The Good Food Revolution

The Good Food Revolution by Will Allen tells his remarkable life story. He started out with a roadside stand and ended up creating a thriving farm in the city which became a learning center for urban gardening----and which now gives national and international workshops to help spread the idea. Allen details how the legacy of slavery and sharecropping left African Americans with an aversion for agriculture----while the rise of big supermarket chains created food deserts in the cities---with the result that black people get mostly junk food. His project is changing all that---getting people connected with the earth and their food and their health. Allen thinks of one innovation after another. He does intensive gardening, making use of vertical as well as horizontal space.He has perfected the art of creating good soil by composting. His goal is to be fossil-fuel-free: he warms the greenhouses by placing steaming compost piles in all the corners. While developing his gardening techniques, he also saw the opportunity to build community. He involves and inspires teenagers, giving them gainful employment and useful skills. Allen received the MacArthur "Genius" award, a fitting recognition of the importance of his work.

I recommend this book---it renewed my hope for the future of food.