With considerable understatement, Kimball reckons “a farm will give you grit and perseverance”. Their achievement at Essex Farm is heroic, and this book is a vivid and inspiring account of alternative agriculture, filled with a visceral feeling for the earth and a love of seasonal, organic food. But Kimball doesn’t gloss over the back-breaking labour and heartache that is needed to turn sunlight into delicious natural produce, without ruining the earth for future generations. This is a remarkable celebration of the “alchemical combination of sun, earth, and physical effort” that is at the heart of truly sustainable farming.
