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Susan's Story



NORTHERN HARVEST: TWENTY MICHIGAN WOMEN IN FOOD AND FARMING

https://www.wsupress.wayne.edu/books/detail/northern-harvest

Susan Odom’s Story


As children Susan Odom and her little sister played Little House on the Prairie. "I would go out hunting and I would bring back every time six deer and six bear  . . . and then we would proceed to tell each other how we were going to butcher these animals.” 

That childhood fantasy came to life many years later.  In her story, chapter 18 of Northern Harvest, Rose Hollander describes taking part in an all-woman butchery weekend.  The organizer of that weekend was Susan Odom.




To learn how Susan’s life led her from her childhood suburban home near Detroit where farming was only a fantasy to owning and managing her own historic farm, Hillside Homestead, with numerous livestock and traditional 19th century implements for farming and cooking--including churns and dippers--you can now order Northern Harvest from Amazon or from your favorite independent bookstore. 

 Even with the pandemic and the restrictions, bookstores are open to customers with masks and observing safe distancing, and of course you can also order from any bookstore for pick up or shipping. 

An unfortunate consequence of the pandemic and our need to wear masks and be socially distanced has been that Hillside Homestead in this 2020 summer cannot welcome visitors to experience the life of a 19th century farm.  When a vaccine is found and life resumes for all of us I hope that possibility will return and bring joy to the fortunate guests as in the past.




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