This Common Ground: Seasons on an Organic Farm

by Scott Chaskey

Since 1990, Scott Chaskey has worked as a land steward and farmer for the Peconic Land Trust at Quail Hill Farm in Amagansett, New York, an organic community farm. Over the years, he has recorded his meditations on weather, wildlife, soil, seed, root, plant, and flower, and in This Common Ground, he has organized some of these reflections season by season, through the course of one year on the farm. Chaskey’s observations reflect a doer’s respect for the rhetoric of the fields and a firsthand knowledge of the interdependence of soils, plants, animals, and humans. His contagious sense of wonder and artistic sensibility illustrate why planting and reaping are such an important part of what defines the human community and the human condition.

Like Joan Gussow’s This Organic Life or Verlyn Klinkenborg’s The Rural Life, this inspirational evocation of a life spent working the earth is certain to become a classic of nature writing, as well as appealing to today’s burgeoning organic lifestyle audience.

Genres: Food, Gardening, Nonfiction, Memoir, Agriculture

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[mona]

So there I was, shopping for cough drops and all-fruit popsicles, when I saw the stand of books near the check-out at QFC. What better way to beat the sick-at-home, stuck-on-the-couch blues than by curling up with a new book? And, possessing a new dream of living on a farm someday, I saw fit to make that new book This Common Ground. I'll let you know how it goes...

[Ally Hardebeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous meditation and reflections on farming and life

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you are any kind of green-thumbed person, this is for you. For ME, the serial plant killer, no.

I thought it would be more memoir than gardening guide. He does write quite beautifully, as the book jacket blurb quotes, 'I have learned to cultivate crops and poetic meter.'

My favorite part of the book was the first page of the introduction. Particularly this first bit;
'In a peninsular place the clarity of light is partly what lures the love of land and water. I have gardened and farmed on the Land's End peninsula of Cornwall and on the South Fork of Long Island, where the light, especially in spring and autumn, transforms the landscape. Soil, stem, branch, leaf, and fruit reflect the sea, and the farmer or gardener contemplates beauty and utility in one thought. I have learned to cultivate crops and poetic meter, and I admire the exercise of art, but wild nature is parent to each. Despite consistent schedules and plantings and cultivations, the fields I labor in continually yearn to return to a kind of natural chaos.'

[Hayden Kesterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very pleasant book about the seasons on one of the founding farms of the CSA movement in the US. Was very valuable in connecting me to other thinkers, letting me in on what to expect of the seasons at my own work, and some individual insights about crops and ways to view the work that goes into organic farming. That said, Chaskey's Romantic streak and conflation of his farm in New York and his past in the UK made it a little bit to wide eyed and blustery for me to stay engaged the whole time.

[Lexie Dietz · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow. this was such an amazing read. it felt very familiar as he was talking about the seasons on the farm and the rhythm of daily work on a csa farm. i also felt like i was learning so much about new varieties of plants or farming techniques and just loved his writing style. so poetic and poignant. i hope to come back to this book when i am an even more seasoned farmer and am excited to see how i might read it differently then :)

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeously-written homage to the land, the soil, and the hope of a new reciprocal stewardship of our shared earth. I already plan on re-reading this one.

[Annabelle Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful- inspiring and so magical to read while farming in Amagansett.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The opposite of "Harvest", a really beautiful look at organic farming. The author talks wistfully about his time farming in Cornwall, England, and shares his poetry (and the poetry of others). Embraced the beauty of nature and how everything in our world works together to support each other. Loved learned and reading about his farming experiences. Wonderful descriptions that created a lovely image of his farms in my mind.

[Alexa Hamilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book caught my eye because it was about organic farming, something that I know nothing about but have a desperate desire to do, in a small way, in a container on my back porch. This book was more about being outside in nature, feeding people off the land, planting garlic but since the author is more often a poet, it had quite the poetic feel.

[Hillary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like Chaskey's style. It never surprises me when farmers are also articulate. I wish I fell into the same group.
I even learned a few things about planting garlic. I liked that chapter in particular.

[Odoublegood · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but don't know that everyone would; discusses community-supported agriculture & standards for organic farming; author thinks Green Arrow peas are the sweetest (mentions Lincoln, but not, I think, Wando and Telephone)

[Sim Hanscamp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epic book. I bought two copies.

I love the story and life of this farmer. I liked his poetry and prose too.
Really great to see someone living a good story. The book itself is no masterpiece, but the man's life is simply good.

[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book is like sitting on a grassy hill on a sunny summer day and biting into a freshly picked, organic cucumber.

[Wendy Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, as well as insightful and beautiful. A must read for the gardener/poet types and anyone interested in organic farming and CSAs.

[Jenifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me want to become a farmer. :)

[Deirdre K]

A surprise Christmas gift from Erin---the perfect book to slowly enjoy during this cold winter! Can't wait to start ordering seeds this year.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

a year in the life of an organic farmer,

[Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a lovely book. It combines the love of gardening (on a CSA scale) with poetry and birdwatching. A pleasant way to spend the afternoon.

[Missy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Poeticly gives insight into life on one of the first CSA's.
I want Scott Chaskey to be my mentor:)

[Ecka · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short, sweet and well-crafted work. I feel that it's a great read, especially for anyone interested in local/community agriculture.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very lovely little book. Seems like Mr. Chaskey is a kind and poetic man, and the type of friend the land needs more of.

[Andi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I made it 3/4 through the book and couldn't read anymore. It is well-written, but I was not in the essay mood anymore. Beautiful descriptions of everything I did read, though.

[Misti · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me awhile to read but it really wasn't that hard to get through, I mostly wanted to enjoy it slowly. The author writes so well and describes the seasons beautifully.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you are a person with a poetic mind and like Henry David Thoreau's Walden or Annie Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, you will probably like this book.

I am not that person.

[Dooug · Rating 3 out of 5]

quite the wordsmith, he paints beautiful images and sensations of the moments that bring us to presence on the farm. a nice reflection on a year of a well established CSA.