I hit the send button for my completed manuscript for Eat Less Water (with a little help from my three children)! It took seven years, 16,000 miles of travel and a whole lot of faith to finish. But as Nelson Mandela said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

My book research extended from California to New York, and Illinois to Louisiana to interview over 20 revolutionary farmers and food producers. I traveled nationwide to learn the best techniques to save and keep water on the American farm.

The farmers I highlight in Eat Less Water are the heroes of the story. They work daily to protect our soil, air, and water like wheat farmer John DeRosier in Paso Robles, California; I’ll never forget our first phone conversation when I explained to him the premise for my book. He said, “You are in for a treat,” I was served a chocolate cake that day. And Dr. Adolfo Murillo, owner of Tequila Alquimia for inviting me into his dining room in Oxnard and patiently walking me through the science of distillation. And to Alfred and Carney Farris, two pioneers in the sustainable farming movement, building their Tennessee soil for 50 years with wisdom and grace. These are only a few of the many farmers who taught me how to choose the best food and drinks to save and protect clean water resources.

I am honored to be published by Red Hen Press, an indie press committed to print diverse voices. I thank God that Kate Gale, managing editor of Red Hen Press loved this book after a shot of the “Tequila and Water” chapter I read during a workshop at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico. This year Red Hen Press celebrate 22 years of publishing (an auspicious number).

Eat less water at the kitchen table.

There is power in the collective!

Be well,

Florencia Ramirez