Stronger Than Dirt: How One Urban Couple Grew a Business, a Family, and a New Way of Life from the Ground Up

I picked this book up at the library over the summer when I was looking for a gardening book. I wasn't looking for a STORY about gardening but after starting the book, I was pleasantly surprised at how interesting their journey was. A young couple wants to start a new business that is very different from what they are use to. I am actually thinking of looking for it again (at the library) just to re-read it. It was almost a step by step guide to starting up a family farming business.

What a fun book! Stronger than Dirt is a funny, fun, interesting look into the world of farming -- through formerly non-farmers' eyes. Told in a "he says, she says" format, you're able to see both sides of a funny -- and true -- story. Ms. Schaye's descriptions of the heat, sweat, labor, and truly beautiful countryside contrast with Mr. Losee's idealistic, optimistic, and realistic descriptions of the -- heat, sweat, and labor -- that went into starting their farm in Upstate New York. Their "truthful" and "no-holds-barred" writing style lets you feel their pains, triumphs, and successes almost first-hand. Even though my thumb is beyond black and I am not really into gardening, I enjoyed this book for the unusual and charming story that it is. I found myself laughing with their humor, and wincing with their setbacks, and I loved hearing about their families' reactions.