Richard Hansford

Hansford lived in the same area I grew up in & this short book is about his adventures as a gentleman farmer. He knew nothing about farming when he bought the place, but learned a bit thanks to some real characters in the area. The farmer that helped him the most is on the front cover of the book & is a good friend of my mother's, so she asked me to get this for her.

It was a fun read, especially if you knew the people, most who had their names changed, although I recognized most easily enough. Rocky instead of Stony - that sort of thing. One memorable character whose name wasn't changed was Smoke & his signature reply to "How are you doing?" - "Terrible." The short, little grump definitely was a font of knowledge for all of us. I got a smile reading about it.

If you liked Herriot's books, this is somewhat similar, although the author is a clueless suburbanite & a raging liberal. He was also obviously a hard worker & has a good sense of humor. If you think farm life is idyllic, this is a fun way to learn some of the issues. It's hard work & it is a commitment that he managed for a short time. I really can't understand a person who could give up a place like that including a dog he'd raised from a pup, though.… (más)