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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it. The author uses vignettes from his own family's history as well as that of another Nebraska farm family to explain the evolution of modern farming. He also successfully illustrates some of the nuances and challenges that come with farming today. Overall this book helped me to better understand farming in Nebraska and the risks farmers take every season to stay afloat. I have a much greater appreciation for the state's agricultural industry and a better understanding of the complicated issues that intermingle with it. With the current flooding, I truly feel devastated for Nebraska's farmers after reading this book.
This book should have either been half as long or twice as long. As it is, it covers an interesting topic (the future of small family farms) in 200-ish pages: just enough to whet your appetite but not long enough to satisfy you.
This book was alright. It is the 2019 All Iowa Reads adult selection. Knowing I would never get through it in print I borrowed the audiobook and suffered through that... If you have the option read this one the narrator is awful. He. sounds. like. a. reading. program. Anyway. Parts of this book bored me to tears but other parts I found really interesting. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had just focused on the science of farming and its history. I'm sorry but I didn't care about the family's history and story at all. I'm glad that their land was saved for a time, unfortunately, the great orange idiot in the White House probably undid all that as he worked to undo the little Obama managed to accomplish. In the end, I'm glad I took the time to listen. Like I said some parts were interesting and it confirmed much of my suspicions of the corruption of modern day corporate farming. If things continue the land in which we live on is screwed and many of the species we share this one planet with are too. The Earth will be just fine, and probably better off once she manages to kill off the virus that is infecting her. Us.
Using a year in the life of the farming operation of Rick Hammond and his family (the year Rick considers passing down the farm to the next generation) this book provided a look at the history of farming in America and the current state of the family farming business. The book did a good job of showing the enormous amount of things that a farmer deals with, from the land and the weather, to commodity markets, boutique products, government policies, genetic research, international corporate espionage, and the agricultural chemicals used for fertilizer and pesticides. The history of agricultural markets and techniques was the most interesting part, starting with the post Civil War land grants that brought many farmers to Nebraska and moving through the changeover from horses to tractors, the invention of the center pivot, and on to cutting edge genetics this book demonstrates that the business of farming seems to be changing with ever increasing speed. I would rate this book 3.5 stars of Goodreads allowed half stars.
Genoways, an award winning author & journalist, does exactly what the book title states in this well-written story, sets down a year in the life of an American family farm. The Hammond family history on their farm also contrasts farming today with farming of yesteryear. The book enlightens people like me, having no farm background, about concerns such as water and irrigation management and raising crops, and cattle. Chosen the 2019 One Book One Nebraska book by the Nebraska Library Commission, it’s a shame that Nebraka’s current governor (Petey Ricketts) has refused to read the book or recognize the honor awarded the book. It would be a worthwhile discussion starter. I hope that I have opportunities to listen to some Nebraskans on where their opinions agree or disagree with that of the Hammond family, AFTER they read the book. For me, this was an enlightening story.
I picked up this book because there was a lot of buzz over it when the governor of Nebraska refused to endorse it as the "One Book, One Nebraska" pick for 2019. I purely wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Otherwise it wouldn't have even been on my radar.
This books is both a look at one family farm during a year as well as a look back on farming history and innovation in general. There's even brief glimpses of what the future of farming might be. I'll be the first one to say I know nothing about farming. Genoways does a good job of making the more technical aspects accessible. It was far more interesting than I had hoped for when I picked it up.
I do think (although need to research to confirm) the issue Nebraska's republican governor had with the book. There are a couple of pages in the epilogue that talk about President Trump and how he won with the votes of many farmers who are now being negatively affected by his administration's policies.
A side note, the author picture on the back cover is a bit creepy.
More reviews at www.mommyreadsbooks.blogspot.com
This books is both a look at one family farm during a year as well as a look back on farming history and innovation in general. There's even brief glimpses of what the future of farming might be. I'll be the first one to say I know nothing about farming. Genoways does a good job of making the more technical aspects accessible. It was far more interesting than I had hoped for when I picked it up.
I do think (although need to research to confirm) the issue Nebraska's republican governor had with the book. There are a couple of pages in the epilogue that talk about President Trump and how he won with the votes of many farmers who are now being negatively affected by his administration's policies.
A side note, the author picture on the back cover is a bit creepy.
More reviews at www.mommyreadsbooks.blogspot.com
I am perhaps more interested in this topic than the average reader. I moved to Nebraska about 6 months ago, and I've been trying to read more about Nebraska in general. Being fairly proximate to the farms (actually, I was close to farms in Long Island too) I'm especially interested in Nebraskan farming, and American farming in general. I'm especially disturbed by corporate ownership of seeds and specific plant genetic-variations.
Right when we moved here, our government started a trade war with China, which resulted in difficulty selling Nebraskan soybeans at good prices. The book ends right at about that point, and I'm interested in how that problem has developed.
Even with my very specific interest in this topic though, I felt like the book progressed slowly. Also, there was only one family member that I felt was sufficiently developed/described for me to take an interest in.
Right when we moved here, our government started a trade war with China, which resulted in difficulty selling Nebraskan soybeans at good prices. The book ends right at about that point, and I'm interested in how that problem has developed.
Even with my very specific interest in this topic though, I felt like the book progressed slowly. Also, there was only one family member that I felt was sufficiently developed/described for me to take an interest in.
Three of my four grandparents were farmers and grew up on farms in Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas respectively, which is what spurred my original interest in this book. Don't let the niche focus of this book deter you. For one thing, everyone eats. (From the book: "Are you ready to go raise your own food?") Also, there are plenty of musings on environmental issues and American history to keep things interesting. I liked the focus on one individual family that was then tied to the wider regional/national/global narrative.
Portions that were excerpted by magazines and published as standalone pieces were really powerful and engaging portraits of the Modern American farmer. Unfortunately, much of the longer text delves into intricate histories of the family farms Genoways profiles. This serves a purpose for a reader looking for the trees; I'm more interested in the forest. Not his fault!