THE TOWN THAT FOOD SAVED How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food

In a chatty way, food author Ben Hewitt examines the “agri-prenurial” trends in food production adopted by citizens of the Vermont community of Hardwick. Striving for less dependence on chemicals and non-ecological practices, the rural society has migrated to methods of the past in a movement they term “small-scale ag.” They attempt freedom from externalities—like fertilizer—by composting, mulching, and adding their own human waste. Narrator Arthur Morey recounts the writer’s journeys to inspect small operations that exemplify the parochial shift. His quiet voice fits the demeanor of the message, written in first person, by the tranquil reporter. Meeting the farmers in many interviews gives listeners an intimate portrait of the commitment and emotions behind this remedy for the nation’s dwindling food supply. J.A.H. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2011]