Allen takes us on his journey which began on a farm, evolving to basketball, then an executive with Proctor and Gamble and KFC to deciding he wanted to return to his roots: farming; not just for himself, but to eventually counter the political-economic trends of USDA-engineered corporate farming, which also depletes the soil and nutritional content of produce, combined with the main grocers abandoning Black and poor communities and fast food industry targeting Black and poor communities, leaving them with little- to-no opportunities for fresh produce. His thinking and actions have landed him a MacArthur Genius award for his work to bring good food and good jobs to those confronting the "lingering disparities in racial and economic justice." He also didn't come from the urban environment he's trying to help which adds an interesting dynamic to me. Will Allen, the son of African American sharecroppers, has spent a lot of time thinking about it. Instead, he finds himself fighting for his life as the world around him spins out of control. Will Allen starting making films at the age of thirteen in southern CA. . Read if you're interested in urban food systems, closing the gaps on health disparities, African American history, community organizing and/or the good food movement. Luke and Amy arrive at the Messner ranch to discover not everything has gone according to plan. Believe in yourself and others will believe too is the main theme in this book. His Own Story. Millions die in an instant, and millions more await the end as the looming catastrophe unfolds…, Midnight Skills (Walking in the Rain Book 7), ( [8] Upon retirement, Allen moved to his wife Cynthia's hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Will Allen is a very inspiring person. Will Allen (born February 8, 1949) is an American urban farmer based in Milwaukee and a retired professional basketball player. Now, with The Good Food Revolution, we learn how Allen rediscovered the power of agriculture, and in doing so transformed a city, its community, and eventually the world – with the help of millions of red wiggler worms. those interested in farming, food, or food supply. In addition, the long side journeys through some of Mr Allen's associates at Growing Power were a bit distracting. It wasn't quite what i expected. The book itself is a really qui. There's a problem loading this menu right now. It is a lesson in patience, family, and compassion. I love what Will Allen did and what he's doing through Growing Power. It offers insights i. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. The work he does is amazing. Will Allen was a high school state champion in basketball at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland. I feel like I've witnessed the growth of another icon to add to that list, Will Allen. Will Allen is a very inspiring person. I was very excited to read his book and I was not disappointed. This is an inspiring and progressive look at urban gardening and farming. Simply put, Will Allen's book is exciting. This is the book for you. Luke was a high school student in Chicago hoping to earning scholarship money for college. It wasn't quite what i expected. Instead of hoping to change the food system, Will Allen changed it for many small inner-city communities...and it all started with a dream that he could do it. [15] The book was nominated for a 2013 NAACP Image Award in the category of biography/autobiography. It was a lot more autobiographical than i expected. Follow to get new release updates and improved recommendations. Determined to get home to his family, Luke begins a thousand mile odyssey that will show him the depths of human depravity while also giving him a chance at redemption. Amy and Luke have survived four months in a savage land completely disrupted by the massive power outage, but this last leg of their journey will demand all of their courage as the pair navigate a desperate landscape. 597 Paperback Will Allen is a game changer. In doing so he provides an example for the rest of us. It's easy for the reader to understand that each step along his varied life path lead him in the same direction: one that promotes equal access to fresh, healthy foods for people of all demographics. Will Allen is a former professional athlete who played basketball throughout college at the University of Miami and post-college in Belgium. I think this added a lot to the treatise he was making about the need for replacing (or at least augmenting) factory farming with a smaller urban based community food production model. Before the lights went out, Scott Keller was just another single father, working a job he liked and spending time as he could with his daughter, Isabella. I think this added a lot to the treatise he was making about the need for replacing (or at least augmenting) factory farming with a smaller urban based community food production model. Not only does it offer Will Allen's inspiring personal story and passion for urban agriculture, but it also walks readers through the small steps we can each take to join the "good food movement." Able to rest easy for the first time in months, Luke soon discovers he will have to fight once again for his life and to protect this safe haven. 190 [1], Will Allen's parents were sharecroppers in South Carolina until they bought the small vegetable farm in Rockville, Maryland, where Allen grew up. He gives a lot of great advice and has a strong focus toward helping people emulate his success. A nice blend of his background, interesting and alarming facts about farming in the U.S., and touching stories about the lives of people who are a part of the "good food revolution.". I kept seeing will's book reviewed in mother earth news and finally decided to read it. Will Allen is a farmer and a retired basketball player from Wisconsin. He also delivered the commencement address for the graduation ceremony held on that day. in an urban landscape, Allen is able to crank out significant quantities of high quality food right where it is needed -- in economically depressed urban areas. p.35 "I believe that this quality of 'grit', the ability to withstand setbacks and disappointments, is more important to teach children than any facts we can cram into their heads.". As a staff member, I was also required to read this book. [5][10] Though Will remains active, the organization closed its doors recently due to a more than one half million dollars in debt owed to various debtors. Growing up on a farm, he dreamed of one day finding one of those jobs involving working indoors and enjoying air conditioned comfort. Corporate farmers also drove the small farmer out of business. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published William Allen was born and raised in the Piney Woods of Southeast Texas, a place of great natural beauty and a scarcity of decent paying jobs. What a fascinating tale of his life journey to the work he is doing and his vision for his ideas and dreams to continue past his lifetime. But if you plant seeds and continue to tend to them -- and keep faith in the harvest -- good things can come." Allen's journey keeps me moving towards my own garden and plant based life. History gives us the stories of influential people who sacrificed all to the better good. ), ( [16], On May 20, 2012, Allen was awarded an honorary Doctor of Agriculture degree from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. As they begins this last sprint across a war torn countryside, Luke will need to reach deep for his last ounce of determination if he intends to ever make it home alive. Will Allen is an urban farmer based in Milwaukee and a retired American basketball player. ( "The Good Food Revolution" is a about former pro basketball player, Will Allen, who abandoned the corporate life and committed himself to creating urban farm centers across the country to people the value of locally grown food to healing our environment, improving our nutrition, creating economic opportunity and healing one another. ?..plus it made me want to expand my gardening abilities! Wow. He gives us a glimpse into the poorest communities, which the supermarkets have abandoned, and are instead filled with fast food chains, convenient stores and fried chicken stands. Looking for an inspirational book? It offers insights into how one can start to grow their own food and the notion that in an urban setting, agriculture is difficult as a myth. Be the first to ask a question about The Good Food Revolution. The stories of Will's family (who were farmers in the South) and the friends he works with. Allen explores how USDA engineered corporate farming who uses harmful fertilizers and pesticides. For instance, Southeast Asia nations have far more access to fresh produces but having said that the fresh food available are mostly laced with pesticides and grown with chemical fertilizers to which the book is trying to steer from. Allen proves me right as he dug in his heels and shared his vision of growing good food for his urban community. Allen walked the talk and earned the prestigious MacArthur Genious Award by his eternal faith in the harvest. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. ). Will Allen bought some abandoned greenhouses in Milwaukee and over time, he turned them into a massive food-growing operation. Sure, he had his share of nightmares, but he went to work and did his duty as best he knew how while trying to make the memories of the Green Hell go away,. If you follow the world of food, chances are you’ve heard of David Chang. Alle. I love the way Allen writes about each part of his life, and relates it back to where he's at now, as the owner of Growing Power in Milwaukee. Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Food & Cookbooks (2012), Book Review: The Good Food Revolution by Will Allen, Chef David Chang’s Newest Project? Will Allen shows us that “A Good Food Revolution” goes beyond just raising, fresh and healthy food. For instance, Southeast Asia nations have far more access to fresh produces but having said that the fresh food available are mostly laced with pesticides and grown with chemical fertilizers to which the book is trying to steer from. Bryan and his eclectic group of family and friends continue their struggle to keep their heads above water and their skins intact as the weather continues to wreak widespread destruction. 500 I only wish more people in the lower-level political arena (such as city officials) were so forward thinking. [8][10] In 2008, he was awarded the MacArthur Foundation "Genius Grant" for his work on urban farming and sustainable food production. 204 His story isn't glam; it's about real life as a child of the 60's, his struggles as a pro basketball player, traveling saleman and a man with a dream.