Dispatches From Farm Country

"Dispatches from Farm Country" by Jim Patrico captures the heart of rural America through intimate, humorous stories of real farmers and ranchers. From a dairy farmer fostering prison babies to a Kansas ranch couple's love story in a 1930s blizzard, this book offers a poignant look at lives that bridge America's urban-rural divide and illustrate our common humanity.

A widening gap between urban and rural cultures has left America divided and bewildered. Fortunately, photojournalist Jim Patrico has spent more than 40 years exploring the rural side of that gap. The result is "Dispatches from Farm Country," an insightful and often humorous recounting of a journalist's travels through rural communities. Chapter by chapter, Patrico focuses on real farmers and ranchers: a California dairy farmer who fosters babies born in prison because she can't stand the thought of little ones suffering for their mothers' bad decisions; the owners of the two oldest farms in America who feel the presence of their ancestors walking their fields; a farmer whose fall from a barn roof led his family to add farm-brewed beer business; the fifth-generation Black farmer whose family still contends with racism; the Kansas ranch couple whose love blossomed when he braved a 1930s blizzard on horseback to visit her for Valentine's Day; and an Appalachian farmer whose neighbors deal drugs and fly a Confederate flag in their front yard. "Dispatches from Farm Country" tells intimate stories that enchant and inform. They give the reader a better understanding of rural America and help bridge the gaps between cities and small towns.

Jim Patrico, a seasoned photojournalist, has spent more than 40 years traveling across America and 21 other countries to document the lives of farmers and ranchers. Originally from a large city, he embedded himself in rural life by moving to the small farming town of Plattsburg, Missouri. Patrico's unique perspective and dedication earned him numerous accolades, including the Henry R. Luce Special Citation for public service reporting, the title of Agricultural Journalist of the Year by the North American Agricultural Journalist, and two Oscars in Agriculture. As a Master Writer and Writer of Merit for the American Agricultural Editors Association, his work has had a significant impact on agricultural journalism. Patrico is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism with an emphasis on photojournalism. He is also the author of two commissioned books, one about the American tax system and another on the history of photo use by farm magazines. His extensive career highlights his deep connection to and appreciation for rural America.