Third-generation farmer Gary Romano, owner of Sierra Valley Farms, speaks from experience about today’s most vital issues: how to live with purpose and how to protect our food supply. In WHY I FARM: RISKING IT ALL FOR A LIFE ON THE LAND, Romano documents a disappearing way of life and issues a wake-up call, describing his metamorphosis from a small boy growing up on a farm to an adult white-collar worker and his ultimate return to the land.
If you’ve ever wanted to claim a patch of earth, this book offers hard-earned counsel about small farming in the twenty-first century. Part memoir, part call to action, Romano details the challenges and joys of living off the land, what’s at stake, and why this way of life must be protected for the next wave of future farmers. WHY I FARM considers:
• The benefits of a forgotten livelihood
• How to avoid common small farm pitfalls
• Problems with our current food supply and its distribution
• Why small farms are vital to our food future
• How we can help revive and sustain the small farm
• How to start a successful, rural on-site farmers’ market
