Alternative Dimensions: Lentil Underground: Renegade Farmers and the Future of Food in America

First paragraphs:Lentil Underground: Renegade Farmers and the Future of Food in America is author Liz Carlisle's first book and is based on ethnographic research she undertook while a doctoral student at the University of California, Berkeley. Carlisle traces the history of organic agriculture in Montana to the present day, with a richly written narrative that makes for an easy read. In this book Carlisle explores the literal, below-the-ground workings of nitrogen fixation and legume crops, with lentils taking center stage as the stars of the show. At the same time, Carlisle explores the emergence of a community of tenacious organic farmers centered around Dave Oien, a founding farmer and CEO of Timeless Seeds. Dave Oien serves as the hardworking and tireless hero of this tale.The author selected the Timeless Seeds growers as a point of interest and resistance in the food system. She examines their work as climatic systems shift, as they navigate systems of governance, and as they connect with buyers, sellers, and consumers. For the Timeless Seeds crew, systems thinking is a central philosophy of their work, so they become engaged in shaping the physical, social, and macrolevel environments toward diversity and sustainability....