New session added by popular demand! Rooted
Readers: Volume Two is an additional session of our existing book club. It
follows the same format and gives more readers a chance to join us. If you’re
already registered for the original session, you’re all set, there’s no need to
sign up for both.
Rooted Readers at
Four Winds Farm – Volume Two
Planting Ideas. Growing
Conversation. Building Community.
Rooted Readers is more than a traditional book club.
It is a thoughtfully curated, nine-month experience designed for readers who
want meaningful conversation, memorable gatherings, and the opportunity to
build genuine connections within the welcoming setting of Four Winds
Farm.
From September through May, members will gather seven
times to explore an intentionally selected collection of fiction and
nonfiction. Each book opens the door to a different conversation – about food
and agriculture, nature, community, history, resilience, personal growth, and
our relationship with the world around us.
Inspired by Kaizen, the practice of
continuous, incremental improvement, Rooted Readers embraces the idea that
meaningful growth often begins with something small: a new perspective, an
unexpected question, or a conversation that stays with us long after the
evening ends.
More Than a Book Discussion
Each gathering is carefully designed around that
month’s selection and includes:
- A
guided, engaging book discussion - A
themed tasting, activity, reflection, or exchange - Curated
snacks and beverages - All
materials needed for the featured experience - Time
to connect with a consistent community of fellow readers
Throughout the season, members might share an
in-season charcuterie board, sample foods inspired by the Great Depression,
participate in a reciprocity exchange, or enjoy an Ina Garten–inspired cocktail
hour. Every detail is chosen to bring the book beyond the page and create an
experience that feels welcoming, thoughtful, and worth looking forward
to.
You do not need to be a literary expert or an
experienced book-club member. Simply read the selection before each gathering
and arrive ready to share, listen, and explore the ideas it inspires.
Membership Options
Full-Term Membership With Books
Includes admission to all seven gatherings, all six
required books, curated snacks and beverages, and all featured activities,
tastings, and supplies throughout the nine-month season. Your books will be
selected and provided for you, making it easy to enjoy the complete Rooted
Readers experience from beginning to end.
Full-Term Membership Without Books
Includes admission to all seven gatherings, curated
snacks and beverages, and all featured activities, tastings, and supplies
throughout the nine-month season. Members choosing this option are responsible
for obtaining their own copies of the six required books.
A limited number of drop-in tickets may be available
for individual meetings. Full-term membership offers the best overall value and
is strongly encouraged for those who want to experience the complete reading
journey, build deeper connections with fellow members, and see the season’s
conversations develop from one gathering to the next.
2026–2027 Reading Schedule
October 5, 2026 – Rooted Readers
Kickoff
Get to know the club and meet your fellow readers
before we begin our first selection. Bring a favorite book – or one you have
read recently – to share with the group. We’ll enjoy snacks, talk about what
makes a great book-club experience, and introduce the upcoming reading
list.
No advance reading is required for
this gathering.
November 2, 2026 – Animal, Vegetable,
Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver
This nonfiction narrative follows one family’s effort
to spend a year eating locally and seasonally, exploring where food comes from
and how our choices connect us to the land.
Featured activity: Enjoy an in-season charcuterie board inspired by the
book while discussing local food, seasonality, and the choices that shape the
way we eat.
December 14, 2026 –
Why Fish Don’t Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life by
Lulu Miller
Part biography, part memoir, and part scientific
exploration, this book examines order, chaos, nature, resilience, and how we
create meaning in an unpredictable world.
Featured activity: A “What’s Your Dandelion?” reflection and discussion.
Participants may anonymously share something that brings meaning, joy, or
stability to their lives.
January 25, 2027 –
The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall
Kimmerer Through lessons
drawn from the natural world, Kimmerer invites readers to imagine lives and
communities rooted in gratitude, reciprocity, generosity, and connection.
Featured activity: A “take one, leave one” exchange inspired by the
book’s themes of sharing and reciprocity. Additional details about what to
bring will be provided before the meeting.
March 8, 2027 – One Small Step Can
Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way by Robert Maurer
This practical guide explores how small, manageable
actions can help us overcome fear, build momentum, and create meaningful,
lasting change.
Featured activity: Revisit New Year’s resolutions through a Kaizen lens
and turn one larger goal into a realistic series of small steps.
April 19, 2027 – The Four Winds by
Kristin Hannah
Set during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, this
historical novel follows a Texas woman who journeys west with her children in
search of safety, opportunity, and a better life.
Featured activity: Sample Depression-era foods and join a “What Would
You Pack?” discussion exploring difficult choices, resilience, and what we
value most.
May 24, 2027 – Be Ready When the Luck
Happens: A Memoir by Ina Garten
In this memoir, the Barefoot Contessa reflects on
food, business, creativity, relationships, risk-taking, and the choices that
shaped her life and career.
Featured activity: An Ina Garten–inspired cocktail hour and signature
recipe exchange. Additional instructions for the recipe exchange will be shared
before the meeting.
A note about our final meeting: Our last
gathering will be five weeks after the previous
meeting, instead of the usual six. Volume One and Volume Two will come
together for this final event, giving everyone a chance to meet the other
readers and celebrate the end of the book club session!
Come for the books, stay for the conversation, and
leave with new ideas, new connections, and something worth carrying forward.