Growing A Farmer Post II

Two qualities that I admire a lot in other humans are persistence and a willingness to not let failure define who you are but shape who you are. From reading Growing A Farmer, I truly think that Timmermeister is the embodiment of these two qualities: never, in the entire novel, did I see one instance of Timmermeister allowing the setbacks that had followed him since the inception of his idea to become a farmer influence his actions and deter him from pursuing his dream. 

Leaving a comfortable life as a successful restaurateur in Seattle and moving to the countryside to start a farm on a overgrown piece of land is definitely not one of the most orthodox career choices that people can make; yet, Timmermeister not only chose to go on this path but also to run along with it. For that, I also admire him and his story: I don't think that I, personally, would have the courage to leave the city and pursue a risky career, even if it was my dream. 

Furthermore, it was really refreshing for me to be able to read a novel where something wasn't glamorized to fit the easy narrative or to tie back in with people's expectations; I really appreciated how Timmermeister was extremely honest and candid in his experiences with the farm and the learning curve that running it successfully required. The writing was genuine, open, and didn't require a meticulous dissecting of the phrases to determine any ulterior motives that Timmermeister may have had. Timmermeister's ability to capture the hardships that come with working on the farm, along with the joy that comes when a crop is successful or drinking freshly squeezed milk from a cow have been able to successfully appeal to my emotions, and have caused me to heavily reconsider the stigmas that documentaries about the farming industry such as Food, Inc. have instilled in my mind.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and learning more about the day to day operations of a small family farm. It really has given me a new perspective into an industry of which I had previously known little about, and has inspired me to go out to my local farmer's market more and talk to the stand owners there to see if they and Timmermeister share the same experiences. While I don't intend on starting my own farm anytime soon, this book has encouraged me to go out and follow my dreams: and that is a lesson that I will definitely hold with me for a very long time.