stories

I love stories.  I read, listen to, and watch tons of them.  Fiction, non-fiction, autobiographical, historical, science fiction, mystery, on CD, live and in-person, on YouTube video, hardbound, paperback- love 'em.

Lots of different stories of lots of different kinds have informed our journey. 

Hope you're inspired in your story!
Enjoy.

Transition to creative sustainable farming

• Greenhorns: 50 Dispatches from the New Farmers' Movement, Zoe Ida Bradbury
• The Land Stewardship Project, newsletters, Farm Dreams class
• Living on the Land class, U of MN Extension

Hunter-gatherer life before agriculture

• The Clan of the Cavebear, Earth's Children series, Jean M. Auel

American pioneers and homesteaders

• Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman tv show, kids and I watched, especially early episodes of her transition from Boston to rural life
• Little House on the Prairie series, Laura Ingalls Wilder, kids and I listened to CD's in van, best homesteading books from kids perspective I've found
• Anne of Green Gables series, Lucy Maud Montgomery, CD's in van, best rural community books from kids perspective I've found

Moderns who lose technology and recreate a low-tech society

• There Will Be Dragons, The Council Wars series, John Ringo
• 1632, Ring of Fire series, Eric Flint

Practicing farmers who share their stories

• La Finca CSA, my favorite CSA
• Pastures a Plenty, our pork and beef suppliers when we lived in the Cities
• U of MN Extension Small Farm Hotline, practicing farmers return calls
• 4H, got to go in person and hear these stories, nicest families around
• Rural Renaissance Network
• Emmanuel Farm
• Sustainable Agriculture Project videos
• Modern Homestead, Harvey Ussary, an early find which influenced our thinking on permaculture and sustainability
• Best permaculture YouTube videos
• Sepp Holzer youtube videos, follow links for additional parts
• Sepp Holzer's Permaculture and Rebel Farmer books
• Seed Savers Exchange, wonderful heirloom seeds and stories of the people who grow and contribute them
• National Geographic Food Ark article, July 2011- see especially the cautionary tales of the potato famine, the seed guardians who died of starvation, and Jemel Mohammed- these are the stories of hard times which inspire me
• Eat Local Farm Tour
• Farmacology: What Innovative Family Farming Can Teach Us About Health and Healing, Daphne Miller, MD 

Other non-story resources

• Small Farm Library
• Center for Rural Policy and Development
• Permaculture Research Institute, Cold Climate
• Ecological Gardens
• Natural Capital Plant Database