The Woman Hobby Farmer: Female Guidance for Growing Food, Raising Livestock, and Building a Farm-Based Business

by Karen Lanier

Overview

Hobby farming is alive and thriving in semi-rural, suburban, and rural areas across the country, and female farmers have been cited as the fastest growing sector within the farming community in recent years. With more than 1 million women in the United States and Canada describing farming as their primary source of income, and many more for whom hobby farming is just that—a hobby—the time is right for a publication dedicated to hobby farming from a female perspective. Written for women, by a woman, this insightful volume is packed with stories and advice from women hobby farmers and looks at female-specific farming challenges as well as issues that all farmers face.

Inside The Woman Hobby Farmer:

•Discussions on the who, what, why, and where of hobby farming

•Deciding on your farming goals and making a plan

•What to expect in your new endeavor

•How to decide what to plant and prepare your planting sites

•Advice on feeding, caring for, and housing different types of livestock

•A look at “agripreneurship”—running and marketing your hobby farm as a successful business

•Stories, quotes, and advice from successful female hobby farmers

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620082607
Publisher:	Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Incorporated
Publication date:	09/05/2017
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Karen Lanier is a naturalist, documentarian, teacher, artist, and gardener who explores the intersections of nature and culture. Karen holds degrees in photography, foreign language, conservation studies, and documentary studies as well as a professional environmental educator certificate. Karen worked as a seasonal park ranger in state and national parks across the US before settling in Kentucky. Her Americorps volunteer experience with Seedleaf, a community gardening nonprofit, helped her shift her migratory perspective on life toward putting down roots. She is actively involved with native plant, community gardening, and environmental education groups in her area.

Table of Contents

Introduction Chapter 1: Assessments and Planning Chapter 2: Taking Care of Your Farm Chapter 3: Taking Care of Yourself Chapter 4: Sharing the Bounty Chapter 5: Being Teacher and Student Chapter 6: Lessons Learned Chapter 7: Integrating Farm and Life Sources and Recommended Reading

Editorial Reviews

Library Journal:

The title of author (Wildlife in Your Garden) and magazine contributor (Hobby Farms Magazine) Lanier's book is somewhat deceptive because her work isn't about farming as a hobby. Rather, it's intended for women who are interested in farming as a profession. Farming in this instance covers a variety of agricultural careers and situations, from urban to flower farming and from owning acres to working someone else's land. That more and more women are choosing to farm is what's important here, not the kind of career one selects. This volume is not a how-to but instead offers stories of women farmers, information on how to navigate in a male-dominated profession, advice on taking care of self and farm, and exercises to help assess and clarify one's goals, skills, and experience. Full of photos, resources, and bite-size bits of information, this is a useful introduction for women considering a career in farming. The author acknowledges the challenges, especially for single women, but doesn't dwell on them. Instead, she emphasizes how rewarding and fulfilling farming can be.

VERDICT: An uplifting, can-do book that is sure to present encouragement and inspiration to women interested in small-scale farming.

From the Publisher

09/15/2017
The title of author (Wildlife in Your Garden) and magazine contributor (Hobby Farms Magazine) Lanier's book is somewhat deceptive because her work isn't about farming as a hobby. Rather, it's intended for women who are interested in farming as a profession. Farming in this instance covers a variety of agricultural careers and situations, from urban to flower farming and from owning acres to working someone else's land. That more and more women are choosing to farm is what's important here, not the kind of career one selects. This volume is not a how-to but instead offers stories of women farmers, information on how to navigate in a male-dominated profession, advice on taking care of self and farm, and exercises to help assess and clarify one's goals, skills, and experience. Full of photos, resources, and bite-size bits of information, this is a useful introduction for women considering a career in farming. The author acknowledges the challenges, especially for single women, but doesn't dwell on them. Instead, she emphasizes how rewarding and fulfilling farming can be. VERDICT An uplifting, can-do book that is sure to present encouragement and inspiration to women interested in small-scale farming.—Stefanie Hollmichel, Univ. of St. Thomas Law Lib., Minneapolis

Library Journal