Growing a Farmer Post #2

 Growing a Farmer

by Kurt Timmermeister

Growing a Farmer is the story of how a man left the restaurant he owned in downtown Seattle and moved to a nearby island, accessible only by ferry or boat, to start his own farm. Timmermeister conveys a realistic picture for us as he explains the various components of farming. I really enjoyed the way the author mixes technical information about the land and animals with anecdotes of his experiences and adventure. Timmermeister's writing style demonstrates how the experience of farming is not just routine, physical labor which is often the view associated with modern farming. The way he incorporates his passion, humor, and failures into his chapters shows how farming is a process that is challenging and also incredibly rewarding. 

My favorite chapter was on vegetables. I used to grow a variety of vegetables with my mom at home so I was looking forward to reading about Timmermeister's experience. In this chapter, he goes on a tangent about wondering how potatoes form underground, how pumpkins grow huge from little seeds, and how cows produce milk from eating grass. I thought it was cool that even an experienced and educated farmer ponders the creation of the food he cultivates. His inner monologue reminded me of my own curiosity about growing and tending vegetables. This chapter, along with the rest of the book taught me how humans/farmers have a connection to the origins of food, there is a synergetic relationship between ourselves, the earth and the food we grow and consume. 

"I want to take credit for most of the food produced here. I planted the seed. I milked the cows. I fed the lambs. In reality, there is something greater at work. Not sure exactly what it is but it is a force far greater than myself" (Timmermeister 181). 

Since my mom grew up on a farm, she always instilled an appreciation for the origins of food in our family. I believe reading this book has deepened that appreciation and also taught me the importance of respecting the work and life that goes into our food. When we disassociate ourselves from the origins of our food we are more likely to waste it, eat poorly, and develop more disassociative consumer behavior. This book does a great job of taking the reader back to the basics and acknowledging the roots of what we consume.