This section provides a bibliography of books and articles on a number of topics relevant to beginning farmers and researchers.If you would like to suggest references to add, please send them to us.

Topics are displayed in the following order:

1) Farming Resources – Books on Production, Marketing, and Farm Management

2) Books, Articles, and Case Studies about Beginning Farmers

3) The ‘Back to the Land Movement’ – Lessons from the Previous Generation

4) Agricultural History, and Classic Books on Food and Farming

5) Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Information and Analysis

6) Local Food and Farming

7) Popular Books and Novels Related to Food and Farming

Agricultural Statistics

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Farming Resources – Books on Production, Marketing, and Farm Management

Abdul-Baki, A. A., J. R. Teasdale, et al. (1997). Sustainable production of fresh-market tomatoes with organic mulches. [Washington, D.C.?], U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.

Almekinders, C. and N. P. Louwaars (1999). Farmers’ seed production : new approaches and practices. London, Intermediate Technology.

Ash, W. J. and United States. Agricultural Research Service. (1976). Raising ducks. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.

Coleman, E. (1995 (1989)). The New Organic Grower: A Master’s Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener. White River Junction, VT, Chelsea Green Publishing.

Coleman, E. (1999). Four Season Harvest. White River Junction, VT, Chelsae Green Publishing.

Cramer, C. and Regenerative Agriculture Association (Emmaus Pa.) (1985). The Farmer’s fertilizer handbook : how to make your own NPK recommendations– and make them pay. Emmaus, Pa., Regenerative Agriculture Association.

Creighton, C. S., J. E. Halfhill, et al. (1980). Control of caterpillars on cabbage and other cole crops. [Washington, D.C.?], U.S. Dept. of Agriculture For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O.

Cross, H. R. and United States. Science and Education Administration. (1978). Pork slaughtering, cutting, preserving, and cooking on the farm. Washington, D.C., U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

Duke, J. A. and United States. Science and Education Administration. (1981). Growing ginseng. Washington, D.C., The Administration.

Ernst, D. (1995). The farmer’s earthworm handbook : managing your underground money-makers. Brookfield, Wisconsin, Lessiter Publications.

FARM Africa. (2000). “Farmers’ dairy goat production handbook.” from http://www.farmafrica.org.uk/documents/31.PDF Connect to online resource – All users

Faust, M. and United States. Science and Education Administration. (1978). Establishing and managing young apple orchards. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration.

Fukuoka, M. (1978). The One-Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming. Emmaus, Rodale Press.

Gisin, B. (1988). Farmers & ranchers : guide to commercial bank credit. [Idaho Falls, Idaho, Harris Pub.

Hamilton, N. D. (1995). A farmer's legal guide to production contracts. [Philadelphia?], Farm Journal Additional copies from Top Producer, 230 W. Washington Sq., Philadelphia 19106.

Holleman, K. A. and United States. Extension Service. (1983). Raising geese. [Washington, D.C.?], U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

James, H. and Farm Journal Inc. (1996). The Farmer’s guide to the Internet. Lexington, Ky., TVA Rural Studies.

Larson, R. E., R. O. Hegg, et al. (1978). Feedlot and ranch equipment for beef cattle. Washington, Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Adminstration : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

Lawrence, F. J. and United States. Science and Education Administration. (1979). Growing raspberries. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

McGrew, J. R., G. W. Still, et al. (1979). Control of grape diseases and insects in the eastern United States. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

McGrew, J. R. and United States. Agricultural Research Service. (1977). Growing American bunch grapes. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.

Owens, C. D., B. F. Detroy, et al. (1979). Selecting and operating commercial beekeeping equipment. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

Purchase, G. H. and United States. Agricultural Research Service. (1977). Farm poultry management. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

Reece, F. N. and United States. Science and Education Administration. (1981). Solar heating for brooding chickens. [Washington, D.C.?], The Administration.

Salatin, J. (1998). You Can Farm: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Start and Succeed in a Farming Enterprise. Swope, VA, Polyface, Inc.

Schuck, N. G. and Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service. (1988). Farming alternatives : a guide to evaluating the feasibility of new farm-based enterprises. Ithaca, NY, Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service.

Scott, D. H., A. D. Draper, et al. (1978). Commercial blueberry growing. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration : for sale by the Supt of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

Scott, D. H., F. J. Lawrence, et al. (1979). Strawberry varieties in the United States. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

Shimanuki, H., United States. Agricultural Research Service., et al. (1983). Identification and control of honey bee diseases. [Washington, D.C.?], U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

Shimanuki, H. and United States. Science and Education Administration. (1981). Controlling the greater wax moth : a pest of honeycombs. [Washington, D.C.], U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration.

Thompson, P., M. G. Clary, et al. (1978). Solar heating for milking parlors. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

United States. Agricultural Marketing Service. (2003). “Farmers market facts!” from http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS36190.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. (1972). Beef cattle : dehorning, castrating, branding, and marking. [Washington], U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, [Agricultural Research Service, Northeastern Region] : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. (1975). Growing blackberries. [Washington], U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. (1976). Controlling tomato diseases. [Washington], U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, [Plant Genetics and Germplasm Institute : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. (1977). Grasshopper control. Washington, Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. (1977). Growing cherries east of the Rocky Mountains. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. (1977). Plumbing for the home and farmstead. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. (1977). Preventing and controlling internal parasites of hogs. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. (1977). Raising a small flock of sheep. [Washington], Dept. of Agriclture, Agricultural Research Service : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. (1977). Raising livestock on small farms. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. (1978). Strawberry diseases. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. and H. R. Cross (1977). Lamb slaughtering, cutting, preserving, and cooking on the farm. Washington, Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. and J. F. Robinson (1977). Making and preserving apple cider. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. and United States. Extension Service. (1983). Aphids on leafy vegetables : how to control them. [Washington, D.C.?], U.S. Dept of Agriculture U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Extension Service.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. and United States. Extension Service. (1983). Pork slaughtering, cutting, preserving, and cooking on the farm. Washington, D.C., U.S. Dept. of Agriculture : For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. and United States. Extension Service. (1984). Dodder and its control. [Washington, D.C.?], U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. and United States. Extension Service. (1984). Water-quality improvements for farmstead and rural home water systems. [Washington, D.C.?], U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. Animal Husbandry Research Division. (1968). Feeding dairy cattle. Washington, D.C., U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. Animal Husbandry Research Division. (1969). Swine production. Washington, D.C., U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. Animal Husbandry Research Division. (1972). Farm poultry management. Washington, D.C., U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

United States. Agricultural Research Service. Crops Research Division. (1967). Growing summer cover crops. Washington, D.C., U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

United States. Bureau of Plant Industry. (1917). The small vegetable garden : suggestions for utilizing limited areas. Washington, D.C., U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

United States. Dept. of Agriculture. (1977). Small poultry flocks. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

United States. Dept. of Agriculture. Economic Research Service. (1996). Farmers’ use of marketing and production contracts. (Washington, DC) Herndon, VA, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture ERS-NASS (distributor).

United States. Dept. of Agriculture. Economic Research Service. National Economic Analysis Division. (1974). Part-time farming. Washington, D.C., U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

United States. Dept. of Agriculture. Economics Statistics and Cooperatives Service. (1979). What young farm families should know about credit. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Economics, Statistics, and Cooperatives Service : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

United States. Extension Service. (1983). Raising livestock on small farms. [Washington, D.C.], U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

United States. Extension Service. (1984). The farm beef herd. [Washington, D.C.?], Dept. of Agriculture : For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O.

United States. Extension Service. (1984). Growing cauliflower and broccoli. [Washington, D.C.], U.S. Dept. of Agriculture : For sale by The Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O.

United States. General Accounting Office. (1988). Agricultural marketing

farmers’ marketing practices and programs to teach alternative practices : briefing report to congressional committees. [Washington, D.C.], The Office,.

United States. Internal Revenue Service. (1991). Farmer’s tax guide. [Washington, D.C.?], Dept. of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service.

United States. Science and Education Administration. (1978). Controlling diseases of raspberries and blackberries. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

United States. Science and Education Administration. (1978). Housing and equipment for sheep. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

United States. Science and Education Administration. (1978). Raising a small flock of sheep. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration.

United States. Science and Education Administration. (1978). Sugarbeet insects : how to control them. Washington, Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., Govt. Print. Off.

United States. Science and Education Administration. (1979). Growing blackberries. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

United States. Science and Education Administration. (1980). Controlling diseases of raspberries and blackberries. [Washington, D.C.?], U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration.

United States. Science and Education Administration. (1980). What you can do abut bovine mastitis. [Washington], Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

United States. Science and Education Administration. (1981). Aphids on leafy vegetables : how to control them. [Washington, D.C.?], The Administration.

United States. Science and Education Administration. (1981). Farm lighting. [Washington, D.C.], The Administration.

United States. Science and Education Administration. (1981). Strawberry culture : eastern United States. [Washington, D.C.?], U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration.

United States. Science and Education Administration. (1983). Roofing farm buildings. Washington, D.C., U.S. Dept. of Agriculture For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O.

United States. Soil Conservation Service. (1973). Building a pond. Washington, D.C., U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

United States. Soil Conservation Service. (1982). Catfish farming. [Washington, D.C.?], U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

Vergara, B. S. and International Rice Research Institute. (1992). A farmer’s primer on growing rice. Manila, Philippines, International Rice Research Institute.

Vermeer, J., I. R. Starbird, et al. (1974). Family-farm records. Washington, D.C., U.S. Dept. of Agriculture : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.

Wilkinson, J. M. (1984). Milk and meat from grass. London ; New York, Granada.

Beginning Farmers – Books and Articles/Case Studies

Carlson, A. (2008). “Agrarianism Reborn: On the Curious Return of the Small Family Farm.” The Intercollegiate Review Spring: 13-23.

Dodson, C. and S. Koenig (1995). Young commercial farmers: Their financial structure and credit sources. Agricultural Income and Finance Situation and Outlook Report, USDA Economic Research Service. AIS 56: 40-44.

Gale, H. F. (1993). “Why Did the Number of Young Farm Entrants Decline?” American Journal of Agricultural Economics 75(1): 138-146.

Griffith, K. (1991). Finding the Niche: Case Studies of Beginning Small-Scale Farmers (With Recommendations for Beginning Farmers). Mount Horeb, WI, Wisconsin Rural Development Center, Inc.: 37pp. Available at: http://agmarketing.extension.psu.edu/begfrmrs.html

Paulson, A. (2007). In the Midwest, Young Farmers Priced out of Land. The Christian Science Monitor. March 22; Section USA; p.1. DesMoines, IA.

Smego, M. (2002). Profitability, access to farmland continue to top list of concerns for Michigan Young Farmers. Michigan Farm Bureau AgriNotes & News. March 28.

Sontag, M. S. and M. M. Bubolz (1996). Families on Small Farms: Case Studies in Human Ecology. East Lansing, Michigan State University Press.

Trede, L. D. and S. B. Whitaker (2000). “Educational needs and perceptions of Iowa beginning farmers toward their education.” Journal of Agricultural Education 41(1): 39-48.

Back to the Land Movement

Agnew, E. (2004). Back From the Land: How Young Americans Went to Nature in the 1970’s, and Why They Came Back. Chicago, Ivan R. Dee.

Belasco, W. J. (1989). Appetite for Change: How the Counterculture Took On the Food Industry. New York, Pantheon Books.

Kaufman, M. (1972). The New Homesteading Movement: From Utopia to Eutopia The Family, Communes, and Utopian Societies. S. Te Selle. New York, NY, Harper Torchbooks: 63-82.

Agricultural History and Classic Works

Conford, P. (2001). The Origins of the Organic Movement. Edinburgh, Floris Books.

Howard, S. A. (1940). An Agriclutural Testament. Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Jackson, W. (1980). New Roots For Agriculture. San Francisco, Friends of the Earth.

King, F. H. (1911). Farmers of Forty Centuries; or Permanent Agriculture in China, Korea, and Japan. Madison, WI, Mrs. F. H. King.

Kirkendall, R. S. (1987). “Up to Now: A History of American Agriculture from Jefferson to Revolution to Crisis.” Agriculture and Human Values 4(1): 4-26.

Leopold, A. (1949). A Sand County Almanac. New York, Oxford University Press.

Lobao, L. and K. Meyer (2001). “The great agricultural transition: Crisis, change, and social consequences of twentieth century US farming.” Annual Review of Sociology 27: 103-124.

Montmarquet (2000). American Agrarianism: The Living Tradition. The Agrarian Roots of Pragmatism. P. B.

Thompson and T. C. Hilde. Nashville, TN, Vanderbilt University Press: 51-76.

Northbourne, L. (1940). Look to the Land. London, Dent.

Soule, J. D. and J. K. Piper (1992). Farming in Natures Image: An Ecological Approach to Agriculture. Washington, Covelo, Island Press.

Steiner, R. (1958). Agriculture: A Course of Eight Lectures: Given at Koberwitz, Silesia, 7th to 16th June, 1924. London, Bio-Dynamic Agricultural Association.

Community Supported Agriculture

DeLind, L. B. (1999). “Close Encounters with a CSA: The Reflections of a Bruised and Somewhat Wiser Anthropologist.” Agriculture and Human Values 16: 3-9.

McFadden, S. (2004). “The History of Community Supported Agriculture, Part I – Community Farms in the 21st Century: Poised for Another Wave of Growth?” The New Farm http://www.newfarm.org/features/0104/csa-history/part1.shtml, Accessed October 29th, 2006.

Local food and Farming

DeLind, L. B. (2002). “Place, work, and civic agriculture: Common fields for cultivation.” Agriculture and Human Values 19(3): 217-224.

Delind, L. B. (2006). “Of Bodies, Place, and Culture: Re-Situating Local Food.” Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 19(2): 121-146.

Halweil, B. (2004). Eat Here: Reclaiming Homegrown Pleasures in a Global Supermarket. Washington, DC, Worldwatch Institute.

Hinrichs, C. C. (2003). “The practice and politics of food system localization.” Journal of Rural Studies 19(1): 33-45.

Lapping, M. B. (2004). “Toward the Recovery of the Local in the Globalizing Food System: The Role of Alternative Agricultural and Food Models in the US.” Ethics, Place and Environment 7(3): 141-150.

Lyson, T. A. (2004). Civic Agriculture: Reconnecting Farm, Food, and Community. Medford, MA, Tufts University Press.

Nabhan, G. P. (2002). Coming Home to Eat: The Pleasures and Politics of Local Foods. New York, W.W. Norton and Co., Inc.

Prigent-Simonin, A. H. and C. Hérault-Fournier (2005) The Role of Trust in the Perception of Local Food Products. Anthropology of Food Volume, 19 DOI:

Popular Farming Books and Novels

Pollan, M. (1991). Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education. New York, Delta Trade Paperbacks.

Agricultural Statistics

USDA-NASS (2002). Census of Agriculture. Washington, D.C., United States Department of Agriculture – National Agricultural Statistics Service.

USDA-NASS. (2006). “Average Farm Size by State, 2006.” Retrieved April 18th, 2007.