Of the Land & the Spirit: The Essential Lord Northbourne on Ecology & Religion - Book Review

Summary

Lord Northbourne (1896-1982) coined the term “organic farming” and he expounded the case for it in his 1940 manifesto of organic agriculture: Look to the Land. So a new book by this author is important, is a welcome treat, and warrants the attention of those with an interest in organic food, agriculture and systems.
Of the Land & the Spirit is a collection of essays and chapters that reflect the spectrum of Northbourne’s interests, including religion, art, education, gardening and agriculture. Lord Northbourne was trained at Oxford University in agriculture, and it remained one of his abiding interests.
From a lifetime approaching nine decades, Of the Land & the Spirit presents an account of four decades of Northbourne’s thoughts - beginning with excerpts from Look to the Land, through to the final chapter The Ineluctable Alternative: A Letter to my Descendants. Northbourne’s holistic views flow though his writings whether he is discussing farming, flowers or faith.