The Call of the Farm

July 28, 2014
Bilow, a classically trained cook and currently a staff writer at Bon Appétit magazine, recounts her memorable year working and falling in love on a central New York farm. Following culinary school, Bilow began work as a freelancer writing about food. After struggling for three years, Bilow landed an assignment from a local food magazine reporting on the “best and most loved foods in Syracuse.” Bilow writes, “I knew nothing about farming, other than it was necessary for the type of food I wanted to consume. Otherwise I considered it irrelevant to my interests as a cook and writer.” Bilow initially volunteered cooking meals for the farm employees and helping out with chores. She also fell deeply in love with one of the Stonehill farmers and soon moved to the farm full time. The author skillfully explores the deep satisfaction that arises from, and the physical stamina required by, the production of food and animal husbandry. Stonehill, “in addition to raising beef, pigs, and chickens for meat, keeping hens for eggs, and growing vegetables,” is a licensed raw milk dairy.” Bilow’s lively and descriptive narrative tracks one year on the farm from thinning spring seedlings and the beginnings of her romance to her departure a year later. A lively, charming coming-of-age story complete with farm-tested recipes.