When Jason Amundsen drops an egg farm bomb on his wife Lucie, she understandably balks at the idea. He’s already dragged her from city to city chasing his supposed dreams, but those dreams at least came with health benefits. This one? It’s too much, and Lucie successfully puts the kibosh on the idea. Until Jason gets laid off.
He gets laid off, and this silly dream of his won’t die. The rest of the story is of Lucie, Jason, and their two children, Abbie and Milo, all walking the tightrope between family and farm. Lucie must hold her home, husband, and children close to her heart, while the farm threatens to drag Jason away.
But over time, with the help of Jason’s brother, they streamline their processes, grow their brand, and claim their place firmly in middle agriculture. At every step, Lucie and Jason must grapple with their ideals versus reality and constantly tug at one another in order to stay in balance.
Lucie’s marketing background, as well as her writing skills, play a major role in Locally Laid’s success. Even so, many marriages would not have survived this undertaking, and anyone thinking about starting a farm might learn from Lucie and Jason. Readers who enjoyed Keith Stewart’s It’s a Long Road to a Tomato, Kristin Kimball’s The Dirty Life, and Bred Kessler’s Goat Song will appreciate this riches to rags story.