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OverviewNovella Carpenter loves cities-the culture, the crowds, the energy. At the same time, she can't shake the fact that she is the daughter of two back-to-the-land hippies who taught her to love nature and eat vegetables. Ambivalent about repeating her parents' disastrous mistakes, yet drawn to the idea of backyard self-sufficiency, Carpenter decided that it might be possible to have it both ways: a homegrown vegetable plot as well as museums, bars, concerts, and a twenty-four-hour convenience mart mere minutes away. Especially when she moved to a ramshackle house in inner-city Oakland and discovered a weed-choked, garbage-strewn abandoned lot next door. She closed her eyes and pictured heirloom tomatoes, a beehive, and a chicken coop. What started out as a few egg-laying chickens led to turkeys, geese, and ducks. Soon, some rabbits joined the fun, then two 300-pound pigs. And no, these charming and eccentric animals weren't pets; she was a farmer, not a zookeeper. Novella was raising these animals for dinner. Novella Carpenter's corner of downtown Oakland is populated by unforgettable characters. Lana (anal spelled backward, she reminds us) runs a speakeasy across the street and refuses to hurt even a fly, let alone condone raising turkeys for Thanksgiving. Bobby, the homeless man who collects cars and car parts just outside the farm, is an invaluable neighborhood concierge. The turkeys, Harold and Maude, tend to escape on a daily basis to cavort with the prostitutes hanging around just off the highway nearby. Every day on this strange and beautiful farm, urban meets rural in the most surprising ways. For anyone who has ever grown herbs on their windowsill or tomatoes on their fire escape, or who has obsessed over the offerings at the local farmers' market, Carpenter's story will capture your heart. And if you've ever considered leaving it all behind to become a farmer outside the city limits or looked at the abandoned lot next door with a gleam in your eye, consider this both a cautionary tale and a full-throated call to action. Farm City is an unforgettably charming memoir, full of hilarious moments, fascinating farmers' tips, and a great deal of heart. It is also a moving meditation on urban life versus the natural world and what we have given up to live the way we do. Full Product DetailsAuthor: Novella Carpenter , Karen R. J. WhitePublisher: Tantor Media, Inc Imprint: Tantor Media, Inc Edition: Unabridged edition Dimensions: Width: 16.30cm , Height: 2.70cm , Length: 13.70cm Weight: 0.079kg ISBN: 9781400112982ISBN 10: 1400112982 Publication Date: 09 July 2009 Audience: General/trade , General Format: Audio Publisher's Status: Active Availability: In Print  This item will be ordered in for you from one of our suppliers. Upon receipt, we will promptly dispatch it out to you. For in store availability, please contact us. Table of ContentsReviewsUtterly enchanting.... The juxtaposition of the farming life with inner-city grit...elevates it to the realm of the magical. ---Publishers Weekly Starred Review Utterly enchanting... The juxtaposition of the farming life with inner-city grit...elevates it to the realm of the magical. ---Publishers Weekly Starred Review Utterly enchanting.... The juxtaposition of the farming life with inner-city grit...elevates it to the realm of the magical. ---Publishers Weekly Starred Review Author InformationNovella Carpenter attended Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism, where she studied under Michael Pollan for two years, and her writing has appeared in Salon.com, Saveur.com, and Mother Jones. Karen White has been narrating audiobooks since 1999, with more than two hundred to her credit. Honored to be included in AudioFile's Best Voices and Speaking of Audiobooks's Best Romance Audio 2012 and 2013, she is also an Audie Award finalist and has earned multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |
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