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One-Woman Farm: My Life Shared with Sheep, Pigs, Chickens, Goats, and a Fine Fiddle
Jenna Woginrich’s inspiring journey from city cubicle to rural homestead has captivated readers of her blog and previous books. Now, in One-Woman Farm, Woginrich shares the joys, sorrows, trials, epiphanies, and blessings she discovers during a year spent farming on her own land, finding deep fulfillment in the practical tasks and timeless rituals of the agricultural life.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 30, 2013
39 people are currently reading
716 people want to read
About the author
Jenna Woginrich
12 books130 followersFormer urbanite, future shepherdess and current farm writer — Jenna Woginrich has big plans. Plans that include living a more self-sufficient life with dogs at her side and wi-fi in the barn. She drives an orange pickup and shares her Vermont cabin and gardens with working sled dogs, a small flock of sheep, a hilarious goat, a flock of gregarious chickens, two awkward geese, wooly angora rabbits, and a hive of bees. She's also the author of Cold Antler Farm, a blog about her life as a beginner homesteader and several books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
January 12, 2014
Naïve, chaotic and yet still holier-than-thou. Nothing to be learned from this memoir other than have a horseshoe up your arse for a large number of people (neighbours, friends, and blog readers (which I used to be)) to help you out with labour, materials, and financial costs (which I did once in what was supposed to be an exchange for new web content) needed to provide even the basic supports for your "One Woman Farm". All these endeavors seem ultimately unsustainable in the long run unless the author pares down her ever-growing collection of creatures and hobbies. I'm through with Cold Antler Farm. I had hoped this book would shed more light on the chaos that is described (sometimes nearly identically) in her website; but no. Sad to have gorgeous illustrations wasted on thin gruel.
February 2, 2017
I don't usually leave a review but after reading some of the other reviews I felt like I should. A lot of them say this book isn't cohesive or doesn't have a story; it's a journal, yes it's going to have some strings of random thoughts. Second, everyone seems to be concerned with the fact that the author is trying to reassure herself and her readers that she made the right choice to live on her farm, again this is her journal, her concerns and her triumphs, so what that she needs to reassure herself in her life- I do too in my life sometimes- she had the guts to put it in print for all of us to see.
I love the life she chose for herself and think it's great that she can also write books and blogs while she's doing it. I think understanding what the book is before you bash it is very important to the validity of your review.
I love the life she chose for herself and think it's great that she can also write books and blogs while she's doing it. I think understanding what the book is before you bash it is very important to the validity of your review.
January 31, 2024
Although I often read the reviews on Goodreads either before or after I read a book, I generally try to stick to my own response to the book in my reviews. However, there were so many negative responses (as well as 5-star over-the-moon responses), I thought I would address a couple of issues other readers found with this book.
First, it is an illustrated journal. It is not meant to have continuity, and it is based on her blog so of course it reads like one. Many memoirs written in the past decade or so have been based on blogs, so get used to it and quit complaining. I'm sixty-four years old and sometimes I think I have adjusted to the computer age better than some people one-third my age.
Second, everyone has a right to interpret things the way they choose, but I didn't find the author's attitude superior or condescending with the single exception of her pride in stating that her farm was primarily based on animal husbandry, not growing crops. She devotes several chapters (each chapter equals one month) to preparing the soil for planting, sowing the seeds, and doing all the things required for vegetable farming. So even though her focus may be animals, she is also a vegetable farmer, whether she is willing to admit it or not.
I enjoyed the book for the most part. I admire Ms. Woginrich for taking on all the back-breaking work required to maintain a farm like hers on her own. There were times when she called for help from her neighbors, but she in turn helped them out when they needed it. As one reviewer pointed out, it is almost impossible to be self-sufficient with a one-woman farm or even a family farm. A second income, whether from book sales or one member of the family having an outside job, is almost always necessary.
But it is still a life that some of us dream about, even when we know it will always be just that - a dream. Ms. Woginrich made her dream come true, and I say more power to her for doing so.
First, it is an illustrated journal. It is not meant to have continuity, and it is based on her blog so of course it reads like one. Many memoirs written in the past decade or so have been based on blogs, so get used to it and quit complaining. I'm sixty-four years old and sometimes I think I have adjusted to the computer age better than some people one-third my age.
Second, everyone has a right to interpret things the way they choose, but I didn't find the author's attitude superior or condescending with the single exception of her pride in stating that her farm was primarily based on animal husbandry, not growing crops. She devotes several chapters (each chapter equals one month) to preparing the soil for planting, sowing the seeds, and doing all the things required for vegetable farming. So even though her focus may be animals, she is also a vegetable farmer, whether she is willing to admit it or not.
I enjoyed the book for the most part. I admire Ms. Woginrich for taking on all the back-breaking work required to maintain a farm like hers on her own. There were times when she called for help from her neighbors, but she in turn helped them out when they needed it. As one reviewer pointed out, it is almost impossible to be self-sufficient with a one-woman farm or even a family farm. A second income, whether from book sales or one member of the family having an outside job, is almost always necessary.
But it is still a life that some of us dream about, even when we know it will always be just that - a dream. Ms. Woginrich made her dream come true, and I say more power to her for doing so.
October 25, 2020
The book that began my incurable longing for a farm of my own.
December 9, 2013
I received this copy from a friend who had gotten it as a review sample from the publisher. She's a city-girl through and through, has no interest in anything farming related, and thinks people who willingly give up central heating to be slightly insane. So, she gave it to me. I'd lived on farms as a kid (not owned by my family, but farmhouses in the middle of working farms that we rented) so I knew a fair amount about some of it from growing up. I'm also very committed to supporting individual farmers as much as possible and I delight in purchasing my poultry, eggs, pork, beef, vegetables, and even wool from independent farms. I'm lucky to know a few farmers and consider them amazing people. But the life they lead is not easy or terribly profitable, but it suits them well emotionally. I've talked to them about their experiences and they've shared the pain of getting young lambs unstuck from horribly muddy field, the pain of losing all of a crop due to some infestation, or sickness, or weather, and the joys of having all of their mama pigs give birth to hearty and healthy pups.
But the one sad thing that reading this book makes clear, is that you can't be a small farmer and support yourself by farming alone. You have to have an alternate source of income in order to get by. Woginrich is a blogger and an author. She makes money from these items which helps to make it possible for her to support her small farm. I suspect the advance on this book made it possible for her to purchase the amazing horse described in this book. This book is a romantic take on small farming as a lifestyle that can provide much joy and peace. And for the author, and many people like her, I don't suspect her intentions are invalid. However, this life isn't an easy one, it is far from profitable, it is dangerous, and often untenable for a long period of time. And she doesn't gloss over those facts, but she doesn't discuss the intricacies that made her set aside her fears and forge ahead with being a One Woman Farm owner. She focuses on dew, apple picking, the joy of splitting lumber for winter fires, the delight of fresh goat's milk (by the way, I was salivating over her description of her first chevré). She goes overboard on the glory while minimizing the discussion of pain. And that may be because it makes for a better read for us city-folk with our force-air heat and our paved roads and mini-marts down the block. Or it may be because she truly chooses to focus more of her energy on the positives, rather than the myriad negatives that make her life harder. I suspect it is the latter. Simply because, I don't think she could live this life and write about it, if she truly weren't looking at her life through farm-colored glasses.
But the one sad thing that reading this book makes clear, is that you can't be a small farmer and support yourself by farming alone. You have to have an alternate source of income in order to get by. Woginrich is a blogger and an author. She makes money from these items which helps to make it possible for her to support her small farm. I suspect the advance on this book made it possible for her to purchase the amazing horse described in this book. This book is a romantic take on small farming as a lifestyle that can provide much joy and peace. And for the author, and many people like her, I don't suspect her intentions are invalid. However, this life isn't an easy one, it is far from profitable, it is dangerous, and often untenable for a long period of time. And she doesn't gloss over those facts, but she doesn't discuss the intricacies that made her set aside her fears and forge ahead with being a One Woman Farm owner. She focuses on dew, apple picking, the joy of splitting lumber for winter fires, the delight of fresh goat's milk (by the way, I was salivating over her description of her first chevré). She goes overboard on the glory while minimizing the discussion of pain. And that may be because it makes for a better read for us city-folk with our force-air heat and our paved roads and mini-marts down the block. Or it may be because she truly chooses to focus more of her energy on the positives, rather than the myriad negatives that make her life harder. I suspect it is the latter. Simply because, I don't think she could live this life and write about it, if she truly weren't looking at her life through farm-colored glasses.
December 20, 2016
The best thing about this book besides the fact it was free; it only took an hour to read. This author offers platitudes and tripe with no plot, yes I know it's a memoir, but still tell a story. This is just a collection of thoughts by someone who thinks a lot of themself. I give it 2 stars only because I finished it, barely.
November 10, 2020
Don't let my read dates fool you into thinking this book inst awesome. I absolutely loved it, and decided that i couldn't just read it in 24 hours like other books i love. this one needed cherished. I needed to be able to pick it up when i was down, so that it could lift me back up with its wholesome content. I'm so sad i finally finished it, but also very thankful that i own my copy and that i picked it up from a free books pile on a whim.
December 3, 2021
Such a detailed and interesting book! I loved the way she designed it to look like a journal with little illustrations in the pages.
November 19, 2014
Once I told B that I wanted a goat to go along with my non-existant-as-of-yet but totally-going-to-happen-someday chickens, he told me I shouldn’t be allowed to read books like this anymore. Then G asked me if I also wanted a bear that could eat us all & it got a little out of hand. This is a lovely book & it might make you want a goat too, but it also feels a little random. Rather than a lot of little articles, I think I would have preferred a something more cohesive. The illustrations are wonderful.
January 2, 2017
A beautiful, evocative diary of life on a small farm and the passage of time through seasons and life cycles rather than calendar pages. Definitely a stone in solidifying my own sense of call to this life (someday).
November 18, 2015
I would not take advice from Jenna Woginrich. If she spent half as much time on her farm as she does blogging and on facebook, she and her animals might have an easier life.
October 18, 2021
Not a how-to manual or treatise on subsistence farming, this book is instead a meditation on life closely connected to nature, both plants and animals. Beginning and ending in October, I find it lovely to cozy up with for several fall evenings. Being a former farm girl myself I'm well aware of all the work that isn't discussed, including the writing and teaching which pay her bills. But that doesn't matter to me when I'm enjoying the cozy wood fire on a frigid morning or jumping into the river after a sweaty August day's work. This book reminds me of the writing of Gladys Tabor, and that's more than enough pleasure for now. Plus, I love the cover. :)
January 14, 2026
so…i picked this up because i wanted to learn more about farms, and this looked like an easy way to dip my toe in. and this book did deliver on that point. however, i would probably give this 2.5 stars. i found there wasn’t much purpose explained for her reasoning to be a farmer outside of wanting to leave her 9-5 office job. i also found her frequent references to spirituality lacking…her outlook on life seemed quite bleak, at least based on her writing, even though she wanted to over spiritualize her farming without giving any glory to the Creator.
December 20, 2021
Inspiring! If l were younger, l would attempt a small farm myself. This book resonated with me on a deep level. Anyone who enjoys animals and gardening will love it.
January 28, 2017
Woginrich understands my soul.
December 4, 2019
As a lifelong city dweller, I have tremendous admiration for agriculturalists of all stripes who risk everything each spring, hoping for a bountiful harvest in the fall. This book is the saga of a One Woman Farm who works her six acres with a giant truckload of responsibilities and a productive menagerie of farm creatures: pigs, chickens, goats, honey bees, patrolling geese, wooly sheep and a horse or two. Ms. Woginrich has honed her writing skills to a fine point and proved herself an enterprising, talented author. The book is fun to read and a feast for the eyes, given the wonderful illustrations and attractive colors on every page. My only quibble is her reluctance to recognize the One who makes everything in her charge grow and ripen: the loving and benevolent God of traditional Christianity. She's really missing the point of the entire miracle of farming.
September 29, 2025
One Woman Farm by Jenny Woginrich:
Summary:
The book is narrative fiction? written in the form of short, dated entries; a diary, a journal, an account, etc. It’s written from the author’s, Jenna’s, perspective. The book takes place in Vermont and describes the day in the life of Jenna’s farm, Cold Antler Farm, run single-handedly by herself. The book’s tone changes as Jenna faces the challenges, routines, and exultations of running her farm. Repeated characters include the working dog, a herd of sheep, pigs, milking goats, a violin, neighbors and other farmers, and later a draft horse. Themes include the reciprocal relationship between mankind and the weather/earth, mental fortitude, the reciprocal caretaking relationship between the author and animals. Jenna is often humble, vulnerable, humorous, and reverent. It reads like an unexpected love story.
Personal take:
The writing was easy to read and understand. I throughly enjoyed the experience and didn’t want to put it down. The pictures made it that much more enjoyable. I picked this up because of a reading challenge and it’s been on a physical shelf for years. It brings feelings of nostalgia and reflection to a time in my life when I farmed. I was easily influenced by the Jenna’s perspective! I was on Zillow looking for farms for two weeks afterwards. Inspiring, uplifting work.
I like how Jenna chooses to see her life. She is in love with it and chooses it everyday and recognizes that it’s not for the faint of heart. I especially liked that she starts her calendar year in October. We share similar feelings about this- what you celebrate and the rituals that govern your life are of your choosing. Her longing for her horse and the journey to find him was so touching, dreams do come true! The writer really puts herself out there. Her vulnerability was just that, vulnerable. I felt like I could connect to her and the other characters that became so dear to me by the end and still. I’m left wanting to read more of her writing, but not want to ruin the feeling in case I get disappointed. Ah well.
Summary:
The book is narrative fiction? written in the form of short, dated entries; a diary, a journal, an account, etc. It’s written from the author’s, Jenna’s, perspective. The book takes place in Vermont and describes the day in the life of Jenna’s farm, Cold Antler Farm, run single-handedly by herself. The book’s tone changes as Jenna faces the challenges, routines, and exultations of running her farm. Repeated characters include the working dog, a herd of sheep, pigs, milking goats, a violin, neighbors and other farmers, and later a draft horse. Themes include the reciprocal relationship between mankind and the weather/earth, mental fortitude, the reciprocal caretaking relationship between the author and animals. Jenna is often humble, vulnerable, humorous, and reverent. It reads like an unexpected love story.
Personal take:
The writing was easy to read and understand. I throughly enjoyed the experience and didn’t want to put it down. The pictures made it that much more enjoyable. I picked this up because of a reading challenge and it’s been on a physical shelf for years. It brings feelings of nostalgia and reflection to a time in my life when I farmed. I was easily influenced by the Jenna’s perspective! I was on Zillow looking for farms for two weeks afterwards. Inspiring, uplifting work.
I like how Jenna chooses to see her life. She is in love with it and chooses it everyday and recognizes that it’s not for the faint of heart. I especially liked that she starts her calendar year in October. We share similar feelings about this- what you celebrate and the rituals that govern your life are of your choosing. Her longing for her horse and the journey to find him was so touching, dreams do come true! The writer really puts herself out there. Her vulnerability was just that, vulnerable. I felt like I could connect to her and the other characters that became so dear to me by the end and still. I’m left wanting to read more of her writing, but not want to ruin the feeling in case I get disappointed. Ah well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2022
Rather than a reading resolution, I have chosen this book as a personal resolution for me. I live on eight acres which we have never really used to its full potential. This year I am determined that I will grow as much as possible. Hubby isn't really interested, so I have not pursued it to date. This is the year!
I have read other books written by Jenna Woginrich and she is an inspiration to me as she went after what she wanted alone. She didn't let anyone tell her that a woman on her own cannot run a farm (although plenty of people tried to!) and she is living her life on her own terms.
Plus I share many of her ideas on life.
"I strongly believe that loving this lifestyle is the only way to be successful. And by successful, I mean living a life that makes you happy, surrounds you with good meals, and builds community and a sense of place. If you are truly in love with the idea of producing your own food and caring for your own livestock, then it will happen because it simply must. You won't be content until then: you'll give up what you have to give up. You'll take the leaps and risks that you need to take, and you'll sweat and work until you can't see straight or feel your hands through the calluses.
You'll do it because it sustains you. You'll do it because the lack of it will eat you up."
Hopefully I can be that determined!
The book itself is lovely. It is set up as a diary of the first year at Jenna's farm. It has lovely sketches throughout. Jenna mentions that she has been accused on romanticising her life on the farm but she says that she isn't at all; she really loves it that much and this love makes up for any negative aspects. Her joy in her life definitely comes through.
I have read other books written by Jenna Woginrich and she is an inspiration to me as she went after what she wanted alone. She didn't let anyone tell her that a woman on her own cannot run a farm (although plenty of people tried to!) and she is living her life on her own terms.
Plus I share many of her ideas on life.
"I strongly believe that loving this lifestyle is the only way to be successful. And by successful, I mean living a life that makes you happy, surrounds you with good meals, and builds community and a sense of place. If you are truly in love with the idea of producing your own food and caring for your own livestock, then it will happen because it simply must. You won't be content until then: you'll give up what you have to give up. You'll take the leaps and risks that you need to take, and you'll sweat and work until you can't see straight or feel your hands through the calluses.
You'll do it because it sustains you. You'll do it because the lack of it will eat you up."
Hopefully I can be that determined!
The book itself is lovely. It is set up as a diary of the first year at Jenna's farm. It has lovely sketches throughout. Jenna mentions that she has been accused on romanticising her life on the farm but she says that she isn't at all; she really loves it that much and this love makes up for any negative aspects. Her joy in her life definitely comes through.
January 1, 2025
Memoir. I had never heard of this author or this blog but was attracted to the title. As someone with steer, dairy cow, hay, and vegetable farming in my roots I have started to explore this lifestyle a little more. I grow vegetables and have poultry for eggs, and those two endeavors have already brought me closer to the seasonal changes. I haven't ventured into bread or cheese but have made applesauce and jam, and hope to can more produce this year.
So anyway, I picked up this book. While reading Old-Fashioned on Purpose: Cultivating a Slower, More Joyful Life connected a lot with me, this one didn't. Even though she had neighbors and friends, it just seemed lonely. While I would love to have more land and more animals to care for on it, I also want to be part of a community and have my family with me. This did make me think that of all the mammals, having a milk goat would be cool. It just seemed a bit like she literally typed out her diary rather than trying to write something intentionally for readers.
So anyway, I picked up this book. While reading Old-Fashioned on Purpose: Cultivating a Slower, More Joyful Life connected a lot with me, this one didn't. Even though she had neighbors and friends, it just seemed lonely. While I would love to have more land and more animals to care for on it, I also want to be part of a community and have my family with me. This did make me think that of all the mammals, having a milk goat would be cool. It just seemed a bit like she literally typed out her diary rather than trying to write something intentionally for readers.
March 31, 2018
On the one hand, I recognize that this is more journal than memoir. On the other, I think that quality journals are more memoir-esque than this book is. The snippets of her life (and I would call them snippets) are interesting, and I enjoyed them. It was not a fun book to read cover to cover though because the narrative thread was so implicit. For me, I wanted the narrative thread to be present, and I had expected more of the narrative reflection detailing the realities of her life on the homestead rather than a snippet here about an obscure farming holiday and a snippet there about playing the fiddle with friends. Although I'm glad I read it and would likely read another book by the author, it's not a book I would heartily recommend as a homesteading memoir.
July 18, 2018
Years ago I read Woginrich's book "Made From Scratch" and commented to my husband, "She's just like me. Now I'm going to have to kill her." (Just kidding.) Jenna Woginrich is actually not just like me, because she has way more chutzpah. I really enjoyed reading "One Woman Farm", a collection of seasonal musings encompassed in a year at her Cold Antler Farm. Her satisfaction at providing for herself really resonates; I experience a small taste of that satisfaction when I gather the eggs from my tiny urban chicken *flock*. (Can 3 chickens be considered a flock?) I loved the beautiful sketches of her livestock, and the snippets of English folk songs celebrating the agrarian lifestyle. Now I want a goat.
July 2, 2022
A wonderfully poetic and beautiful look into hard farmwork through the seasons.
This was my quickest read of the year so far, not only due to it's beautiful nature but also its design. I appreciate the homemade scrapbook feel to this book and now I want more books to be printed on green deckled paper.
I picked this book up because I too have lofty dreams of owning a home with enough room for large garden, some chickens, and maybe even a goat. I've always felt a strong connection to nature and currently living in the city sometimes makes me forget to live slower and in response to the seasons more.
I definitely plan on reading more books by Woginrich.
This was my quickest read of the year so far, not only due to it's beautiful nature but also its design. I appreciate the homemade scrapbook feel to this book and now I want more books to be printed on green deckled paper.
I picked this book up because I too have lofty dreams of owning a home with enough room for large garden, some chickens, and maybe even a goat. I've always felt a strong connection to nature and currently living in the city sometimes makes me forget to live slower and in response to the seasons more.
I definitely plan on reading more books by Woginrich.
December 21, 2024
This seasonal look at the activities on the One-Woman Farm with Jenna Woginrich was a beautiful calming story that shows that this brave, dedicated woman truly loves what she does. She loves her life. As of this writing, she does takes care of her home, animals and farm with only the help of her friends, neighbors and community. They help one another as needed.
I'm not sure if she illustrated this book herself, but I know she's also a very talented artist. It seems like if Jenna wants to do something, she learns it, exception is carpentry.
It's a very calming, inspirational, well written book.
I'm not sure if she illustrated this book herself, but I know she's also a very talented artist. It seems like if Jenna wants to do something, she learns it, exception is carpentry.
It's a very calming, inspirational, well written book.
March 18, 2020
There's nothing like a good homesteading or farming book to get your brain through the end of winter. This book is uplifting with a very positive message from the author throughout her year on her homestead. It is a good book for some vicarious living, especially if you want to clear your mind of the routines of modern life. I especially liked and connected with the message regarding now days of importance. I find myself doing this with certain days in my life too, so appreciate her openness about this idea.
November 28, 2021
A quick enjoyable read. The author tends towards the spiritual approach to farming, which I don't mind, but I wish there had been more of the practical. She gives a couple of sentences to how hard the work is, how many frustrations there are, and her anxiety about paying bills and being able to do the work, but she doesn't demonstrate any of these anywhere else in the book. I am interested in also making my life on a one-woman farm in the Northeastern US and I was hoping for a little more help and a little less rosy dream.
June 4, 2017
Very quick read, as each page has about a paragraph on it. I'm not positive, but I'm guessing she just took a year's worth of blog posts and made it a book. If you want a very brief descriptionof farming, this is it. If you want anything more in depth than the happy, fairy tale view of farming, look elsewhere.
January 18, 2018
Jenna does a wonderful job of painting a lovely picture of her farm. I felt almost as if I was on Cold Antler Farm...I thoroughly enjoyed the description of her daily tasks and rhythms. Admittedly she does make it seem more romantic than it probably is BUT you can tell that she absolutely loves her life and enjoys sharing it with others.
April 29, 2018
As someone who dreams of having a small farm but knowing it will never happen, I enjoyed reading this journal. I loved the illustrations and how it was put together and I enjoyed her musings. The creativity of the pages really drew me in. Read other negative reviews and don’t really understand the hostility. But to each their own! I liked it well enough.
May 21, 2023
It’s a lovely little book, with a caveat. Somewhere in the book she says (more or less), “People tell me I write too romantically about my farm,” and I have to agree. Yes, she mentions hard work and little money, but it’s still all rosy. I’m sad to learn via the internet that she is now (2023) really struggling, and may lose the farm.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2024
This book was fine. It was mostly rambling. There were a few solid stories but mostly it was just random thoughts she had about that particular season. I didn't learn much, and I don't feel like I experienced her life, either. But I love farming and gardening books, so even though it wasn't the best, it was still mildly pleasant to read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews