Overview

Examines local food movement activism in a period of increasing climate chaos and neoliberal crisis, economic inequalities and political divisions In the face of numerous challenges, small-scale farming for local markets requires enormous courage and optimism. The decision to become a farmer often arises from a profound desire to uphold certain values and beliefs, driven by the moral and emotional motivations to contribute to a greater good. Central New York’s local food market draws a unique cohort of individuals who see farming as more than just a livelihood; it is a way to define a good life and contribute to the well-being of the society they cherish. Their moral order revolves around shared beliefs in sustainability and stewardship of the land, emphasizing health and risk management, cooperation over competition, and a deep sense of justice. For these farmers, relationships and family ties are foundational to their work, creating a strong sense of community within the local food system. This book delves into the captivating world of local food markets in a “Rust Belt” region of the state, where 51 individuals representing 45 different farms, restaurants, agricultural non-profits, and local food retailers share their inspiring stories through conversations and interviews. Author Stephen Ellingson explores the intricate web of moral commitments, self-understandings, and emotional experiences that drive and sustain small-scale farming for the local food market. By amplifying the voices of these unsung heroes, it gives recognition to the crucial role they play in society and offers important insights into the values that underpin their contributions to the local food system.

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9781479820665

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Reviews

"""Ellingson's Planting with Purpose describes how individuals stay motivated to participate in New York's local food markets during difficult financial times. The book explains how values connected to ""a good life"" shape participation in markets with high levels of risk and uncertainty. Planting with Purpose describes motivations for actions that do not make sense when looked at from a purely economic point of view. This is a great book showing the utility of a sociological perspective that challenges mainstream thinking about the economy. It points us towards a framework where culture and morality are central in helping us re-imagine sustainability in markets.""-- ""Keith R. Brown, author of Buying into Fair Trade: Culture, Morality and Consumption"" ""Farm-to-table eating and locavore diets are among the most popular food trends, but what exactly does ""eating local"" mean to those who produce the food? In Planting with Purpose, Stephen Ellingson explores these questions via the farmers who commit to small-scale and community-based food production models, detailing the stories they tell about what they do and why they do it. In clear and compelling prose, Ellingson reveals the ethical codes and ideals of the local food movement, how they embody a critique of industrialized food systems, and the communities of eaters and growers that emerge from that moral ground.""-- ""Christopher R. Henke, author of Cultivating Science, Harvesting Power: Science and Industrial Agriculture in California"" ""Growing and serving local food is perfectly rational - unless one limit one's definition to economic rationality. Ellingson shows how moral and ethical rationality underpins the producers' commitment to sustainability and seasonality, more broadly, to the earth itself and the creatures therein. While the influence of values on economic action goes back to Weber, Ellingson's research on a contemporary manifestation dramatizes how structures of meaning can join the local with the planetary.""-- ""Wendy Griswold, author of American Guides: The Federal Writers' Project and the Casting of American Culture"" ""In Planting with Purpose, Ellingson confirms that food is more than a capitalist commodity. Drawing from conversations with local food actors, the book masterfully uncovers the meaning and morals undergirding their long days of hard work producing high-quality food. Ellingson's empathetic storytelling allows producers' voices to resonate throughout the pages, shedding light on their commitment to a sustainable life filled with rich connections to people and the earth. By emphasizing the morals anchoring local food projects, this book encourages us to think beyond ethical consumption at the grocery check-out -- and better appreciate the moral commitments of food producers. This book is an essential and timely contribution for scholars, students, and anyone interested in the sociology of food, culture and morality.""-- ""Josée Johnston, co-author of Food and Femininity"""

"""Growing and serving local food is perfectly rational – unless one limit one’s definition to economic rationality. Ellingson shows how moral and ethical rationality underpins the producers’ commitment to sustainability and seasonality, more broadly, to the earth itself and the creatures therein. While the influence of values on economic action goes back to Weber, Ellingson’s research on a contemporary manifestation dramatizes how structures of meaning can join the local with the planetary."" * Wendy Griswold, author of American Guides: The Federal Writers’ Project and the Casting of American Culture * ""Ellingson’s Planting with Purpose describes how individuals stay motivated to participate in New York’s local food markets during difficult financial times. The book explains how values connected to “a good life” shape participation in markets with high levels of risk and uncertainty. Planting with Purpose describes motivations for actions that do not make sense when looked at from a purely economic point of view. This is a great book showing the utility of a sociological perspective that challenges mainstream thinking about the economy. It points us towards a framework where culture and morality are central in helping us re-imagine sustainability in markets."" * Keith R. Brown, author of Buying into Fair Trade: Culture, Morality and Consumption * ""Farm-to-table eating and locavore diets are among the most popular food trends, but what exactly does ""eating local"" mean to those who produce the food? In Planting with Purpose, Stephen Ellingson explores these questions via the farmers who commit to small-scale and community-based food production models, detailing the stories they tell about what they do and why they do it. In clear and compelling prose, Ellingson reveals the ethical codes and ideals of the local food movement, how they embody a critique of industrialized food systems, and the communities of eaters and growers that emerge from that moral ground."" * Christopher R. Henke, author of Cultivating Science, Harvesting Power: Science and Industrial Agriculture in California * ""In Planting with Purpose, Ellingson confirms that food is more than a capitalist commodity. Drawing from conversations with local food actors, the book masterfully uncovers the meaning and morals undergirding their long days of hard work producing high-quality food. Ellingson's empathetic storytelling allows producers’ voices to resonate throughout the pages, shedding light on their commitment to a sustainable life filled with rich connections to people and the earth. By emphasizing the morals anchoring local food projects, this book encourages us to think beyond ethical consumption at the grocery check-out -- and better appreciate the moral commitments of food producers. This book is an essential and timely contribution for scholars, students, and anyone interested in the sociology of food, culture and morality."" * Josée Johnston, co-author of Food and Femininity *"

Growing and serving local food is perfectly rational – unless one limits one’s definition to economic rationality. Ellingson shows how moral and ethical rationality underpins producers’ commitment to sustainability and seasonality, and, more broadly, to the earth itself and the creatures therein. Ellingson’s research dramatizes how structures of meaning can join the local with the planetary. * Wendy Griswold, author of American Guides: The Federal Writers’ Project and the Casting of American Culture * Planting with Purpose describes how individuals stay motivated to participate in New York’s local food markets during difficult financial times. The book explains how values connected to ‘a good life’ shape participation in markets with high levels of risk and uncertainty. This is a great book showing the utility of a sociological perspective that challenges mainstream thinking about the economy. It points us towards a framework where culture and morality are central in helping us re-imagine sustainability in markets. * Keith R. Brown, author of Buying into Fair Trade: Culture, Morality and Consumption * Farm-to-table eating and locavore diets are among the most popular food trends, but what exactly does ‘eating local’ mean to those who produce the food? In clear and compelling prose, Ellingson reveals the ethical codes and ideals of the local food movement, how they embody a critique of industrialized food systems, and the communities of eaters and growers that emerge from that moral ground. * Christopher R. Henke, author of Cultivating Science, Harvesting Power: Science and Industrial Agriculture in California * Ellingson confirms that food is more than a capitalist commodity. By emphasizing the morals anchoring local food projects, this book encourages us to think beyond ethical consumption at the grocery check-out -and better appreciate the moral commitments of food producers. This book is an essential and timely contribution for anyone interested in the sociology of food, culture and morality. * Josée Johnston, co-author of Food and Femininity *

Author Information

Stephen Ellingson is Professor of Sociology at Hamilton College. He is the author of To Care for Creation: The Emergence of the Religious Environmental Movement and The Megachurch and the Mainline: Remaking Religious Tradition in the Twenty-first Century. He is also the co-author of The Sexual Organization of the City.

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