One fateful day in 1996, upon discovering that five freight cars' worth of glittering corn have reaped a tiny profit of $18.16, young Forrest Pritchard undertakes to save his family's farm. What ensues—through hilarious encounters with all manner of livestock and colorful local characters—is a crash course in sustainable agriculture. Pritchard's biggest ally is his renegade father, who initially questions his son's career choice and eschews

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Randall Beiler had always planned to marry Elizabeth Nolt. But when he assumes the responsibility for his younger siblings, he ends their courtship. When Elizabeth accepts a job as the Beiler's housekeeper, the young Amish couple will get a second chance at love.

The story of Nancy Prebilich and her family as they struggle to save their fifth-generation farm during the Great Recession. When both of Nancy's parents suddenly pass away, Nancy, her sister, niece, and nephews fight to stay afloat in the face of loss and financial instability. Chronicling Nancy's personal journey over a five-year span, this extraordinary story explores the roles that history and ancestry play in our present-day lives.

"Today a buck gets you a quick burger (or two), but what's the real cost of that meal? The rates of chronic disease--specifically diseases like diabetes, caused by our lifestyles--have grown exponentially in recent years, edging medical expenses ever higher while threatening to give America its first generation to actually live shorter lives than their parents. Unfortunately finding good nutrition is no walk in the park, with more and more Americans...

Packed with step-by-step instructions, useful tips, time-honored wisdom, and both illustrations and photographs, this might just be the most comprehensive guide to back to basics living ever published. Fans of Back to Basics, Homesteading, and Self-Sufficiency have been asking for a one-stop resource for all the subjects covered in that successful series. In response, Gehring has compiled a massive, beautifully presented, single volume that covers...

One evening in 1946, a hungry stranger joins the family at Salthill, a horse ranch in the Skillihawk Valley in British Columbia. Grey St. Oegger welcomes the young African-American, who gives his name as simply Harris, in for a meal. But after dinner, when he sees Harris's affinity for horses, he extends that welcome indefinitely, offering Harris a job and a place to live. Over the next five years, Harris seems to settle in at Salthill, becoming...

Our current industrial method of food production is increasingly viewed as an unsustainable system, destructive to the environment and public health. But what is the alternative? Fresh profiles the farmers, thinkers, and business people across the nation who are at the forefront of re-inventing food production in America. With a strong commitment to sustainability, they are changing how farms are run, how the land is cared for, and how food is distributed....