Monthly book club attendees were delighted to experience the stories and insights of longtime Des Moines Register columnist and lifelong promoter of the Iowa experience Chuck Offenburger in a discussion Tuesday afternoon of “Bet the Farm: The Dollars and Sense of Growing Food in America” by Beth Hoffman.
Offenburger first met the unlikely beginning farmer at the Okoboji Writers’ Retreat presented by Julie Gammack—another former Register writer. From the moment he asked to join her table at breakfast, he was intrigued how a West Coast journalist and professor landed on a farm in Lovilia, Iowa.
Spoiler alert: the move was thanks to love and her San Francisco neighbor, future husband John Hogeland, who within five minutes of meeting her shared his plan to return to Iowa and manage the family farm.
Okoboji led to Offenburger’s visiting the farm in Lovilia and writing about Hoffman’s book, which he described as a giant hug to Iowa agriculture and as a book that portrays the challenges of farming as she was living them. Hoffman accurately relates the realities of farming and moves beyond what she calls the myths of “bigger is better” and the tale of rugged individualism.
Offenburger declared Hoffman’s book as “simply the best book on agriculture and food production that I’ve ever read.” Read Offenburger’s full essay at his website, Offenburger.com.
Given the honest fish-out-of-water tale, many attendees said they were compelled to jump to the ending, wanting to know whether Hoffman stuck with farming. Get the answer by picking up the quick read or join author Beth Hoffman on Sunday, March 6 from 2-3:30 p.m. in the Library Community Room at 1101 Willis Ave, for a book talk and to hear from the beginner herself.
The Perry Public Library’s monthly book club meets at 1 p.m. on the third Tuesday of every month in the Library Community Room. Join the March 15 discussion of “The Spanish Daughter” by Lorena Hughes, described by Booklist as “An equal mix of historical fiction, dramatic family conflict and mystery.”
Books are available at a bargain price or can be checked out. The library also offers a virtual mystery book club and a quarterly book club. Contact Library Director Mary Murphy for more information at 515.465.3569 or mmurphy@perry.lib.ia.us.
