Farmer Jane: Women Changing the Way We Eat

by Temra Costa

Farmer Jane profiles thirty women in the sustainable food industry, describing their agriculture and business models and illustrating the amazing changes they are making in how we connect with food. These advocates for creating a more holistic and nurturing food and agriculture system also answer questions on starting a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program, how to get involved in policy at local and national levels, and how to address the different types of renewable energy and finance them.

Genres: Food, Nonfiction, Agriculture, Environment, Science, Womens

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Nicole McCann · Rating 4 out of 5]

too bad most of the women highlighted in this book are from the bay area. this book was great, but needed more geographic diversification. we all know the bay area has a fantastic food scene.

[Heather Knape · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots and lots of information on women working on and working to change current food policy and farming. Very eye opening, more a reference book to keep on hand than an enjoyable pre-bedtime reader.

[Karen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not at all what I expected. Liberal left wing slated perspective on activism. Would have really enjoyed a well rounded book on women who farm
There are women who farm who don’t live in Bay Area or other liberal Northern California communities who care about the land know how to conserve & manage but are not liberal activists

[Raz Godelnik · Rating 4 out of 5]

you were surprised by the fact that Michelle Obama took last Friday the spouses of 32 world leaders on a trip to the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in New York, then you really shouldn't. Sustainable and local food is becoming an increasingly significant topic and the First Lady is one of its leading supporters.

And she is not the only woman involved in this growing industry. A growing number of women is dominating the field and 30 of them are profiled in the new book of Temra Costa, Farmer Jane, which is our green book of the week.

Here are some more details about this book:

Title: Farmer Jane: Women Changing The Way We Eat

What the book is about:
Farmer Jane profiles thirty women in the sustainable food industry, describing their agriculture and business models and illustrating the amazing changes they are making in how we connect with food. These advocates for creating a more holistic and nurturing food and agriculture system also answer questions on starting a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program, how to get involved in policy at local and national levels, and how to address the different types of renewable energy and finance them.

Author: Temra Costa
Temra Costa is a nationally recognized sustainable food and farming advocate. She has written for numerous publications on hot-button issues such as Farm to School, eating locally, food safety, and how to create regional food systems. Her previous role as statewide director of California’s Buy Fresh Buy Local campaign, and other positions held with Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), worked to engage stakeholders in our food system, from farm to fridge.

Temra works, cooks, gardens and writes in the East Bay of California. She's a radio show co-host on Green 960 (www.thegreenmorning.com), works as a sustainable food systems consultant for various businesses, and speaks at events throughout the year.

Publisher: Gibbs Smith Publishers

This is a very interesting book on an extremely interesting issue and I really enjoyed reading these personal stories, so I decided to ask the author for an interview to learn more about it.

Hello, Temra. What was the reason you decided to write this book, focusing on women in the sustainable food world?

The timing was right! As women are taking more leadership roles in the food and farming sector as well as the business world in general.

How did you choose the women that you profile in the book?

I chose the women in Farmer Jane by sending out a call for nominations. I received responses from all over the country. It was really amazing.

From the 30 women you profile on your book, what story you felt mostly connected to on a personal level?

Almost all of the women talk about heart and community. Language that we're starting to hear more about - at least the community part.

You write in the introduction to the book that women "have long been underrepresented in the public sphere about the sheer amount of work they do, at home and outside of the home" - do you believe this is still the case when we have such prominent women figures leading what you describe as the "delicious revolution", from Michelle Obama and Alice Waters to Anna Lappe and Judy Wicks?

Women are still making less than men and will continue to be under acknowledged as long as the work that they do in the home, with family and with community is not valued.

Did you learn anything that surprised you while working on the book with regards to the role of women in the sustainable food industry?

Yeah, there are a lot of women ranchers out there! Second to women entering farming and food businesses because of the interest in local foods is women cattle ranchers that are succeeding their husbands. It's hard to imagine running a ranch without your partner but so many women are!

Why do you think we see so many women involved with urban farming?

It's small scale, serves and builds community, can be done in spare time, accesses volunteerism and has an immediate purpose.

Do you think that we'll continue to see so many women in key roles if and when the sustainable food industry will shift from a movement to an industry that is more focused on its business side?

This is a great question. I hope they are hired in the droves to do what they love and to make economic sense of it. Ultimately, it is our economic system that undervalues food and food producers. This needs to change so that people can make a right livelihood without "going corporate."

The sustainable food industry is still relatively small in size - do you believe we'll see it going mainstream in the near future?

Not as long as our FDA and USDA is being primarily run by the food companies that we need them to protect us from. Seriously, sustainable food, diversified foods, handmade foods are counter capitalistic models because they are time intensive and more hands on way of producing food.

Restructuring the food system will happen out of necessity due to water shortages and distribution challenges that will start to make local food a environmental and economic choice for businesses. Right now it's still riding a local food washing phase where there is a shift happening, but not to the scale that those marketing it to people require.

What you're working on these days? Any new book in the horizon?

Definitely! I've really loved talking about this subject and in traveling around and celebrating women of food in various communities around the country. I've got a few Farmer Jane sequel ideas that I'm working on at the moment.

Thank you, Temra! To learn more about Farmer Jane visit http://www.farmerjane.org/.

You're welcome to pick up Farmer Jane at your local, independently-owned bookstore. To find an independent store near you, click here.

In case you don't have an indie store close by, the book is also available on Amazon.

For wholesale orders, contact Gibbs Smith Publisher directly:
http://www.gibbs-smith.com/client/cli...

[Lenore Webb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok so you know that in my heart I am trying to be a country gal. It is not that as much as I want to have fresh food. See I am a foodie big time. And I love to taste fresh food in its most natural state. So fresh raw veggies and fruits are my favorites. We have tried to do a lil garden here with some decent results. But it would be easier if I had tons more energy or someone to help me with it. Of course a lil farm equipment would not hurt either! Yeah me up on a John Deere tractor is just the image you wanted.

But women make the home and now we are also going back to the basics. Women are growing their own food weather it be in lil side gardens or taking over the whole farm. We are tired of paying high prices for organic food when we can do it ourselves. So do not be surprised when you realize your a Farmer Jane! You can read for yourself how to accomplish that lil feat. Not only do I want to raise my own food but I want to be able to have enough to share too. Okay I am really getting into this whole thought.

Do you have a hard time making enough to pay all the bills and have that really good meal on the table. Well I am having that issue. I am heavy and working on losing weight. But fresh food is expensive. If I can grow my own fresh veggies and fruits then I will have them here to eat. Much better than that bag of chips that are easy and cheap. I want to learn how to look at a way to do a small scale home farm. Yeah add in those chickens and how about a lil cow? My in laws have the livestock of chickens, cows, ducks, goats and sheep. If we pull together I could grow the garden and they could raise the animals. Share the cost and share the crops. Not a bad lil idea. I am going to read more about Farmer Jane and the movement for women to make home gardens and farms thrive.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some terrific stories mixed with myths of farming lead to a frustrating read for me. The lack of attention to labor practices on many of the farms profiled - relying as many mentioned do on volunteer and intern labor - does not make the farms truly sustainable, no matter what their environmental practices. The need to rely on agritourism and high end marketing does not receive much consideration, for it would require readers and the food movement as a whole to reflect on our myths and images - often romanticized - of what real food is and farming is. Furthermore, without lifting up the real challenges in agricultural decision-making - organic does not necessarily mean no-spray, for example, or the reality that there's GMO techniques that are not transspecies but help in rapidly moving forward needed breeding programs, or how to feed a hungry world without turning back the clock to where 90% of the population needed to farm to survive - we're not addressing fully the real work demanded of farmers and of folks who truly want a sustainable food system. At the same time, exploitative agricultural models are and have been destructive, just as they have also had some short-term important benefits, like reducing the frequency of famines. The answers are still being worked out. Hurrah for innovators and experimenters like those profiled in this book. Hurrah for the many farmers who wouldn't make it into a book this one, but who are still helping us figure out how to feed our species and nourish the planet at the same time.

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gives you a plethora of portraits and stories of women making a difference in the realms of sustainable agriculture and the food industry. There are interludes between chapters that mention "action points" for the reader, but they are cursory. I would have loved to read more about the movements and getting involved beyond the women's stories. While their stories were interesting, I felt the material could have gone into greater depth and breadth for the reader, including more "how-to," and even the philosophical of "why it matters."

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because a student recommended it to me after she learned how much I enjoyed The Dirty Life. I enjoyed reading the stories of the 30 women showcased in this book. The author uses the same format for all 30, and I find this helpful and a smart way to link all the stories. The writing, however, is stilted and lacks emotional appeal, so I felt distanced from what are obviously amazing women making radical impact on and changes to the food industry. I like that the author offers many calls to action and provides concrete steps we can take. If only this were written better.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love this book! It is so inspirational. I want to farm now! This books shows that no matter where you start, you never know where you may end up, your dreams are possible and you can change things for the better. Every chapter ends with how you can make a difference. There is something in here for everyone who wonders where their food comes from, how to use your buying power to bring about change or how to start your own sustainable farm. All of this brought to you by women!!

[Eliza Dery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sustainable agriculture is the next big thing right now. Even though many people are not fully aware of the movement, some do recognize names such as Michael Pollan and Wendell Berry. Before reading the book Farmer Jane, it never occurred to me that the women in sustainable agriculture were not getting the same recognition as the men. This book helps solve that problem by introducing selected women representatives who are working behind the scenes to promote/improve sustainable agriculture while also hoping for economical, social, and environmental change. As a reader I learned about women who were advocating for social change, promoting local and seasonal food, working in urban areas, networking and building new relationships with the people eating their food. I was inspired reading all of these women’s successful stories in sustainable agriculture, it made me realize that I as an individual can change the way things are in honor to make them better.
The most successful selling point of this book is the range of women trying to make an impact in different areas of sustainable agriculture. It is through the eyes of these women that we are able to see the whole picture. As people we are reminded by women farmers such as Gloria Decater(farmer of Live Power Community farm) that “it takes a farm to feed a community, and it takes a community to support that farm(45).” In this relationship it’s essential for people community to be educated about farm life and be able to participate in the ongoings of the farm. One of the ways that people can participate is through social activism. Director Deborah Koons Garcia( documentaries include The Future of Food, and Symphony Of The Soil) believes “that media-both good filmmaking and the web are keys to providing us with the truth we deserve(71).” Through the media people can have access to the promotion of seasonal and sustainable food, and learn the story of where it came from before it got the table. Maybe it came from a local farm in California or maybe it came from a small farm site in an abandoned lot in Chicago. Yet as individuals we are reminded about how much love went into the food, and how hard the people who made it/promoted it put into the process of having us eat and be nourished by it.
Many people after reading this book, like me were probably inspired, however a person could argue that women representatives geographic’s weren’t really that diverse. All of the women representatives in this book are all from places around the United States, with many of them having experience in other countries around the world, but none of them were lived out of the United States. Secondly, many of the women were either from California or from other states next to California. This is primarily because the author of the book Temra Costa is from the East bay of California and these were connections that she established living in California. She does have women from New York, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania but I was personally disappointed at the fact that she didn’t represent new england at all. Growing up in New Hampshire, and living next to the state of Vermont; I am very aware of how progressive both states are in agriculture and I am surprised that neither one(especially Vermont) were represented in this book. It’s because of the fact that the a majority of the women are from the California area, and that all of the women are from the United States that potential readers are more narrowly defined. With the book being more heavily focused on sustainable agriculture, many readers might not care that all the women were from the United States.
This book is most certainly written from women’s perspective, and through it we come to terms with powerful women leaders working to make a difference in sustainable agriculture. However I would say that while the book gives voice to many unknown women leaders, there is only brief recognition towards the issues women in this area face when it comes to men. In the introduction it mentions briefly the position women hold, and how men get more press attention. I wish that the inequality between men and women was stressed a little bit more in this book so that people who have no idea about any of this would know. The one woman representative who I felt was the only example of inequality in the workforce is Mily Trevino- Sauceda.As a child migrant, from Linares Mexico, Mily was accustomed to the harsh conditions of the fields, as well as the way in which women in her community were treated. It was normal for women in to be physically abused or raped. One of my favorite quotes is from Mily when she says “ ‘a good organizer organizes her family first,’and knew that by improving the working conditions for women, their families and communities would also benefit(147-48).” In my mind her story more directly relates to to the theme of women’s inequality which is not really present in this book.
I believe that this book is worth reading due to the fact that it acknowledges the important work of many incredible women in the field of sustainable agriculture. For a person interested in food related issues I found it refreshing to be able to read about women from my country who are paving the way for a better future. If you a person who is interested in creating healthy social, economic and environmental change this is a good book to read. Not only does this book provide background to sustainable agriculture it lists ways in which eaters, farmers, and food business can take small steps in contributing to this rapidly expanding movement. Food is one of the basic necessities of life, and as a woman I find it necessary for my sex to continue to make positive change as well as be known and respected by society. Like food, women are at the core of human fundamentals, and should be heard for their wisdom in all matters of life.

[Kalle Wescott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read /Farmer Jane: Women Changing the Way We Eat/, by Temra Costa:

https://emilyroachwellness.com/book-r...

Highly recommended!

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the title "Farmer Jane" may be a bit misleading here, because many of the women profiled in this book are not actually farmers... And those who are always seemed to do SO much more than just farming. At the beginning I got a little worried FJ was only going to cover CSAs, which although important, I didn't find particularly groundbreaking because I have a CSA share and it's pretty normal to me. I was very pleasantly surprised by the rest of the book though, especially with its emphasis of social justice and it's connection to food. There were several women who worked with specifically returning to native food ways/empowering American Indians and recognizing their food knowledge which I thought was great. I loved the chapter about women working with farming in urban areas and serving low income populations-- it's the type of farming and social justice work I'm looking to get into in the future. I also learned about "wild" farm practices for the first time, which I know think is incredibly important and should be talked about more. Although cultivating food is important, it shouldn't replace our cultivation for wild spaces, and we need to try harder to cultivate both in harmony.

Overall, as someone who's very passionate about food, feminism, diversity, and social justice, I absolutely loved this book. The solutions and work devised by women surrounding our food system was extremely inspiring to read about. One thing I also very much appreciate about the writing is that it doesn't use diction often used in academic writings pertaining to feminism/social justice issues. I find that many books on these topics seem to yell on every page about how important they are-- farmer Jane is a lot more subtle and as a result, is something I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to someone who knows nothing about feminism, food systems, or the importance of Native American food ways.

Oh, and I also really enjoyed the "recipes for change" at the end of each chapter that outlined what you could do as a food producer, consumer, or restaurant/business owner. Highly recommend!

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as part of LibraryThing's Early Revieres program. It was an interesting read![return]The book looks at food and agriculture from a woman's perspective and each chapter covers a different area. Within the chapters there's stories about women who have made a difference and are part of the food movement. Their stories are diverse, even within the individual chapters. [return]This book was created with what seems to be a lot of research and love as it's packed with information. If you are a woman looking to make change within the food production system, this book will provide you with inspiration and tools. If you are just wanting to be more informed, this book will also helpnyou understand the breadth of problems being faced in the US food systems. It is focused on the US, but if you live elsewhere in the world you will still come away inspired and informed. [return]To me, this book felt like going to a conference where each of the women stood up and gave

a speech on what she's doing, the problems she's facing or faced and how she's addressing them. There's not a lots of in-depth information here as the stories aren't very long but it certainly gives a sense of the women and what they are doing. [return]It might be interesting to visit these same women I. 10 years to see their progress and the lessons they have learned and what they are doing. [return]An enjoyable book that can be read in snippets if need be.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would make a horrible farmer. I'm allergic to everything- very especially hay and grass- and I'm not a fan of the kind of hard physical labor involved in farming. But farming has always kind of fascinated me, so I keep reading about it. This book was a great overview of modern farming specifically from the point of view of women who are working towards new sustainable farming practices and techniques to improve food supply in the United States. It includes profiles of traditional organic farmers, urban farmers, food advocates and educators and young farmers. There are some amazing things going on in the world of organic/community centered farming and this book is a great introduction to that world.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The appendix," sustainable agriculture for a sustainable climate," is the best part of this book about women involved in small-scale, community-scale food production. This is a good book on awareness about the state of our land, which has been regarded by society as mostly valuable for real estate development.
A different title and different cover illustration might have given a better indication of the nature of the book. True, most vignettes in the book are about California women, but it's interesting documentation for people in other regions, like Washington State, British Columbia, who are committing themselves to small-scale farming. This is a good reference book.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish Goodreads had a "1/2 Read" bookshelf category. I am a homesteader wannabe. I love the idea of women stepping out there and growing wholesome food for themselves and others and also the role of women influencing the locavore movement. I love gardening. I could not get into this book. The writing skill of the author and the book's content are not at all sub-standard. I just didn't feel a hook in my lip and decided to stop reading it about half way through. Temra Costa, it's not you, it's me. ;-)

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book profiles 30 women working in the food system- as writers, farmers, activists, restauranteurs etc. It also has end sections on things a person can do, whether they are an eater, farmer or food business. It was a good book and well done, but it's not a book that I want to read in one sitting. I think it's one that is best to read in little bits.

Interesting if you're into this sort of thing. There are also some American food policy things that I'm not familiar with, but that's a common occurrence when one is a Canadian.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I want so much to like this book but I really can't get through it. I'm in the target audience: I am passionate about gender equality and the power of women in communities and I'm fully on the natural/organic/local food bandwagon. The writing style and too-common grammatical errors are really distracting, though - I've had several nice long air flights to get through it but it's just too tedious. Can anyone convince me to keep going??

[Adelaide · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this would have been much more interesting for me ~5 years ago, when the concept of a CSA was new. At this point, many of the stories were ones I knew already--Novella Carpenter, Severine von Tscharner Fleming, Ericka Allen, Jessie Cool. I also struggled with the book's labeling of "feminine" traits that fit with farming. Men and women should both be equally capable of nurturing plants, I hope. It doesn't take some kind of of especially feminine touch.

[Karen Mahtin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book makes a lot of generalizations about women and their relationship to the land, their families, etc., which made it a bit hard for me to read. There were also tons and tons of typos.

Some of the women profiled worked with/for organizations that were similar to one another, so that was a bit annoying. I found the stories more inspiring as the book went on, and was glad to hear about various women of color's projects around the US.

[Lottie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars for brining all these people and movements together. This book encompasses a great deal of knowledge, from a number of people who are simultaneously all working towards the same goal in different ways. However, the book suffered from poor writing, punctuation, and strange sentence structures.

[Aniesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, even if the prose is sometimes slightly too sunny. Definitely inspiring. Admirable for the fact that is illustrates not only problems, but also solutions by different people in different industries, along with suggestions for the reader.

[CFAITC]

Thirty stories of women leaders that are working on changing the way America eats and farms through their food businesses.

[Happyreader]

Looks like an interesting, worthwhile read: http://www.farmerjane.org/

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superior!!!

[Rebecca Tolley · Rating 4 out of 5]

read my review on my food blog: http://www.potlikkery.com/2010/07/see...

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring!

[Stacy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Simply too tedious of a read to finish and I found it too easy to put down. Once I put it down, I had no desire to pick it up.

[Kahea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has definitely jump-started a new way in which I look at my food, as well as my interest in food production. But the poor copyediting was distracting.

[Ehrrin]

Caitlin Yonto rec