The bookish farmer

I am a writer and writers love to write... until they're in the throes of a writer's block so gruesome that the act of crafting (or simply stringing together) a lyrical (or just plain cohesive) sentence is akin to weeding a half-acre field of mature crabgrass with a dull fork while blindfolded -- slow, demoralizing and incredibly tedious.

So while struggling with my own words, I've been delighting in the narratives of others -- thanks to publishing house Thomas Allen & Son Ltd. that has offered me the opportunity to review titles from their various catalogues.

I love reviewing farm, gardening and food-related books -- not only does it help kickstart my own creativity, but I get to learn about subjects held close to my heart. And sometimes the "what not to do" is as cherished as the "how-tos"; at the very least it helps me feel less of a tool as I regale our own blunders and boondoggles!

First up will be "Maple Syrup: From Sap to Syrup -- The History, Lore, and How-to Behind this Sweet Treat" by Tim Herd.


It's a beautiful book and I'm looking forward to sharing its story. Stay tuned!

And rest assured, I haven't given up on writing about our own madcap homesteading adventure. While the last few months have been silly busy with off-farm work (well, I guess when I work at home I'm not technically off-farm, but I've been spending way more time on the computer than on the land), I'm (still) trying to create a better balance between paid work and soul work. That's another story that I look forward to sharing with you.