Whispers from the Farm: Practical advice & fond memories from those who have felt a call to the rural life Book

Is Your Inner Farmer Calling? It's Time to Listen!

Christopher McNinch has heard the whisper that has spoken to so many of our hearts: Come back, come home to a simpler time, to the rural ways that shaped the values of our forebears. A longtime financial advisor, McNinch dreamed of returning to the land and the farm life his grandparents knew. He now runs a small farm of 14 acres in Upstate New York, where he and his wife, Lisa, and their two teenage children raise alpacas and chickens.

"You are not alone," he writes to those dreaming of embarking on such a journey. "The multitude of Farmville fans who indulge their virtual farm fantasy on Facebook is a reflection of our yearning to return to the land, start a real farm, build a backyard coop, grow the perfect tomato, tend a beehive, milk a goat. People want a share of the life that their parents, perhaps, or their grandparents knew, for themselves. Comes a time, for some, that the virtual must become reality." In Whispers from the Farm, McNinch weaves collected stories of those who have the same passion or who delight in their rural memories into a guide filled with practical advice for those who hope to embark on the adventure of running a small farm. Should you buy or lease your land? Which crops or livestock are appropriate for you? Along with telling you what you need to know and showing where to find it, he imparts the lessons learned along his own journey in starting a small farm.

Christopher McNinch has created a book that he hopes will help a new generation of small farmers grow their own crop of memories – ones they can pass down for their children to cherish. Is starting a small farm whispering in your ear?