Book Birthdays celebrate one year of a book’s life in tweets, reviews, and more. This month we’re saying Happy First Birthday to One Size Fits None (Nebraska, 2019) by Stephanie Anderson.

 

About the Book:

“Sustainable” has long been the rallying cry of agricultural progressives; given that much of our nation’s farm and ranch land is already degraded, however, sustainable agriculture often means maintaining a less-than-ideal status quo. Industrial agriculture has also co-opted the term for marketing purposes without implementing better practices. Stephanie Anderson argues that in order to provide nutrient-rich food and fight climate change, we need to move beyond sustainable to regenerative agriculture, a practice that is highly tailored to local environments and renews resources.

In One Size Fits None Anderson follows diverse farmers across the United States: a South Dakota bison rancher who provides an alternative to the industrial feedlot; an organic vegetable farmer in Florida who harvests microgreens; a New Mexico super-small farmer who revitalizes communities; and a North Dakota midsize farmer who combines livestock and grain farming to convert expensive farmland back to native prairie. The use of these nontraditional agricultural techniques show how varied operations can give back to the earth rather than degrade it. This book will resonate with anyone concerned about the future of food in America, providing guidance for creating a better, regenerative agricultural future.

Reviews:

“It takes an agriculture reporter turned creative writer like Stephanie Anderson to do the legwork of reporting and research to explain how the world of industrial agriculture works. She does so clearly and convincingly, on every page of this book. But she’s not just throwing flames at big ag or careless consumers. She positions herself in the center of the bullseye, as she considers her own family ranch and what she’s come to understand as unsustainable management practices taking place there.”—Julianne Couch, Daily Yonder

“For reasons of public health and in the interest of a healthy planet, our corporate food system badly needs to be repaired. In One Size Fits None, Stephanie Anderson crisscrosses the country, visiting the intrepid farmers who practice exactly the sort of farming techniques that will serve as models for that needed reform.”—Matt Sutherland, Foreword

“As an initial illustration of what regenerative agriculture could and does look like in practice, One Size Fits None is an invaluable resource, a step in the right direction of imagining alternative way of doing and organizing life around the soil and farming.”—John C. Nichols, Grist: A Journal of the Literary Arts

“Though these recollections have become complicated for Anderson due to her recent research, she writes convincingly that it is possible for her family’s farm—and all farms—to find and implement the sustainable practices that will carry them into a better future. Even readers who are not directly involved in food production will come away from this book as more informed consumers, able to make better decisions about purchasing the food that sustains us, and with a much deeper understanding of how agricultural production has changed. And how it will—how it must—change again.”—Katrina Gersie-Spronk, Hopper

“One Size Fits None should be required reading for anyone who yearns for a clear-headed and informed account of our dysfunctional corporate food system, which also examines hopeful models for reform.”—Andrew Furman, author of Bitten: My Unexpected Love Affair with Florida and Goldens Are Here

On the Blog:

From the Desk of Stephanie Anderson: A New Year’s Resolution Worth Keeping

News and Reviews – March 1, 2019

Publicist Picks: Regenerative Farming, Journalism, and other January Books

South Dakota Festival of Books

On Goodreads:

On Twitter:

A Word from the Author:

I didn’t publish One Size Fits None for myself—I published it to instigate change and inspire hope. I am grateful that the past year brought many opportunities to share the book’s message about regenerative agriculture with readers across the country: college students, farmers, urbanites, book festival attendees, readers of all ages and backgrounds. Thank you to the many people who helped spread the word about One Size Fits None and the power of regenerative agriculture in the collective global fight against climate change. It’s been a wonderful year!