Rebuilding the Foodshed: How to Create Local, Sustainable, and Secure Food Systems

by Philip Ackerman-Leist

Droves of people have turned to local food as a way to retreat from our broken industrial food system. From rural outposts to city streets, they are sowing, growing, selling, and eating food produced close to home--and they are crying out for agricultural reform. All this has made "local food" into everything from a movement buzzword to the newest darling of food trendsters.

But now it's time to take the conversation to the next level. That's exactly what Philip Ackerman-Leist does in Rebuilding the Foodshed, in which he refocuses the local-food lens on the broad issue of rebuilding regional food systems that can replace the destructive aspects of industrial agriculture, meet food demands affordably and sustainably, and be resilient enough to endure potentially rough times ahead.

Changing our foodscapes raises a host of questions. How far away is local? How do you decide the size and geography of a regional foodshed? How do you tackle tough issues that plague food systems large and small--issues like inefficient transportation, high energy demands, and rampant food waste? How do you grow what you need with minimum environmental impact? And how do you create a foodshed that's resilient enough if fuel grows scarce, weather gets more severe, and traditional supply chains are hampered?

Showcasing some of the most promising, replicable models for growing, processing, and distributing sustainably grown food, this book points the reader toward the next stages of the food revolution. It also covers the full landscape of the burgeoning local-food movement, from rural to suburban to urban, and from backyard gardens to large-scale food enterprises.

Genres: Food, Nonfiction, Sustainability, Agriculture, Social Justice, Environment, Food and Drink

321 pages, Paperback

First published February 14, 2013

Reviews

[Bre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book summed up my thoughts on food and farming in a more coherent manner than ever I could have, and with a good many more statistics than I would have researched on my own.

"...If you eat, you really should read it" - from the back cover

[heather utah · Rating 5 out of 5]

love the humour thrown in with some rather serious tales and stats. i have a ton of homework to do!

[Emily Culver · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciated the overview and depth of the issues in the United States food system but the organization of this book drove me crazy. It started out with a solution and then listed the problems to justify the solution. However, I do not think that local food systems are the only, or even the best solution for several of the problems listed. For example, in my opinion the energy problems would be better solved by zero emissions transportation and electricity.

The latter chapters were much heavier on anecdotes than data. Like there's an urban garden in Detroit, therefore this is how to solve urban food deserts. Only much later without much focus does he mention a stat about Oakland that all the vacant land would only provide enough food for a small portion of the city.

Also, interestingly, there's so much time spent on energy and environment but almost no (or any?) mention of water.

Don't get me wrong, I think the book touches on a lot of important issues, but I think it was a weak way of arguing for a specific solution. I would recommend this to someone as one of many books you read on food systems but I wouldn't treat it as the handbook for solving our food issues.

[Raven McKnight · Rating 4 out of 5]

this felt like a solid introduction to the topic, if a little outdated? already? there are some things I would expect to see presented differently were this book published today: several mentions of food programs that rely on the labor of incarcerated people with no acknowledgement that the prison population =/= free labor. but, I get the sense that this author is open to learning from people different from himself, so I'm telling myself he would think differently ~10 years on. this definitely had me thinking about my own relationships to food, especially having just moved onto enough acreage to feed my little fam 10x over.

[iTZKooPA · Rating 5 out of 5]

The amount I highlighted, bookmarked or flattered (aka plan to "credit" in arguments) is crazy. That's the tip of the manure pile...? The real reason for 5 star is the level of call to action I felt. I checked the my township's school district for their garden program details, rediscovered the Philly Horticulture Society, planted seedlings using ignored fish lamps for winter crops powered by green energy and more while reading this.

[Robert Kluson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are proactively concerned about the present and future of food systems in America, then you need this book to guide your efforts. It is masterfully written w/ facts, history, and ideas to “fight the good fight”.

[Ben Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful read for those who want to get more aquatinted with the notion of sustainable and just food or those who are involved and would enjoy a thorough synopsis.

[Roberta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Philip Ackerman-Leist steps up to the Sustainable farming he lives, teaches and encourages others to grow into and support. In many ways, it is a textbook for serious farmers and an educational resource for anyone concerned about their food source and why it is important. Additionally, informative for communities planning to begin a community garden.

[Teshome Meharu]

I could access this book!

[Sanjeevaprasadk]

FOOD FOR ALL