Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Book shares voices from local food movement

Back to Leopold Letter Fall 2008

The growers, chefs, farmers and others at the forefront of the local foods movement have written essays for a new book, Eating in Place: Telling the Story of Local Foods (2008 Free River Press). Robert Wolf of Decorah conducted writing workshops in Iowa and Wisconsin where some of the essays originated; part of the publication costs were supported by special grants from the Leopold Center and the Bradshaw-Knight Foundation. Former Leopold Center director Dennis Keeney caps the collection with a summary of Midwest agriculture. Other contributors include Winneshiek County farmer Wayne Wangsness and Grinnell College professor Jon Andelson.

Wolf asked contributors to answer the question, "What brought you to your work?" Robert Karp, former executive director of Practical Farmers of Iowa, became passionate about helping develop Community Supported Agriculture out of a deep concern for the preservation of a healthy U.S. agriculture. Restaurateur Barry Bursak established the first organic farmers' market in Chicago so that his clientele could dine on tasty food. For farmer Virginia Goetke, who sells her lamb to local customers, farming sustainably is a way of helping to heal the land.

"The local foods movement brings together many strands of thought about food, the land, health and community," says Wolf. "I do not believe it is a fad because it expresses a deep-seated need to reconnect, not only with the land, but with our bodies and with one another."

The book can be ordered from Free River Press, (563) 382-6077, or on the web, www.freeriverpress.org.

Back to Leopold Letter Fall 2008