Ten Acres Enough (Illustrated): The Classic 1864 Guide to Independent Farming
When Edmund Morris walked away from the commercial bustle of Philadelphia in the early nineteenth century and purchased a modest plot of New Jersey farmland, the experience changed him profoundly enough that he felt compelled to share it. The result was one of the most widely read agricultural books of its era, and it holds up remarkably well. Morris's central argument is quietly radical: what you grow, and how you go about it, matters far more than the sheer scale of your operation. It's a refreshing counterpoint to the bigger-is-better thinking that has dominated farming ever since. The book is packed with practical guidance and hard-won observations that remain relevant whether you're considering your first smallholding or already working the land. Chapter headings give a good flavour of the tone: 'City Experiences, Moderate Expectations', 'Practical Views, Safety of Investments in Land', and 'Resolved to Go, Escape from Business, Choosing a Location' all suggest a writer who knew exactly what it felt like to make a life-altering decision and wanted to help others navigate the same path with clear eyes. Honest, grounded, and genuinely useful, this is a book that earns its reputation as a classic.
- Author: Edmund Morris
- Publisher: Morris Books
- Genre: Gardening & Horticulture
- ISBN: B0DKNRGZ2B
- Pages: 225 pages