Son of a Farmer, Child of the Earth

by Eric Herm

This book examines commercial agriculture's strain on our natural resources, ecosystems, and the farmer. As a fourth-generation farmer, Eric Herm deals with the harsh economic realities and complicated legislation facing farmers, as well as the undeniable health impact of GMO crops and excessive chemicals. The book provides resources of natural, healthy alternatives that will inspire the farmers' transformation from corporate-motivated producers back to the flesh and bone guardian angels of the Earth.

248 pages, Paperback

First published October 16, 2010

Reviews

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the author's list of "things we must do as farmers" sums up his points fairly well:

1. Boycott Monsanto and GMO crops!
2. Save our seed.
3. Rotate our crops.
4. Remove all funds from Wall Street and large banks.
5. Refuse to do business with any monopolistic businesses.
6. Strive for self-sufficiency in everything.
7. Get smaller.
8. Get in tune with Mother Nature.
9. Stop looking to chemicals as the solution to all our problems.
10. Help one another. p. 191

The best parts of this book were when the author described his attempt to improve yields on his farm and stop using pesticides and commercial fertilizer. I also appreciated his comparisons (labor, price, etc.) of his style of farming versus what has become conventional; and I appreciated his explanations of how we can all grow our own food.

I would have enjoyed more depth in these categories, but instead the author combined these useful discussions and analysis with commentary on topics it was clear he is not very knowledgeable in, such as economics and science. I also take issues with the author's conclusions, since it seems he wants us to move backward. While we have made many mistakes in the past few centuries, we have also made many improvements (health and growth, in particular), and it seems he wants to neglect these improvements (although he does accept some technological improvements in farming) to improve in other ways.

Some elements of this book were kind of kooky, but if you can look past those, there are certainly worthwhile parts as well.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must begin by stating that I was extremely excited to read this book. I actually purchased it rather than waiting for it to show up at the library (a high mark of approval on my part). Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. I did like it. I agreed with most of what Herm was saying about GMOs threatening food security, healthy soil being the basis of a healthy food system, government regulations favoring large agricultural farms and pesticides and herbicides and oil consumption being the road to destruction. I think what I was most frustrated with was the style. The book is organized into seven chapters that each focus on a particular topics (GMOs, energy, government regulation) but within those chapters there is little organization or structure. The author jumps from subtopic to subtopic within the space of of a paragraph or two. I am familiar with most of what he is discussing which may be the only reason why I was able to follow some of tangential observations and random statements of fact. If you aren't already familiar with some at least some of the agricultural issues he is discussing you may find yourself lost at various times. I also found that his supporting references were a bit scattered. Sometimes he would include charts (with references) to support a point or state where his ideas were coming from, but there was quite a bit of glancing references to other materials that were never cited or supported. Again, I know where he is coming from so I didn't see much that I haven't seen elsewhere, but readers approaching this book with a skeptic's eye you could find quite a few holes to pick at. My final concern with the book that it is part statistical and scientific analysis of American agriculture and part New Age spiritualism that was hard to reconcile. I do think it is possible to have a philosophy about agriculture that encompasses the two, but I don't think this book did it very well. It was like a conversation between an intellectual agriculturalist and a hippie home gardener in one book. Both can make good points and have valid perspectives, but are they really coming to an understanding of each other or simply circling each other while spouting hot air?

[Carol Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book. Would be hard to live where everyone else sprays and you don't. WAIT: that's how I LIVE! Their drift kills my peppers some years.