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Aug 5, 2020 · From MiNDFOOD Short Story competition winner Tim Saunders comes a new book about the joys and harsh realities of a life on the land - This Farming Life. Saunders’ family has farmed the same piece of land for five generations – and now he has detailed his own experience as a farmer through a powerful and poignant memoir.
Sep 5, 2023 · Getting ‘back to the land’ is not as easy as it sounds. After agreeing to leave her more comfy writer’s life in Minneapolis, Catherine finds herself getting a crash course in farm life, a lifelong dream of her partner’s…not hers.
Dec 26, 2022 · Over the past year, Food For Mzansi spoke to hundreds of farmers whose stories left us inspired and in some cases, crying. Here are 15 of our favourite farmer stories from all corners of this beautiful country. Let us know if you found your favourite in the list below.
I grew up on a large farm, and though I didn’t realize it then, the useful things I learned were preparing me for the rest of my life. Here are 12 lessons learned on the farm that I hope to pass on to my own kids.
- 1 Have A Plan
- 2 Don’T Begin at The Beginning
- 3 Take-Away Message
- 4 Include Bad Things, Too
- 5 Use Photos
- 6 Edit Your Work
- 7 When to Write
- 8 Find The Right Editor
- 9 Know Your Motives
- 10 Publicity
Creating a structure is crucial and, while you may not ultimately stick to this, it will help guide you. A good way to start is to simply make a list of the important elements – and highlights – of your life. You could group them under headings such as family, farming, personal achievements, challenges and low points. Life, of course, isn’t divided...
Resist the temptation to start with “I was born on…”. Far better to open with a key event or what you are best known for. This will grab readers’ attention and make them want to hear the rest of your story. You can always return to your birth and childhood later, if need be. I started with an account of meeting a chap called Dick Joice when I was i...
If you have one key point you want readers to remember, build it through the text towards a conclusion near the end. For me, it’s the topic of food security. I was making this point as far back as 2007 when I wrote a paper saying we needed to adopt genetic modifications, understand the value of agriculture and recognise that we are set to run short...
Try not to sugar-coat events. Not everything in my life has gone well, but I decided it would be less than honest to not include the aspects that have been difficult. If you’re mentioning family members – which you invariably will be – discuss it with them and show them what you’re proposing to write, so they don’t get any nasty surprises. A memoir...
The stronger the pictures, the better the book. You can use ones from your archives and, of course, take new ones. Using black and white shots helps keep costs down, but I recommend using a coloured photo on the cover. Digital technology means good images are easier to take these days, although having a good camera isn’t necessarily the same as bei...
Re-read what you’ve written at least once (and ideally more) and ask others to read it to check facts, dates, spelling, grammar – and to make sure the story flows well. You need someone you trust – and someone who reads a lot. Part of their job might be to tell you to leave some stuff out if it’s boring!
I wrote a couple of chapters then had to put the project aside for six months, but when I got going again I finished a draft in a few weeks. Farmers don’t have the luxury of much spare time, so make the most of any relatively quiet moments you do get. Getting into a writing routine can help, as can jotting notes on a pad or your phone voice recorde...
It’s not easy to find a publisher, but it’s important that you like and respect your editor. Ideally, they’ll have buckets of enthusiasm for your book and share your vision. It’s like farming: you need to have a good personal relationship with – and trust – the people you work with. These days, self-publishing is a perfectly respectable and potenti...
Getting a book onto the shelves will take a lot of time and effort, and perhaps bring some disappointments along the way. It’s unlikely that it will be a big moneymaker, but it’s hugely rewarding and will help future generations of your family to know where they came from.
Covid has put a lot of potential events on hold, but talks, after-dinner speeches and using social media are great ways to fly the flag for your book. The first time I tweeted about the new edition of my book, I got 75 “likes” almost straight away. That didn’t mean all of those people would buy a copy, of course, but it was a good sign.
Sep 24, 2023 · Bridging the gap between farm and the consumer is something that lots of farmers are trying to do in an effort to help more people understand the reality of what goes into producing their food, and hopefully alter public opinion on why supporting and buying British is so important.
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May 27, 2013 · Growing up on a farm has taught me a lot. It’s taught me about the importance of family, to stay true to your roots and, ultimately, that with hard work and determination you can accomplish anything, no matter what life throws your way.
