Lord willing this Wednesday will be my 50oth post on The Beginning Farmer blog. These posts have spanned almost two and a half years and for over the past year or more I have been posting six times each week. My posts have covered everything from our hopes and dreams to the struggles of starting our farm and learning as we go. But, in the midst of all my words something great happened … people started reading and then they started sharing and commenting. I have learned so much from everyone who has taken time to e-mail me or comment on the blog and I am very thankful for that.
So, in honor of the 500th post I have decided to give a book away. I know that the people who read and comment on this blog are all over the place in terms of being farmers, wanting to be farmers, and there are even some consumers that just want to be me informed about the food they eat. With that in mind I’m doing a giveaway with a choice … a choice of which book you would like to receive (I should also disclose that it will probably be a used book, but still in good shape).
What you will need to do is comment on this post (if you receive this through a feed you will need to click over to the blog) and tell me which book you would like if you win. Then on Wednesday morning around 8:00 AM I will use a random number generator to come up with the winner from the comment list.
Here are your choices (take the link to read about the book):
- All Flesh is Grass by Gene Logsdon
- The Contrary Farmer by Gene Logsdon
- You Can Farm by Joel Salatin
- Small-Scale Livestock Farming by Carol Ekarius
- Dirt Hog by Kelly Klober
- Harris on the Pig by Joseph Harris
- Making Your Small Farm Profitable by Ron Macher
- Grass-Fed Cattle by Julius Ruechel
- The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
- Small-Scale Pig Raising by Dirk van Loon
- A Bountiful Harvest (Pete Wettach farm photos)
I’ve been reading this blog for about a month but never posted a comment yet.
See what happens when you give stuff away? Actually, I’d like to win the Salatin book for my wife… she practically worships him.
By the way, I also read your wife’s blog. I have them both RSS’d.
Keep up the blogging, please. We’ve recently moved to the ‘country’ and my wife just got her first batch of chickens!
Quinn
Congrats on 500! I too am a fan of the blog, and although still a few years away I hope to be farming myself someday. The Salatin book would be my choice as well if I’m lucky enough to win.
Cheers!
way to go – 500 posts is a major accomplishment. if i win i would select the small-scale livestock book. i really enjoy your blog.
I’ve been reading your blog for about a year and a half from the time that my wife and I decided to move out to a farm. We bought our farm last June, and have been out here since. We currently have 32 animals on property with 12 more coming next month. What a trip from living in the city a year ago to raising animals now!! Keep up the great blog!!
If I was chosen, I would like to get Dirt Hog, this is one of the next livestock we plan on getting.
Thanks!
Bil
bil@silkcreekalpacas.com
Congrats! You’ve developed a great following here. It is nice to hear first hand experiences from someone like us who isn’t starting with a bunch of inherited land.
I would choose either the Dirt Hog (don’t you want to keep that one?) or All Flesh Is Grass. I’ve read the latter from library but it would be a handy reference to have around.
I enjoy your blog. It sounds like I’ve embarked on a similar project but am a year or so behind you. I’d like to have the “All Flesh…” if it comes to that.
My place has no fencing, so that’s my next step and it would be nice to hear what Mr. Logsdon says about grazing.
“(I should also disclose that it will probably be a used book, but still in good shape)”
Some of my best books were bought used!
My wife and I have been following your blog and your wife’s blog for almost a year….we have a dream of being farmers one day as well.
Congrats on the 500th post!
If we were to win, we would like the Joel Salatin book.
Thanks so much, Tim
I enjoy your posts and have been reading Dirt Farmer nightly–great read.
The Contrary Farmer would be my choice
Ceres Hill
(from homesteading today)
Congrats!
The only book I might be interested in is Bountiful Harvest. It is a photography book and that’s one of my interests. All others I wouldn’t mind reading but I’m not farming at this time and I don’t want to be greedy! 😉
I really enjoy the blog. My pick would be Small-Scale Livestock Farming.
Thomas
Hello I would have to say the All Flesh Is Grass book would be my choice. Thanks for the great reading. tjandshawn@yahoo.com
Congrats on 500! Thanks for all you’ve shared. Dirt Hog would be my choice.
Ethan,
If I win, please send me Harris on the Pig.
rsmilliken(at)gmail
Wow, I have been reading your blog for about a year. You introduced me to many of the authors already.
I bought a sixty acre farm in February.
I need to send you a book.
But, if I win,
Small-Scale Pig Raising by Dirk van Loon
Thanks,
Bert
Congrats! I still look forward to what you might write about each day.
Dirt Hog would be my choice. It was a tough choice!
Congratulations. I would choose You Can Farm by Joel Salatin
I think others would benefit from the books more than myself; no need to include me in the giveaway. I just wanted to chime in to congratulate you on 500 posts! Always informative and very much appreciated. Keep up the great work.
*Love* Omnivore’s Dilemma…that being said, I think I would like Making Your Small Farm Profitable. Keep on blogging. I cannot believe the community I have stumbled upon and have been linked to in person via blogs. So nice to see others struggle with the same things we do, and to also celebrate in the triumphs (and good eatin’ !)
I’ve only read your blog for a couple of months now, but really enjoy the information.
You Can Farm.
Dave
Loving the blog (and your wife’s!). We’re currently dreaming and planning for our move to the country. I hadn’t heard of the Contrary Farmer, but would love a copy — and will have to read it regardless. Blessings!
-Brent
Congrats on your 500th post milestone, Ethan! I think I’d choose All Flesh Is Grass, since I loved his Contrary Farmer book so much.
Congratulations on the 500th post! I remember when I found your blog and couldn’t believe that such a cool thing existed. It opened up a whole new world for me. Thank you.
What a great selection of books. Right now I am surrounded by snow, wishing for spring and dreaming of my future farm in Missouri. “The Bountiful Harvest” would be just great to help me remember what I am working for.
I’ve been following your blog due to the fact that if ever the economy tanks, I think, working a farm is one of the ways to “survive.”
Winning that book will be a good thing.
Congratulations on your achievements.
Small-scale Livestock Farming by Carol Ekarius.
I have been reading your blog for a few months now, maybe since the Holidays. I am actually in the middle of You Can Farm right now. We are expanding our worm farm (in business just over 2 years now) and are planting our first “market garden” this spring and I am ordering our Barred Rock chicks tomorrow!
If I am the lucky winner please send me The Contrary Farmer by Gene Logsdon.
Enjoy your blog
Making Your Small Farm Profitable
Jilann
The Dave from above who requested “You Can Farm” is apexplumbing at hotmail.com
Congratulations!
Omnivore’s Dilemma. I haven’t read it, and now even conservative columnist George F. Will is seriously discussing it, as he did in today’s column, in which he discussed our new Ag Secretary, corn, and this book.
Been reading your blog for a while now. I enjoy learning along with the rest. I would like All Flesh is Grass.
Congratulations on your 500th.
I would love to read “You Can Farm” by Joel Salatin
Thank you!
Scott
Your blog is one of the highlights of my day.
If I win, I’d love Grass-Fed Cattle.
I love your blog. Ooh, a giveaway- I wanna win! 🙂 I’d love Salatin’s book. Michelle
I guess Salatin is the hands-down favorite. What a great idea. Please cound me in for, You Can Farm by Joel Salatin.
500 is great, but Cal Ripken’s got you beat. 🙂
Joel Salatin’s “You Can Farm” looks like a prize!
Thanks for your dedication to sharing what you’re learning.
I literally found ‘The Beginning Farmer’ this morning while looking up Allen Nation. My fiance and I are in the process of getting our own grass-fed operation going and we’re gathering info left and right. In the interest of due diligence, I’m starting at the first post and reading everything. If I win, I’d like either the Ekarius book or one of the Logsdon.
We’ve got the Salatin books and The Omnivores Dilemna got this whole thing rolling; I would (and have) recomended this to everyone.
Hi. I’ve been reading your blog for about 9 months. I check in almost every day to see how things are going.
We have a small farm here in Ohio.
If I win, I would like ‘You Can Farm’.
Keep up the good work!
Lynda
I think you deserve to be congratulated for creating a blog with an ‘atmosphere’ in which it is relatively easily to comment and share a variety of ideas on a number of subjects.
I would like to read Grass-Fed Cattle by Julius Ruechel, because even though pigs are pretty interesting, cattle are probably going to be the major focus for awhile.
Hey, I’ve been reading your blog for about two months. If I win I would like the Making Your Small Farm Profitable book.
Thank you!
Elliott
Congrates on the 500th Post!
If my number gets picked can I please get The Contrary Farmer by Gene Logsdon.
I love reading about you trials with your tractor. I hope that you find a good replacement. One of my greatest memories is riding on my grandfathers tractor with him during baling season.
All Flesh is Grass please.
I love your blog, keep it up.
Thank you for your blog! I’m learning so much and I think you have a great writing style.
It’s probably too late, but if I had to choose, I’d choose
The Contrary Farmer by Gene Logsdon
Thanks–and hope the rain lets up soon….
500 posts—wow, that is an accomplishment. I’ve been following your posts for about 6 months now and really enjoy reading them. My wife, kids and I have a small farm so I can definately relate to what you are going through. Keep up the good work! If I win, I would like the Salatin book. Thanks.