In this prequel to MINNESOTA BOY, his "coming out" memoir of his college years, Mark Abramson reaches further back to write about growing up gay in rural America. Stories of farm life through blazing hot summers and icy winters are interspersed with old recipes and commentary on Minnesota foods. He explores his love of music and cooking as well as his earliest awakenings of his interest in other farm boys and yes, he really did raise a pet fox.