If you need a gift for an agricultural person, consider The History and Economics of the New Hampshire Dairy Industry (2007), edited by John Porter of UNH Cooperative Extension with the help of 10 other notable agricultural writers from New Hampshire.
The book chronicles the development of the New Hampshire dairy industry from the early beginnings of the state, which pretty much tells the story of New Hampshire agriculture, as dairy was "king" in those days. There are stories of dairy meetings held in Lisbon, N.H. with over 500 people in attendance. Famous people like W. D. Hoard, of the Hoard's Dairyman magazine, used to travel to Concord to address large groups of dairy producers about new developments in cow comfort and herd management.
The book is fully illustrated with photos from the N.H. Department of Agriculture, Farm Bureau and Cooperative Extension. Steve Taylor wrote an interesting section about the role of state government in the development and oversight of the dairy industry. There is also a section about how farming has a positive impact on agri-tourism and ecological values in the state. If you want to get a better understanding of milk marketing, Christine Rasmussen wrote one of the best explanations about how that complicated system works.
