The Bookshelf to host author Brooks Lamb

Aug. 20—THOMASVILLE- Author Brooks Lamb grew up on a small farm in Marshall County, Tennessee. As a child, he watched his parents, grandparents, brothers and countless others care for the land he called home. When it was time to graduate, he left his small-town life to attend Rhodes College in Memphis. However, he quickly became homesick and missed the place he called home.

This longing for home created a drive in Lamb to pursue a vocation that would give a voice to individuals in rural and agricultural communities.

Upon graduating from Rhodes College, Lamb enrolled in Yale School of the Environment for graduate school with the support of the Truman Scholarship.

"It was a wonderful experience," he recalled. "I learned a lot in and outside the classroom, and I met some of my closest friends and trusted mentors there."

One of Lamb's mentors was described as "exceptionally generous with her time," and read Lamb's thesis, which was the foundation for his book Love for the Land: Lessons from Farmers Who Persist in Place.

"Afterward she was kind enough to connect me with someone at Yale University Press (YUP) and encourage them to read my manuscript," Lamb said. "I was young and it's a little rare for a master's thesis to be turned into a book, but the editor at YUP took me seriously."

Lamb's thesis was a months-long project, and something he had a personal interest in.

"I spent several months interviewing farmers, conservationists, farm service providers and local leaders," he said. "Most of the interviews were done by phone, because I started my research only a few months into the pandemic."

While this was an unexpected challenge for Lamb, he was thrilled when an opportunity presented itself for him to do some interviews in person. The interviews allowed Lamb to immerse himself in the community where they were anchored.

"I drove throughout the counties- backroads and highways and everything in between- to witness the changes reshaping the landscape," he said. "I attended a farm auction, stopped to talk in farm stores and diners, and more to better understand the on-the-ground situation."

Lamb was shocked with what he found.

"It's shocking to see and hear just how much certain challenges like farmland loss and agricultural consolidation and injustices are impacting rural places," Lamb said.

While most of the interviews and research was conducted in Lamb's home state of Tennessee, he saw the ripple effect these difficulties were causing throughout the south, including south Georgia.

The difficulties described in Lamb's work are ones he thinks everyone should care about, which is why he hopes to share more information and inspire others during his visit to the Bookshelf on September 9th from 2-4 p.m.

"The book shares lessons from small farmers who persist in the face of adversity and continue to care for their land," he said. "Oftentimes, their perseverance is driven by affection, or an enduring love for the place. That love might lead them to make sacrifices in order to continue farming."

Lamb believes that's a lesson every reader can take to heart.

"We may not all live on farms, but we can direct our love and work toward other places," he explained. "Maybe that's a backyard, a garden, or a park. When we connect with places and cultivate affection for them, we become more devoted caretakers."

While this is not Lamb's first work, it's a novel devoted to his passion for the land he grew up on and the property his family dedicated their lives to for decades. He said he would eventually like to write a more personal book about his own experience with farming one day.

"I would be interested in writing a book that shares stories of young and beginning farmers who are trying to gain access to land," he said.

Lamb knows quite a bit about this subject as well, as he and his wife are hoping to purchase a farm of their own in the next few years.

When not searching for their own land, Lamb said he enjoys writing essays and poetry, even if they aren't for publication. He encourages others to seek out their passion and share their stories as well.

"Even if a formal publication doesn't happen, the act of writing the book is its own end," he concluded.

Lamb hopes to see farmers and passionate writers alike at his upcoming event, where he can share more information on his current works.