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Joan Dye Gussow is an extraordinarily ordinary woman. She lives in a home not unlike the average home in a neighborhood that is, more or less, typically suburban. What sets her apart from the rest of us is that she thinks more deeply—and in more eloquent detail—about food. In sharing her ponderings, she sets a delightful example for those of us who seek the healthiest, most pleasurable lifestyle within an environment determined to propel us in the opposite direction. Joan is a suburbanite with a green thumb, but also a feisty, defiant spirit with a relentlessly positive outlook.
This Organic Life begins with Joan and her husband Alan’s trials and tribulations growing vegetables for their own table while coping with careers and a sprawling Victorian house in Congers, New York. Motivated to go off-the-grid of the global food system in their later years, the Gussows find and fall in love with a dilapidated Odd Fellows Hall on the banks of the Hudson River. Joan’s often hilarious accounts of the renovation of the house and the creation of their new gardens are spiced by extracts from her own journal, and over thirty wonderful recipes using fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables. There is also an occasional pontification about a food distribution system run amok. At the heart of This Organic Life is the premise that locally grown food eaten in season makes sense economically, ecologically, and gastronomically. Transporting produce to New York from California—not to mention Central and South America, Australia, or Europe—consumes more energy in transit than it yields in calories. (It costs 435 fossil fuel calories to fly a 5-calorie strawberry from California to New York.) Add in the deleterious effects of agribusiness, such as the endless cycle of pesticide, herbicide, and chemical fertilizers; the loss of topsoil from erosion of over-tilled croplands; depleted aquifers and soil salinization from over-irrigation; and the arguments in favor of this organic life become overwhelmingly convincing. more info
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This book is a must read!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have read scores of books on organic gardening, permaculture, the environment, and food… This book tops my list of must-reads! Every living, breathing, eating adult needs this book! (while you’re at it check out “The Organic Gardener’s Home Reference” it’s a wonderfully comprehensive and precise reference)
More Than A Garden
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This book has something for everyone. Wryly wise, poignant, wonderfully written. A moving personal memoir that is also a wake-up call for us to examine the way we buy food and what we eat and its impact on our future. Will appeal to readers, remodelers, gardeners, foodies, cooks, people who care about our planet, wives, mothers, pioneers, livers of life. A wonderful one-book-fits-all for gift giving.
A Peek At Some Organic Issues
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
“This Organic Life” offers a crucial message about the importance of soil, a living part of the Earth and of our lives, and about how our food choices affect the health of the soil. Gussow makes this and some related points forcefully and repeatedly, and bravely offers up the example of her own decisions to enact a local-foods philosophy.
The writing suffers from underinvolvement of an editor. The work lacks focus, especially in the first half, when her marriage, her community, a search for a new home, remodeling, and other events compete with the “Organic” promised in the book’s title. An editor would have been able to bring continuity and theme to these essays, which actually are a narrative of the middle age and early elderly eras of her life. Strong editing would also have eliminated the confusing (and really needless) details about the nature of her newly purchased house and the foot by foot descriptions of the lot. Verbal descriptions, at least of this kind, cannot provide a sense of the surely daunting prospects she and her husband faced in claiming their new plot of land.
The really interesting stuff is contained in the latter part of the book, where Gussow combines polemic with her adventures in gardening and storing food in her own yard and in the community garden she helped commence. Each of us who tries to live a commitment to sustainable and healthy participation in the natural coil struggle with a myriad of choices and compromises. We are hopeful that our journey towards responsible activity is a progressive one. I think an essential part of the journey is a frank acknowledgement of our limitations and contradictory behavior. Gussow makes some concession to hypocritical choices in food selection. She does not, however, recognize some of the other difficulties inherent in her recommendations.
For example, it is not clear to me that shifting the freezing of foods from the producers and supermarkets to a citizenry that has one or more individual home freezers will result in less consumption of electricity and other resources. Gussow seems to be a consumer of a great deal of plastic and the role of this and other manufactured products (such as the huge amount of demolition waste from her home) in the health of the soil in land fills and dumps is not addressed. She is very vocal about the evils of transporting foods over long distances, at a high natural resources cost, for out-of-season consumption. Yet if we all we mailed crates of citrus in the winter and other food products from out of state, are we shifting the high resource consumption from the food service sector to the mail sector? Which is less wasteful?
Other topics I would have liked to have seen addressed involve the use of heritage seeds versus newer crop hybrids, how eating local foods improves health through localizing the mineral and environmental cycle of feeders, the ways that new homes can be built with more sustainable housing products, and energy-efficient, alternative ways of regulating home temperatures and providing storage. It seems that “This Organic Life” might better have been titled “This Organic Eater” or “This Organic Gardener.” The author does provide an interesting look at efforts we can make to improve our situation, and raises issues and questions that will extend the discussion without providing an ultimate solution.
What the Washington Post thought
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
From the Washington Post: Books Show Organic Gardens Can Be of Beauty and Service By Joel M. Lerner Saturday, June 16, 2001; Page H07
…(G)et a copy of “This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader” by Joan Dye Gussow (Chelsea Green…). You will forget that education is the purpose of this book, because it moves so much like a novel. However, you will find yourself stopping and jotting down little bits of information and recipes along the way.
This informative text is about the author’s trials and tribulations, a story of self-sufficiency and living off the land. It is so well written, poignant and packed with facts that every page is enjoyable and educational reading. You will go through floods and feasts, good times and bad, and come out the other end an extremely well-informed organic gardener, but you get there almost subliminally as you enjoy this 273-page hardcover account.
A diary
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It’s been a while since I have read this, but if I remember correctly, she mentions early on that this book is more of a diary or memoir of her life than a “how-to” gardening book. I like her rambling style, she is telling the story of her life, and this is how such stories are told. For those who want a “how-to” book, there are many others. This book gives you more of reason why to garden and eat locally and the reality of doing so.
Also, those that are upset by the fact that she has no problem killing possums that are in her yard miss the big picture. Animals have to die for us to eat. Even if you are a vegetarian, farmers kill animals that might eat our food. Whether they are using chemical pesticides or outright killing the pest, they will die. I love animals. I even like possums and think they are cute. But, they are pests and can destroy a garden. If that garden provided you with everything you ate, would you be willing to share?
Title Misnomer
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The title “This Organic Life” is a misnomer. I was looking for a book about organic gardening, methods, real-life experience, practical tips. I saw the title of this book, read reviews and thought it sounded like the book for which I was looking.
However, the author states a few times througout the book that she gardens organically, but really doesn’t go into detail about organic gardening at all.
The title misses the most important aspect of this book – growing food locally. It took several chapters for that idea to develop and I actually began to lose interest. The benefits of growing food locally and the real cost of eating from a global market should have been introduced earlier in the book. Ms. Gussow has done extensive study on this subject and the book is littered with little facts about the benefits of growing food locally. Much of the information on the real cost of eating from a global market is disturbing and this book makes me more committed than ever to garden, organically and to produce local food.
In the end, I enjoyed the book, but it was not what I had expected.
I haven’t tried any of the recipes yet, but they were a nice addition to the book.
Packed with fine descriptions and insights
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This set of confessions and insights by suburban homesteader Joan Dye Gussow blends memoir with insights on building a home and living a sustainable lifestyle. From insights on differences between California concepts of farming and gardening and the East to the author’s experiences in a new home and environment, This Organic Life is packed with fine descriptions and insights of special interest to organic gardeners.
would not want her as a neighbor
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
While the subject matter was good, the writing style was lacking. Plus, I don’t think she applies the same level of high-mindedness to herself as she does to other people. She seems to like to cut down trees but then complains later about flooding from upgradient homeowners that have cut down their trees. Also, she drowns possums. She complains that she raises her food to live on and she can’t spare any to varmints. I’m not sure what she thinks the possum was eating the food for. I suspect to live on. And some of her arguments don’t hold water. Like the vegetarian argument mentioned earlier. THis book could have used better editing.
Misleading title
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I bought this book because I thought I was going to gain insights about organic gardening. I was sorely disappointed. The beginning chapters drone on and on about a move to a new home site…I grew tired of hearing detailed descriptions of the doomed home. Also, while the author went on about eating locally to lessen the impact on the environment from long distance travel, I was disturbed to hear about the home she bought being leveled and taken to a landfill and to hear about her endless trips back and forth between her old home and new one. Finally, I was disturbed by her chapter dealing with animal drownings and killings and disagree with her statement that “if we don’t kill animals, we will starve”. I’m sorry I spent the money on this book.
This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Don’t be fooled by the title; this book is not about gardening per se, but a way of life. Gussow makes the arguement that eating locally is not only possible, without sacrafice, but is the ecologically responsible thing to do. This is very pleasant read.
A garden of eden on the Hudson River
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
As a former student of Joan Gussow, I have had the pleasure of visiting the garden that she so eloquently describes. After reading her book, it has further “energized” me to get my act together & get things ready for a garden next spring (which means I must get the beds & soil ready now). Joan is an inspirational person & it is so nice that more people will have the ability to learn from her through her book. It will make you think twice before you buy imported produce. Support your local farmers!
passionate about gardening
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
If you are passionate about gardening and/or being self sufficient, this is a great read! The author is wonderful and so knowledgable. I couldn’t put it down, and I learned so much!
Good Story… Unimpressive Author
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
After seeing this book at Kitchen Arts and Letters, I was intrigued, and finally picked it up a few weeks later. I am half way through the book now, and although the story and descriptions are informative and somewhat entertaining, the author continually disappoints me. She takes every opportunity to “toot” her own horn, and this is extremely distracting to the story. It is a real turn off from continuing with the book. I wanted to read it because I’ve always thought the idea of being able to grow your own food was fascinating, but she constantly name drops and say’s she discovered this and she discovered that (not to mention she describes her husband has “handsome” on the first page)… I mean who really gives a hoot. Just tell up about the plants. Her personality really begins to irritate you after a while. Although I am still enjoying the book, I wish the author had shown some modesty.
This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I thought this was a wonderful book! I feel that the philosphy espoused here of eating not only locally, but seasonally as well, is one that we all need to pay more attention to. This book was full of lots of Ms. Gussow’s experiences with gardening and gave me insight and inspiration as to what I might be able to do as a gardener. She even included a few recipes! I would recommend this book, not only to those interested in gardening, but also to those who want to live a healthier, more sustainable life.
Caution! She is obsessed.
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I checked this book out from the library after seeing many good reviews. In it her son says, “You’re obsessed with growing food.” and she is. She even puts her dead husband’s ashes in the garden! To me, that is a bit much. Also, she is not a vegetarian, using blood meal, bone meal and manure on her garden. This book is short on vegetarian organic gardening information. I’m glad I didn’t pay for it.
food for thought
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
A wise, heart warming and inspiring book. As a European living in the US, horrified at the ‘get outta my way’, SUV driving, self obsessed disposable culture that afflicts so many here, this books not only brings lessons for life and tremendous humor, but is a timely reminder that some here do care passionately for a more thoughtful, humane life. Inspiring, educational, and should be required reading for kids across the country.
Do you eat food?
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Anyone who eats food should read this book!
very good
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I haven’t spent much time looking at the recipes & I’ll admit I skipped a few boring(in my eyes) paragraphs here & there.
However I’m growing my first organic garden this year & the reason is similar to Joan’s. I don’t want to rely on industry for everything. I would like to be able to provide some of the basics for my family. I found the story of her life very motivating. I also know a little bit about the area she lives in & I think she did a terrific job describing it.
This book most certainly inspires me to raise the bar in my organic garden and I will buy locally.
I know some people didn’t enjoy her home building sections, but I found them interesting & sometimes funny.
Comfort food…..
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Joan Dye Gussow may be a suburban homesteader as her book jacket suggests, but she managed to live in two places one does not ordinarily associate with suburban tracts-an old Victorian house on a large plot of land in Congers New York and a second half acre plot on the banks of the Hudson River in Piermont New York (featured in Woody Allen’s film The Purple Rose of Cairo). At the latter site sat an Oddfellows Hall which the Gussows hoped to rehabilitate but discovered after having begun their project they would have to tear down and rebuild.
Gussow does not spend a great deal of time describing the new house with a room for her artist husband and a root cellar, but she does go into detail about the gardens the two of them developed before, during and after the new house was built. For awhile, the Gussows were living in Congers and gardening in both places. On top of that, the couple was involved in converting the eyesore parking lot and general dumping area next door to their new house in Piermont into a community garden.
Dr. Gussow’s husband died two years after they moved into the new house in Piermont, so to some extent her book is a memoir of their last few years together gardening. Gussow is a nutritionist and was a college professor and lecturer before she retired. She has written several books on nutrition, food, and gardening and is an advocate of organic gardening and eating locally grown foods in season. She says if you can’t grow them yourself in a home plot or community garden center, then join a cooperative that supports a local farmer. At the very least, shop the farmer’s markets in your area, learn how to store foods for the winter, and avoid eating out-of-season produce. The incredible waste of energy expended to grow and import tasteless foods and the conventional (as opposed to organid) practices used to produce most fish and meat are destructive to both human health and the environment.
Arm yourself with this book when you next shop for veggies!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Ms. Gussow’s book is an important work that enlightens the reader to the meaning of eating and living locally. She tells us about the costly effects, both personal and global, of eating food that comes from half way around the world (if we know where it comes from at all). She paints a beautiful picture of the glories of growing and eating food produced locally, all from her own experience. Her gardens are astounding, something to aspire to! But so is her knowledge of nutrition, agricultural politics and organic gardening. Key points in her writing are puncuated with simple, delicious recipes. Her granola is great! I look forward to trying more of them when things come in to season. She reminds me of MFK Fisher, with a very clear and pointed social conscience. Reading this book has inspired me to be much more aware of where my food comes from and has given me good reason to always ask the supermarket to sell me local produce when possible.
Moving to a sustainable, responsible food production system
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I had this book on my wishlist for quite some time, then finally broke down and checked it out of my local library. I had been warned about the “chatty” style and the lack of focus, but I was intrigued enough about the subject itself to overlook those potential flaws. I used to belong to a CSA Farm, so the subject of sustainable and responsible agriculture is close to my heart.
The style of writing did not bother me. Although she does seem at times to meander in the early chapters, she has quite a few complicated and inter-related subjects to cover: the purchase of her first home, the purchase of her new home, the development of her commitment to self-sufficient agriculture (or something close to it), and the death of her husband. Once those subjects are covered, I found the book became clearer and more linear (for better or worse).
Most of what she says I can’t argue with. I agree that there is something fundamentally wrong with a food production system that makes it more affordable for we Northeasterners to buy food shipped in from California than to buy food from our own home states. When she describes the system as essentially a lot of fuel going to ship cold water, one has to want to reevaluate their food choices.
I found myself nodding in agreement when she talked about the taste of the foods we have the “luxury” of being able to buy year round. Having tasted food right off the farm, I can verify that there is a world of difference between it and the items you find in your store- even if they are “in season”. Fresh produce does get addictive. Of course, not everyone has the luxury of having enough land to grow a substantial garden on, as Gussow points out. She suggests a CSA as an alternative, but that can be an unrealistic commitment for many people as well.
…I took puzzled offense to her chapter on vegetarianism. While I feel that serious gardeners and farmers have a right to protec their crops from “varmints” and that therefore there is a little death in even the most stringent vegan diet, I felt that she completely dropped the ball in her argument against a vegetarian diet. Throughout the book she drives home that the gasoline used to ship food all over the country contributes to the greenhouse effect that caused her (and most of the country) some of the most erratic summers and winters on record. In her dismissal of the vegetarian diet, she does not once make mention of the fact that the waste from the livestock is also a major contributor to the greenhouse effect. She talks about an organization that touted the belief that the planet would return to an Eden-like state if we all stopped eating meat. Perhaps (although she gives an incomplete argument against that assertion), but the argument I have heard for the last decade is that if everyone in the US cut their consumption of meat by 10%, we would significantly reduce energy consumption and livestock waste- enough to make a difference in the global warming trend she (and I) is so concerned about.
That aside, this is a book worth reading if you are interested in sustainable agriculture. Again, it’s not something we’ll all be able to do, but it’s something we can all participate in.
amazing book
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is the best book I have ever read, period. The recipes are wonderful; some dishes are the best that I’ve tried in a long time. Dr. Gussow herself is warm, witty, kind, inspiring, and concerned. I was disappointed that there wasn’t more as I finished the last chapter.
A bit disappointed
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I was hoping for a lot more organic gardening information. I agree with an earlier reviewer who said this book could have used some good editing to help make the content more concise, especially regarding the building the new house parts. It seems to jump back and forth and repeats much. Gets tedious at times.
An expression true dedication to eating locally
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Joan Gussow shares her delights, frustrations, and the evolution of gardening as part of her life. I found it fascinating to read about her ever-deeping relationship to the land and climate of her gardens.
What I found frustrating about this book were the chapters towards the beginning about the process of moving to her house in Piermont, as well as her seeming disconnect to the mainstream American public. The chapters primarily about the move to Piermont were both disorganized and repetitive. I can understand the root of her rage about American indifference to the unnatural aspect of the plethora of fruits and vegetables available in grocery stores year-round. Still, she sometimes seemed to take a very rigthtous position on the matter in the interactions described in the book.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in local, sustainable agriculture, gardening memiors, and promoting a sense of place. Joan obviously is quite literally grounded and rooted to her land, both in good times and in bad. Hopefully, her vision of local food systems will continue to grow.
Inspiring and down to earth
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
It’s an okay read, and expresses the passion of gardening and eating local; and the normal successes and failures of food production, which you don’t generally get from how-to gardening books. Strongly recommended for anyone with a dream of growing their own food! But as an experienced gardener I didn’t really learn anything.
Unlike some reviewers, I think her musing on vegetarianism and killing varmints are a good effort to grapple with a hard topic; and seriously growing food brings you closer to the realities than the vast majority dependent on markets and stores. Personally, since she eats meat sometimes (several recipes call for sausage), it seems a bit defensive.