wellness and short-term satisfaction, starves us of our long-term health.”
For readers already conscious of where their food comes from, this book confirms what they already believed. But Hewitt also presents an argument for eat- ing local and offers new information on “food corpo- ratism” that I found surprising, including the fact that there are four times as many prisoners in the United States as farmers. Overall I found this book an inter- esting overview of the American food industry and our inherent risks as consumers—one that will most certainly prompt more research and discussion. —Pat Kennelly
The Heirloom Life Gardener By Jere and Emilee Gettle. (Hyperion, 2011)
In The Heirloom Life Gardener Jere Gettle, the own- er and founder of the highly celebrated heirloom seed com-
pany Baker Creek Seeds, takes you on a journey from his boyhood passion of saving seeds to immersion in heirloom vegetables and the preservation and dispersal of these seeds as an adult. Steeped in historical referenc- es and facts, this book helps readers begin to appreciate the importance of preserving our heritage plants. Being a life-long gardener myself, I was wondering what this book had to offer. I am thoroughly delighted to say that this easy read was both inspirational and timely. We have been at a crossroads for quite some time. Will we join the challenge of preserving and perpetuating heirloom plants or just let them perish? If Jere and Emilee have anything to say about it we are in good hands.
They make the gardening world easily accessible to all through commonsense suggestions and tips. The specific seed-saving techniques in the last chapter: “A to Z Growing Guide” is the crowning touch. A diverse garden of Gettle’s favorite heirloom vegetables varieties are described, along with their cultivation requirements, cooking suggestions, and of course, their requirements in saving seed.
This book will definitely find a prominent spot in my garden library. —Larry Stebbins
Growthbusters: Hooked on Growth
Directed By Dave Gardner (Citizen-Powered Media, 2011)
We’ve lived with it all our lives: The Holy Religion of Growth. Growth is Good. No Growth = Death. We want to grow our cities, our businesses, our lives (this be- ing closely related to a twin affliction, Bigger is Better, relating to bigger cars, houses, TVs, breasts, etc.) It’s understandable that the mythology has a firm grip on our psyche. Prosperity and growth have existed simultaneously for so long they’ve become (falsely) fused. And this idea actually worked fine when the planet was “empty.” Now that we’re “full” and getting more depleted by the hour it’s a different story. We’re finally seeing the light: Infinite growth in a finite space is just not possible. Furthermore, growth is now a negative force on our prosperity—loss of resources, spe- cies extinction, climate change and overpopulation are serious financial drains.
Through leading thinkers (scientists, sociolo- gists, economists) and a winning sense of humor, Dave Gardener’s film Growthbusters (a play on Ghostbusters) separates fact from superstitition in a highly palatable way. It explores how our cultural beliefs are the true culprits, and reveals just who perpetuates the “Growth is God” mythology (hint—those who can afford to pur- chase their own self-serving brand of “truth”). GrowthBusters finally asks the most critical question of our time: How do we become a sustainable civilization? The answer is recognizing that our current levels of consumption and population growth are the problem, and taking control. Just as we see in McKibben’s book Eaarth, while things seem tough, it’s also a time for opportu- nity; an opportunity to jump off the consumer hamster wheel and claim more self-sufficiency, more time for our friends and family, and a greater connection to our communities: the truest trappings of prosperity. --Sandra Knauf
Winter/Spring 2012
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