The Sustainable Homestead


Book Description

Whether you’re just dreaming, working on site selection, or an experienced homesteader, The Sustainable Homestead is the go-to resource to bring permaculture techniques to your crops, animals, and more.




The Resilient Farm and Homestead


Book Description

The Resilient Farm and Homestead is a manual for developing durable, beautiful, and highly functional human habitat systems fit to handle an age of rapid transition. Ben Falk is a land designer and site developer whose permaculture-research farm has drawn national attention. The site is a terraced paradise on a hillside in Vermont that would otherwise be overlooked by conventional farmers as unworthy farmland. Falk's wide array of fruit trees, rice paddies (relatively unheard of in the Northeast), ducks, nuts, and earth-inspired buildings is a hopeful image for the future of regenerative agriculture and modern homesteading. The book covers nearly every strategy Falk and his team have been testing at the Whole Systems Research Farm over the past decade, as well as experiments from other sites Falk has designed through his off-farm consulting business. The book includes detailed information on earthworks; gravity-fed water systems; species composition; the site-design process; site management; fuelwood hedge production and processing; human health and nutrient-dense production strategies; rapid topsoil formation and remineralization; agroforestry/silvopasture/grazing; ecosystem services, especially regarding flood mitigation; fertility management; human labor and social-systems aspects; tools/equipment/appropriate technology; and much more, complete with gorgeous photography and detailed design drawings. The Resilient Farm and Homestead is more than just a book of tricks and techniques for regenerative site development, but offers actual working results in living within complex farm-ecosystems based on research from the "great thinkers" in permaculture, and presents a viable home-scale model for an intentional food-producing ecosystem in cold climates, and beyond. Inspiring to would-be homesteaders everywhere, but especially for those who find themselves with "unlikely" farming land, Falk is an inspiration in what can be done by imitating natural systems, and making the most of what we have by re-imagining what's possible. A gorgeous case study for the homestead of the future.




Urban Homesteading


Book Description

A comprehensive and inspiring guide to self-reliance, sustainability, and green living for city dwellers. Read it and..




Rural Renaissance


Book Description

In the ’60s it was called the "back to the land" movement, and in Helen and Scott Nearings’ day, it was "living the good life." Whatever the term, North Americans have always yearned for a simpler way. But how do you accomplish that today? Blending inspiration with practical how-to’s, Rural Renaissance captures the American dream of country living for contemporary times. Journey with the authors and experience their lessons, laughter and love for the land as they trade the urban concrete maze for a five-acre organic farm and bed and breakfast in southwestern Wisconsin. Rural living today is a lot more than farming. It’s about a creative, nature-based and more self-sufficient lifestyle that combines a love of squash, solar energy, skinny-dipping and serendipity . . . The many topics explored in Rural Renaissance include: "right livelihood" and the good life organic gardening and permaculture renewable energy and energy conservation wholesome organic food, safe water and a natural home simplicity, frugality and freedom green design and recycled materials community, friends and raising a family independence and interdependence wildlife conservation and land stewardship. An authentic tale of a couple whose pioneering spirit and connection to the land reaches out to both the local and global community to make their dream come true, Rural Renaissance will appeal to a wide range of Cultural Creatives, free agents, conservation entrepreneurs and both arm-chair and real-life homesteaders regardless of where they live. Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko are innkeepers, organic growers, copartners in a marketing consulting company, and have previously published books. John is also a photographer. Former advertising agency fast-trackers, they are nationally recognized for their contemporary approach to homesteading, conservation and more sustainable living. They share their farm with their son, two llamas, and a flock of free-range chickens. Rural Renaissance also offers a foreword by Bill McKibben.




Backyard Homesteading


Book Description

A simple guide to growing fruits, vegetables, nuts & berries, raising chickens, goats, & bees, and making beer, wine, & cider from your backyard. If you want to take control of the food you eat and the products you use, Backyard Homesteading will help you learn how to do it—even if you live in an urban or suburban house on a typical-size lot. Inside, you’ll discover how to turn a yard into a productive and wholesome “homestead” that allows you to grow your own fruits and vegetables and raise farm animals, including chickens and goats. You’ll also find the laws and regulations of raising livestock in populated areas, as well as ways to use and preserve the bounty your land produces. GETTING STARTED Benefits of pure food Family recreation Local regulations Potential yields and savings RAISING VEGETABLES AND HERBS Garden planning/layout Structures/irrigation Vegetable profiles Planting techniques Composting/healthy soil Seasonal gardening GROWING FRUITS, BERRIES, AND NUTS Planting fruit trees and bushes Fruit profiles Organic pest control Grafting and pruning Harvesting methods RAISING CHICKENS The joy of chickens Collecting eggs Care and feeding tips Other small animals RAISING GOATS Benefits of goat milk Structures/fencing Care and feeding tips Other large animals BEEKEEPING Benefits of beekeeping Care and harvesting Building hives Collecting honey HARVEST HOME Canning/drying/freezing Making beer, wine, cider Making jerky, sausage Making jams, jellies Pickling/salting/smoking Building root cellars




Home Apothecary


Book Description

The author of the Homemade Living series offers a primer to creating all-natural body-care and wellness products—complete with forty easy recipes! Ready to ditch store-bought health- and body-care products full of synthetic ingredients? Now you can create your own natural versions with this accessible guide from Ashley English. It features simple, tried-and-true recipes that she and her family turn to again and again, including: A rosemary and apple-cider vinegar hair rinse for dry scalp A moisturizing hand salve of beeswax, olive oil, and coconut oil A gentle and refreshing rosewater toner An aloe vera-based sunburn soother A stress-relieving tincture of fresh lemon balm and roses. English also provides information on where to source high-quality ingredients, their healing benefits, and safety tips. From skin-care classics to first-aid essentials, you’ll soon fill your cabinets with products that you’ll feel good about making and using.




The Backyard Homestead


Book Description

This comprehensive guide to homesteading provides all the information you need to grow and preserve a sustainable harvest of grains and vegetables; raise animals for meat, eggs, and dairy; and keep honey bees for your sweeter days. With easy-to-follow instructions on canning, drying, and pickling, you’ll enjoy your backyard bounty all winter long. Also available in this series: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, The Backyard Homestead Book of Building Projects, The Backyard Homestead Guide to Raising Farm Animals, and The Backyard Homestead Book of Kitchen Know-How. This publication conforms to the EPUB Accessibility specification at WCAG 2.0 Level AA.




Permaculture


Book Description

♣♣♣ Discover the secrets of permaculture and build a self-sufficient, sustainable life! ♣♣♣ Are you interested in exploring the world of permaculture, but you're not sure where to begin? Do you want to save money, stop being dependent on grocery stores, and build a thriving, sustainable existence? Then this book is for you. In 2013, Detroit went bankrupt, and food quickly disappeared from the shelves. Crisis! What was their solution? They avoided disaster by embracing permaculture - an incredible way of creating sustainable development through healthy food. With energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly urban vegetable gardens, they saved their city through ingenuity and resilience. Now, this practical guide unveils the secrets of permaculture, offering you a detailed plan for embracing this amazing concept and building an organic garden. Covering the fundamentals of self-sufficiency, this guidebook is perfect for anyone who wants to build a sustainable future. Here's just a little of what you'll discover inside: Understanding Regeneration, Resilience, and The Principles of Permaculture An Exploration of The Factors That Define Ecosystems How To Use (and Value) Renewable Resources The BEST Soil Improvement Strategy Surprising Reasons Why Animals Could Be Your Permaculture Allies Why Permaculture Could Revolutionize The Concept of "Green Cities" and The "Social Community" Simple Ways To Apply Permaculture To Your Garden And Much More... With a wealth of advice behind permaculture, as well as practical ways to build terraces, raised beds, and incorporate these ideas into your garden, now it's never been easier to discover how you can become self-sufficient. Discover the world of permaculture today! Scroll up, click on "Buy Now with 1-Click", and Get Your Copy Now!




40 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead


Book Description

David Toht is a well-known in the homesteading community with a background in home repair, remodeling, and gardening. He has published more than 60 books on home repair and is a frequent contributor of how-to articles for Fine Homebuilding magazine. The first edition has sales of $1.1M and is an Amazon Bestseller with a 4.6 star review and more than 5K reviews. 40 projects include step-by-step instructions, tools and materials lists, exploded views, and easy-to-understand techniques




The Backyard Homestead Book of Building Projects


Book Description

Gardeners, small farmers, and outdoor living enthusiasts will love this compilation of 76 rustic DIY projects. From plant supports and clotheslines to a chicken coop, a greenhouse, and a root cellar with storage bins, most of the projects are suitable for complete novices, and all use just basic tools and easy-to-find materials. You’ll find techniques to build whatever your outdoor world is missing, with additional tips to live sustainably, happily, and independently. Also available in this series: The Backyard Homestead, The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, The Backyard Homestead Guide to Raising Farm Animals, and The Backyard Homestead Book of Kitchen Know-How.