Review: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver is a book about one family’s journey from southern Arizona to Virginia and their goal to reconnect with their local food chain.
The books starts off with Mrs. Kingsolver explaining why it is nearly impossible to eat locally and sustainably from farm to plate in an area like Arizona and why her family needed to moved where pastures are greener. So the Kingsolver family settles into a farm and they begin their adventure of eating only what has been grown or raised in their county with much of that being done by themselves. They plant a large vegetable garden, they raise chickens for eggs and meat, and they raise turkeys. They also develop relationships with farmers nearby so that they can purchase from them what they cannot get themselves. Immediately they see just how spoiled people become when they do not have to consider where their food came from and at what cost. Most people might never know what wild asparagus looks like, how to make cheese, or how to find a moral mushroom. But the Kingsolver family was determined to reconnect with their food in an intimate way and never again be so detached from the process.
Their adventures are delightful to read from the first picking of asparagus in spring, to making cheese, to organizing a birthday party for over a hundred people using only produce from local farms.
Barbara Kingsolver writes much of the book but her partner Steve also contributes essays and her daughter Camille details some delicious recipes the family ate while on their journey.
Buy Animal, Vegetable, Miracle!
Technorati Tags: book review, barbara kingsolver, animal, vegetable, miracle, local food
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to the Sage and Sassy RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
March 3rd, 2008 at 8:28 pm
I read this last month, and it made me more dedicated to eating foods that are in season and
available locally. At times she gets a little preachy, and I wish she’d discussed more of the
challenges she faced while attempting to raise most of their own food for an entire year–
instead she went on and on about how great her lifestyle was compared to most Americans.
Overall, though, I enjoyed it.
Rebecca’s last blog post..Downsizing Domestic Dreams: How Much House Does Baby Need?
March 10th, 2008 at 5:44 am
I have heard many good things of this book. It is on my list. Good to hear another review.