"Paul Harvey would be proud of Levi Lyle. He truly embodies what it means to be a steward of the land. He has shown that working with nature can not only improve the environment, but can be financially profitable as well." Dale Hilgenkamp, President, American Aronia Berry Association "With farmers facing climate challenges now more than ever - we need bold leaders and innovative strategies to reshape U.S. food and farm policy. Levi calls us to action to revitalize the American farm and revolutionize the future of farming in the U.S." Rosalyn Lehman, Executive Director, Iowa Organic Association "Levi exposes the fundamental flaws in our system of modern, industrialized agriculture and lays out a regenerative vision for the future of agriculture." Tom Wahl, Red Fern Farm "Levi lights a hopeful path forward..." Christophe Jospe, President, Carbon A List 'This book shows a deep understanding of the land and a well-honed perspective of the many intricacies of life as a farmer." Patrick O'Malley, Ph.D., Native Fruit Association "Levi is not just a philosopher of the history and culture of agriculture; he is an innovative farmer who marries technology with ecology." Francis Thicke, Soil scientist and organic farmer In a state dominated by mono-cropped GMO corn and soybeans and hog factory farms, sixth-generation farmer Levi Lyle offers a new, comprehensive, and holistic, yet practical vision to regenerate rural Iowa-and America-that he thoughtfully and eloquently presents in "So God Made a Farmer: "A Retrospective on The Living Words of Paul Harvey by an Organic Farmer." Levi sees the problems with the current corporate-dominated industrial agriculture methods that are eroding Iowa's rich soils, polluting its waterways, and hollowing out its once vibrant small towns. But Levi's thoughtful message is not one of division but one of hope, aiming to bring people together to revive rural communities. Levi's perspective is solidly grounded on his family farm with its diversified production based on organic and regenerative agriculture practices. Levi Lyle is not only a farmer, but in his prolific writings, such as So God Made a Farmer, he is also an eloquent spokesperson for a new vision of agriculture that is quickly gaining ground in America and around the world. In this way, Levi Lyle may become the Wendell Berry of his generation. Ken Roseboro, editor, The Organic & Non-GMO Report

Farming takes heart, grit, and determination-- traits that go straight to the core of what makes America great. The men and women who dedicate their lives to filling the world's breadbasket embody the very spirit of hard work, sacrifice, and commitment to family that keeps this nation strong. The Farmer in All of Us: An American Portrait celebrates the American farmer like never before, using the poignant words of legendary radio broadcaster Paul Harvey and stunning photographs to delve into the land, lives, and legacy of these inspiring individuals.--

There is a craft to uprising -- and this craft can change the world From protests around climate change and immigrant rights, to Occupy, the Arab Spring, and #BlackLivesMatter, a new generation is unleashing strategic nonviolent action to shape public debate and force political change. When mass movements erupt onto our television screens, the media consistently portrays them as being spontaneous and unpredictable. Yet, in this book, Mark and Paul Engler look at the hidden art behind such outbursts of protest, examining core principles that have been used to spark and guide moments of transformative unrest. With incisive insights from contemporary activists, as well as fresh revelations about the work of groundbreaking figures such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Gene Sharp, and Frances Fox Piven, the Englers show how people with few resources and little conventional influence are engineering the upheavals that are reshaping contemporary politics. Nonviolence is usually seen simply as a philosophy or moral code. This Is an Uprising shows how it can instead be deployed as a method of political conflict, disruption, and escalation. It argues that if we are always taken by surprise by dramatic outbreaks of revolt, we pass up the chance to truly understand how social transformation happens.

From farm-to-table restaurants and farmers markets, to support for fair trade and food sovereignty, movements for food-system change hold the promise for deeper transformations. Yet Americans continue to live the paradox of caring passionately about healthy eating while demanding the convenience of fast food. Rooted Resistance explores this fraught but promising food scene. More than a retelling of the origin story of a democracy born from an intimate connection with the land, this book wagers that socially responsible agrarian mythmaking should be a vital part of a food ethic of resistance if we are to rectify the destructive tendencies in our contemporary food system. Through a careful examination of several case studies, Rooted Resistance traverses the ground of agrarian myth in modern America. The authors investigate key figures and movements in the history of modern agrarianism, including the World War I victory garden efforts, the postwar Country Life movement for the vindication of farmers’ rights, the Southern Agrarian critique of industrialism, and the practical and spiritual prophecy of organic farming put forth by J. I. Rodale. This critical history is then brought up to date with recent examples such as the contested South Central Farm in urban Los Angeles and the spectacular rise and fall of the Chipotle “Food with Integrity” branding campaign. By examining a range of case studies, Singer, Grey, and Motter aim for a deeper critical understanding of the many applications of agrarian myth and reveal why it can help provide a pathway for positive systemic change in the food system.

Whimsical and touching images tell the story of an unexpected friendship and the revelations it inspires in this moving, wordless picture book from two-time Caldecott Honor medalist Marla Frazee. A baby clown is separated from his family when he accidentally bounces off their circus train and lands in a lonely farmer’s vast, empty field. The farmer reluctantly rescues the little clown, and over the course of one day together, the two of them make some surprising discoveries about themselves—and about life! Sweet, funny, and moving, this wordless picture book from a master of the form and the creator of The Boss Baby speaks volumes and will delight story lovers of all ages.

Journey with a family through six months in “the valley of the shadow of death” as an aggressive lung cancer takes a beloved, firstborn son through the worst battle of his life. A Purple Heart recipient from the Afghan war, Scott’s war with cancer will highlight and underline the survival on a distant battlefield only to die on a familiar home front. Share the thoughts and memories of a dad reflecting on the irony of the number forty, and read of his memories of his past that helped him endure one of the greatest tragedies of his life, the death of his son in his fortieth year. Witness the miracles in the midst of the misery as family and friends rally to help this family cope with an incurable disease. Note the sadness that comes when this father’s father passes away at the height of his grandson’s struggle for survival. Hear the glimmer of hope that comes from looking “beyond” to happier and fairer days coming in the blessed place called heaven. See the faith that sustains through insomnia and illness, heartache and heartbreak. Learn the precepts from the Bible that that will not only help one understand the process but understand the purpose of why someone so young passes away. This book is more about departing than dying; more about heaven than earth; and more about acceptance than bitterness.

This book briefly traces how the living systems emerged on the earth, created the biosphere and a cyclic energy regime of nature's economy over the geological time scale. Whereas in a short span of a few centuries, the productive industrial agricultural apparatus has depleted and exhausted the natural resources, compromised the quality of human food and marginalized the dominant human community, the small and marginal farmers. In the concluding chapters ways and means to reconceptualize agriculture to sort out its relationship with nature are highlighted.