The New Farmer’s Almanac, Volume IV: The Greater "We"

by Greenhorns, Severine Von Tscharner Fleming (Foreword)

In the fourth volume of this loved publication, dedicated to the Greater ‘We’, ninety contributing writers and artists explore the social, techno, and ecological processes of diversification. The New Farmer’s Almanac, Vol IV features essays and stories and poems from farmers, ranchers, ecologists, educators, food bank managers, grocers, gardeners, researchers, and advocates bound by their care for the land, the food system, and the survival of the natural world.  There are folk stories, reports on the racialized distribution of farmland, recipes for hickory nut milk and foraged teas. Toolboxes for seed-saving, indigenous land repatriation, and creating liberated space. Advice from old-timers and insights from the new. Meditations on failure, loved crops, and the wisdom of farm dogs. Here are stories about leaving, and of returning home to work the land; essays on the geography of self-discovery; reflections on trauma, both climatic and personal; and some practical guidance for farmers. Add to this hundreds of unique images, from woodcuts to inked watersheds to fine and historic photographs. Created by the Greenhorns, The New Farmer’s Almanac is a place for public thinking and proactive literary inquiry into the future we share on the land and at the table. Shifting practices is a team sport, and with its original artwork, moon charts, songs, and old-time manifestos, this is just the compendium to inspire your own part in the mix.

400 pages, Paperback

Published February 6, 2019

Reviews

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book over the course of the year, each month section in the real-time month. Some of the pieces in it were deeply moving and thought provoking, and some I didn't connect to quite as much, but as a collection overall, I think it was really great. There's something for everyone who cares about food sovereignty and sustainable land stewardship and social justice. The mix of academic articles and historical documents and poetry and anecdotes also kept it fresh.