A Very Small Farm

by William Paul Winchester

Book Overview

In the tradition of Thoreau's Walden, William Paul Winchester offers a chronicle of everyday life on Southwind, his farm of twenty acres. As a subsistence farmer, he builds his own house and barn, puts in a garden and an orchard, acquires a milk cow, and takes up beekeeping. In these pages, we hear his thoughts on such subjects as the weather, seasonal changes, machinery repair, the flora and fauna of the region, and vegetarian cooking. His philosophy,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0806137789
• ISBN13: 9780806137780
• Release Date: March 2006
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
• Length: 232 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

A treasure of a book

This is one of those books that sneak up on you and before you know it you are finished and wish that you had only just began. It is unfortunate that the reviewer from Tulsa, Ok felt the need to read his perversions into this book and it's sweetly innocent look at a simple life, it proves that some people just don't get it. I think of this book almost every day, in one way or another as a way to remind myself to live a more peaceful, less busy life. Thank you William Paul Winchester for a beautiful gift of a book. I think many people would welcome another.

A FAVORITE TO BE READ EVERY WINTER

This beautiful little book is one of my favories. I read it every winter and it reminds me why I try harder every year to live a simple life. I wish Mr. Winchester would write more.

Every page was a pleasure

I enjoyed every page and how beauty is found in the small every day life that transpires on the farm. The animal companionship, the rewards of sowing and reaping, the well thought out strategies for self sufficiency. If you're looking to get off the corporate treadmill or break from the collective madness of modern society, here's a book to get you started on your way. The fact that the farm is on 20 acres brings this lifestyle into home range for others aspiring to slow down to nature's pace and experience nature's glory on a daily basis. Two thumbs up for this book - it has even inspired me to plant my first vegetable garden!

Is now a treasure of mine

Once in a great while I stumble upon a book that rings of truth and settles into my imagination. Subtle and unpretentious, Mr. Winchester reveals a world slowed down that makes sense. If you like clouds, dirt, paths, bread, outbuildings, cows, fields and the sound of the wind, you'll probably enjoy this book very much.

A modern Walden

This book was written by a neighbor who lives only half a mile from my house. He is so modest that we had known him and bought milk from him for six months before some other neighbor told us he had written a book. This is a man who has made a personal decision to live a simpler and more honest life. He makes practically everything he uses including his house and his furniture. He also has the hometown values that make me remember "The Waltons" on TV. His book quietly lets you in on the good times and the hard times. I just petted Isabel (his milk cow) this morning and both her and William are doing fine. People who are feeling rushed and harried would do well to drop into the book and dream of a life not many Americans are still living. Certainly not many with college degrees in Biology like William!