Farmer Jane: Women Changing the Way We Eat
by Temra Costa
Review by Cathe Olson
Women increasingly own their own farms and businesses, are active in their communities and government—and as shown in the book Farmer Jane—are strong advocates for sustainable food. This inspiring book profiles female farmers, chefs, activists, and educators working to change the way we eat and farm.
The series of profiles are divided into six chapters. The profiles read somewhat like newspaper articles rather than stories so the reader doesn’t really feel all that connected to the women, but the information is helpful and hopeful nonetheless. This is a great resource for those wanting to find our more about local and sustainable agriculture—and to learn how to support it.
The first chapter of Farmer Jane focuses on farmers. While most of the women are part of husband/wife farming teams, the focus of each article is on the woman—mainly how she got into sustainable farming and what the farm does to promote relationships between the farmer and the “eater. “(Costa doesn’t like the word consumer—she feels it is too impersonal a relationship.) Various models of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) are described where community members take shares in the farm and in turn receive fresh, seasonal products. This would be helpful to a farmer or community exploring the possibility of getting a CSA started.
The section on “advocates for social change” profiles authors, lawyers, filmmakers, and directors of national organizations, like Marian Kalb, co-director of the National Farm to School Network. This organization works to connect farmers to schools to provide fresh, local food to children and provide increased markets for farmers. The reader will come away with books and films that will give them more information on food-related topics like genetic engineering, global warming, and the problems with industrial food—as well as organizations worth supporting.
The most mouthwatering chapter is Chapter Three, which profiles restaurants around the United States using local and seasonal food. The chapter begins with one of the leaders of the local food movement, Deborah Madison. She started over thirty years ago by opening Greens Restaurant in San Francisco and went on to share her philosophy through her cookbook, Local Flavors. Each profile details a different model with everything from Community Supported Kitchens (similar to a CSA but with prepared food) to casual and gourmet dining to Native American food with a modern twist.
The section on networking is similar to the advocates chapter, but these women have taken their advocacy even further to create networks or organizations to support other women, such as the Women, Food and Agriculture Network that supports and unites women involved in sustainable agriculture. The story of Mily Trevino-Sauceda, founder of Organizacion De Lideres Campesinas—a support network for female farm workers in California—is particularly heart-rending as it tells of her experiences growing up in a migrant farm-working family and the hardships women suffer as laborers.
Farming is challenging enough in the country where there is plenty of space and soil, but Chapter Five shows how innovative women can be as it features urban farm women. The book says that 80% of American’s live in cities so the work being done to reconnect people to the source of their food is challenging, to say the least. The book concludes with a short section on “the next generation of sustainable farmers.” While we so often hear about the problems of attracting younger people to become farmers, this chapter relates the passion and fire of up and coming farmers.
Each section ends with “recipes for action” giving the eater, farmer, and food business specific suggestions for getting involved in the local, sustainable food movement. The book also includes resources for organizations, websites, and books to help the reader find more information.
Cathe Olson is the author of Lick It! Cream Dreamy Vegan Ice Cream Your Mouth Will Love, as well as Simply Natural Baby Food and The Vegetarian Mother’s Cookbook. Visit Cathe's Web site at www.simplynaturalbooks.com and her blog at http://catheolson.blogspot.com.
