Plowed Under

"Duffin crafts an original narrative thematically focused on agricultural sustainability . . . . Ultimately, rather than presenting a polemic or prescriptive conclusion, Duffin reconstructs a usable past intended to foster present dialogue about environmental ethics and sustainable resource extraction."

"[Duffin's] continued presence and research into our agricultural legacy, I believe, could do much to raise our awareness not only of our rich history and contribution to the world food supply, but also of the marvelous resource that we continue to squander."

"Andrew Duffin has provided us with an excellent study of agriculture in one of the nation's most productive farming areas. He deftly includes perspectives from farmers and scientists, and his discussions of innovative farming practices are both informative and accessible to general readers. Specialists in agricultural history and environmental history will glean much from this book."

"A clearly written, extensively researched, and cogently argued story about exploitation of the land for more than a century. This is not a study about whether the Palouse should be used for agriculture, because it will be farmed well into the future, but rather a historical analysis that ultimately leads to the present and can help policy makers, environmental interest groups, and farmers make informed decisions about future land use in the Palouse. . . . This excellent study of agriculture in the Palouse merits the attention of anyone interested in agricultural history and the Pacific Northwest. It is an essential read."

"Duffin's frank environmental evaluation not only studies wheat production in this one region, but also presents the Palouse as a microcosm of the evolution and consequences of modern American agriculture."

"Plowed Under. . . offers one of the more even-handed surveys of American agriculture and the environment available."

"This is a very good book. Duffin writes well, and he uses his sources. . . to provide a clear picture of his characters. Perhaps the most valuable aspect of his book, to this reader, is that Duffin engages a broad range of topics. . . and he repeatedly sets the regional experience in a national context. His readers should leave the book understanding how ideology, economics, and politics have hindered healthy agricultural practices over the past century."

"Finally, in Andrew Duffin's book, Plowed Under, we have an authoritative history of this unique environment called the Palouse. . . . Duffin's book is the one to read for those who want to understand why the Palouse is what it is."

"This volume is a notable contribution to the history, present status and prospect for the future not only for the Palouse but of many other agricultural areas in the United States as well. . . . Duffin presents his readers with a serious, upright and easy-to-understand account of what is arguably the most significant aspect of all our lives— the ability to put food on the table."

"Duffin presents an engaging history of a lesser known US farming region. . . . His carefully developed narrative provides a brief introduction to the geographic eccentricities of the region, and a detailed look at 19th century, early 20th century, and post-war developments. Recommended."

"Andrew Duffin's history of the region's land and agriculture is wide-ranging, balanced, and very satisfying. . . . This is an engaging work of environmental history that deserves a wide readership, and not only in the Palouse."

"The Palouse country is incredibly beautiful. How the precious soil of this region has been used and much abused offers insight into the politics of conservation, not just on a state or regional level but on a national level as well."

"Duffin convincingly illuminates the economic, political, and cultural forces driving Palouse farmers down a destructive path even when the evidence clearly indicated that a course change was needed. His story offers lessons for every significant environmental challenge we face, from soil erosion all the way to global warming. If we wish to achieve the vaunted goal of sustainability we must understand the complex forces that drive unsustainable behavior."

"If our goal is to imagine where food will come from for the grandchildren of our grandchildren, then the paradoxical mix of private rights and public subsidies that have supported erosive soil practices on Palouse farms seems especially instructive. For just this reason, Plowed Under deserves to be read even by those who have never visited the curious hill country lying north of the Snake River in eastern Washington and western Idaho."