Agrarian Dreams: The Paradox of Organic Farming in California

Name: Agrarian Dreams: The Paradox of Organic Farming in California
Price: 29.95 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780520277465

✍️ Guthman, Julie

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

$29.95

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📜

Food Writing & History

📚 EDITORIAL REVIEW

“This book is meant for students, food policy analysts, and researchers who want a rigorous, critical look at California agriculture rather than kitchen recipes. Casual home cooks looking for weeknight dinner ideas or baking projects will definitely be disappointed.

— Editorial Team

Author

Guthman, Julie

📚 all books by this author →

🏛 University of California Press 📅 2014 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780520277465

📝 Description: Agrarian Dreams: The Paradox of Organic Farming in California

In this groundbreaking study of organic farming, Julie Guthman challenges accepted wisdom about organic food and agriculture in the Golden State. Many continue to believe that small-scale organic farming is the answer to our environmental and health problems, but Guthman refutes popular portrayals that pit "small organic" against "big organic" and offers an alternative analysis that underscores the limits of an organic label as a pathway to transforming agriculture. This second edition includes a thorough investigation of the federal organic program, a discussion of how the certification arena has continued to grow and change since its implementation, and an up-to-date guide to the structure of the organic farming sector. Agrarian Dreams delivers an indispensable examination of organic farming in California and will appeal to readers in a variety of areas, including food studies, agriculture, environmental studies, anthropology, sociology, geography, and history.

💎 Expert review

“

🍳

Eatbook Family editorial team

Cookbook desk

Julie Guthman delivers a grounded, analytical work that directly challenges conventional ideas about organic agriculture in the Golden State. By dismantling the common binary between small and big organic, the text provides a nuanced exploration of how the organic label operates within contemporary food systems. It is an essential read for scholars, students, and serious food studies enthusiasts looking for a deeply researched critique. However, this book is explicitly not suited for casual home cooks, baking enthusiasts, or anyone seeking a collection of recipes and light culinary narrative. It remains a dense academic work focused on geography, policy, and agricultural economics.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Eatbook Family —

⭐ eatbookfamily.com editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

This book is meant for students, food policy analysts, and researchers who want a rigorous, critical look at California agriculture rather than kitchen recipes. Casual home cooks looking for weeknight dinner ideas or baking projects will definitely be disappointed.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Eatbook Family editorial team

Julie Guthman delivers a grounded, analytical work that directly challenges conventional ideas about organic agriculture in the Golden State. By dismantling the common binary between small and big organic, the text provides a nuanced exploration of how the organic label operates within contemporary food systems. It is an essential read for scholars, students, and serious food studies enthusiasts looking for a deeply researched critique. However, this book is explicitly not suited for casual home cooks, baking enthusiasts, or anyone seeking a collection of recipes and light culinary narrative. It remains a dense academic work focused on geography, policy, and agricultural economics.

❓ Frequently asked questions

No, this is an academic study on organic agriculture rather than a recipe book, so it contains no culinary measurements or recipes.

There are no food photographs, ingredient guides, or kitchen instructions, as the book focuses entirely on agricultural sociology and policy analysis.

📖 Who should read this

📜 Historical context

Rooted in the complex agricultural landscape of California, this study examines how the state became a major incubator for modern organic farming. It traces the structural evolution of alternative agriculture, moving beyond simple romanticized notions of farming to explore how regulatory frameworks and market pressures have shaped modern food production.