Great Possessions: An Amish Farmer's Journal

Organized in four sections corresponding to the seasons, this account by Amish farmer Kline of his life in southern Ohio celebrates his daily labors, his family and, most important, the flora and fauna on his 70-acre farm. Infectiously avid, the author shares his knowledge of mushrooming in spring, chopping firewood in fall, maple-sugaring in late winter, bird-watching all year round, and going on walks across the countryside with his children, ``just . . . seeing things.'' His reverence for nature and his deep religious faith are palpable, and he argues convincingly for the ``small-scale diversified farming'' of the Amish, which ultimately gives back to the earth more than it takes. The book should be of particular interest to birders, but just as notable is the sheer pleasure of its language, as seen in Kline's spring reverie of ``the creaking of the harness and the popping of alfalfa roots,'' the ``tinkling song of the horned lark and the lisping of the migrating water pipits.'' (Apr . )