Collection Development | The Rise of the Locavore (Locavores), April 2011
Apr 1, 2011
Eat local. That’s the idea behind the growing locavore movement. The word itself has become more commonplace, especially since it was named the Oxford American Dictionary’s word of the year in 2007. Locavores typically eat food grown or produced within a certain radius of their homes (within 100 to 250 miles in many cases) or within a certain region. Locavores also believe that locally grown food tastes better and is better for us since there is less loss of nutrients owing to the shorter time from harvest to table. It also supports the local economy and local farms and decreases the need to transport food, which in turn helps the environment.
Eating food grown or produced locally is nothing new. In many parts of the world people grow their own food and/or raise their own livestock. It is, however, less of a way of life for most Westerners as large factory farms produce much of what we eat, shipping the food across the globe to fill the shelves of expansive supermarkets. The rise in cases of tainted meat and outbreaks of E.coli and salmonella have drawn attention to the obvious health issues and what many consider an unsustainable food production process. As such, more and more people are looking not only to grow and forage for their own sustenance but to eat closer to home as well.
Tap local groups
Librarians interested in building collections on the locavore movement should be aware of local groups that are part of the movement, including the organizers of farmers’ markets and food co-ops. Also look for groups facilitating Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), where an individual pays a subscription or membership fee to a farm to buy a weekly season’s worth of food, and Agriculture Supported Communities, where a whole community shares in the growing and harvesting by renting plots or receiving free food in exchange for work. The latter is a fairly new phenomenon, but interest is growing, especially in urban areas where abandoned land is revitalized and the community is empowered. Healthy food is the result.
Eating locally has grown beyond mere fad. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the number of farmers’ markets in this country has risen by 16 percent between 2009 and 2010, and the number of CSAs has skyrocketed, from 60 in 1990 to 3600 in mid-2010. Also, resources abound that can help your patrons find locally grown food outlets such as farmers’ markets, CSAs, pick-your-own farms, and food co-ops. One of the best is Local Harvest (www.localharvest.org).
A community of thought
There are other movements that share locavores’ ideals of eating healthier for a better environment. They include the slow food movement (www.slowfoodusa.org), the homesteading or the back-to-the-land movement (living self-sufficiently either in a rural or urban setting), and the sustainability movement (www.sustainabletable.org). This list includes materials on these subjects that locavores may find interesting as well.
The number of memoirs about becoming a locavore, or going from city dweller to farmer, or just simply becoming more self-sufficient is staggering. While some will have staying power, like Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, others won’t. The rising number of documentary films that deal with these subjects (both local and global) includes small, locally produced movies such as Locavore: Local Diet, Healthy Planet, and those with larger budgets, like Morgan Spurlock’s noted Super Size Me.
Some well-known publishers in this area include Process Media, Sterling Publishing, Storey Publishing, Taunton Press, Random House’s Clarkson Potter imprint, and Skyhorse Publishing.
Books about food politics, including such topics as food production, safety, and the fast-food industry, are necessary reading for any locavore. Libraries will want to be familiar with the best-known authors on these subjects: Michael Pollan, Wendell Berry, Barbara Kingsolver, and Eric Schlosser.
Several periodicals to consider are Acres USA: The Voice of Eco-Agriculture. (m. $27. ISSN 1076-4968. www.acresusa.com), Back Home Magazine (bi-m. $21.97. ISSN 1051-323X. www.backhomemagazine.com), and Urban Farm: Sustainable City Living (bi-m. $15. ISSN 2150-7147. www.hobbyfarms.com).
Weed for sustained relevance
Since this is a fairly young subject with increasing popularity, locavore-specific books will have staying power. Weeding should therefore be based on continued patron interest and wear. The number of titles to include in your collection should, of course, be based on local interest. Where patrons are clamoring to know how to raise chickens and grow their own food, you’ll need to buy basic how-to books. If the interest is more about food production, then books by Pollan and Schlosser should be on the shelf. If changes come about in the agricultural industry and/or its regulation, some of the material in their books may not be as relevant, but, even then, their historical significance will remain—as will their excellent writing. After all, one can read Upton Sinclair’s classic The Jungle, about the meat packing industry, and reflect on its aptness today.
It seems likely that the demand will only rise for materials on eating locally, self-reliance, environmentalism, and food politics. Libraries by their nature fit well into the locavore movement: think globally, read locally.
The selective list below includes books and websites about the food industry, being a locavore, and how to live a sustainable lifestyle, with more on the web at www.libraryjournal.com. Titles marked with a star [
] are core purchases for all collections.
COOKING
Bittman, Mark. Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating with More than 75 Recipes. S. & S. 2008. 336p. index. ISBN 9781416575641. $25; pap. ISBN 9781416575658. $15.
This practical guide to eating responsibly includes a handful of recipes from this famous New York Times food writer, author of How To Cook Everything—among other popular cookbooks—and good-food advocate.
Jacobsen, Rowan. American Terroir: Savoring the Flavors of Our Woods, Waters, and Fields. Bloomsbury, dist. by Macmillan. 2010. 272p. illus. maps. ISBN 9781596916487. $25.
The growing terroir (literally “terrain”) food movement concerns, according to Jacobsen, “foods that are what they are because of where they come from.” One of LJ’s Top Ten Books of 2010 (LJ 12/10), this book of essays explores why particular areas are known for particular foods—Why is Vermont maple syrup so good?—with recipes. (LJ 7/10)
Jervis, Lisa. Cook Food: A Manualfesto for Easy, Healthy, Local Eating. PM Pr. 2009. 136p. ISBN 9781604860733. pap. $10.
A great beginner’s guide to the locavore movement, this slim book describes why the author decided to eat local. Jervis provides some easy-to-make recipes (majority vegetarian and vegan) on a tight budget and excellent suggestions for stocking the pantry.
Lagasse, Emeril. Farm to Fork: Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh. HarperStudio: HarperCollins. 2010. 312p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780061742958. pap. $24.99.
World-famous chef Lagasse offers delicious recipes, with home preserving and processing techniques, using fresh food from farmers’ markets. Each chapter focuses on certain food groupings like milk, eggs, and cheese, leafy greens, winter fruits, or herbs. (LJ 5/15/10)
Madison, Deborah. Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America’s Farmers’ Markets. Potter, dist. by Crown. 2008. 408p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780767929493. pap. $26.
Best-selling author and cook Madison was ahead of her time, as this book was first published in 2002, but her seasonal recipes and menus (mostly vegetarian) using food sourced from local farmers’ markets around the country is timeless.
Patterson, Eric & Jennifer Blakeslee. Cooks’ House: The Art and Soul of Local, Sustainable Cuisine. Spirituality & Health. 2010. 223p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780981870823. pap. $24.95.
Noted northern Michigan chefs and owners of the Cooks’ House take a cue from locally grown produce to present recipes that use seasonal ingredients. Beautiful photos accompany recipes that are easy to follow even for a beginner. Interspersed are helpful cooking tips, advice, and food facts.
Walters, Terry. Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source, with More than 200 Recipes for a Healthy and Sustainable You. Sterling Epicure. 2009. 290p. index. ISBN 9781402768149. $30.
Over half of this book is devoted to scrumptious recipes—the majority vegan—arranged seasonally. Otherwise, wonderful chapters on the benefits of eating clean or naturally grown, minimally processed foods cover various cooking methods, plus a glossary of food and food ingredients, whether good or bad for your diet. The only downside: no photos for any of the recipes, but most are very easy to make.
Waters, Alice. In the Green Kitchen: Techniques To Learn by Heart. Potter, dist. by Crown. Apr. 2010. 160p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780307336804. $28.
Waters brought over 30 chefs interested in food and a sustainable future to her Slow Food Nation in San Francisco in 2008. They demonstrated simple, yet essential cooking techniques. This spin-off of that event offers each technique, followed by the chef’s recipe.
Zissu, Alexandra. The Conscious Kitchen: The New Way To Buy and Cook Food—To Protect the Earth, Improve Your Health, and Eat Deliciously. Potter, dist. by Crown. 2010. 224p. index. ISBN 9780307461407. pap. $13.99.
Useful information and helpful tips scattered throughout cover the local vs. organic debate, grocery shopping, cookware, kitchen appliances, and what to do with all that kitchen waste. (Xpress Reviews, 2/12/10)
FOOD POLITICS
Berry, Wendell. Bringing It to the Table: On Farming and Food. Counterpoint.2009. 234p. ISBN 9781582435435. pap. $14.95.
A collection of essays by this prolific writer and farmer discusses the organic vs. locally grown food controversy and the origins of store-bought food. With an intro by Michael Pollan.
Costa, Temra. Farmer Jane: Women Changing the Way We Eat. Gibbs Smith. 2010. 224p. ISBN 9781423605621. pap. $15.99.
The author profiles 30 women in the sustainable food industry who are making a difference, with “recipes for action” on how others can help the cause. An excellent introduction to this movement.
Foer, Jonathan Safran. Eating Animals. Little, Brown. 2009. 352p. ISBN 9780316069908. $25.99; pap. ISBN 9780316069885. $14.99.
Foer’s first work of nonfiction explores the meat industry and factory farming and discusses the ethical and moral implications of eating meat. (LJ 7/09)
Franseshini, Amy & Daniel Tucker. Farm Together Now: A Portrait of People, Places, and Ideas for a New Food Movement. Chronicle.2010. 192p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780811867115.$27.50.
Meet farmers across the United States who are using sustainable methods. This book covers 20 different farms, with stunning photos of the people and places visited.
Gristle: From Factory Farms to Food Safety. New Pr., dist. by Perseus. 2010. 144p. ed. by Moby with Miyun Park. illus. ISBN 9781595581914. pap. $14.90.
Here’s the opposite approach—why you don’t want to ignore the locavore movement. Edited by Moby, well-known musician and vegan, and Park, executive director for Global Animal Partnership, this short introduction to the health, environmental, and worker safety issues raised by factory farming is good for those who want a quick summary. (Xpress Reviews, 4/23/10)
Kirby, David. Animal Factory: The Looming Threat of Industrial Pig, Dairy, and Poultry Farms to Humans and the Environment. St. Martin’s. 2010. 492p. index. ISBN 9780312380588. $26.99.
The controversial author of Evidence of Harm (2005) writes here about the treatment of animals in confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), as well as the devastating effects of these factory farms on humans. For anyone new to food politics, this accessible eye-opener is a classic David vs. Goliath tale that focuses on three individuals going head-to-head with big corporations and government agencies.
Pollan, Michael. In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto. Penguin Pr: Penguin Group (USA). 2008. 244p. ISBN 9781594201455. $21.95; pap. ISBN 9780143114963. $15.
This is essential reading for any discussion on the food industry and the detrimental effects of the American diet. Pollan rallies us to reconsider our eating habits.
Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. Penguin Pr: Penguin Group (USA). 2006. 464p. ISBN 9781594200823. $26.95; pap. ISBN 9780143038580. $16.
As the title suggests, Pollan takes the reader on a journey into the origins of four different meals. He evaluates the McDonald’s burger and fries, a chicken dinner prepared from ingredients bought at Whole Foods, a similar one from a sustainable farm, and, finally, a feast of mushrooms and pork from wild foraging. (Young Readers Edition, ISBN 9780803734159). (LJ 4/15/06)
Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Houghton Harcourt. 2001. 288p. ISBN 9780395977897. $26; pap. ISBN 9780060838584. $14.99.
You will never want to eat a fast-food meal again after reading this groundbreaking work about the fast-food industry, from its beginnings to the present day. It assesses how the food is processed and the lack of food safety overall. (LJ 2/1/01)
HOW-TO
Childs, Laura. The Joy of Keeping Farm Animals: Raising Chickens, Goats, Pigs, Sheep, and Cows. Skyhorse, dist. by Norton. (Joy of Series). 2010. 238p. illus. index. ISBN 9781602397453. pap. $14.95.
In this very thorough guide to choosing and raising your own livestock, Childs, who left the city to start her own farm in Canada, provides great advice on raising, harvesting, and selling products such as eggs, wool, etc.
Cotler, Amy. The Locavore Way: Discover and Enjoy the Pleasures of Locally Grown Food. Storey. 2009. 160p. illus. index. ISBN 9781603424530. pap. $12.95.
This easy-to-read guide to everything locavore from chef and cookbook author Cotler, also founding director of Berkshire Grown, is a model for local farm and food advocacy. She covers growing your own food and eating locally on a budget and how to become a local food advocate. An appendix includes a glossary of sustainable food-related terms, additional resources, and a section on the history of local food.
Coyne, Kelly & Erik Knutzen. The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City. rev. ed. Process Media. (Self-Reliance Series). 2010. 360p. index. ISBN 9781934170106. $17.95.
The New York Times called this “the contemporary bible on the subject” of homesteading. Originally published in 2008, this revised and expanded edition is not just for the beginners in self-reliant living but definitely easy enough for anyone to follow. With projects ranging from making your own compost bin to reusing the water from a washing machine, ideas span the simple to the complex.
English, Ashley. Homemade Living: Canning & Preserving with Ashley English: All You Need To Know To Make Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Chutneys & More. 2010. ISBN 9781600594915.
English, Ashley. Homemade Living: Home Dairy with Ashley English; All You Need To Know To Make Cheese, Yogurt, Butter & More. 2011. ISBN 9781600596278.
English, Ashley. Homemade Living: Keeping Bees with Ashley English; All You Need To Know To Tend Hives, Harvest Honey & More. 2011. ISBN 9781600596261.
English, Ashley. Homemade Living: Keeping Chickens with Ashley English; All You Need To Know To Care for a Happy, Healthy Flock. 2010. ISBN 9781600594908.
ea. vol: Lark: Sterling. (Homemade Living). 136p. photogs. index. $19.95.
These four excellent books in the “Homemade Living” series offer great information on each subject for both beginners and intermediate users. Read about the science behind canning, the different breeds of chickens, how to care for bees, and much more, with beautiful color photos. (Canning; Keeping Chickens, LJ 3/1/10)
Homesteading: A Backyard Guide to: Growing Your Own Food, Canning, Keeping Chickens, Generating Your Own Energy, Crafting, Herbal Medicine, and More. Skyhorse, dist. by Norton. 2009. 456p. ed. by Abigail R. Gehring. photogs. index. ISBN 9781602397477. $24.95.
The term homesteading, simply put, means self-reliant living. Whether you have acreage or a small plot in your backyard, this book offers detailed information for everything from a home garden to energy independence.
Klein, Carol. Grow Your Own Vegetables. Octopus, dist. by Hachette. 2010. 224p. photogs. Index. ISBN 9781845335519. pap. $19.95.
Klein, a well-respected gardener, shows how anyone with any sized plot can grow vegetables. This excellent book for a beginner provides advice from deciding where to start (containers or raised bed, for example) to knowing your soil and what to grow, as well as how and when. Sharp photos accentuate the information. Klein’s Grow Your Own Fruit (ISBN 9781845336004. $19.95) is due out this month.
Meredith, Leda. The Locavore’s Handbook: The Busy Person’s Guide to Eating Local on a Budget. Lyons: Globe Pequot. 2010. 201p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780762755486. pap. $16.95.
The author of Botany, Ballet and Dinner from Scratch, where she challenged herself to eat only food sourced within 250 miles of her Brooklyn home, continues to give some great advice. She includes the benefits of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group, how to store food in limited space, and foraging in the city. A New York perspective prevails, but great resources for websites and further reading extends the book’s value.
Pollan, Michael. Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual. Penguin Pr: Penguin Group (USA). 2009. 140p. ISBN 9780143116387. pap. $11.
In this solid companion to his other works, Pollan offers 64 “simple rules for eating healthily and happily.” Some are simple adages, while others are more detailed.
Smith, Jeremy N. Growing a Garden City. Skyhorse, dist. by Norton. 2010. 225p. photogs. ISBN 9781616081089. $24.95.
The author tells the story of one community in Missoula, MT, that embraces the locavore movement through the nonprofit Garden City Harvest.
Steele, Jae. Ripe from Around Here: A Vegan Guide to Local and Sustainable Eating (No Matter Where You Live). Arsenal Pulp Pr. 2010. 263p. illus. index. ISBN 9781551522548. pap. $23.95.
Having had success with her first book, Get It Ripe: A Fresh Take on Vegan Cooking & Living, Steele continues her commitment to the vegan diet while encouraging the locavore movement. Mostly dedicated to seasonal recipes, it also has some great step-by-step projects for such things as vermicomposting, canning, and container gardening. (Xpress Reviews, 6/4/10)
MEMOIRS
Kingsolver, Barbara & others. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. HarperCollins. 2008. 384p. bibliog. ISBN 9780060852559. $26.95; pap. ISBN 9780060852566. $15.99.
This chronicle of the year that this famous writer and her family moved from Tucson, AZ, to a family farm in Virginia to live off the land and eat only locally produced foods is highly recommended. It also includes recipes by one of Kingsolver’s daughters and further writing by her husband. (Best Sci-Tech Books 2007, LJ 3/1/07; Xpress Reviews, 4/3/07)
Timmermeister, Kurt. Growing a Farmer: How I Learned To Live Off the Land. Norton. 2011. 335p. index. ISBN 9780393070859. $24.95.
Chef-turned-farmer Timmermeister writes a wonderfully engaging story of how he took some overgrown property on Washington’s Vashon Island and turned it into a successful farm—with plenty of trial and error along the way. Not just a memoir but a resource for anyone wanting to start a farm. (LJ 12/10)
Wogenrich, Jenna. Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life. Storey. 2010. 192p. ISBN 9781603420860. $20.95; pap. ISBN 9781603425322. $12.95.
This is a great alternative for those who like Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (above) but want a lighter touch. In part memoir, part how-to, Wogenrich (who also wrote Chick Days, about raising chickens) tells how she gave up her 9-5 job to live a more meaningful, self-reliant life, and how you can, too.
DVDS
Asparagus! Stalking the American Life. color. 53 min. Spargel Prods., asparagusthemovie.com. 2008. $19.99.
This award-winning documentary is about Oceana County, MI, where the community comes together to take on the U.S. War on Drugs, free trade, and the fast-food industry, in order to hold its 30-year title of Asparagus Capital of the World.
Food, Inc. color. 91 min. Magnolia Home Entertainment, www.magpictures.com. 2009. UPC 876964002165. $19.98.
Following his groundbreaking exposé of the fast food industry in Fast Food Nation, coproducer Eric Schlosser, fellow author Michael Pollan, and others discuss the overall food industry and the lack of safety for both workers and consumers. (Top DVDs of 2009, LJ 1/10)
The Future of Food. color. 88 min. Virgil Films, www.virgilfilmsent.com. 2007. UPC 829567040225. $14.95.
Having names attached to this film, like writer/director Deborah Koons Garcia, the widow of legendary Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia, and Morgan Spurlock as executive producer, helps with publicity, but the movie itself is a scathing critique of our food supply—particularly of food giant Monsanto.
Ingredients: The Local Food Movement Takes Root. color. 73 min. New Video Group, www.newvideo.com. 2011. ISBN 9781422914151. $29.95.
A chronicle of the local food movement around the United States, from Harlem to Oregon’s Willamette Valley, including interviews with world-class chefs such as Alice Waters and Greg Higgins.
King Corn. color. 88 min. New Video Group, www.newvideo.com. ISBN 9781422913512. 2008. $19.95.
Longtime friends return to their ancestral home of Greene, IA, to grow corn. Along the way, they teach us about the overabundant, overly subsidized corn production that goes on in this country. (LJ 9/15/08)
Locavore: Local Diet, Healthy Planet. color. 103 min. The Living Farm, thelivingfarm.org. 2009. UPC 884501192576. $20.
The Living Farm’s Lynn Gillespie with Jay Canode uses local talent to describe what a locavore is all about. A very small production with some big ideas. (LJ 9/15/10)
Nourish: Food + Community. color. 50 min. WorldLink, www.goworldlink.org. 2009. $24.95.
Originally a half-hour PBS special, this DVD also contains 11 short films with a range of noted personalities such as Michael Pollan, Jamie Oliver, Cameron Diaz, and Alice Waters on where our food comes from and how it reaches us, as well as the impact of our food choices. See also the companion PBS website, www.nourishlife.org.
Super Size Me. color. 96 min. Sony Pictures, www.sonypictures.com. 2004. UPC 043396085435. $9.95.
Award-winning director Morgan Spurlock shows what fast food does to his body by eating exclusively at McDonald’s for 30 days. It is not a pretty sight! (LJ 2/1/05)
We Feed the World. color. 96 min. Zeitgeist Films, www.zeitgeistfilms.com. 2009. UPC 698452207230. $29.95.
This excellent but disturbing award winner from Germany is an exposé of the world’s agricultural system, from small farmers to multinational corporations.
WEB RESOURCES
Civil Eats
civileats.com
Focused on food politics, with over 100 contributors to the dialog about the American food system and its global effects, as well as sustainable agriculture and food systems.
The Daily Green
www.thedailygreen.com
This online publication owned by Hearst Digital Media provides news and information about going green.
Eating Well Guide
www.eatwellguide.org
Find farms, markets, restaurants, and more, in the United States and Canada.
Eco-Friendly Guide
www.savewithgreen.com
A guide to green living and green companies for a variety of products.
Farmbrarian
www.farmbrarian.com
A collaboration between an academic librarian and a nutrition student, with reviews of books on growing and eating real food; an excellent resource for new books.
Grist
www.grist.org
A bastion of environmental news and commentary since 1999.
Local Harvest
www.localharvest.org
Find farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area, where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies.
Mother Earth News
www.motherearthnews.com
The mother of them all: the self-proclaimed longest-running sustainable lifestyle magazine.
Organic Gardening
www.organicgardening.com
This website to accompany the magazine of the same name provides organic gardening video how-to’s as well as free articles.
Pick Your Own Food
pickyourown.org
Find a farm where you can pick your own food.
Simple Steps
www.simplesteps.org/eat-local
The Natural Resources Defense Council provides this resource to look up what is in season anywhere in the United States.
Slow Food USA
www.slowfoodusa.org
Find local chapters, read the blog, donate, or become a member of the Slow Food Movement, which seeks to connect communities and the environment.
Sustainable Table
www.sustainabletable.org
An excellent resource for educating yourself and the public about the benefits of eating local, sustainable food.
THE DEVELOPING SCHEDULE
JUN 9/11 TEN YEARS LATER
JUL VETERANS’ ISSUES
AUG TRENDY CRAFTS
SEPT CHEAP DVD CLASSICS
OCT SHORT STORIES ON AUDIO
The complete schedule can be found at www.libraryjournal.com. To submit titles (new and/or backlist), contact Cynthia Orr four to six months before issue dates listed above (email: cynthiaorr@att.net).
| Author Information |
| Lucy Roehrig is a Collection Development Librarian at Ann Arbor District Library, MI, and has worked in various types of libraries for 20 years in a range of positions from shelver to librarian. She has been an avid organic gardener for over nine years and is currently learning the art of bonsai. Her new projects for spring include joining a CSA group, planting some veggies, and applying at least one self-sufficient idea from the many excellent how-to books sourced for this article |
