[aspera]

Gene Logsdon passed away May 31st. The author of many great books (e.g., Small Scale Grain Raising, The Contrary Farmer) and humorous books (e.g., Holy Shit, Pope Mary and the Church of Almighty Good Food ). All relevant to those of us trying to make the transition to the downside of the curve.

I had the good fortune to correspond with him, and never laughed so hard as at his insights into the difficulty of living a simple life. All of his books are worth the time spent reading them,

http://thecontraryfarmer.wordpress.com/ ... dear-gene/

[ennui2]

His was on every good doomers' recommended reading list 10 years ago when peak oil doomerism, um, peaked. You know, back when peakers used to actually talk about preps.

[aspera]

pstarr:

Gene was around early on. Most folks who did more than just read books about growing food would have come across his reputation, good advice and humor. He wrote for the Farm Journal (1965-1974) and later BioCycle. He was contemporary and friends with the second generation Rodale family (Robert and Ardath). And a very good friend of both Wendell Berry and Wes Jackson (at the Land Institute).

Among his many excellent books for small-scale, sustainable agriculture (and "yard farmers," his name for folks like me) is his Small-Scale Grain Raising (1977), parts of which were written and released in newsletters and articles in the various outlets he wrote for. This is still an unmatched book, well-respected by Jeavons, Todd, Mollison, Coleman and Holmgren (the latter two you failed to mention in your otherwise good listing of names), and publishers like Rodale Press.

In his later years I had the chance to correspond with him about a book I had published by MIT Press. What I recall most was his humor and humility.

Nice piece on Gene at smallfarmersjournal.com/in-memoriam-gene-logsdon