Book Club Discussion: “Bet the Farm” with Beth Hoffman

Book Club Discussion: “Bet the Farm” with Beth Hoffman

The Franklin School

Sunday, February 6 at 2pm CST

The Iowa Food Foundation (IFF) is partnering with Beaverdale Books and author Beth Hoffman for a book-club discussion of Bet the Farm: The Dollars and Sense of Growing Food in America.

In her late 40s, Beth Hoffman decided to upend her comfortable life as a professor and journalist to move to her husband’s family ranch in Iowa—all for the dream of becoming a farmer. There was just one problem: money. Half of America's two million farms made less than $300 in 2019, and many struggle just to stay afloat.
Bet the Farm chronicles this struggle through Beth’s eyes. She must contend with her father-in-law, who is reluctant to hand over control of the land. Growing oats is good for the environment but ends up being very bad for the wallet. And finding somewhere, in the midst of COVID-19, to slaughter grass finished beef is a nightmare.
If Beth can’t make it, how can farmers who confront racism, lack access to land, or don’t have other jobs to fall back on, hack it? Bet the Farm is a first-hand account of the perils of farming today and a personal exploration of more just and sustainable ways of producing food.

Contact Beaverdale Books to reserve your copy or drop by the store for a book at 2629 Beaver Ave in Des Moines (tell them it is for the Iowa Food Foundation book club for an additional 10% off).