Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Book Report: Billy the Farmer

Book Report on IN THE GARDEN WITH BILLY,  LESSONS OF LIFE, LOVE, AND TOMATOES.

This is a non-fiction book.  It is about Renea Winchester who moved to Georgia, with her family, and made friends with a man twice her age:  Billy, a non-pretentious farmer.  It was/is  a platonic relationship.  She found Billy to be a unique  individual who lived alone.  He had so many farming projects going on he was constant busy and she thought she would give him a helping  hand.  She gave the helping hand and he gave her his wisdom.  I think she was awe-struck by Billy and his old timey farming methods.    It should be mentioned that Billy was a widower.  He lost his wife about six months before they met.  Renea was so impressed with the positive vibes Billy radiated out she wrote a book to share him.

I was impressed with Billy because I know the area he was/is a farmer in.  The place used to be laced with old farms. Now, as progress would dictate, it is an area of big yards that used to be pastures, and some white fences with horses, and some huge houses and other subdivisions of McMansions. Billy is not about to change to go with the flow or sell out and go to a retirement village. He has things to do.
Billy sells his own produce and sometimes faces an unjustly demanding customer. He handles them gently with a smile. Billy doesn’t fly off the handle.

Billy is a religious man and Renea is religious woman which is mentioned throughout the book.   Also, another repeating theme is her relationship with her parents who live in North Carolina.  Her mother has cancer but is not about to let it get in her way.  Renea is also a very witty woman. 
Also I learned a great deal about goats, bean vines, corn-sex, goat fertilizer for the tomatoes, chickens, egg incubation, and a lot of other useful things.
I’m glad my wife Anna talked me into reading it.

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