Gary Kleppel

I grew up eating TV dinners, and burgers in the car. I believed that someday we'd all be taking our meals through a tube, like the astronauts. That's what "modern" meant in the '60s. But that changed. After a 25-year career in oceanography, I found myself, at age 50, the owner of a small farm, and a professor of ecology at a major university in upstate New York. Having never been a farmer, I had to learn quickly. I found that most farmers prescribe to an "industrial" model that has been harming Earth's ecosystems for many decades. It produces cheap, poor-quality food and it treats livestock in shameful ways. I also learned that sustainable alternatives exist. These emergent practices are based on ecologically sound principles. They produce nutrient dense food, and respect the land, livestock and farm workers. Being part of this regenerative system has been the most important work I've ever done. Some of my ideas are described in The Emergent Agriculture, Farming, Sustainability and the Return of the Local Economy. I'm currently working on a new book, on the same theme, that I hope to publish in 2026. Stay tuned.