# Is "Farming: A Hand Book" by Wendell Berry a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Farming: A Hand Book by Wendell Berry (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1970) is identified by: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich first printing, 1970; hardcover poetry collection introducing 'The Mad Farmer.' The precise first-issue dust-jacket price is not confirmed by reliable sources, so no jacket price is asserted. True first US; poems, including the first appearance of the Mad Farmer.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Harcourt Brace Jovanovich first printing, 1970; hardcover poetry collection introducing 'The Mad Farmer.' The precise first-issue dust-jacket price is not confirmed by reliable sources, so no jacket price is asserted
- Publisher imprint reads Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Wendell Berry |
| Publisher | Harcourt Brace Jovanovich |
| Year | 1970 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Harcourt Brace Jovanovich first printing, 1970; hardcover poetry collection introducing… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich first printing, 1970; hardcover poetry collection introducing 'The Mad Farmer.' The precise first-issue dust-jacket price is not confirmed by reliable sources, so no jacket price is asserted.

## Is this the true first?
True first US; poems, including the first appearance of the Mad Farmer.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition concern.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Farming: A Hand Book* by Wendell Berry a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/farming-a-hand-book
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.