Island Farm

At times a personal memoir, at times a philosophical discussion, this memoir is a snapshot of the American agrarian tradition. Versluis recounts the story of the Versluis family's orchards near Grand Rapids, Michigan, founded by his great-grandfather more than a century ago. With a palimpsest of memories and stories, Versluis shares his life growing up and living on the family farm while also lamenting the future of these cultural icons. Versluis speculates about what is being lost as America allows its farmland and farms to be destroyed. Above all, however, Island Farm is a celebration of what it means to live and work on a generational family farm. It brings us into the agrarian world as a living connection to the earth, to the growing of crops, to the past, and to the future.