Structure

The book is divided into 20 chapters that vary slightly in length. The hardcopy version includes sidebars written by Barbara's husband, Steven, and her daughter, Camille. Each chapter is titled with a catchy phrase or words that convey at least some idea of what to expect from that chapter. Many of the chapters also include references to a specific month along their year-long experience. For example, Chapter 16 is titled “Smashing Pumpkins: October.” That chapter covers Barbara's thoughts and ideas about October, and focuses on the use of the fall crops – including pumpkins.

The book is presented in chronological order, which is appropriate for the story line. The author begins with their trip from Tucson, Arizona, to their farm in Kentucky. The experiment began several months later, in late March, when the asparagus began to grow. Barbara then takes the reader through milestones along the way, including the excess...