The First Book of Farming

This early 20th century manual captures American agriculture at a turning point, when fundamental knowledge was being organized and taught to a new generation of farmers. Goodrich believed understanding why crops grow matters as much as knowing what to plant, and his approach remains strikingly modern: observe, experiment, draw conclusions. He walks readers through the essentials, root systems, soil composition, moisture, nutrients, air, each principle grounded in simple experiments a teenager could conduct in a field or garden. The book breathes a different era, one where knowing your soil by feel and watching a seed split its seed-leaf were essential skills. Beyond instruction, it offers a window into rural American life and the educational philosophy that shaped it. Whether you're interested in agricultural history, looking for gardening fundamentals stripped of modern jargon, or simply curious about how our great-grandparents learned to farm, this compact volume rewards with quiet, practical wisdom.