To Eat: A Country Life

by Joe Eck, Wayne Winterrowd, Bobbi Angell (Illustrator)

A memorable book about the path food travels from garden to table

For years, Joe Eck and Wayne Winterrowd lived and worked together, tending to North Hill, their spectacular garden in southern Vermont, which each year draws visitors from around the world who delight in exploring its seven carefully cultivated acres; and collaborating on books that centered on their passions for plants and animals, and for the soil that nourishes them both. To Eat was, unfortunately, fated to be their last collaboration: They were at work on this book when Winterrowd passed away in 2010. 
     To Eat is a celebration of their life together, a tribute to the garden they both loved and to the man who spent his life reveling in the fruits—literal and metaphorical—of his labor. As Eck and Winterrowd move through the seasons, considering the edible plants and vegetables appropriate to each, what shines through above all is their connection to the land and to each other. This is a celebration of life and the life cycle, of eating seasonally, of cultivating a meal from the ground up. It’s about abundance and also scarcity; about living in harmony with the world and accepting its offerings.
     Informative, funny, and, above all, tenderly moving, To Eat is a fitting capstone to a profound partnership.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Lifestyle, Food, Memoir, Cooking

208 pages, Hardcover

First published June 11, 2013

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful celebration of life, the seasons, and the bounty of a garden. I knew nothing about this book or its authors when I was attracted by the cover and picked it up at a thrift store. Eck and Winterrowd were the proprietors of North Hill, a 28-acre property in Vermont, where they made their home for 40 years. Their lectures and writings embody the farm to table movement. During the writing of this book that was preceded by other acclaimed publications, Wayne Winterrowd passed away. Joe Eck contributed a very moving afterword.

The illustrations by Bobbi Angell are beautiful and the accompanying recipes by Beatrice Tosti di Valminuta are mouth-watering. This book was a great discovery and one that I will savor.

I recently read that the North Hill property sold earlier this year. A season ends.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I skimmed parts (like what fertilizer ratio you need for XYZ veg) this is a delight. Gentlemen farmers in Vermont extolling the virtues of various vegetables and bottle feeding your own veal calf. I mean! Indulgent and almost borderline ironic phrases like "radishes with butter is one of the great pleasures of rural life" and others too many to count. Will make you alternately want a huge vegetable garden and be way to intimidated to even put a tomato plant on your fire escape ;). These men live(d) well and god bless 'em.

Fun little discovery thanks to ELee

[Erinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Not that the writing is so excellent that I was compelled to read further, but rather the passion for the subject is a subject that I love. The gardening, the cooking, the passion for southern Vermont - they are all loves of mine and the authors' love of these things come through in the book in a manner that invites me to enjoy it. I am looking forward to buying some seeds of the varieties recommended in the book. I am looking forward to the recipes. I've tried three of them already and they are wonderful. My book is lightly soiled with drippings from the beets I roasted while perusing the book. My soup pot is filled with delicious Passato di Verdure ready to bring to a friends home to share. I am very pleased with this book and will look for others by the authors.

[Lanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are not a gardener or a cook who appreciates fresh produce, this is probably not the book for you. I myself have added several varieties to my 'to grow' list based on recommendations in this book.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful read by passionate gardeners. Love the essay format and really inspired me with my garden. I enjoy that not only are there tips woven in, but some recipes that highlight that item. If gardening is something you enjoy doing I highly recommend reading this book.

[Kenny Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lot of useful information and good recipes, but I admit had a bit of trouble getting through it. Even as a gardener and foodie, it was a little slow for me--although I remain jealous of Joe and Wayne's farm and lifestyle!

[Jim Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is broken up into flora / fauna specific chapters: "Lettuce," "Chickens", etc. Each chapter gives a broad description how to raise and how to cook with a few specific recipes but typically just a general description of approximately how to prepare. Written with a whimsical and nostalgic tone, the author uses anecdotes from his life with his long time partner and living in various places including Boston, the Berkshires, Copenhagen and finally their farm in Vermont. I enjoyed reading for both the practical information and the more philosophical ideals of gardening and rural living.

[Anne Rouillard · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are two types of gardening books: "how-too guides" and "memoirs/journals" of gardening. I enjoyed this memoir about the relationship these two men have with the food they grow on their small farm. This book is intimate and real and the author's explanation of how they treat the plants as they grow, and how they treat vegetables for storage is very dear. The food is treated like a guest in their home. It is pampered and taken care of. In reading this memoir/gardening guide, you learn how to create your own relationships with food you grow/harvest in new and meaningful ways.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

"To Eat" is co-authored and the last title to be published by both authors (Winterrowd passed away in 2010). The chapters are presented in plant or animal categories and offer up advice, anecdotes or history on the topic at hand. There is a noticeable difference in the narrative toward the end of the book, presumably when Eck had to complete the book without his partner, but even though the stories are more concise, they are still informative.

Read my full review on my blog, at

http://frauzinnie.blogspot.com/2014/0...

:)

[Mysteryfan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book refuses to be categorized. The authors had decades of experience in working the land and they distill it down into the purest essence. Each chapter is only a few pages long and covers a single vegetable. There's information about how to grow and cook it, but also how it fit into the farm, the seasons, and their lives. There are no tricks anywhere and I suspect their recipes and farm are much the same. It's an education in plain simple good language. Bobbi Angell's ullustrations added greatly to my enjoyment of the book. Simple and beautiful.

[Loraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gardening is in their bones. So is teaching. And writing. They've written a series of essays about beets, garlic, cucumbers, etc--and the reader learns something of gardening, or of storing vegetables for the winter, or of the writers themselves. Enjoyable, but a certain glibness occasionally entered into the writing style that this reader found off-putting. (I've thought the same of Alice Waters in earlier readings and since changed my mind, so . . .)

[Bebe (Sarah) Brechner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, thoughtful rumination on 30 years of developing a world class garden and life in Vermont by two gentlemen. This is a bittersweet recollection because of the unexpected demise of one of the partners. Highly recommended for those who love to garden, eat in season, and live a gentle, natural life. Or would like to do so. This is an inspiring book.

[Marjorie Elwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the tradition of Thalassa Cruso, Joe Eck and Wayne Winterrowd give opinionated gardening advice (as well as the occasional recipe). Each chapter details a difference plant or animal; there is advice both on raising them as well as their favorite varieties. Winterrowd died in 2010 and Eck's homage to his partner is heart-felt.

[Kristal Stidham · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful love affair between two men and the food they grow on their land for their lifestyle of living and eating seasonally. It includes stories of how they came to appreciate each plant, specific varieties they prefer, how to grow them and some cherished recipes.

I usually share my books when I'm done, but this one's a keeper because I plan to refer back to it often.

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

An elegy, with vegetables.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

learned alot

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read on various plants of the garden. A little history, recipes, and good stories.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read-- It's a gardening/life on the farm book. Enjoyable, but nothing unique.