David Buchanan (9)

Taste, Memory: Forgotten Foods, Lost Flavors, and Why They Matter by David Buchanan was an introspective read regarding fruit and vegetable varieties that are reaching the point of extinction. Buchanan describes to readers the process of his gardening techniques, journey to obtain heirloom fruit and vegetable varieties, and even tells how supermarkets have had a large part in the loss of these varieties. I personally thought that, while some aspects of this book were intriguing, overall the book was a bit bland (just like supermarket apples!) and could’ve been structured in a more comprehensive manner for the story to flow better and be easier for the reader to follow.… (mehr)

While we can get out-of-season produce throughout the year... most of it is lacking in flavor, chosen as it has been for consistency or output and sturdiness for shipping, rather than flavor.

This book is a passionate call to change that, mostly by buying and growing locally and seasonally. It's not only good for flavor, it's good for health and for the community.

I know reading this has given me the final impetus to re-work our front yard to make it more productive!

Buchanan's writing is engaging and informative, as he is involved in "plant collecting" via saving seeds and propagating heritage fruit trees, and finding ways to make this passion work both practically and profitably- at least enough to keep doing it! He branches off into all linds of other co-operative enterprises, such as fermenting ciders from heritage apples, making smoothies from historic strawberries that are too delicate to bring to market unfrozen, and other interesting spins on conventional market gardening.

I also appreciated his community-building exercises in creative scrounging, which seem to end in win-win situations all around.

Oddly, for someone who is enamored of growing antique fruit trees from scratch, he seems to have a somewhat short attention span for his various enterprises... but he does make it work, and the sheer quantity of ideas is intriguing.

Highly recommended for people interested in alternative forms of agriculture, especially involving heritage and heirloom species.… (mehr)