The story of an Iowa farmer who decides to retire in 1979 and turns over his valuable land to his three daughters.

"One fateful day in 1996, after discovering that five freight cars' worth of glittering corn have reaped a tiny profit of $18.16, young Forrest Pritchard vows to save his family's farm. What ensues--through hilarious encounters with all manner of livestock and colorful local characters--is a crash course in sustainable agriculture. Pritchard's biggest ally is his renegade father, who initially questions his son's career choice and rejects organic...

"Mary Frances "Frankie" Lombard is fiercely in love with her family's sprawling apple orchard and the tangled web of family members who inhabit it. Content to spend her days planning capers with her brother William, competing with her brainy cousin Amanda, and expertly tending the orchard with her father, Frankie desires nothing more than for the rhythm of life to continue undisturbed. But she cannot help being haunted by the historical fact that...

"The family farm lies at the heart of our national identity, and yet its future is in peril. Rick Hammond grew up on a farm, and for forty years he has raised cattle and crops on his wife's fifth-generation homestead in Nebraska, in hopes of passing it on to their four children. But as the handoff nears, their small family farm--and their entire way of life--are under siege. Beyond the threat posed by rising corporate ownership of land and livestock,...

"Randall Beiler had always planned to marry Elizabeth Nolt. But when he assumes the responsibility for his younger siblings, he ends their courtship. When Elizabeth accepts a job as the Beilers' housekeeper, the young Amish couple will get a second chance at love"--

Larkspur Nielsen is determined to keep the family homestead running, even if she must do it alone. When she discovers that Isaac McTavish has feelings for her, she pushes him away to protect her heart. But how can she build the life she's always dreamed of when unexpected dangers arrive?--

How big can a pumpkin grow? When is the best time to plant corn? Melissa Lehman knows. She lives on a crop farm and tells readers about the fun, and work, that goes into planting, growing, picking, and selling crops.