A century of industrialization has left our food system riddled with problems, yet for solutions we look away from the land -- to nutritionists and government agencies, scientists and chefs. In a groundbreaking departure,Deeply Rooted finds answers by looking to the people who actually grow our food. Hamilton makes this vital inquiry through the stories of three unconventional farmers: Harry Lewis, an African-American dairyman in Texas who plays David to the Goliath of agribusiness corporations; Virgil Trujillo, a tenth-generation rancher in New Mexico struggling to restore agriculture as a pillar of his community; and the Podolls, a modern pioneer family in North Dakota breeding new varieties of plants to face the future's double threat: global warming and biotech food. Together, these remarkable characters and their surprising stories make the case that in order to correct what has gone wrong with the food system, we must first bring farmers back to the table.

A century of industrialization has left our food system riddled with problems, yet for solutions we look away from the land - to nutritionists and government agencies, scientists and chefs. In a groundbreaking departure, Deeply Rooted finds answers by looking to the people who actually grow our food.

Portraits of a Texas dairyman, a New Mexico rancher, and a North Dakota farmer who "embody the future of American agriculture" (Alice Waters).   A century of industrialization has left our food system riddled with problems. For solutions, we look to nutritionists and government agencies, scientists and chefs. Lisa M. Hamilton asks: Why not look to the people who grow our food?   Here, Hamilton talks in-depth with three unconventional farmers: an African-American dairyman in Texas who plays David to the Goliath of agribusiness corporations; a tenth-generation rancher in New Mexico struggling to restore agriculture as a pillar of his crumbling community; and a modern pioneer family in North Dakota breeding new varieties of plants to face the future's double threat: Monsanto and global warming.   With threads of history woven through the tales, exploring how farmers have been pushed to the margins of agriculture and transformed from leaders to laborers, this portrait of three unusual characters and their surprising stories makes the case that in order to correct what has gone wrong with the food system, we must first bring farmers back to the table.   "Hamilton's in-depth portraits of independent farmers offer invaluable perspectives on American agriculture, past and present, while offering hope for a life-sustaining future." --Booklist

Presents the stories of three unconventional farmers in the U.S., covering their battles against agribusiness corporations and global warming, and efforts to adapt as industrialization threatens the role of the farmer as leaders within their respective communities.