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Helen Grundmann Garden Design

American Terroir-Rowan Jacobsen

Like many people, I love to eat great food! I also love to grow it. When a friend gave me the book American Terroir by Rowan Jacobsen, it struck a chord with me. This book combines the history, mystery and science of why the “taste of a place” comes from the soil and climate of the region. His informative and often hysterical guide to some of our most iconic foods-including apples, honey, maple syrup, coffee, oysters, salmon, wild mushrooms, wine, cheese and chocolate- also includes recipes! And if you’re the kind of foodie that travels to find the best, you will especially love this book.

The Town That Food Saved- Ben Hewitt

Coincidentally, another friend passed along the book The Town That Food Saved by Ben Hewitt. It tells how one community found vitality in local food. In the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont sits the rural town of Hardwick. For generations, dairy farmers made up the life blood of the community. As American milk consumption declined so did the town. Then a new generation of farmers with a new way of thinking took things on. This goes beyond farmer’s markets and includes entrepreneurs, activists and artisans. You may recognize some of the players: High Mowing Organic Seeds, Vermont Soy, Buffalo Mountain Food Co-op, Vermont Soy and Jasper Hill Farm to name a few. This book gives a real life picture of what “going local” really means.