New Book: The Cunning Farmer

[ecosophia]

Some time ago I was asked by a regular reader to write a foreword for a book he'd just written. That happens from time to time, as many readers here know well, and it's something I like doing -- giving a signal boost to new authors, and not incidentally getting a little extra name exposure for myself, has always struck me as a win-win situation. So I asked to see the manuscript. 

It's an astonishing work. Todd Elliot, the author, is a working farmer as well as an occultist, and he's spent years exploring the considerable overlap between those two fields. Many of us are all too used to books on "green magic" from people who couldn't reliably tell wheat from watercress and whose grasp of occult history is about as deep as what you'd find on your average TikTok video; Todd's work, The Cunning Farmer, comes from the opposite end of that spectrum. Here's the publisher's blurb: 

"A guide to restoring the ancient relationship between farming and magic

 

• Explores how to reconnect with nature and use practical, nature-based magic for gardening and farming, fertility, and abundance

 

• Examines Moon work, plant magic, forest deities, Earth energies, weather magic, the cosmology of ritual, and how to work with land spirits

 

• Discusses folk magic traditions of North America and Western Europe, including the grimoire tradition, Western esotericism, alchemy, Kabbalah, and shamanism as well as Taoist principles and Reiki

 

Magic and farming, in the minds of ancient people, were not separate realms of life, but both were woven inextricably into the way people lived. Through libations, prayers, hymns, dances, sacrifices, and rituals, ancient farmers connected to the sacred forces, the gods, nature spirits, and ancestors to make the crops grow, keep the herds healthy, the weather favorable, and release energies of fertility. These rural farmer priests and priestesses of the ancient past are the spiritual ancestors of today’s cunning farmers.

 

This book explores folk magic traditions of North America and Western Europe, including the grimoire tradition and the practices of witches and cunning folk for increased fertility. Todd draws on Western esotericism, Taoist principles, alchemy, Kabbalah, Reiki, and shamanism to show how to use practical, nature-based magic, just like our ancestors, for more abundant gardening and farming. He shows how to work with land spirits, including meeting the place spirit of your land—the genius loci. He also explores working with Earth and Moon energies, plant magic and forest deities, and ritual. Learn how to deepen your connection to elemental and celestial forces and explore the idea of rewilding the imagination to enhance your relationship with nature and the spirits that call it home.

 

This book is not just a guide to farming, but to forging a relationship with the living land. It shows that we are surrounded by spiritual powers and, with their help, we can re-enchant and reconnect with the land that gives us life."

I heartily recommend this book for anyone interested in these topics. It's just now in print and can be picked up from the publisher here: 

https://www.innertraditions.com/the-cunning-farmer

Comments

[fringewood]

Thanks for the recommendation! Jack is looking forward to getting this. Having a chapter on weather magic after the recent debacle put me off at first, but Mr. Elliot's take should be a little more nuanced.

[thinking_turtle]

That looks like an interesting book. At 56 euro this is a bit outside of my book budget. I'll keep an eye on the local libraries!

Timely

[(Anonymous)]

A serendipitous new resource given the recent speculations regarding the future bull market for cattle malediction remediation services :)

Re: Timely

[ecosophia]

The old man in the little cottage at the end of the lane will probably have a treasured copy of this book!

Re: Timely

[brenainn]

Interesting scenario popped into my head: generations of monk-scribes passing this book down through the ages by hand copying and/or simple printing presses so that a couple thousand years from now, historians discussing the late American Empire will cite this as one of the surviving sources on the ancient magic of those days!

Re: Timely

[vitranc]

(silently places order)

Re: Timely

[dfr1973]

Another member of the target audience reached - currently, DW only lets me read anything about one day a week. The rest of the time they think I'm in Mississippi, since I am on satellite internet due to living at the dead end of a dirt road.

[rhydlyd]

Kinda funny how this popped up just as I was thinking about next steps.
Duly ordered. Will keep you posted.

[brenainn]

This is going to the top of my reading list. Thanks!

[milkyway1]

This sounds great, thanks for letting us know. And congratulations to Todd! :-)

[kayr]

Looks very, very interesting. Lately, books and ideas about gardening with the moon and other natural forces has been catching my attention. I have ordered one.

[thecunningfarmer]

Thank you JMG! Much appreciated!

[threerays]

Looks awesome. Thanks for the heads up

[kylec]

A valuable resource for the magical library!

[(Anonymous)]

This looks awesome... not that I expect to be a farmer, I do expect to keep gardening. I did have a dream once where a figure said something about "everyone being farmers in the future" --but all the magic... looks fascinating, and he's in KY too... nice. It's a whopper of a book. Congrats to Todd and glad you got to write you the forward.

JPM

[jenniferkobernik]

This looks right up my alley! Thanks for the recommendation!