Author Description

Stand Tall is an inspirational memoir about life and farming in twentieth century America. At 96, Everett Rau still farms the land where he was born in 1919. He learned how to farm "in the good old way" from his Civil War veteran grandfather and has spent many years sharing this knowledge with local groups such as the Mabee Farm and the Dutch Barn Preservation Society. Ev was nearly ninety when he designed and supervised the construction of a German threshing barn that was built by neighbors and volunteers with old tools and techniques on his farm in Altamont, NY. Ev's life is a story of resilience. Hoping that his tales of survival can inspire others, he reminisces about early life in Altamont, farming during the Depression, working for General Electric in World War II, and the rise and catastrophic failure of his own small business. Guided by the moral compass he developed early in life, Ev now devotes himself to farming, family and community. He believes that sharing early farming knowledge and moral teachings can help others navigate the complexity of the modern world. In her first career, author Laura Shore received many awards for branding and communications. She founded Farm Share Studio in 2012 to promote local food, local farms, and agricultural land conservation.