Re: sustainable Southern agrarianism

bakert@ext.missouri.edu
Sat, 21 Dec 96 09:03:06 cdt

Lance & Saneters:

Several years ago, when I discovered the writings of the Southern
Agrarians, I came to the quick conclusion that many of their views on the
industrialization of agriculture would certainly find sympathy among
today's sustainable agriculture adherents. How much contribution their
thinking made to modern sustainable ag thought may be questioned, since
their work seems little known among agriculturists from what I have seen.

So far, I have not run across any literature linking the Agrarians with the
modern sustainable agriculture movement.

The closest thing I have seen is in the preface to Andrew Nelson Lytle's
_A Wake for the Living_. For Saneters unfamiliar with the Agrarians, Lytle
was the last of the original Southern Agrarians, and passed away just last
year. Written by Madison Smartt Bell, the preface mentions Wendell Berry:

"In this respect, Lytle's agrarianism is most similar to that
unfolded by Wendell Berry in _The Unsettling of America_. This latter work
shows among other things how all the disasters predicted by the Agrarians
of the 1930s have been fulfilled beyond their worst and wildest
imaginings."

Out of curiosity, are you subscribed to the H-South or H-Rural listservs?
(Southern and Rural History). You might want to post your question there.

**************************************************************
* Tim Baker Phone: 573-888-4722 *
* Horticulture Specialist Fax: 573-888-6829 *
* University of MO Extension *
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_____________________________ Reply Separator _______________________________
Subject: sustainable Southern agrarianism
Author: Lance Howard <lanceh@clemson.edu> at internet-ext
Date: 12/17/96 1:45 PM

Dear Saneters,

I am looking for literature that links contemporary ideas and practices of
sustainable agriculture in the South to the ideas of the Southern Agrarians
(_I'll Take My Stand_, 1930), and/or other evocations of the South as an
agrarian alternative to the industrial North. So far I find only Wendell
Berry, who does not, from what I have read, ever acknowledge the Southern
Agrarians.

I am preparing an undergraduate seminar on the geography of the South.

Any help will be much appreciated.

Lance

Lance F. Howard
Department of History and Geography
Clemson University
Clemson, SC 29634
(864) 656-5359 (office)
(864) 656-1015 (fax)
lanceh@clemson.edu