A Portuguese immigrant family falls apart when the matriarch's death leaves their dairy-farm legacy up for grabs

In Land of Milk and Money, Alan I Marcus examines the establishment of the dairy industry in the United States South during the 1920s. Looking specifically at the internal history of the Borden Company—the world’s largest dairy firm—as well as small-town efforts to lure industry and manufacturing south, Marcus suggests that the rise of the modern dairy business resulted from debates and redefinitions that occurred in both the northern industrial sector and southern towns. Condensed milk production in Starkville, Mississippi, the location of Borden’s and the South’s first condensery, so exceeded expectations that it emerged as a touchstone for success. Starkville’s vigorous self-promotion acted as a public relations campaign that inspired towns in Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas to entice northern milk concerns looking to relocate. Local officials throughout the South urged farmers, including Black sharecroppers and tenants, to add dairying to their operations to make their locales more attractive to northern interests. Many did so only after small-town commercial elites convinced them of dairying’s potential profitability. Land of Milk and Money focuses on small-town businessmen rather than scientists and the federal government, two groups that pushed for agricultural diversification in the South for nearly four decades with little to no success. As many towns in rural America faced extinction due to migration, northern manufacturers’ creation of regional facilities proved a potent means to boost profits and remain relevant during uncertain economic times. While scholars have long emphasized northern efforts to decentralize production during this period, Marcus’s study examines the ramifications of those efforts for the South through the singular success of the southern dairy business. The presence of local dairying operations afforded small towns a measure of independence and stability, allowing them to diversify their economies and better weather the economic turmoil of the Great Depression.

A Financial Times Book of the Year and international bestseller.

Embark on an extraordinary memoir that chronicles the remarkable odyssey of a man determined to transcend adversity, conquer racial prejudice, and fulfil his dream of becoming a Chartered Engineer. This captivating narrative traces a history that stretches back to the 1840s when his forefathers, descendants of indentured laborers from India, were brought to toil in the sugar cane fields of a British colony after the abolition of slavery. From this rich tapestry of ancestry to the present day in England, the author’s life unfolds as a testament to resilience. Spanning continents and centuries, this memoir offers a poignant glimpse into the life of a young boy growing up on a British island colony in the mid-twentieth century. It vividly contrasts the stark realities of a tropical upbringing with the challenges of adapting to life in a temperate climate, from fog and snow to relentless drizzling rain. The simple act of donning thick clothing becomes a novel experience, as does huddling by a Valor paraffin stove in a quest for warmth and cocooning beneath scratchy wool blankets. As the narrative unfolds, you’ll witness the profound transformation of a penniless immigrant who, against all odds, blossoms into a prosperous family man. His journey is a testament to unwavering determination, resilience, and a remarkable integration into British society, providing an intimate and insightful perspective on the trials and triumphs of one man’s quest for excellence.

The failing economics of the traditional small dairy farm, the rise of the factory mega-farm with its resultant pollution and disease, and the uncertain future of milk

Abbe Turner just wrote the book she wished she could have read before she set out on her farm-based entrepreneurial path 17 years ago. Co-written with her daughter, Madeline, this inspirational collection of stories, insights, and tools is perfect for anyone who loves food - entrepreneurs, eaters, and farmers alike. The Land of Milk & Money spotlights a community of strong women who are here to help.When Abbe established Lucky Penny Farm in Portage County, Ohio back in 2002, she was a young mother, wife and professional fundraiser who was driven by a dream. She wanted to live off the land of her family's century farmstead, raise goats, make cheese, and feed her family from the bounty of the land and the sweat of her brow. That overflow of goodness has since been shared with an ever-widening audience of devotees who, since catching her vision of cultivating a more sustainable food and agricultural system that we all can live with, share in that vision's power. While The Land of Milk and Money revolves around Abbe's story, it is richly complemented by firsthand accounts from female dairy entrepreneurs throughout Ohio who have withstood their own challenges and setbacks, plus their resulting adjustments and victories. The 15 women profiled tell inspiring stories about making ends meet, building business, attending to matters of the home and heart, and finding balance among overlapping demands.

The book is divided into four chapters, and each chapter serves a different purpose. Deals with a different pain. Heals a different heartache. milk and honey takes readers through a journey of the most bitter moments in life and finds sweetness in them because there is sweetness everywhere if you are just willing to look.