 On Good Land: The Autobiography of
an Urban Farm,
Chronicle Books, 1998
"Lyrical tale of the survival and
triumph of a small farm amid the suburban sprawl of
southern California, with writing as rich and satisfying
as the taste of a ripe melon.
. . Among a sprawl of
books incessantly issued and hyped, this small, wise
volume quietly calls to us to read and be renewed."
- Kirkus Reviews
"A wonderful harvest of anecdote,
practical information and, most of all, deeply rooted
detail of farm life and lofty goals."
- Publisher's Weekly
"Inspiring and utterly absorbing.
Deserves to be widely read and seriously pondered."
- Booklist
"Even city folks will find
something to savor in this . . . poetic account of
[the] cultivation of Fairview Gardens in Southern
California."
- Chicago Tribune (Selected as Editor's Choice)
"humorous, instructive tale . .
. approachable and down to earth"
- Los Angeles Times
"A delightful book about the role
of urban agriculture and its importance to the community."
- Library Journal
"Ableman [is a] gracious
rebel who know[s] that industrialized farming wrings
the life out of both soil and communities. [His]
joy in stewardship and in people celebrates that
life is being restored, a psychic sustainability
that won't appear on spreadsheets. . . . should be
read by everyone interested in food production and
food policy from the small farmer to the secretary
of agriculture and members of Congress."
- Sierra, Magazine of the Sierra Club
"Finally! The family farmer
that city folk can understand. . . . hip yet down
home . . ."
- The Yale Review of Books
". . . mixes farming wisdom
with tales of political activism . . . inspiring
memoir"
- The Utne Reader
"Ableman tells the unlikely
survival story . . . of caretaking a century-old
farm . . . augmented by his evocative photographs--rows
of tasseled corn at sunset, barefoot children herding
chickens, dinners on plank tables under avocado trees,
peach orchards in bloom. They might have been made
on any remote, rural farm, but they were all made
in the heart of suburbia."
- Gannett News Service
"On Good Land is
not only a paean to the joys and importance of organic
farming; it is also a photographic scrapbook of the
beauty of plants and a source for excellent advice. "
- Santa Barbara News Press
"With great humor, [Ableman]
describes his mistakes and missteps, and with beautiful
photographs, he explains his growing obsession with
farming a piece of land he didn't own. . . . On
Good Land is
an important book on many levels. Ableman argues articulately
for farmland preservation; at the same time, he provides
a blueprint for a farm that thrives in cooperation
with surrounding development. On another plane entirely,
Ableman describes in beautiful prose and arresting
color photographs the joys of farming. Every [person]
who cares about farmland preservation should have a
copy of this book, displayed prominently, to help educate
others about how much is at stake."
- Growing for Market
"A rich, loamy story . . . On
Good Land conserves
the endangered knowledge of "how to love a place";
it takes the measure of one path to reconnecting with
a sustainable future."
- Santa Barbara Independent
". . . wonderful new book
. . . Ableman's easy style and exquisite color photos
illuminate the joys and frustrations of farming."
- Agrarian Advocate
". . .the book recounts [Ableman's]
joy in farming, his love letter to the earth as he
built the soil, expanded the plantings and made a
place that was both bountiful and beautiful."
- Santa Cruz County Sentinel
"This is a gem of a book.
. . . inspirational . . ."
- HopeDance Magazine
". . . handsome prose . .
. keen insights . . . "
- Fort Lewis Washington Ranger
"Ableman writes the story
of his farm passionately . . ."
- Montgomery Advertiser
"Ableman's story is inspiring
. . . the photography is outstanding . . . designed
to be savored . . ."
- Yes! A Journal of Positive Futures
". . . gives excellent insight
into gaining community support to save farmland for
farms . . . thought-provoking. . . enjoyable to read
. . ."
- Small Farm Today Magazine
"The tale is emblematic of the plight
of small farms in America today."
- Ecology Action Newsletter
". . . the story is a plea for everything
to slow down so that we can smell the flowers (or compost,
soil, or tree-ripe fruit) and begin to see and understand
the minute signals that announce both stability and
change in the biological community."
- Science Books and Films
". . . handsome . . . lush with
photographs. . . This book should remind us not to
wait until our urban edge farms become islands in a
sea of housing developments before we think about preserving
them."
- The Land Stewardship Letter
". . . tells the story remarkable
story of Fairview {Gardens] struggle for survival,
and of the awakening of a community to the riches
of a local farm. . . . Funny, inspiring and educational
. . ."
- Conscious Choice
". . . absorbing and courageous
tale . . . Ableman's struggle is profoundly moving.
. . . proves that sustainable agriculture is still
possible. And profitable, in all senses of the word."
- Boulder Planet
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