{"title":"Books by Ben Hartman","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781603585927","title":"The Lean Farm","description":"\u003cb\u003eA practical, systems-based approach for a more sustainable farming operation\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Ben Hartman has revolutionized his methods, cut down his work hours dramatically, and shrunk the size of his farm, all while making a better income.”—\u003ci\u003eCivil Eats\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTo many people today, using the words “factory” and “farm” in the same sentence is nothing short of sacrilege. In many cases, though, the same sound business practices apply whether you are producing cars or carrots. Author Ben Hartman and other young farmers are increasingly finding that incorporating the best new ideas from business into their farming can drastically cut their wastes and increase their profits, making their farms more environmentally and economically sustainable. By explaining the lean system for identifying and eliminating waste and introducing efficiency in every aspect of the farm operation, \u003ci\u003eThe Lean Farm\u003c\/i\u003e makes the case that small-scale farming can be an attractive career option for young people who are interested in growing food for their community.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWorking smarter, not harder, also prevents the kind of burnout that start-up farmers often encounter in the face of long, hard, backbreaking labor.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLean principles grew out of the Japanese automotive industry, but they are now being followed on progressive farms around the world. Using examples from his own family’s one-acre community-supported farm in Indiana, Hartman clearly instructs other small farmers in how to incorporate lean practices in each step of their production chain, from starting a farm and harvesting crops to training employees and selling goods.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eInside \u003ci\u003eThe Lean Farm\u003c\/i\u003e you’ll discover how to apply lean practices like:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEvery Tool In Its Place\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTen Types of Farm Waste\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEstablish Pull, Don’t Push\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLimits of Lean\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLean for More Profit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eand much more!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhile the intended audience for this book is small-scale farmers who are part of the growing local food movement, Hartman’s prescriptions for high-value, low-cost production apply to farms and businesses of almost any size or scale that hope to harness the power of lean in their production processes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBen Hartman was named a “Grist 50! Fixer”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The Lean Farm \u003c\/i\u003eshould be dissected, digested, and discussed—then applied—on every single farm: big or small, wholesale or retail, livestock or produce. It would make all farms more profitable, productive, and pleasurable.”—Joel Salatin, owner of Polyface Farm\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56312647975285,"sku":"9781603585927","price":27.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781603585927_8363b661-70e1-4227-9c88-43a8cdf947a2.jpg?v=1786023084"},{"product_id":"9781645022046","title":"The Lean Micro Farm","description":"\u003cb\u003e“Ben Hartman is a true innovator for the small farm.”—Curtis Stone, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Urban Farmer\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eIt’s time to think big about small farms. Award-winning author and “green leader” (\u003ci\u003eGrist\u003c\/i\u003e) Ben Hartman shares practical how-to tips, personal stories, and surprising examples of cutting-edge farmers and innovators around the world to show us how.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the early 1970s, US Agriculture Secretary Earl Butz infamously commanded farmers to “get big or get out.” In \u003ci\u003eThe Lean Micro Farm\u003c\/i\u003e, author Ben Hartman rejects that disastrous suggestion and instead takes up the charge of the late agrarian thinker Gene Logsdon: “Get small and stay in.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTaking inspiration from the groundbreaking ideas of E. F. Schumacher and Mahatma Gandhi, \u003ci\u003eThe Lean Micro Farm\u003c\/i\u003e shows how small, hyperlocal farms can be both ecologically and economically superior to industrial-scale operations geared toward export and commodity markets.\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Lean Micro Farm\u003c\/i\u003e details the author’s remarkable journey to downsize his farm from one acre to a third of an acre in an effort to prioritize family and community over work, all without taking a pay cut. In addition, Hartman profiles six innovative farmers from across the globe who embody this “get small” mindset. These pioneering farmers show all of us a path toward resilience in the face of supply chain disruption, globalization, and climate change. They model a gentler, more ecological approach to farming that produces less waste \u003ci\u003eand\u003c\/i\u003e uses less plastic, petroleum, and fertilizer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLike his previous two books, \u003ci\u003eThe Lean Farm\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Lean Farm Guide to Growing Vegetables\u003c\/i\u003e, Hartman’s \u003ci\u003eThe Lean Micro Farm\u003c\/i\u003e doesn’t just explain why smaller is better, it shows readers exactly how it can be done with step-by-step guides on how to turn a profit from a tiny, but productive, parcel of farmland. Readers will find not just philosophical justifications for a minimalist approach to agriculture but also actionable information for starting your own profitable micro farm, including:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA description of the “deep mulch” method for building fertility\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInstructions on two-step bed flipping to increase production on a small footprint\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA guide for choosing essential tools and technologies “with a human face”\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAn easy-to-follow process for making your micro farm lean and efficient\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA detailed plan for selling $20,000 worth of produce from your backyard\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt’s time, Hartman makes clear, to pivot to a new kind of farming—one that builds upon ancestral knowledge, nourishes communities, and puts human joy, not technology, at its center.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Hartman has revolutionized his methods, cut down his work hours dramatically, and shrunk the size of his farm, all while making a better income.”—\u003ci\u003eCivil Eats\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56312717214069,"sku":"9781645022046","price":30.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781645022046_52bb0b33-ad0d-4807-a04c-0952938b0a15.jpg?v=1786024866"},{"product_id":"the-lean-farm-guide-to-growing-vegetables","title":"The Lean Farm Guide to Growing Vegetables","description":"\u003cb\u003eAt Clay Bottom Farm, author Ben Hartman and staff practice \u003ci\u003ekaizen\u003c\/i\u003e, or continuous improvement, cutting out more waste—of time, labor, space, money, and more—every year and aligning their organic production more tightly with customer demand. Applied alongside other lean principles originally developed by the Japanese auto industry, the end result has been increased profits and less work.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this field-guide companion to his award-winning first book, \u003ci\u003eThe Lean Farm\u003c\/i\u003e, Hartman shows market vegetable growers in even more detail how Clay Bottom Farm implements lean thinking in every area of their work, including using \u003ci\u003ekanbans\u003c\/i\u003e, or replacement signals, to maximize land use; germination chambers to reduce defect waste; and right-sized machinery to save money and labor and increase efficiency. From finding land and assessing infrastructure needs to selling perfect produce at the farmers market, \u003ci\u003eThe Lean Farm Guide to Growing Vegetables \u003c\/i\u003edigs deeper into specific, tested methods for waste-free farming that not only help farmers become more successful but make the work more enjoyable. These methods include:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsing Japanese paper pot transplanters\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuilding your own germinating chambers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLeaning up your greenhouse\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaking and applying simple composts\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsing lean techniques for pest and weed control\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCreating \u003ci\u003eHeijunka\u003c\/i\u003e, or load-leveling calendars for efficient planning\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFarming is not static, and improvement requires constant change. \u003ci\u003eThe Lean Farm Guide to Growing Vegetables\u003c\/i\u003e offers strategies for farmers to stay flexible and profitable even in the face of changing weather and markets. Much more than a simple exercise in cost-cutting, lean farming is about growing better, not cheaper, food—the food your customers want.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"With this book, however, I believe Ben has taken our craft to new levels with fresh ideas and different strategies.”—Jean-Martin Fortier, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Market Gardener\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57484411634037,"sku":"9781603586993","price":22.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781603586993.jpg?v=1786266546"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-ben-hartman.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}