You’re welcome!Gene was such a part of our lives for so many decades,he will always seem like family or our old friend.I remember meeting the both of you at a small farm conference here in indiana years ago.Who knows . Maybe someday you can put together a collection of his older works.Maybe some pictures of your farm and some of your favorite memories of Gene.We all will keep Gene’s ideas and dreams alive in our own way on our own farms and gardens.Seeing some of the tributes to him from famous farm writers such as was in the Farmworld newspaper let’s us all know Gene was a giant in his field.I imagine it probably surprised you too ,to find out how important and beloved Gene was to agriculture. Let us know how your lives are. You’re part of our lives too and in our hearts.
Thank you Tim. All of us miss Gene and know he would have a lot to say about what is happening in the world today. We are getting along okay and trying to carry on the things that Gene cherished. The garden is planted and all his family is remembering him today. I want to thank all of his followers for all their support during the last year. It has meant a lot to me and my family.
Gene ,THank you for the books and the blog you left us. We wish we we still had you.On this day ,one year after your passing ,no one has stepped up to fill the void you left in countless live and no one ever will.I hope your close friends and relatives are doing well .Really miss your weekly comments and having a new book of yours to look forward too.Well it’s been a rainy season this year and i am now just getting to start on my garden.Hope you and happy and content on your little farm in the sky.We havnt forgotten you and never will.I still read your old columns in farm journal and the new farm. It was wonderful meeting and talking to you at the small farm conference in noblesville,in and getting my book signed.RIP my friend.
I am presently reading Gene’s final book and, as always, am charmed by his wisdom and humor. Gene had a significant influence on how I presently live my life. If you are interested, I offer my newly crafted blog: aplacecalledmerrymount.blogspot.com. Be well, enjoy life. CPW
Loving Gene’s style of writing and his humor, I look forward to reading his latest (and sadly final) book. Rest in peace & know your voice and wonderful observations live on.
Cousin Joyce
I got my copy in the mail yesterday. Looking forward to a visit with an old friend via books. The sanity of Gene’s writing is more welcome now than ever.
Thanks for letting us know but little bit of information about the book wouldn’t have gone amiss!
For those interested, the book can be bought from Amazon.com here.
You can take a LOOK INSIDE the book and read some of the pages. It has 25 chapters, and judging from the chapter titles, this looks like the book is going to be a very interesting read!.
Here’s a couple of reviews that give an overview of the book:
Booklist-
If Logsdon (1932-2016) had his way, the term contrary farmer would have been every bit as familiar as country farmer. A learned proponent of ‘stay in and stay small’ garden farming, Logsdon’s outspoken outlook was completely in opposition to the practices and philosophies of corporate agribusiness. Instead of encouraging farmers to ‘go big or get out’ by adding more property, more machinery, and more debt, Logsdon championed the idea of working on a more personal scale that allows farmers to appreciate nature and honor tradition while still accepting technology and innovation. In this posthumously published book of essays, Logsdon extols the virtues of finding a good mate, praises the pluck and professionalism of women farmers, and enthuses about the health benefits of a day in the barn. Along with other hard-earned advice about hauling livestock, pasturing chickens, and controlling weeds, Logsdon’s lifetime of farming wisdom is firmly lodged in common sense. Sagacious and sly, practical and poetic, Logsdon’s voice may have been contrarian but it was never condescending.”
Publishers Weekly-
Late Ohioan farmer Logsdon (Gene Everlasting: A Contrary Farmer’s Thoughts on Living Forever) sends a meaningful (though poorly titled) message to up-and-coming homestead farmers. Written during the late stages of an illness that would take the author’s life in 2016, the book stands as his final assertion and rallying cry against the misguided notion, so prevalent at one time, that farmers needed to ‘get big or get out.’ The book isn’t written in the intimate style of a personal missive as the title suggests; it’s more of an essay collection squarely addressing topics such as small-scale economics, pasture farming, raising sheep, and the ‘modern plowgirl,’ with practical-minded advice throughout. This work serves as a guiding light and lodestar for farmers facing the modern challenges of any farming operation, large or small.”
Gene’s new book just arrived a half hour ago. So happy to have it. Quite bittersweet to think it is his last.
I have really enjoyed Gene’s thoughts, columns, blogs, and books over the years.
Miss you, cousin.
Patti
I’ve been looking forward to reading it every since he told me about the book in this blog.He sure left a huge hole in agriculture. Hope Carol and family and friends and DS are getting along ok.
~~
The Contrary Farmer 
12 Comments
You’re welcome!Gene was such a part of our lives for so many decades,he will always seem like family or our old friend.I remember meeting the both of you at a small farm conference here in indiana years ago.Who knows . Maybe someday you can put together a collection of his older works.Maybe some pictures of your farm and some of your favorite memories of Gene.We all will keep Gene’s ideas and dreams alive in our own way on our own farms and gardens.Seeing some of the tributes to him from famous farm writers such as was in the Farmworld newspaper let’s us all know Gene was a giant in his field.I imagine it probably surprised you too ,to find out how important and beloved Gene was to agriculture. Let us know how your lives are. You’re part of our lives too and in our hearts.
Thank you Tim. All of us miss Gene and know he would have a lot to say about what is happening in the world today. We are getting along okay and trying to carry on the things that Gene cherished. The garden is planted and all his family is remembering him today. I want to thank all of his followers for all their support during the last year. It has meant a lot to me and my family.
Carol
Gene ,THank you for the books and the blog you left us. We wish we we still had you.On this day ,one year after your passing ,no one has stepped up to fill the void you left in countless live and no one ever will.I hope your close friends and relatives are doing well .Really miss your weekly comments and having a new book of yours to look forward too.Well it’s been a rainy season this year and i am now just getting to start on my garden.Hope you and happy and content on your little farm in the sky.We havnt forgotten you and never will.I still read your old columns in farm journal and the new farm. It was wonderful meeting and talking to you at the small farm conference in noblesville,in and getting my book signed.RIP my friend.
I am presently reading Gene’s final book and, as always, am charmed by his wisdom and humor. Gene had a significant influence on how I presently live my life. If you are interested, I offer my newly crafted blog: aplacecalledmerrymount.blogspot.com. Be well, enjoy life. CPW
Amen !! A great man .Wish he could have lived a couple more decades.We really need and miss him.
Loving Gene’s style of writing and his humor, I look forward to reading his latest (and sadly final) book. Rest in peace & know your voice and wonderful observations live on.
Cousin Joyce
I got my copy in the mail yesterday. Looking forward to a visit with an old friend via books. The sanity of Gene’s writing is more welcome now than ever.
Thanks for letting us know but little bit of information about the book wouldn’t have gone amiss!
For those interested, the book can be bought from Amazon.com here.
You can take a LOOK INSIDE the book and read some of the pages. It has 25 chapters, and judging from the chapter titles, this looks like the book is going to be a very interesting read!.
Here’s a couple of reviews that give an overview of the book:
Booklist-
If Logsdon (1932-2016) had his way, the term contrary farmer would have been every bit as familiar as country farmer. A learned proponent of ‘stay in and stay small’ garden farming, Logsdon’s outspoken outlook was completely in opposition to the practices and philosophies of corporate agribusiness. Instead of encouraging farmers to ‘go big or get out’ by adding more property, more machinery, and more debt, Logsdon championed the idea of working on a more personal scale that allows farmers to appreciate nature and honor tradition while still accepting technology and innovation. In this posthumously published book of essays, Logsdon extols the virtues of finding a good mate, praises the pluck and professionalism of women farmers, and enthuses about the health benefits of a day in the barn. Along with other hard-earned advice about hauling livestock, pasturing chickens, and controlling weeds, Logsdon’s lifetime of farming wisdom is firmly lodged in common sense. Sagacious and sly, practical and poetic, Logsdon’s voice may have been contrarian but it was never condescending.”
Publishers Weekly-
Late Ohioan farmer Logsdon (Gene Everlasting: A Contrary Farmer’s Thoughts on Living Forever) sends a meaningful (though poorly titled) message to up-and-coming homestead farmers. Written during the late stages of an illness that would take the author’s life in 2016, the book stands as his final assertion and rallying cry against the misguided notion, so prevalent at one time, that farmers needed to ‘get big or get out.’ The book isn’t written in the intimate style of a personal missive as the title suggests; it’s more of an essay collection squarely addressing topics such as small-scale economics, pasture farming, raising sheep, and the ‘modern plowgirl,’ with practical-minded advice throughout. This work serves as a guiding light and lodestar for farmers facing the modern challenges of any farming operation, large or small.”
Hope that helps.
I look forward to another thoughtful book from the contrary farmer. I miss his blog .
Gene’s new book just arrived a half hour ago. So happy to have it. Quite bittersweet to think it is his last.
I have really enjoyed Gene’s thoughts, columns, blogs, and books over the years.
Miss you, cousin.
Patti
I’ve been looking forward to reading it every since he told me about the book in this blog.He sure left a huge hole in agriculture. Hope Carol and family and friends and DS are getting along ok.
Thank you for providing something sane to read!