For many, "going back to the land” brings to mind the 1960s and 1970s—hippie communes and the Summer of Love. More recently, the movement has re-emerged in a new enthusiasm for locally produced food and more sustainable energy paths. But these latest back-to-the-landers are part of a much larger story. Americans have been dreaming of returning to the land ever since they started to leave it. Dona Brown explores the history of this recurring impulse.