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Author Hoffman, Beth (Food and agriculture journalist/farmer), author.

Title Bet the farm : the dollars and sense of growing food in America / Beth Hoffman
Published Washington, DC : Island Press, [2021]

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Description 1 online resource (259 pages) : illustrations
Contents The simple life? -- Land rich, cash poor -- The land of corn and cattle -- The price of sustainability -- Privilege to farm -- Money matters -- What about subsidies? -- The cattle runaround -- Keeping up with the Joneses -- Everybody does it, off the farm -- A new narrative -- Self-care is key -- Co-farming and community -- Sharing the pie -- People and policy -- Meanwhile, back at the ranch
Summary "In her late 40s, Beth Hoffman decided to upend her comfortable life as a professor and journalist to move to her husband's family ranch in Iowa--all for the dream of becoming a farmer. There was just one problem: money. Half of America's two million farms made less than $300 in 2019, and many struggle just to stay afloat. Bet the Farm chronicles this struggle through Beth's eyes. She must contend with her father-in-law, who is reluctant to hand over control of the land. Growing oats is good for the environment but ends up being very bad for the wallet, and finding somewhere, in the midst of COVID, to slaughter grass finished beef is a nightmare. If Beth can't make it, how can farmers who confront racism, lack access to land, or don't have other jobs to fall back on hack it? Bet the Farm is a first-hand account of the perils of farming today and a personal exploration of more just and sustainable ways of producing food"-- Provided by publisher
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 237-255)
Notes Online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on October 07, 2021)
Subject Hoffman, Beth (Food and agriculture journalist/farmer)
Farms -- Iowa.
Farm management -- Iowa
Farmers -- Iowa -- Economic conditions
Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- United States
Sustainable agriculture -- United States
Sustainable agriculture.
Farms.
Farm management.
Agriculture -- Economic aspects.
Farmers -- Economic conditions.
Iowa.
United States.
Form Electronic book
ISBN 9781642831603
1642831603