696.  The Contrary Farmer by Logsdon.  A wonderful book.  He makes clear the vibrant life which farmers lead.  The fun they have.  The joy of friendship and fellow companions.  He constantly reveals the delight of gazing at a meadow or field of oats or wheat and taking delight in a sea of glory.  But it is not nostalgia.  It is a way of life that he makes clear is important for a meaningful existence.  For him the goal is not to afford a Beamer but to wallow in the independence which such a life brings.  He discusses the value of trees and woods to slow down the wind, encourage a variety of wildlife and enrich the soil.  He talks of the beauty of a pond and value of fish for the table.  He does not recommend going overboard and making something too big or expand too much but instead keep it simple so that a person is not overwhelmed and work becomes the driving force instead of the joy of life.  His chapter of corn is interesting, not only the danger of modern industrial raised corn but his own efforts at developing open pollinated corn.  He just may hold the record for the largest ear of corn ever grown.  He plants one to two acres of corn by hand.  He harvests it by hand and shucks it. He gives a great deal of practical advice which is fun to read- doing one's own repairs, how to buy used equipment and keep it simple, work with other farms and for a trade of some sort have them combine or something.  He talks of the joy of growing one's own wheat, grinding it into flour and making one's own bread or pasta.  All of this is presented in the sense that there will be hard work.  However, he points out the absurdity of looking with distain on working with soil and then coming home and while some hired dude mows the lawn go run for two hours.  He wonders why the hard work of a linebacker whose brain is hammered and damaged each and every game is admired but someone who toils in the soil for society's benefit is looked at as the village idiot. He has nothing but praise for gardeners, small or large. In fact he views these as important and valuable contributors to meaningful contact with the soil.  I will be reading this book again.