsidies, most corn farmers would be bankrupt while big-Agribiz is reaping in billions of dollars in profit. In these backward business models, farmers essentially have to grow more and more corn in order to qualify for subsidies, consequently increasing the supply and lowering the demand for corn. The corn hoax runs deep as we continually manufacture ways to use the excess and turn it into food-like products that make up an incredible amount of the grocery stores’ processed food. Sadly, a large portion of corn goes to feed industrial animals. This book also does a great job to round out the writing by including a whole-brained look at the inherent flaws in industrial organic, which can often do a fair amount damage itself despite having the halo ornament of organic on the label. Then, of course, is the idyllic pasture-raised meal and the all-too-perfect, but the often-out-of-reach foraged meal. These offer up the hope and feel-goodness that is needed after basking in the horrors and tragedies associated with the industrial-ag world. This book is a must-read for anyone who has a mouth.
Next, we have The Resilient Farm and Homestead by Ben Falk. I first learned about Ben Falk as being showcased in the award-winning permaculture documentary Inhabit. I was pleased to see that he has written thee most comprehensive guide to homesteading resiliently I have ever heard of. It is truly remarkable, whether you are looking for solutions in Earthscaping, water security, perennial crops, soil fertility, nutrient-dense food, fruitinge mushrooms, design, adaptive fuel, food forests, shelter building, and/or animal care… there is something for you. Rather than going into all of the immense number of topics that this book has to offer, let me just offer the two most important takeaways I have, that I feel everyone needs to consider. Both of these have to do with fossil fuels. One side of the thought considering peak-oil is on the foreseeable horizon is that we need to use these fossil fuels while they are cheap and abundant on projects that genuinely set us up for a resilient and fruitful future. For example: Earthscaping, aka using heavy machinery to alter the landscape could make the difference between a barren meadow and an abundant set up of swales and micro-climates. With a back-hoe, you can do more eventual impactful good than a thousand shovels over a week. Even if we want to (read: need to) have a fossil fuel-free future, we need to think about how we use it while it is here to have the most lasting and regenerative impact. The other side of that coin is that it might behoove us to save some fossil fuels for future jobs that we would rather not do manually (like chainsawing for example). Even if we achieve freedom from fossil fuels in the large-scale ways we need to in industries like transportation, agriculture, and manufacturing, having some spare around for some hand-held tools would be smart. That said, if we are at the point of having transcended fossil fuels, I imagine everything would be solar-powered electric. Either way, this is probably the biggest thing we, as a world-community, need to consider. Put The Resilient Farm and Homestead on your shelf if you are looking for a cutting-edge resource guide to living your best life in harmony with the systems of the earth.
Lastly, we have The Lean Farm by Ben Hartman. This book has an essential perspective on efficiency in the person, partnership, and business models that we all must interact with no matter our occupation. This guide on “how to minimize waste, increase efficiency, and maximize value and profits with less work” is a must-read. Even if you don’t plan on farming or are not into systems thinking, this can help one establish an eye towards seeing value and expelling waste. Again, this is useful no matter what you do with your life. You see value, when you are able to imagine the flow of resources and see where inputs and value-added happens. Ben also gives great guidance on how to create pull from your customers instead of pushing your products on them. “The question is whether or not the product is of value to the buyer. If a high price is set because of the manufacturer’s cost, consumers will simply turn away” –Taiichi Ohno, creator of the Toyota Production System (pg. 121). From how to streamline your workspaces to streamlining relationships and routines, this book is essential for anyone doing business.
There you have it, three books I would say are a must-read for anyone who eats, lives in a home, or uses the economy… that said, that is everyone. The future thanks you and you’re welcome.