Book excerpt: Seed, Soil, Sun. With these simple ingredients, nature creates our food. Once again, noted author Cris Peterson brings both wonder and clarity to the subject of agriculture, celebrating the cycle of growth, harvest, and renewal. Using the corn plant as an example, she takes the reader through the story of germination and growth of a tiny corn seed into a giant plant reaching high into the air, with roots extending over six feet into the ground. This American Farm Bureau Foundation's Agriculture Book of the Year also discusses the make-up of soil and the amazing creatures who live there—from microscopic one-celled bacteria to moles, amoebas, and earthworms. David Lundquist's stunning photographs bring an immediacy and vibrancy to the seemingly miraculous process.