Growing a Farmer Blog Post 1

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Kurt Timmermeister’s Growing a Farmer thus far. First of all, I believe this book is extremely important to read at this critical point in our lives. As college students, we are exploring career options for our future. This novel conveys that the track one begins on does not set someone’s career path forever. This path is easily changed and adapted throughout our lives. Kurt Timmermeister remains extremely positive and resilient as he embarks on a journey to alter his career path. This sets a precedent for the readers to explore other options and not feel locked into one specific job. Secondly, I really appreciate Timmermeister writing style. He is very direct and educational in the way he writes. I have already gained an immense amount of knowledge about farming, dairy, bees etc. in just the first 150 pages of the book. I find it very easy to overlook where the food we eat is grown and produced, so reading this book has made me ponder where the food I consume comes from. At times, I believe he goes into a little too much detail that the average reader does not need to know. An example of this is when he goes on a tangent describing how to cure bloating in a cow’s digestive tract.  

My two favorite chapters so far include the chapter titled, Bees and Fruit, Apples, Vinegar. In both of these chapters, the reader becomes well informed on how to become a beekeeper and how to create cider and vinegar. I find bees to be such simple, yet complicated creatures and any knowledge expanding on their intricate world fascinates me. In both of these chapters, the reader can tell that Timmermeister works with bees and apples for his own fulfilment and enjoyment. It was exceedingly satisfying reading about the process from the start to finished products of cider, vinegar and honey. Even by Timmermeister’s writing, one can tell how excited he gets to reap the benefits of his hard work, and this in turn excites the readers. One of my least favorite chapters so far, was the chapter titled, Sheeps, Goats, Pastures and Grazing. I felt as though, he got carried away discussing the grazing portion of this chapter, and lost his audience’s interest. It also upset me thinking about the slaughtering of his lambs. He goes on about the innocence and sweetness of the baby lambs, so I had no desire of thinking about their slaughtering.