Little House by the Vineyard

A Blog Column by Jay Bryant

Little House by the Vineyard is a blog column reflecting on life on the farm, through the unique perspective of Jay Bryant, Union Grove Farm’s Poet Laureate.

Jay Bryant is a retired speechwriter, communications consultant for U.S. Senators, congressmen and governors, television producer, internet columnist, radio personality, poet and author who now lives in a little house by the vineyard at Union Grove Farm. He has been a commentator on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered. He and Greg Bohlen collaborated on the novel The Sugar Rat, and the non-fiction work, Common Men. Jay also authored the novel Earth and Water.

Reach out to Jay: [email protected]

The Rise and Fall of the Plow

The Rise and Fall of the Plow The story is that an Illinois blacksmith named John Deere invented the plow in 1837 out of a broken sawmill blade, but in truth the plow had been around for several generations prior to that. Like maybe four hundred generations. (Allowing 20 years per generation, four hundred… Continue reading