Remembering Wendell Berry: An Extraordinary Life of Letters, Land and Community

Wendell Berry spent more than half a century challenging Americans to reconsider our relationship with the land, our food, our communities, and one another.

The celebrated author, poet, farmer, and activist died on August 31, 2026, leaving behind more than 50 books of poetry, fiction, and essays, including The Unsettling of America, Jayber Crow, and his beloved Mad Farmer poems.

In this special episode of Full Expression, we open the archives to revisit Dan Imhoff’s 2009 conversation with Wendell, recorded in San Francisco with radio pioneer Davia Nelson of The Kitchen Sisters. Dan reflects on first meeting Wendell in 1993, visiting his Kentucky farm, and the influence Wendell had on his own life and work.

They talk about the transformation of American agriculture after World War II, the loss of farming knowledge and rural communities, the dangers of applying simple solutions to complex ecological problems, and why Wendell believed the health of agriculture could never be separated from the health of human culture.

They also explore Amish farming, local food economies, the wisdom of fitting farming to the land, and Wendell’s advice to a new generation hoping to become farmers: start small, learn from your neighbors, and understand that caring for the land requires not just productivity, but attention, patience, and love.

We extend our deepest condolences to the Berry family and recommend everyone please visit the Berry Center to learn about and support their essential work.

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