The Bookworm: The Color of Food

Reading the best and weeding the rest

A BOOK REVIEW BY LEEANNA TATUM OF THE COLOR OF FOOD: STORIES OF RACE, RESILIENCE AND FARMING BY NATASHA BOWENS

The Color of Food: Stories of Race, Resilience and Farming written by Natasha Bowens shares the stories of those often underrepresented in the agricultural community. Her portraits paint a vibrant picture of America’s farming community today and it’s checkered past.

Bowens, a self-described “Brown Girl Farming”, frequently found herself feeling out of place as the only woman of color participating in agricultural-related events like conferences, farmers markets and community gardens.

“There I was, barefoot in the mud wondering, ‘Why am I the only brown person here? This whole organic farming thing can’t just be for hipsters. I mean, we all come from the land, so why does it seem like young White folks are the only ones going back to it? People of color farm too, right?’”

Setting out across the country, Bowen discovered that not only are people of color returning to the land, but many never left it - providing a rich history of Native Americans, Black Americans, Asians and Hispanics who have contributed and continue to contribute to the rich tapestry of agriculture in this country.

Her portraits provide insight into the hurdles uniquely faced by farmers of color due to discriminatory practices, denied access to land, and cultural stigma that have made farming particularly difficult for these groups. However, there are also stories of persistence, perseverance and triumph.

Bowen also addresses the cultural stigma toward farming and “returning to the land” as many African Americans still associate farming with slavery.

Gary Grant of the Black Farmers and Agriculturists Association is quoted as saying, “The Black community, because of slavery, has a disdain for agriculture … We as Black people don’t respect the Black farmer. It’s something we have to overcome … I’ve realized you have to change the conversation. It’s about land ownership and what that’s allowed us to do. We start talking about the value of the land and what it has done for us as a people and it helps to change that stigma a little bit.”

The Color of Food allows the reader to gain a better understanding of our agricultural landscape as a whole through the eyes of many different groups of people throughout the country - gaining insights and perspectives that often go unseen in traditional depictions of America’s farmers.