The Fat of the Land: The Story of an American Farm

The author recounts seven years of acquiring, improving, and managing a family farm, describing site planning, construction, tree planting, livestock (poultry, pigs, dairy cattle), seasonal tasks, hiring and overseeing workers, farm finances, and market challenges. Practical chapters cover water drilling, fencing, tool and building projects, animal husbandry, and mechanized milking alongside household life, holidays, and community events. Recurring themes include frugality, planning for the future, experimental methods, and balancing economics with comfort. The narrative combines hands-on instruction, case accounts of successes and setbacks, and periodic reckonings of costs and returns, concluding with reflections and an outlook for continued improvement.