Love for the Land

Lessons from Farmers Who Persist in Place (Yale Agrarian Studies Series)

De: Brooks Lamb

Narrado por: Walter Dixon

Love for the Land explores the power and potential of people-place relationships. Through clear and compelling prose, it elevates the virtues of imagination, affection, and fidelity—concepts promoted by farmer-writer Wendell Berry—and shows how they motivate small- and mid-scale farmers to care for the land, even in the face of adversity. Paying particular attention to farmland loss from suburban sprawl, rampant agricultural consolidation, and, for farmers of color, racial injustice, Brooks Lamb reckons with the harsh realities that these farmers face.

Drawing from in-depth interviews and hands-on experiences in two changing rural communities, he shares stories and sacrifices from dozens of farmers, local leaders, agricultural service providers, and land conservationists. Lamb's rural roots and farming background enable him to cultivate honest, trusting connections with the farmers he engages, yielding raw and powerful insights. Time and again, compelling evidence reveals that stewardship virtues encourage people to live and act as devoted caretakers.

With a refreshing, accessible, and engaging approach, Lamb argues that these resilient and often overlooked farmers show rural and urban people alike a way forward, one that serves people, places, and the planet. That path is rooted in love for the land.

©2023 Brooks Lamb (P)2023 Tantor

Great read!

The author pays homage to farmers on smaller farms, highlighting love, sacrifice, and diligence. He promotes virtues like imagination, fidelity and affection. While discussing the challenges of suburban sprawl, racism and farm consolidation, the author urges for responsible stewardship of the land.

good bit book on the importance of farming and love for the land

being a farmer myself I really enjoyed this book most of it at least, I wasn't the biggest fan of the narrator just cuz his voice kind of irritated me but the information was pretty good in it. I resonated with a lot of the farmers that he interviewed.

Wonderfully written!

As someone who grew up on a farm, this was an inspiring and enjoyable listen that I have come back to multiple times, though I believe its lessons on virtues, love, and persistence can be useful and applicable to anyone—with or without an agricultural background. The performer delivers this story well, but he does have a soft voice that can be difficult to hear at times, even at a high volume, especially if you are in the car or are around any background noise. I’ve met the author and I think he has a strong voice that would’ve worked really well, and his accent would’ve only added to the charm and authenticity of the work had the publishers recorded him reading. I think this book is a must-read for those worried about farmland loss and suburban sprawl, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the beautiful rationales behind those steadfast stubborn stewards of the land.