What can a handful of soil teach us about our connection to Earth and the essence of our own spirits? The infinite answers to this question begin to unfold in Scott Chaskey's latest book, Soil and Spirit: Cultivation and Kinship in the Web of Life (2023). In this contemplative and genre-bending essay collection, Chaskey takes readers on a poetic journey around the globe and back home, intertwining sustainable agricultural traditions with the wonders of both the written word and the natural world. With life currently consumed by complex climate and public health–related crises, those of us engaged in food systems work find ourselves striving to harmonize human needs with planetary well-being, all while prioritizing community building and cultural preservation. As a land steward, organic farmer, and author, Chaskey examines this intricate balance from a perspective that resonates with the pursuits of farmers and researchers alike.

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