If you ever thought the state of Vermont is increasingly becoming populated by weird people, this book may confirm your suspicion. However, it's not the ideas presented in this book that are weird, rather it's the author and some of the rural Vermont hippies he writes about that seem a bit weird.
Although, the problem may be the author's writing style, which can be overly personal and rather rude. But if you can see past the author's writing and ignore some of the odd characterizations of people, there are some interesting ideas presented and discussed.
This book is about the economics of food production and the impact it can have on a community. The author, Ben Hewitt, is a writer and subsistence farmer in northern Vermont. He lives near a small town called Hardwick, population 3,000. The town is a working class community that has fallen on hard times. It's main industry was once granite mining, but the granite quarry shut down many years ago. Farming has also been part of the local economy.
However, starting in the 1990's a new breed of entrepreneurial farmers began producing organic and speciality foods in the community intended for local and regional customers. These entrepreneurs include a seed producer, compost fertilizer producer, cheese maker, vegetable grower, soy product maker, and a restaurant that serves mostly locally produced food. The author profiles all of these businesses and the people who run them.
The town is also home to a non-profit organization named the Center for an Agricultural Economy. This organization advocates decentralized food production. Which means they believe people should eat food that is primarily produced locally. They claim it results in a healthier diet, less environmental impact, a better and more stable economy, and is more sustainable.
In the United States today, food production has been centralized and is controlled by large corporate organizations. Most of the food that people eat has travelled thousands of miles and has been produced using manufactured fertilizers, pesticides, and genetic modification. And the food is processed and preserved so it can be stored and transported long distances.
According to the author, today's food system of centralized, large-scale production is unsustainable, and it will collapse in the future. He warns readers that they should prepare themselves, as he has, if they wish to survive the coming collapse of the food production system in the United States. However, he doesn't make a very convincing argument. He never really explains how he thinks this collapse of the food system will transpire.
Within the Hardwick community, there is conflict between some of the newer entrepreneurial farmers and the traditional farmers and the local hippie subsistence farmers. The entrepreneurial farmers cater to higher income consumers and are willing to export their products to markets outside the local community. But the hippie farmers object to the entrepreneurs business model. They prefer small scale farms and co-ops and farmers markets that only do business with local people.
The author takes the side of the hippie farmers. In fact he is one of the hippie subsistence farmers himself. He raises his own animals and grows most of his own food. When he talks about the issues of food production and social structure he sounds like Mao Zedong or Pol Pot. This is where the book gets weird. He seems to believe we need to return to an agrarian civilization with more people working on small farms. He repeatedly insists that large scale food production is unsustainable and is on the edge of collapsing. But his arguments are unconvincing.
One of the main reasons the author is unconvincing is that his knowledge of economics seems to be lacking. For example, he doesn't seem to understand the economic concept of "competitive advantage" which means specialization of production based on natural competitive advantages leads to more wealth and prosperity and a higher standard of living for everyone. Specifically, some climates and regions are better suited for food production, so it makes sense to produce food in those areas and ship it to where its needed.
Another concern about the author's wisdom is aroused when three-quarters of the way through the book he states that if the reader has read this far they must agree with him that the current centralized food production system is on the verge of collapse. This statement seems to suggest he would only read an entire book if he agrees with the author. But it is this sort of practice that dulls the mind. Intelligence is developed by exposing oneself to ideas different than ones own. The author probably doesn't do this, which explains why he's doesn't have a very good grasp of the issues.
However, the author does seem to stumble into the truth at some points. He is correct to argue that decentralized food production can make a more stable food supply. It also can create economic diversification and provide a greater variety of occupations for workers within local communities.
The worst part of this book is when the author appears to be suggesting that the government should create programs to develop a more decentralized food production system and coerce people into it. This is a horrible idea and it didn't work in China or Cambodia, and it won't work in the US. The author also missed an opportunity to more directly challenge the role the government currently takes in involving itself in setting agricultural policy. There is no role for the government in planning food production or distribution. But that subject is clearly beyond the grasp of the author.
But all in all, this book includes interesting ideas and is worthwhile reading.
