Back to the Land in Silicon Valley

In this memoir, Marlene Bumgarner reflects on her nearly a decade living on a rural homestead, where she and her community shared daily life, learned resilience, and navigated conflicts with love. What began as a search for a safe place to raise her family evolved into a journey of personal growth, authoring books, working as a columnist and educator, and pioneering the first natural food store in her community. Against the backdrop of a transforming Silicon Valley and shifting cultural, economic, and political landscapes, her story offers a window into rural life and community resilience.