On Good Land: The Autobiography of an Urban Farm [Hardcover]

Michael Ableman (Author), Alice Waters (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1998

In the heart of suburban Santa Barbara, where land is pricey and a field is worth more covered with asphalt than arugula, asparagus, and apple trees, thrives Fairview Gardens, a small organic farm managed for the past 18 years by Michael Ableman. On Good Land, an engrossing read, chronicles the life of the 100-year-old farm -- from its history to Ableman's first glimpse of the land to the current struggle to save it from development. Blending photographs, philosophy, humor, and practical knowledge, Ableman brings the reader into the everyday world of a small farm. With him we prune peach trees, harvest peppers, journey to the farmer's market, and fight city hall. Part memoir, part photojournalistic montage, On Good Land reveals one man's love of the land and his struggle to protect it, and to spread the word about the importance of practicing sustainable agriculture and preserving our farms in an increasingly urban world.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A dramatic pair of pictures opens this book: aerial shots of Fairview Gardens Farm, near Goleta, California, first in 1954, then in 1998. Once part of thousands of acres of farmland, Fairview Gardens is now entirely surrounded by tract homes, strip malls, and all the conveniences of modern suburban life. This 12.5-acre oasis exists only because Michael Ableman has steadfastly refused to let it be gobbled up by the relentless bulldozers. His story is funny, fierce, inspiring, and infuriating. His success, tempered by ample setbacks, will be of practical use to anybody seeking to preserve farmland from suburban sprawl. This powerful love story about a man and a place is especially moving because the land is not his: for most of the past 17 years, Ableman has been a tenant farmer at Fairview Gardens. Few people would put so much sweat and soul into borrowed land, yet to Ableman, ownership is irrelevant--it is the rich, beautiful land itself, and the sweet, slow food it produces for him, that matters. --Ann Lovejoy

From Publishers Weekly

A jolting four-page aerial photo spread shows the urban creep of Goleta, Calif., that encircled the 12-acre Fairview Gardens from 1954 to 1998. Ableman has managed the 103-year-old organic farm since 1981, a tenure that has been marked by the garden's growing anomalousness. His urban neighbors brought court action against the farm for its crowing roosters ("one of the last natural sounds left in this valley"), while rapacious developers maneuvered to turn rich topsoil into the 58 houses allowed by zoning laws. In the end, Ableman and his co-workers gained support not only with chutzpah and headlines (including Ableman's 1993 book, From the Good Earth), but also with vibrantly fresh food. Using strawberries as an example, Ableman points out that organic farming may be labor-intensive and expensive, "but it does not involve methyl bromide or a single one of the 65 pesticides registered for use on strawberries." Today, the farm employs 21 and feeds nearly 500 families with the aim of reconnecting people to the intimate act of growing their own food. The last step to saving the farm from becoming part of the 46 acres lost per hour to nonagricultural uses in the U.S. was to buy the agricultural island for $750,000 and place it with a local land trust. "Nature seduced me," confesses the devoted Ableman, through "the magic of emerging seeds and enchantment of early morning harvests." His homage to "earth's placenta" offers readers a wonderful harvest of anecdote, practical information and, most of all, deeply rooted detail of farm life and lofty goals. Photos.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; 1ST edition (May 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811819213
• ISBN-13: 978-0811819213
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #582,634 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a very personal journey, December 5, 1999

By 

Linda Helm Krapf (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: On Good Land: The Autobiography of an Urban Farm (Hardcover)

Reading Michael Ableman's book was like stumbling upon his personal journal. I could imagine it's dirt-stained, hand-written pages - the miscellaneous seed or wind-blown earthen particles stuck deep in the creases of the binding. This book is filled with earnest, intimate tales - the everyday woes and triumphs of a gentle farmer, side-by-side with the battle stories of a true community activist. It is his journey that I found so fascinating, so inspiring. Ableman's story is compelling because he has been on the good path and done the good work for a long time - more than 17 years. From the early days of setting up the produce stand on weekends at a local farmer's market, to lamenting a killing winter frost, he draws the reader into the drama. Ableman's intensely close relationship with the land is his reward for paying close attention to its needs. His goals were clear - to grow healthy food for local people in a way that respected the land's ability to sustain itself. He learned by doing, followed his intuition, and made tough decisions based on what was right, or what he believed to be right at the moment. This book offers its readers as much "food for thought" about life, as it does about farming!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening, thought provoking., July 1, 1998

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: On Good Land: The Autobiography of an Urban Farm (Hardcover)

I am not related to the author (like the previous reviewer). Loved this book. Couldn't put it down. I'm a long time organic gardener but I found this California farm story fascinating. As soon as I finished it my 18 year old daughter grabbed it and it doesn't look like I'll get it back soon. Two of her friends are in line to read it. Lovely photographs,too.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite books!, December 30, 1999

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: On Good Land: The Autobiography of an Urban Farm (Hardcover)

This book was an inspiration to read. It gives me hope that urban sprawl might be contained in some small parts of the world. It's also a good guide to organic farming and living, and getting past the "hippie" stereotype that organics still have. I'd highly recommend this book.