From time to time we will be posting stories by or about pioneers in the “green” movement who opened minds and doors for the rest of us to follow.
Minnie Rose Lovgreen was a remarkable Englishwoman who narrowly missed sailing on the Titanic, wound up on Bainbridge Island and subsequently ran a diary farm of 170 acres for 30 years of her life. On the farm she fell in love with chickens. Always intending to write a book about raising chickens for the average householder, she put it off for decades, until cancer came calling in her 86th year.
A friend, Nancy Rekow knowing that time was short and dear, went to visit Minnie, tape recorder in hand, and said "Minnie Rose, now we're going to write your book." Which is what they proceeded to do. Nancy transcribed, edited and hand lettered the text. They enlisted another friend and neighbor, Elizabeth Hutchison, to illustrate the book. A self published 1st run of 1000 sold out in a month, and Pacific Search Press agreed to print 20,000 copies of a 2nd edition.
Minnie Rose lived to see her book reach tens of thousands of people around the country, and died in 1975.
NW Trillium Press has rereleased the book. The advice is still practical and sound, and the illustrations are adorable. Elizabeth Hutchinson, short on time and resources got creative with her “fowl” subject. For example, she wanted to draw fighting roosters, but only had one. No problem. She set up a mirror under the barn, and drew the rooster fiercely battling his own reflection. For an illustration of the chicken’s daily dust bath, she dried mud under the barn with a heat lamp to provide the chickens with the requisite dust.
If you can raise a couple of chicken in the yard, a large brood, or just want some entertaining practical reading, this book is for you. Think of it as a metaphor for life, especially the line on the title page, in Minnie’s own words: “The main thing is to keep them happy”. Good advice for any age or endeavor.
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