Independent curation

Find farming history books you'll love

Weekly picks surfaced by readers who obsess over tractors, soil, and stories from the field.

Share your top 3 farm reads

Join fellow readers swapping must-read manuals, memoirs, and histories.

Start a list

Fresh off the shelf

Recently Added

Browse all books
Loaded 8 more books
John Deere
John Deere

To farmers the world over, there's no tractor like a John Deere. The history of Deere's development of the farm tractor and its fight to be number one in the business is a fascinating tale - told here in complete detail through extensive research and interviews with the designers, engineers, dealers, and farms that made Deere famous. Author Randy Leffingwell traveled across the country photographing tractors from New England to California, bringing together hundreds of stunning color photos along with rare archival images. The full line of Deere tractors are presented, from early experimental models to the Waterloo Boy, the Model D, the Johnny Poppers, modern four- and six-cylinder models, and everything in between. Packed with colorful stories, anecdotes, and never-before-seen illustrations, John Deere is the ultimate tribute to the legendary American tractors.

View Details
Illustrated John Deere Two-cylinder Tractor Buyer's Guide
Illustrated John Deere Two-cylinder Tractor Buyer's Guide

Descriptions and buying tips for John Deere two-cylinder tractors from 1914-1960. A great book for prospective buyers, enthusiasts and all John Deere lovers.

View Details
Out of the Field International Harvester Company Buildings
Out of the Field International Harvester Company Buildings

<p>Covering the elusive and not-so-commonly found interests in the International Harvester Company, this series brings International Harvester Out of the Field and into the agricultural daily life. The first in a series of understanding the why behind the large company that truly had a full line of equipment, bringing that spirit of prosperity and profit together for the benefit of the farm and the family. Building a farm meant buildings, and this book delves into the buildings you would find on a farm and what they are used for. There is also great depth on the importance of a dealership as well as some lesser known details of the McCormick world. </p>

View Details
International Harvester Tractors
International Harvester Tractors

If you enjoyed Leffingwell's best-selling The American Farm Tractor, this stunning volume is an absolute must read! International Harvester Tractors beautifully chronicles the history of IH tractors, from the very first tractor through the IH ag division's merger with Case in 1985. In addition to hundreds of nostalgic Farmall and IH photographs Leffingwell serves up an unprecedented collection of rare and unusual machines. The machines Leffingwell found in his travels across the US will surprise and delight even the hard-core IH fan! Exceptionally well produced in classic Leffingwell style. Recommended.

View Details
An Illustrated A-Z History of Tractors Features 28 of the Greatest Tractor Manufacturers in the World, Including Caterpillar, Deutz, Ford, International Harvester, John Deere, Massey-Ferguson, Minneapolis Moline, Oliver, Renault, Steyr, and Many More
An Illustrated A-Z History of Tractors Features 28 of the Greatest Tractor Manufacturers in the World, Including Caterpillar, Deutz, Ford, International Harvester, John Deere, Massey-Ferguson, Minneapolis Moline, Oliver, Renault, Steyr, and Many More

Agriculture has come a long way since the days of manual ploughs being pulled by oxen and horses. The benefits of technological advancements are easy to see in presentday farming - today's tractors are so sophisticated that they are able to calculate how long a job is going to take, the best way to carry it out, and sometimes even the best time of day to do it. This volume explores the compelling history of the major tractor manufacturers, from the 18th century through to the modern day. With its vibrant photographs and informative text, the book will enable tractor enthusiasts to appreciate the accomplished machines that help to provide for us every day.

View Details
The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs Respecting and Caring for All God's Creation
The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs Respecting and Caring for All God's Creation

<b>From Christian libertarian farmer Joel Salatin, a clarion call to readers to honor the animals and the land, and produce food based on spiritual principles.</b><br>What on earth is THE MARVELOUS PIGNESS OF PIGS? It's an inspiring call to action for people of faith . . . a heartfelt plea to heed the Bible's guidance . . . .<br>It's an important and thought-provoking explanation of how by simply appreciating the marvelous pigness of pigs, we are celebrating the Glory of God. <br>As a man of deep faith and student of the Bible, and as a respected and successful ecological family farmer, Joel Salatin knows that God created heaven and earth and meant for all living organisms to be true to their nature and their endowed holy purpose. He intended for us to respect and care for His gift of creation, not to ravage and mistreat it for our own pleasure or wealth. <br>The example that inspires the book's title explains what Salatin means: when huge corporate farms confine pigs in cramped and dark pens, inject them with antibiotics and feed them herbicide-saturated food simply to increase profits, they are not respecting them as a creation of God or allowing them to express even their most rudimentary uniqueness - that special role that is part of His design. Every living organism has a God-given uniqueness to its life that must be honored and respected, and too often that is not happening today. <br>Salatin shows us the long overlooked ethics and instructions in the Bible for how to eat, how to shop, how to think about how we farm and feed the world. Through scripture and Biblical stories, he shows us why it's more vital than ever to look to the good book rather than corporate America when feeding the country and your family. <br>Salatin makes a compelling case for Christian stewardship of the earth and how it relates to every action we take regarding our food. He also opens our eyes to a common misconception many Christians may have about environmentalism: it's not a bad thing, and definitely not just the province of secular liberals; it's really a very good thing, part of heeding God's Word. <br>With warmth and with humor, but with no less piercing criticism of the industrial food complex, Salatin brings readers on a fascinating journey of farming, food and faith. Readers will not say grace over their plates the same way ever again.

View Details
John Deere
John Deere

In John Deere: A History of the Tractor, acclaimed author and photographer Randy Leffingwell uses his unique brand of storytelling to chronicle the company and the machines that have carried the distinctive green and yellow livery. With details gathered from exclusive interviews and access to John Deere company archives, Leffingwell searched out collectors with restored tractors, or those in superb original condition, to illustrate his text with over 300 beautiful color photographs. Includes a number of archival photographs and exclusive never-before-seen drawings and writings from the journals of Theo Brown, head of Deere's Plow Works experimental division from 1916 to 1952, as well as profiles of other key figures in John Deere's history through the last century. For any fan or collector of John Deere tractors or the history of farming in America, this officially-licensed book is a fantastic journey of an icon over 150 years in the making, now available in a quality trade paperback.

View Details
Holy Cows and Hog Heaven: The Food Buyer's Guide to Farm Friendly Food
Holy Cows and Hog Heaven: The Food Buyer's Guide to Farm Friendly Food

Holy Cows and Hog Heaven is written by an honest-to-goodness-dirt-under-the-fingernails, optimistic clean good farmer. His goal is to: Empower food buyers to pursue positive alternatives to the industrialized food system Bring clean food farmers and their patrons into a teamwork relationship Marry the best of western technology with the soul of eastern ethics Educate food buyers about productions Create a food system that enhances nature's ecology for future generations<br/>Holy Cows and Hog Heaven has an overriding objective of encouraging every food buyer to embrace the notion that menus are a conscious decision, creating the next generation's world one bite at a time.

View Details

Browse by interest

Explore Subjects

View all subjects