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Reviewed by Carol Thompson for Readers' Favorite
Dispatches From Farm Country by Jim Patrico is an insightful and beautifully crafted chronicle of rural America through the eyes of a seasoned journalist. Based on years of reporting, the author combines personal recollections, historical background, and firsthand interviews to create a close portrait of evolving farming communities. With lyrical prose and a deep respect for the people he writes about, Patrico invites readers into barns, back roads, small-town cafés, and state fairs, offering a window into the soul of farm country. Over the course of the chapters, readers are introduced to a wide range of voices and stories from dairy farmers in decline to soybean activists, from high school rodeo stars to aging veterans of agricultural protests. Each narrative stands independently, yet themes of resilience, loss, transformation, and pride connect all.
As a fellow journalist with extensive experience reporting on agriculture and the challenges faced by today’s farmers, I truly felt Jim Patrico’s passion in every line. He explores the economic and demographic changes that have transformed rural America over the past fifty years, capturing the bittersweet decline of small family farms, paralleling industrial agriculture's growth. Simultaneously, he showcases the humor, resilience, and quiet dignity of those who remain connected to these landscapes. There is deep respect for tradition and a clear insight into the complexities that shape rural identity. Patrico approaches his subjects with care. Dispatches From Farm Country will appeal to readers interested in the American heartland, social change, and the everyday heroism of those living beyond the city lights. It’s a heartfelt exploration of what it means to belong to a place and how those places shape us.
