zzzOne Size Fits None

"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 mid-size 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.

Copyright 2019. 296 pages. Softcover.

About the Author

Stephanie Anderson is an instructor of English at Florida Atlantic University. She grew up on a ranch, has worked as a writer and photographer for the humanitarian aid organization Cross International, and served as an editor for the agricultural newspaper Tri-State Neighbor in South Dakota. Anderson's work has appeared in Grist Journal, Sweet, the Chronicle Review, the Rumpus, and Kudzu House Quarterly.

Praise for One Size Fits None

"Stephanie Anderson deftly counterpoints profiles of innovative farmers with affectionate yet honest reflections on her family's farm – and the compromises the industrial model demands. Anderson is a strong, new voice for an agriculture that works for public health, for nature, and for farmers."

– Judith D. Schwartz, author of Cows Save the Planet and Water in Plain Sight

"A brave, clear-eyes book by a farmer's daughter about the problems in our agriculture and the factors that keep farmers from making it better. Stephanie Anderson ... points the way toward an agriculture that regenerates our soil, our land, and our hopes."

– Kristin Ohlson, author of The Soil Will Save Us