SKU: 11016331143

From Cows to Concrete: The Rise and Fall of Farming in Los Angeles

Sale price$40.50 Regular price$45.00
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $11.25 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Aug 13 - Aug 18

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

From Cows to Concrete: The Rise and Fall of Farming in Los AngelesWhat? Los Angeles was the original wine country of California, leading the states wine production for more than a century? Los Angeles County was the agricultural center of North America until the 1950s? And where todays freeways soar, cows calmly chewed their cud? How could that be? Los Angeles, the capital of asphalt and Kleig lights, was once a paradise filled with grapevines and bovines, so abundant with Natures gifts that no one could imagine a

What? Los Angeles was the original wine country of California, leading the state’s wine production for more than a century? Los Angeles County was the agricultural center of North America until the 1950s? And where today’s freeways soar, cows calmly chewed their cud? How could that be?

Los Angeles, the capital of asphalt and Kleig lights, was once a paradise filled with grapevines and bovines, so abundant with Nature’s gifts that no one could imagine a more pastoral place.

 

Los Angeles County was the center of an agricultural empire. Today, it is the nation’s most populous urban metropolis. What happened? Where did the green go?

From the earliest pueblo cornfields to the struggles of farm workers to the rise of the environmental movement, From Cows to Concrete tells the epic tale of how agriculture forged Los Angeles into an urban metropolis, and how, ultimately, the Los Angeles farm empire spurred the very growth that paved it over, as sprawling suburbs swallowed up thousands of acres of prime farmland. And how, on the same land once squandered by corporate greed and “progress,” urban farmers are making inroads to a greener future. More than 150 vintage images enhance and expand the fascinating, detailed history.

As Americans connect with gardens, farmers markets, and urban farms, most are unaware that each of these activities have deep roots in Los Angeles, and that the healthy food they savor literally had its roots in L.A. This book is for all who treasure the country’s agrarian history.

Co-author Rachel Surls, Ph.D., is the Sustainable Food Systems Advisor for the University of California Cooperative Extension in Los Angeles County. She has been involved with school gardens, community gardens, and urban agriculture around Los Angeles for more than twenty-five years. She holds two degrees in agricultural sciences.

Co-author Judith Gerber, a second-generation Angeleno, is a farm and garden authority who has written about sustainable and urban farming, local foods, and organic gardening for more than twenty years. She is the author of Farming in Torrance and the South Bay (2008).

Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 11016331143

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.0 ★★★★★
Based on 7 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
N
Verified Purchase
Nicholas Wilson
Pawtucket, US
★★★★★ 5
Nice BIG enameled cast iron dutch oven. like LeCreuset but costs less
Color: Blue, Size: 6-Quart
This is nice quality, similar to the far more costly French LeCreuset brand. I was surprised how big this model is, possibly too big for my small kitchen and limited storage space. I store it in the oven. It would be great for baking sourdough boule bread.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2026
J
Verified Purchase
JoiceMaynard
Boise, US
★★★★★ 5
Enamel finish
Color: Matte Navy, Size: 6-Quart
This is an amazing pot, got the 6 Qt for beautiful roast dinners and for baking bread. All comes out evenly baked. Cast Iron is best and it has a nice finish for easy clean up.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2026
M
Verified Purchase
Miss Maggie
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 5
Good Cast Iron
Size: 2-Quart
I'm in my fifties. I'm from the south. I've been cooking with cast iron since before I was strong enough to lift it. This is a good pot. I liked the 2-quart pot so much that I bought a second one. Now I have two. Both pots were from the warehouse, discounted because they had been returned. They both work flawlessly. I have had cheap cast iron from family dollar and upscale cast iron from Cabellas. This pot from Amazon is mid range. Its not as nice as my great grandmother's pre-WW1 pot, but its about as good as Lodge. I like this size for cooking rice (2-cups dry, 4 cups water, 20 minutes on low after boiling). It makes better rice than you've ever had from a rice cooker and it keeps the rice warm for at least an hour without burning. Just leave the lid on and take it off the stove after cooking. It's also perfect for cooking dried beans. Whether you cook plain beans or add bacon or ham hocks (or turkey necks) for seasoning, the beans cook fast and evenly. They do not have to be watched every minute. On medium-low, covered, they're tender in an hour (assuming you soaked them overnight). I can cook beans in one pot, rice in the second pot, and dinner requires almost zero attention. Since I do a lot of simmering in my pots, they require regular care. I wash them with a scrub brush and a dab of Dawn dish detergent. I have never put one in the dishwasher. I think that would be foolish. After washing, I let them drip dry for a few minutes and then dry with a dish towel. Finally I rub cooking fat on both the lid and pot with a paper towel. I use vegetable oil. My grandmother used Crisco. My great-grandmother used lard. My mother didn't use cast iron, she preferred teflon. In my experience the type of cooking fat really does not matter. When the pot becomes rusty, as it inevitably will, there is a simple solution. Rub it liberally with the fat of your choice and cook it in the oven on low overnight. Voila! Instant no-stick coating. Cast iron is the very best cookware ever created. Even cheap cast iron lasts your and your grandchildren's lifetime. Just rub it lightly with fat after washing and then season it a couple of times a year. It never wears out and it adds iron to your diet which is especially nice for pregnant and nursing moms. The 2-quart pot from Amazon is reasonably priced for a pot that will last at least 2-lifetimes and its good enough quality to justify its price. If your pot is rusting, that's your fault and you have the power to correct it. If you don't, then that's on you, not the pot. By all means give it away to somebody who will appreciate it. I've gotten several of my favorite cast iron pieces that way.😁
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2021
D
Verified Purchase
Dr. Mark
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 5
A Dutch Oven Ready & Able for Quality Food Preparation
Size: 7-Quart
Excellent dutch oven. Large and does its job well. Whether its on the stove or being utilized in the oven for baking, thos cast iron dutch oven performs by producing gourmet style food.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2026
D
Verified Purchase
Diana
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
Great quality and value
Size: 7-Quart
Heavy duty and well made. Love that it’s pre seasoned. I’m using it to bake artisan bread so it’s important that the lid fits well, which it does. The price is great for a pot this size and quality. The black is perfect for the color because I’m preheating it at 500 degrees Fahrenheit and baking at 450.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2026

recommand products