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To The Table: A Spirituality of Food, Farming, and the Community
This book offers practical guidance on what it means to eat alone or in community with more intention, compassion, humility, and gratitude.
- GenresFoodNonfictionTheology
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 5, 2016
8 people are currently reading
338 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Graham McMinn
12 books9 followersAs a contemplative Quaker I see my job as loving creation, holding hope, nurturing, laughing, praying, and being attentively grateful. My blog, “Reflections on the Ordinary” captures appreciation for things messy and glorious, ancient and ever-changing, living and dying, and always held in the heart of God.
Alongside writing, my professional journey has included nursing, academia, farming and husbandry, and the offering of spiritual direction. For 20 years I taught sociology to college students, journeying with them as they connected dots from here to there, making sense of the world and their place in it. My Ph.D. gave me access to the ivory towers of academia that continues to inform my writing. When I transitioned out of the classroom, I trained to become a certified Spiritual Director and currently am in a lovely chapter tilted toward spiritual care.
I’m a tender of a small dairy goat herd, dahlias and daffodils, broccoli and beans, and people’s storied lives. In addition to crafting words, I make goat milk soap, and an occasional round of goat milk cheese.
For 44 years I have been married to Mark, and live grateful for our journey together with all its vicissitudes. We live at Fern Creek, a small farm outside of Newberg, Oregon where we preserve what we grown, and so our grandmother’s traditions, and a more simple way of life. For the last 42 I've mothered three extraordinary daughters, and for the last 13 years have had the joy of grandmothering six curious, blossoming souls.
My childhood faith has been deepened and broadened by the contemplative practices of Quakers, earthy Franciscan spirituality, the wisdom of ancient mystics, and most significantly by long walks with God in the woods.
Alongside writing, my professional journey has included nursing, academia, farming and husbandry, and the offering of spiritual direction. For 20 years I taught sociology to college students, journeying with them as they connected dots from here to there, making sense of the world and their place in it. My Ph.D. gave me access to the ivory towers of academia that continues to inform my writing. When I transitioned out of the classroom, I trained to become a certified Spiritual Director and currently am in a lovely chapter tilted toward spiritual care.
I’m a tender of a small dairy goat herd, dahlias and daffodils, broccoli and beans, and people’s storied lives. In addition to crafting words, I make goat milk soap, and an occasional round of goat milk cheese.
For 44 years I have been married to Mark, and live grateful for our journey together with all its vicissitudes. We live at Fern Creek, a small farm outside of Newberg, Oregon where we preserve what we grown, and so our grandmother’s traditions, and a more simple way of life. For the last 42 I've mothered three extraordinary daughters, and for the last 13 years have had the joy of grandmothering six curious, blossoming souls.
My childhood faith has been deepened and broadened by the contemplative practices of Quakers, earthy Franciscan spirituality, the wisdom of ancient mystics, and most significantly by long walks with God in the woods.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 30, 2017
I have typically found issues around food justice to be overwhelming and that, if I learn too much, I’ll feel guilt-tripped into spending money I don’t have on organic food 100% of the time. The author’s challenge is coated in grace and a practical understanding that most of us cannot change everything we eat immediately. She offers ways of making small, but important, changes that don’t break the bank and are not stemming from a heart of guilt but a heart of gratitude and compassion. I felt encouraged on what I already do, challenged to learn more, and prompted to come up with a few things I can work on right now.
April 28, 2025
Time to start a micro farm I guess.
August 21, 2017
Interested in social justice? What about the treatment of animals? Do you know your neighbors?
The author uses the dining table as a means of conversation about learning where food comes from and how it arrives on our tables. Just a few of the topics include: fair trade practices, genetically modified foods and seeds, animal factory farms, wages, and more. That's the basic nonfiction side of the book.
McMinn is also an accomplished cook and offers a few recipes, but more is about preserving food, sharing food, and what it takes to actually produce food whether at the backyard garden level or on a large scale. She and her husband left teaching careers to create a CSA (community supported agriculture) farm.
Her point is that people, animals, and the earth are inextricably connected and we need to make mindful, conscious decisions about how we eat. Threading throughout these topics is her Quaker faith that is not preached, but is clearly present in her message and choices. This book serves as a prod to those who want to be socially responsible. Pleasant to read and thought-provoking.
The author uses the dining table as a means of conversation about learning where food comes from and how it arrives on our tables. Just a few of the topics include: fair trade practices, genetically modified foods and seeds, animal factory farms, wages, and more. That's the basic nonfiction side of the book.
McMinn is also an accomplished cook and offers a few recipes, but more is about preserving food, sharing food, and what it takes to actually produce food whether at the backyard garden level or on a large scale. She and her husband left teaching careers to create a CSA (community supported agriculture) farm.
Her point is that people, animals, and the earth are inextricably connected and we need to make mindful, conscious decisions about how we eat. Threading throughout these topics is her Quaker faith that is not preached, but is clearly present in her message and choices. This book serves as a prod to those who want to be socially responsible. Pleasant to read and thought-provoking.
February 5, 2021
I read this book with highlighter in hand -- it is chock-full of good stuff! I appreciated McMinn's observations on the role that food plays in family life and in our relationships, and the spiritual significance it carries in the Bible. While I wasn't fully convinced by some of her "food ethics" arguments, it did cause me to think and to desire to change some of my own habits. A thoughtful and thought-provoking read!
February 22, 2023
A convicting, yet grace-filled look at the connections between food, farming, and our faith. I especially appreciated the emphasis on small, everyday choices as a means of loving God and our neighbors. The recipes and discussion questions were a great addition as well! 4.5 stars.
June 24, 2017
I found this inspiring, uplifting, and convicting. Highly recommend.
July 3, 2017
A beautifully written book that cherishes the simple ordinary pleasures in life.
September 16, 2019
The beginning was phenomenal, very Wendell Berry-ish. It got a little bogged down toward the end with the Harvesting section.
September 1, 2017
A beautiful reminder of how food and community brings us closer to the Father.
March 24, 2016
A very interesting read. I did agree with many of her conclusions of the importance of quality food, knowing where your food came from and how it was made, the love and care that goes into a meal and how much a family can and even needs to bond over daily meals and practice thankfulness. Jesus Himself did also talk extensively about food and used it to illustrate many things, that he is the bread of life and of all things 1 Corinthians 5 describes when we are not to associate with sexually immoral professing believers, that we are not even to eat with them. Why is eating so important? This book shows how and why. There really is a community aspect of eating. Now, is eating always have to from scratch, meaningful, thoughtful, quality and good for the earth? I think not, sometimes food is just food or God would not give directions to fast to pray or other reasons. Sometimes "learning the true cost of food and then choosing compassion and justice over convenience or thrift" is just not practical. A worthy goal and effort, but also expensive beyond what is time and financially possible. A very intresting look into a life and culture that is profitable for most people to glean from.
August 1, 2017
A lot of useful tips and inspiration to gather around the family table. Looking forward to trying out some of the recipes!
April 6, 2017
I really enjoyed this thoughtful look at eating, food, and stewardship. I'm not sure I completely agree with everything she says (and I would also like to know more about the Canadian context for some of the issues she brings up), but it has certainly made me pause and evaluate many of my own choices and values.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews