The Freckled Farm Soap Company

Category: Books

  • The Freckled Farm’s First Friday Book Club – The Dirty Life

    Better late than never I guess!! As many of you know the last few weeks have been a little crazy on The Freckled Farm. Between the babies being born, everyday farm chores, shows, farmer markets, the photography business, and raising two little ones of our own, our heads are spinning… and I’m not sure it’s going to slow down anytime soon (nor do I want it too). I’m now playing catch up and just getting around to writing this months book club post. I will also get back on track with our “What’s up Wednesday” post this week as well.

    Our April First Friday Book Club book is The Dirty Life: A memoir of Farming, Food, and Love by Kristin Kimball!

    The Dirty Life

    The Dirty Life is another one of those stories where a city girl drops everything to move to a farm and live off of the land. In this particular book Kristin comes to this life change after meeting her future husband, Mark, when she was sent to interview him about his farm and CSA. They quickly fall in love and begin a journey to live off the land and leave the smallest footprint possible. The book is honestly written, covering the hardships as well as the triumphs. It shows the affects of this transition on their relationship and mental state. It’s not an easy road, but one that is most definitely worth taking. It’s a truly inspiring novel.

    Have you read this book? Let me know what you think!

  • The Freckled Farm First Friday Book Club – Sheepish

    This month on The Freckled Farm First Friday Book Club I am recommending the wonderful book Sheepish by Catherine Friend

    Sheepish

    Just so you don’t think that I am completely bias towards goats I have decided to go ahead and throw in this delightful book that predominately features sheep! One of the things that I love about this book is that it talks about the “middle.” In fact, it is the theme of the book. There are a ton of farming memoirs out there that talk about the start of a farm. Most likely because it is the most interesting time for a farm and it’s farmers, but for once it would be nice to read about what comes next. What happens after the farm is established? Farms constantly change and grow, how do you keep going from year to year? How do you deal the heartache?

    In Sheepish Catherine is in that place in her farming career… the middle. Catherine struggles to find her true place on the farm. She feels like it comes so naturally to her partner Melissa, while she questions if this is what she really wants to be doing. She occasionally contemplates selling the farm and touring the country in an RV, but knows that this will destroy Melissa. The book follows her as she searches for, and discovers, a part of the farm that she feels like she can call her own, something she can be passionate about. Ms. Friend has a wonderful sense of humor and the book is beautifully written. By the end of the book you will be considering an all wool wardrobe… no kidding.

    Have you read Sheepish? Leave your thoughts in the comment section.

     

  • The Freckled Farm First Friday Book Club – The Year of the Goat

    Our second book in the 2014 First Friday Book Club is The Year of the Goat: 40,000 Mile and the Quest for the Perfect Cheese by Margaret Hathaway and Karl Schatz.

    yearofthegoat

    This book is all about following your passion. In The Year of the Goat Margaret Hathaway writes about the year that her, and her then boyfriend, Karl Schatz dropped everything, leaving their big city lives in order to travel around the country visiting all things goat related. They toured dairy and meat goat farms, auctions, barbecue competitions, cheese tasting, and much more. This is one of those books that you want to live in. There were times while I was reading it that I was fiercely jealous that it wasn’t me going on these amazing travels. It’s amazing to see all the different ways people are using goats. This book truly is an homage to small agriculture and goat farmers.

    Are you starting to see a pattern?… People leaving their city lives in search of greener pastures and a simpler life. This is what we did. Maybe that’s why I feel so connected to these books.

    Have you read The Year of the Goat? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

     

  • The Freckled Farm First Friday Book Club – Goat Song

    I am starting the 2014 “The Freckled Farm First Friday Book Club” with my favorite farming memoir – Goat Song: A Seasonal Life, a Short History of Herding, and the Art of Making Cheese by Brad Kessler

    Goat Song

    You will learn over the next year that I am completely obsessed with farming memoirs. I find the process of starting a farm incredibly fascinating… any type of farm, not just goat farms. It’s likely because I am at that same point in my life as many of the authors, but even if you aren’t I can assure you that they are great reads. There is something very romantic about learning to live of the land.

    This was the book that started my love of farm memoirs. This wonderful novel follows Brad Kessler’s journey as he leaves the big city, moves to a farm in southern Vermont, and learns to raise goats and make cheese. I found his process of learning to make cheese especially inspirational. I love when people go to great lengths to truly learn their craft. Throughout the book Mr. Kessler throws in interesting facts about goats and how they have been viewed and used through history. So not only is this book a lovely story it’s also a history lesson.

    Goat song is beautifully written. It goes into great detail about what it is like to start a goat farm and if you haven’t witnessed a buck in rut or the whole breeding process I am here to attest that it really is as gross as he depicts. Brad loves his land, his goats, and good cheese. I sincerely love this book. It is the perfect book to start your love of farming memoirs!

    Have you read Goat Song? Leave your thoughts in the comment section!