Grass, Soil, Hope by Courtney White

Grass, Soil, Hope is a compendium of sites and associated behaviors all pointing to some aspect of stewardship. The scope is worldly including farmers and ranchers in Australia but also very domestic describing the trials and tribulations of a rooftop vegetable grower in New York City.

Collaboration as opposed to division is expressed throughout.

Food From the Radical Center by Gary Paul Nabhan

America has never felt more divided. But in the midst of all the acrimony comes one of the most promising movements in our country’s history. People of all races, faiths, and political persuasions are coming together to restore America’s natural wealth: its ability to produce healthy foods.

Grain by Grain: On the Road with Bob Quinn and Liz Carlisle

The sanctuary was full, pews were packed, and we were there to hear Bob Quinn talk about his journey from conventional wheat farmer in north central Montana to organic farmer and marketer of an ancient grain sold around the world.Like the traveling preacher of old, Bob took the podium and started talking. The more he talked, the faster he talked. It was exhilarating, educational, and… exhausting!

Grain by Grain: A Quest to Revive Ancient Wheat, Rural Jobs, and Healthy Food

Bob Quinn is a “local boy done good:” a serial entrepreneur, an organic farmer, and contributor to nutritional research studying the health benefits of ancient wheat compared to modern wheat.Grain by Grain covers all three areas in detail and describes how they are interrelated and contribute to better local and regional economics.

Farm to Table: The Essential Guide to Sustainable Food Systems for Students, Professionals, and Consumers, by Darryl Benjamin and Lyndon Virkler

The book is comprised of two main sections: Farm and Table, where the “Farm” segment focuses on the environment, industrial ag, monocropping, CAFOs, and the future of farming, and the “Table” segment addresses restaurants, local purchasing, green restaurant practices, school and institutional food service, and marketing the concept of Farm-to-Table.

Growing a Revolution: Bringing our Soil Back to Life, David R. Montgomery

The problem of agriculture is as old as civilization. Throughout history, great societies that abused their land withered into poverty or disappeared entirely. Now we risk repeating this ancient story on a global scale due to ongoing soil degradation, a changing climate, and a rising population.

But there is reason for hope. David R. Montgomery introduces us to farmers around the world at the heart of a brewing soil health revolution that could bring humanity’s ailing soil back to life remarkably fast.