Moving Upcountry: A Yankee Way of Knowledge

Up Country #1

by Don Mitchell

The author describes the experiences he and his wife, neophyte farmers, had learning to raise sheep, building their home, and adjusting to rural life

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very very funny book by a newspaperman who moved to rural Vermont to start farming with no experience, depending on the kindness of neighbors and manuals. He subtitles it "A Yankee way of knowledge." Many misadventures, lessons learned. A bit like E.B. White's reporting from Maine One Man's Meat but much funnier and more hands-on about farming. As amusing to me as Perelman's classic about a city slicker going rural Acres and Pains but with much more about farming.

I remember well how Don built himself a windowed sort of crow's next in the sheep barn so he could watch lambing all night long, then got trapped in it until his wife rescued him in the morning. Or his ordering live bees by US Mail and picking up the buzzing box at the post office. Or pouring a foundation for the barn. Every last thing was a learning experience from scratch. As someone who moved from the city to the farm (but was not as venturesome or self-reliant as he) I greatly enjoyed this book. I can't now find my copy, a sore loss. Hope it turns up so I can add a cover image.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when an urban couple chucks their lifestyle and moves to the farthest reaches of rural Vermont? And begins to raise sheep. And grow & cut their own hay. Don Mitchell's tale of the misadventures of himself & his wife in this situation is hilarious. He paints a wonderful, realistic, humorous picture of the learning curve they must overcome. I particularly enjoyed his descriptions of their new neighbors and friends, most of whom are 9th & 10th generation Vermonters and tend to raise their eyebrows at newcomers. This is a very enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to reading Mr. Mitchell's follow up memoir, Living Upcountry.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read for my friends who want to or have recently started out homesteading or hobby farming

[Michelle Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Outdated, but very well told. Three and a half stars.