Anyone can live off the land
by Kurt Timmermeister
Category: Biography & Autobiography

Kurt Timmermeister, disillusioned with the cases of frozen chicken breasts ('chicken popsicles') and packaged foods he served at his Café Septiemes, bought ramshackled house on Vashon Island, a rural island community a short ferry ride away from downtown Seattle. He yearned to get back to what's real - in this case, real food. And while not entirely certain what that is or what it will mean, he knew he wanted to try. The rest of the book is that journey. Each chapter explores one aspect of his newfound life, describing the challenges of trying to make a farm profitable. A chapter on cows spotlights Kurt's first dairy heifer, Dinah, including her attempt to hump him and Kurt's painful hand-milking days. Another chapter focuses on Kurt's failed endeavor selling vegetables. Readers follow Kurt's evolution into a farmer while learning valuable tips (What is the best way to take honey from your beehive? How do you organize a pig slaughter? How do you ensure you make a profit?). Inspiring and practical, Growing a Farmer is a heartfelt story of one's relationship to food, the land, and the lifestyle of a farmer. We end with him hosting dinners once a week and selling cheese, uncertain he can ever make this work but enjoying every minute of it.