Scratching the Woodchuck: Nature on an Amish Farm

Front Cover
University of Georgia Press, 1999 - Nature - 205 pages
David Kline came upon a sleeping woodchuck one summer day as he walked the land near his farm. In a gesture that speaks eloquently of Kline's relationship with the natural world, he scratched the animal gently with his walking stick, and the sleeping creature arched its back with pleasure at the attention.

Like its title, this collection of essays on nature, farming, animals, insects, and other topics bespeaks the gentle demeanor and appreciation for nature that shape the author's descriptions of the world around him. Whether sharing his fondness for watching clouds while he rests his horses or for planting flowers in his favorite spot in the woods, David Kline offers a view of life that few of us take time to experience. Scratching the Woodchuck resounds with knowledge, reverence, and a joyful spirit, and to follow Kline's explorations of the landscape and animals around his farm is to sense and come to share his respect for and unity with the earth.

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Contents

Moles
3
The Joy of Butterflies
31
The Crow
37
Snakes Alive
88
Predator and Prey
94
The Red Fox
102
Young Owls
113
Red Squirrel
134
Fall Mushrooms
140
Scratching the Woodchuck
143
Fallout
181
Selborne
190
Sharing Work with Children
197
Copyright

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About the author (1999)

David Kline is the author of Great Possessions: An Amish Farmer's Journal. A member of an Amish community, he lives on a farm near Fredericksburg, Ohio.

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