Fields of Plenty: A Farmer's Journey in Search of Real Food and the People Who Grow It [Hardcover]

Michael Ableman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 29, 2005

In the face of supersizing and a fast-food nation, a growing community of organic farmers and food artisans are producing sustainable nourishment that is respectful to the land and rich in heritage, flavor, and passion. In Fields of Plenty, respected farmer, teacher, and ecology advocate Michael Ableman seeks out these innovative and committed farmers to reveal how the fruits of those who till the soil go beyond taste. From Knolls farm in California, famous for succulent figs tree-ripened to perfection, to an urban farm in Chicago that sustains an entire community, his odyssey takes him to farmers who are trying to answer questions of sustenance philosophically and, most importantly, in practice. Illustrated with evocative color photographs of the land and the people who work it, and accompanied by a bountiful selection of recipes, this beautifully written memoir reveals the power of food as a personal and cultural force.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ableman chronicles his three-month journey across the U.S., during which he meets fellow farmers (he's also an author, photographer and executive director of an urban agricultural center in California) and strives to "reassure [himself] that abundance is enhanced, not sacrificed, by humane and sustainable practices." He brings along son Aaron; the two leave their family and farm in British Columbia to share wonder and wisdom with farmers nationwide. They stay at farms and learn their hosts' growing methods and family stories. Ableman's musings range from the changing seasons to the political challenges of small-scale farming. Recipes close each chapter; lucky Ableman sampled the dishes in the company of the people who grew the ingredients, from Anthony and Carol Boutard, who grow Charentais melons in Oregon, to Eli Zabar, who has a half-acre of greenhouses atop buildings on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Although this book may be a bit too dense for those not familiar with alternative agriculture, it is easy enough for anyone to read a few sections at a time, taking their pick of memoir, food writing, farming history and technique, and recipes. (Sept. 29)
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Review

"America has undeniably become a fast-food nation, with the bulk of our meals coming from cans, freezers or drive-thru windows. In the newest offering from Ableman, he promises that it doesn't have to be this way, delightfully chronicling his quest to experience productive, imaginative, organic American farms.

For three months, as his own harvest was coming to fruition on his farm in British Columbia, the author and his son set off in a VW van on a 12,000 mile journey to farms across the country. The result is an engaging hybrid of travelogue, cookbook and discourse on the new American agrarian movement. Ableman's findings are far more diverse than the bucolic cornfields that might come to mind when thinking about American agriculture. From the poblano chilies that rise out of the New Mexican desert to an urban oasis of tomato plants bordering on Chicago's Cabrini-Green housing project to greenhouses brimming with lettuces along the rocky coastlines of Maine, the farms that he visits paint a vibrant portrait of the American landscape. His prose is as ripe as the summer tomatoes he describes, and the recipes that accompany each chapter are a tempting combination of regional favorites and new flavors.

Above all else, Ableman presents an appealing and optimistic testament to the fact that fresh, organic eating is still very much alive in America." Kirkus Review

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (September 29, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811842231
• ISBN-13: 978-0811842235
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #575,375 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully refreshing and enlightening book!, December 20, 2005

By 

Patty Apostolides "Author" (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fields of Plenty: A Farmer's Journey in Search of Real Food and the People Who Grow It (Hardcover)

This superbly written book, with its poetic descriptions and fascinating stories of the different farmers the author visited and interviewed throughout the country, had me dreaming about owning my own organic farm one day! Also, the wonderful recipes are definately a plus! What a wonderful read!

Writing this book from an organic farmer's point of view, Ableman gives one a sense of respect for the earth, the intricacies involved in its cultivation, the many different varieties of fruits and vegetables that exist and can be grown on small organic farms (as compared to conventional/commercial growers who use very few varieties), and the tender care involved by these family farmers.

One learns about the different herbal concoctions that some of these farmers use to feed their crops, comparable to the attention given when feeding a child. The nutrients in these soils are uncomparable to the conventional corporate farming, and organic farms do not use pesticides and chemical fertilizers. One can taste the difference in the organic produce. They are bursting with flavor.

One learns about sustainability and organic farming, about the many flavors, the exotic colors, and how the different animals cohabitate with the farmers, so that nothing is wasted. I particularly liked the descriptions of the sections on the
melons that emitted intoxicating musky smells, and blackberries that were so irresistible, the author went and gorged himself eating them in the patch. Yumm! We went and bought organic blackberries after reading that section!

One also learns that eating is an intimate relationship, and establishing a relationship with the local farmers in our communities is a wonderful way to learn where our food is coming from. These great farmers are feeding us, and what better way to eat food, then to establish a relationship with the persons who are growing it for us. One way to do that is visit a local farmer's market and sign up with a local farm that is a member of CSA (community shared agriculture). We did, and we love it!

Also, eating seasonal foods is a new concept for me. We're so used to finding any fruit and vegetable in any season in the supermarket, that the idea of something not being available at a given time is foreign to us. But once we start asking - where did these fruits and vegetables come from - and we see Brazil, or Argentina, etc. then things start changing in our minds. The transportation, the distance, the regulations... Hmmm. Canning and freezing fruits and vegetables when in season has become a pleasant option.

After reading this book, I'm also keen on working on my garden with my family next summer, of watching the different vegetables grow, and of tasting the fruits of my labor. I can't wait!

I recommend this highly to everyone!!

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars great words, lousy format, May 18, 2006

By 

Dirt Under her Nails "a mom and gardener" (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fields of Plenty: A Farmer's Journey in Search of Real Food and the People Who Grow It (Hardcover)

I love the text of this book, go ahead and buy it, I think it should be said that this book suffers from its format. The extra heavy pages and stiff hard binding are like those in a coffee table book and would be well deserved, if the publisher had included more photographs. As it stands, there is a scant one photo per farm profile, far too few in my opinion, especially having been visually tantilized by Ableman's beautiful descriptions. This leaves one mostly text, valuable and well written and worthy of your attention, in a book that is physically difficult to handle and read. I am hoping that publishers will read this review and remedy the problem in subsequent editions. Either add more "art" to justify the art quality of the book, or else make the book easier to curl-up with and read. I know folks who have put down the book, and not picked it up again, although they were enjoying it, and I believe that the book's physical attributes are to blame.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ableman tells a great story, November 28, 2005

By 

Andrew Hudson "will write reviews for food" (Southeast USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fields of Plenty: A Farmer's Journey in Search of Real Food and the People Who Grow It (Hardcover)

I had the privilege of spending Thanksgiving with the author and after a great meal we coaxed him into reading from his new book. He told a story about going back to his great grandfather's farm and general store in Delaware. A journey he made with his Father and son. He unfolds the story with vivid detail that draws you in and makes you care. He tells about the loss of our agricutural heritage and the impact that urbanization has had on our diet. This great book with wonderful illustrations. Read it and buy copies for your friends.