BOOK 1 POST 2- Growing a Farmer
I am currently reading Growing a Farmer by Kurt Timmermeister, and it has been some of the best reading I've done in a very long time! The book is a part autobiography and part guide following Kurt and his failures and successes of becoming a farmer. Timmermeister was originally a chef who became increasingly concerned about his disconnect from real food- how he had no idea how to process a live chicken or how to grow crops that his guests would eat.
The book is admittedly not all great. There are times where the book jumps timelines from 5 years in the future to suddenly 10 years forward, and it can be a bit jarring at times. Some sections also seem contradictory, one example would be when he talks about other farmers in his area and says that they would not accept him. I feel that in this part he was projecting and rejecting himself, and almost saying that he was too good for them.
Shortfalls of Growing a Farmer are more than made up by the wonderful aspects of it. The first area that I loved was Kurt's voice throughout the book- it was direct and personable. He showed many of his failures plainly, and his writing style, even though it was jarring at times, was refreshingly honest. It felt like I was next to him trying to figure out the soil composition of his farm, and sharing a glass of freshly pressed apple juice from his orchard.
On the surface, I would recommend this book to anyone with interest in farming or connecting more to the products they consume, but that's a very niche audience. In a broader sense, this book taught me that there are so many rewarding experiences behind a daunting wall of tedious, tireless effort and labor, and it is worth the grueling hours of work! This book is a guide to sowing the seeds ambition and drive and reaping the rewards years later, and I believe that it would be a great read for everyone!
I’m completely unfamiliar with farming, so it was fascinating to see you talk about Kurt Timmermeister’s journey from chef to farmer and all the challenges he faced. It made me think about how much effort goes into food production that we normally take for granted. I loved how you mentioned the small moments, like sharing a glass of the apple juice, and this made me curious to read it myself.
ReplyDeleteI love that you read a book about farming because I'm from a farm family and it's such an important industry. Your critique of the book seems very on-brand to me because farmers tend to not be the most educated. I think it's funny that you mentioned the author not feeling accepted by other farmers because my dad has talked about having to look the part to be respected by others in the industry (like driving a big pick-up truck). I'm glad that you still enjoyed the broader message of the book despite structural shortcomings.
ReplyDeleteHey, Brandon, this sounds like a really good book! I don't know much about farming at all, so it was cool to hear about a cool farmer success story. It sort of fits that the story jumps around, since I feel like it would make the book seem more natural, like someone telling a story. But, I get how it would interrupt some of the flow and make you enjoy it less. Overall, it sounds really cool and I'm going to check it out!
ReplyDeleteHi Brandon, I really like how you described this book! It sounds super down to earth and relatable, especially with how you mentioned his honesty about failure and growth. I can totally see how his background as a chef adds another layer to the story. The way you explained the life lessons behind the farming parts makes it sound like it’s about more than just agriculture, but it’s about patience in general. Nice job!
ReplyDeleteHi Brandon! This seems like an interesting book, as somebody who often sees food as The Thing That's On My Plate rather than what was once a whole ecosystem of organisms that are grown year-round by dedicated and hardworking hands. Honestly, the world of farming feels like such a far world from the one that I live in that, in reading your review, I was surprised to see it tie back into universal values like ambition and patience. Sounds like a very valuable read!
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