Women of the Harvest: Inspiring Stories of Contemporary Farmers

By Holly Bollinger

Up with the rooster, to bed with the sun, and if the farmers a woman, its a good bet theres always more work waiting. Holding household and family together, women farmers daily, quietly perform heroic labors just to eke a livelihood out of the land. Women have always farmed, when death or war left them to fend for themselves, but today they might choose to farm, and, in a time when farming is a shrinking occupation, their choices have expanded. Some women are only at home on the range; others, more hearth-bound, see the farm as an extension of home and family life. Some farm to feed their families; others, running huge corporate operations, farm to feed nations. These are the farmers that Women of the Harvest celebrates. In twelve illustrated profiles, the book introduces readers to women who work the land, raising livestock and crops, and, in doing so, uphold and transform a tradition as old as agriculture itself. Their stories, drawn from farms across the country, are truly in the American grain.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0760321841
• ISBN13: 9780760321843
• Release Date: April 2007
• Publisher: Voyageur Press (MN)
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 8.9" x 10.2"

Customer Reviews

Enjoyable read

I enjoyed reading about the different women profiled in this book and how they got started and what they do to run their endeavors. There is a good cross section of farm related occupations represented here, which is helpful. Very inspirational.

Beautiful photos, inspiring stories, but

First off, this book is very beautifully illustrated. The photo of the woman holding the big Brahma hen sold me immediately! Included within are the shortened stories of many women who have gave in to the "simple" farm life. Some of them grow flowers, sell medicinal herbs, grow their own food, work for the government, sell chili peppers, live organically or are farming on land passed down for generations. While I really enjoyed this book it wasn't exactly what I expected. Many of the women featured had Master's degrees in various subjects. So, most women featured here had an above average income to start their farm. I was expecting more stories about the "average-jane" going into more traditional type farming as the sole basis of making a living. The title of the book should've been my first clue. It's mostly about more contemporary ways of farming. Most of the women featured had other jobs or other means of income to fall back on besides just their farms. Overall, it's still enjoyable and it will give you a few ideas on how to reach those farm dreams.

Women of Harvest

This is a very inspiring book, and is great motivation,since i was in the farming community years ago, that will never leave me.

Good reading

This book is fun! It's made up of excellent photos and lively interviews with 17 American women who are farmers in 9 states, and a woman who works for a U.S. government agricultural organization in Moldova. And we're not talking oats, peas, beans and barley here. The crops range from clams to watermelons to cactus plants to peppers. Alpaca fleece is another crop. Many of the farms are organic, and the ages of the women farmers range over 60 years or more. Many have their farms in arid, western states. The interviews are full of pithy quotes from the women and engaging details about the lives these women live. The pieces by Susan Gartner are especially good at putting the reader right on the scene.

A winning leisure read choice.

WOMEN OF THE HARVEST: INSPIRING STORIES OF CONTEMPORARY FARMERS profiles some seventeen women who love farming: women from across the country who share their stories of making their farming dreams come true. Color photos of land and female farmers blend with autobiographies and insights on what it takes and means to be a female farmer, how to run an 'ideal' farm, and how these women made farming dreams a reality. Any agricultural or rural library will find WOMEN OF THE HARVEST: INSPIRING STORIES OF CONTEMPORARY FARMERS a winning leisure read choice.