Homegrown

“Homegrown” begins with a handful of college students and their experiences with community agriculture in Appalachia, but quickly grows into a sweeping appraisal of the challenges we face as a nation. Far from a simple exposé on the state of health, education, environment, economy, and community in America, it stands out as a work rife with solutions to the problems it explores. Topics range from scholastic performance to the need for economic stability, from the plight of healthcare to the search for environmental stewardship, yet each area is tied back to the authors' on the ground experiences with community agriculture, and the hope that it offers in each of these areas. The work is truly an ambitious undertaking.

The book you hold in your hands is difficult for any editor to categorize, but for all of the right reasons. One moment the writing might delve into human interest and personal narrative, while the next breath finds it leaping into a barrage of statistics and reason. Whether applying level headed logic or wearing its heart on its sleeve, each chapter and their diversity of topics are expertly woven into a wonderfully rich fabric. Rarely does a book seize the interest, warm the heart, and the spark the mind in such a splendid fashion.