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Growing a Revolution

Bringing Our Soil Back to Life

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Growing a Revolution

By: David R. Montgomery
Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer
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About this listen

The problem of agriculture is as old as civilization. Throughout history, great societies that abused their land withered into poverty or disappeared entirely. Now we risk repeating this ancient story on a global scale due to ongoing soil degradation, a changing climate, and a rising population. But there is reason for hope. David R. Montgomery introduces us to farmers around the world at the heart of a brewing soil health revolution that could bring humanity's ailing soil back to life remarkably fast.

Growing a Revolution draws on visits to farms in the industrialized world and developing world to show that a new combination of farming practices can deliver innovative, cost-effective solutions to problems farmers face today. Montgomery explores why practices based on the principles of conservation agriculture help restore soil health and fertility. In addition, he discusses how these practices translate into farms that use less water, generate less pollution, and lower carbon emissions. Combining ancient wisdom with modern science, Growing a Revolution lays out a solid case for an inspiring vision where agriculture becomes the solution to environmental problems.

©2017 David R. Montgomery (P)2017 Tantor Agricultural & Food Sciences Ecology Nature & Ecology Science Pollution Ecosystem Sustainability Health Organic Farming

Critic reviews

"Montgomery's fascinating exposé of how our food is grown will convince readers that soil health should not remain an under-the-radar issue and that we all benefit from embracing a new philosophy of farming." ( Kirkus)
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Maybe it's because this is the third book I've read on the topic but at times I felt the only words I was hearing were cover crop soil health. Don't get me wrong it's a very important message that some may need to have drilled into them but I count myself as a convert and was looking for more in depth knowledge.
Thankfully as I progressed I got more information and there were a couple of chapters near the end that covered things I was previously unaware of and the science of soil health was described more.
Overall a good read with an important message for us all.

Informative but repetitive at times

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Great book that goes through the dos and donts on farming and soil management. We all need to seize the message told in this book and act.

We all need to do better

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A great listen, that fills me with hope for our future with so much relevant information and insights.

Inspiring listen

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Growing up in the UK in the 70s I remember my family ripping out hedges, getting rid of livestock, of which cattle now deemed rare bred, for essential hybridised cattle which would bulk up fast. And planting hundreds of acres in grain, and through pesticide and herbicides on the land as apposed to manure. It seemed ludicrous to me as a child and still ludicrous now I have land of my own.

Not wanting the banks, petrol chemical industries and farm machinery companies to hold me to ransom. I engage from day one of using restorative techniques and no mechanical machinery, learning as I go.

This book has been a wealth of knowledge and encouragement to me, but also a realisation why other local farmers are slow to adopt these principles, but complain their not making money

How people are slow to adopt common sense

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Hard to underestimate the importance of this material. Most of us have been doing farming wrong for centuries but there is a better way. No plough, mulch, cover crops, rotation. Build soil, save money, increase yield.

Super

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