Writings of a Deliberate Agrarian Paperback – April 1, 2006

I just finished reading Herrick Kimball's enjoyable little book. I think I first heard of Herrick from Michael Bunker's book SOOG.Herrick took the path back to an agrarian lifestyle, though he did not go full time agrarian. Herrick came from a broken home, yet he built a stable family, with homeschooling, home grown food, and raised his boys in the woods with dogs and axes and 22 rifles. VERY GOOD.I especially liked his article on the Agrarian yeoman. Herrick admires the system of agrarianism in colonial America, especially in the South. He does mildly criticize slavery without bringing up the race issue.Herrick lives in rural new York, and there are some Yankee aspects to his culture. Being from the edge of Dixie, this stands out to me. At times, this book is a tad soft for people raised in a Southern "Redneck" culture like I was.Overall, I liked this book, and will probably reread it one day.

This book is one of my favorites on the subject of Agrarian living. It has inspired my wife and I to step back from our high tech, high speed way of living and embrace the truly finer things in life. This book is so easy to read, and yet does a really great job at illustrating growing up in a 'simpler' time. The author describes the daily life of an agrarian in many aspects- from the pretty garden scenery to the hands on, dirty work. I got this book because I don't want to raise my future family in a lot of the ways that are happening today. I want my family to be God-centered, with strong family ties, good work ethic, and self reliance. This book has helped me to plan these things out. We have just purchased a home with acreage and look forward to plowing up the earth, raising more chickens, and adding many other animals to strengthen our family homestead. If you have similar desires, you must read this book!

This is a great book. It is an enjoyable read and I love Herrick's style. For me, however, the real meat of the book was his writings on Christian agrarianism; 'Moderns and the Antithesis," "Deliberate Contentment," "The Theology of Food Independence," and "Christian Agrarian Revival," for example, are thought provoking chapters that deserve careful thought and contemplation. As a homesteader, this book was instrumental in how we came to view our place and purpose in our relationship to the land.

Herrick Kimball is a breath of fresh air. I purchased this book because the author's agrarian blog is inspirational and shows evidence of the fruits of the spirit. Christian family values are central to the essays contained within this collection. After finishing the book, I was left wishing it was two or three times longer. Also, I wished that the Kimball family lived around the corner from our farm so I could get to know them better. They are the type of people you want in your community.

LOVED it!!! Amazing.....

Honesty from a Christian agrarian. Great history on his family and his own experiences. Just wish it was 150 pages longer!

I just received my copy of this book earlier this afternoon and I already have most of it read. What a fantastic book. I was especially pleased to see quotes and information from men I hold in high esteem like Michael Bunker and Joel Salatin. Mr. Kimball has made that list now as well!

Very down-to-earth writings of a God fearing man who has chosen to live simply and from the land. He shares what he has learned in an easy to read dialogue.