Traditionally, Americans have dined on the 'first plate,' a classic meal centered on meat with few vegetables. Many people have begun eating from the 'second plate,' the new ideal of organic, grass-fed meats and local vegetables. But neither model, Barber shows, supports the long-term productivity of the land. Instead, he calls for a 'third plate,' a new pattern of eating rooted in cooking with and celebrating the whole farm, an integrated system of vegetable, grain, and livestock production.