I've been digging through the archives(and elsewhere), and so far I've seen The Encyclopedia of Country Living, The Craft of the Country Cook, Square-Foot Gardening (all on my list to buy) and Let's Cook It Right, which I already had. What other books would you guys suggest for VERY green homesteaders, including all-purpose and small livestock info? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated- we've got a BIG learning curve ahead of us. (*G*)

-- Kristin, in C. Alabama (positivekharma@aol.com), November 26, 2000

Answers

Living the Good Life, and Continuing the Good Life-Helen and Scott Nearing, Manual for Practical Homesteading, John Vivian, Joy of Gardening, Dick Raymond, Two Acre Eden, Gene Logsden, Stocking Up, Build it Better Yourself, all good books. The first three were my greatest inspiration.

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), November 26, 2000.

The Have-More Plan. A bit outdated, but still extremely practical. I think it is available through the on-line Countryside Bookstore. Many of the other books they carry will also be of benefit.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), November 26, 2000.

my first was the Back to Basics,, loved it then moved on from there

-- STAN (sopal@net-port.com), November 26, 2000.

If you're really green, the" Reader's Digest Back to Basics" book is pretty informative on a number of subjects related to homesteading, although it can be a bit skimpy on the more than basic details of some of the individual crafts and such. However if you find one craft or project really intrigues you, you can always go to the library and check out a little clarity. "The Tightwad Gazette" set/omnibus is a must read for anyone not saturated in how-to knowledge about how to make a dollar buy ten dollars worth of neccessities. I have two of the books, but checked out the three book+ compilation and would reccommend that as opposed to buying the three books individually. It's cheaper and you get additional material not included in her other books. These books and the Encyclopedia (referred to as the Bible in our house) have done more for me than a whole library of other tomes. With these three, (and precious little else) you could just pack up and move to outer Nowhere and still survive quite happily.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), November 26, 2000.

Back to Basics was my favorite "starter book" but really, if you study the last three years of Countryside you will have a great beginning. We can learn a lot from books and from each other but to experience it ourselves is the greatest teacher. I'll bet project by project you will get a very good start there (in the magazine) and here on the forum. diane in michigan

-- Diane Green (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), November 26, 2000.

Nitty Gritty Foodbook, by Sheryl Patterson Herdt is excellent. May be hard to find. The anthologies put out by Backwoods Home Magazine useful.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), November 26, 2000.

Back to Basic's is (as said) a good jump start. Better than a book, is that elderly neighbor who would love to share their 'stories' etc., over a cup of tea.

-- Kathy (catfish@bestweb.net), November 26, 2000.

back to Basics was good, but oversimplified at times. OLD Mother Earth News, Stocking Up, How To Grow More Vegetables, by John Jeavons.If you are into goats, Raising milk goats the modern way, by Jd Belanger is a very good start, very basic, readable,sensible, and practical. Grow It, by Richard Lang, is absolutely worthless when it comes to goats. I have to wonder if the guy ever really encountered a real goat in his life! United caprine News and Dairy Goat Journal are invaluble if you are serious about goats, as is Judging Dairy Goat Techniques, by Harvey Considine. I think every goatkeeper should have that book, preferably before they buy their first goat, so they know what to look for, and why. For ducks, the Home Duck Flock, by Dave Holderread. He also has a book about geese. Not really a homesteading book, but I rely very heavily on the Moosewood cookbook,by Mollie Katzen, for using up those homegrown veggies!

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), November 26, 2000.

Thanks to all of you who have responded, and thanks in advance to those of you will still will. I've saved all of these responses, and am making up a book list. You have all been very helpful! It looks like I'll have plenty of reading to do this winter if everyone keeps sharing their favorites with me. I hope our local librarian doesn't get tired of me using the inter-library loan program until I can find and buy these! : )

Soni- I've had the Tightwad Gazette compilation for about a year (got a good price on eBay) and it's really opened my eyes to how much my family used to waste. That book was the first thing that helped us get on the right track!

Rebekah- My Moosewood Cookbook is one of my favorite cookbooks- I can almost always be sure that a Moosewood recipe will keep all of my kids happy at dinnertime!

-- Kristin, in C. Alabama (positivekharma@aol.com), November 26, 2000.

Also try "We Took to the Woods" by Louise Dickinson Rich (the 1940's I believe). A biography on her is due any month now called "She Took to the Woods". "Voluntary Simplicity" by Duane Elgin(spelling?) is also good. "Your Money or Your Life" is out in paperback now. Any "Raising-----the Modern Way" book. Try Storey Communications for some books that will widen your view. Buy an old gardening encyclopedia at a yard/library sale (I got mine for 50 cents each), It is one volume and has loads of info. "Possum Living", though out of print, is inspiring. "Your Edible Landscape" is technical but very helpful.

Wendell Berry has some good poetry, and a few essays, though I have recently disagreed with his view on science matters. Gene Logsdon is practical. Joel Salatin is the get rich quick guru.

Don't buy tons of animal health books right away as it will scare you and then you won't look at them again! I have "the Chicken Health Handbook" and have only used it when I was researching a problem for a friend.

Anything by Edward Abbey, rest his soul.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), November 26, 2000.

my favorite first book for a winters worth of good reading was the have more plan Bob in s.e.ks.

-- bobco (bobco@hit.net), November 26, 2000.

Kristen, Check your local libraries when they have their freinds of the library book sale and yard sales. I have assembled my collection this way. Never had to pay over a dollar a book.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), November 27, 2000.

"Practical Homesteading" by John Vivian. I'm sure you can get it from the library. I just about wore that book out early on in my homesteading self-education.

-- Cathy Horn (hrnofplnty@webtv.net), November 27, 2000.

Anne:

Joel Salatin and I know each other on a first name basis. I don't consider him to be a get-rich quick guru. His premise is simple: A family can still make a comfortable living on a small farm without having outside jobs. He farms something like 40 acres with just livestock (no crops). It is worked by Joel, his wife, his mother, two children and two apprentices. Reportedly they gross over $200,000 year.

How they do this is a high-level of production (mostly pasture- raised broilers) and selling everything at retail prices direct to the public. They also live quite simply. Yes, they drive a nice car, bought used for a good price. Their only farm equipment is a mid-size tractor with front-end loader and a manure spreader, for spreading composted manure.

He has written three books: Pasture Poultry Profits: Net $25,000 in 6 months on 20 acres (and people are doing so), Salad Bar Beef and You Can Farm: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Start and $ucceed in a Farming Enterprise. The latter one is full of practical advice. All can be ordered directly from Joel (540-885-3590 in Swoope, VA - area code may have changed) or can be ordered through book sellers.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), November 27, 2000.

Ken: That wasn't meant as a put-down. Guess it read that way. I have his books and he is straightforward. If you are looking to make $ he's the guy. So, sorry for any offense. If I had the cash and time I'd travel south to see his place.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), November 27, 2000.

Kristen, as others have said Back to Basics is a must have. I also like "Square foot gardening" by bartholemew. My animal bible is "The homesteaders guide to raising small livestock" by JD Belanger, it is kind of hard to find but definately worth the search. Anything by JD Belanger or John Vivian is great. If you can find them the old Mother Earth News (before they went slick) is awesome. I nearly have the whole collection now and I get all kinds of innovative ideas and solid practical information from them.

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), November 27, 2000.

Anne, Abbey's soul is resting fitfully if he is watchin what is happening to "his" West. The authorities are still, after 11 years, looking for his body. It's good that he is being read outside the Southwest. He should be required reading for all high school civics classes.

-- JLS in NW AZ (stalkingbull007@AOL.com), November 27, 2000.

Kristin, Another good sourse of info would be old issues of Organic Gardening magazine. I have been aquireing issues from the 70s and 80s at yardsales and the library for ten to twenty cents an issue.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), November 27, 2000.

We have almost all the books already mentioned and they're all very good.Your biggest resource of info is at your fingertips-the internet! All the major universities are online,we learned how to smoke and cure our own pork from the University of Virginia,got chicken house and barn plans from the University of Oklahoma,University of Kentucky has extensive publications online that covers everything about farming,gardening,etc.We try to do everything ourselves if possible,we've been on appliance message boards and learned how to fix our stove and dryer when they quit working,we've learned how to do all kinds of home repairs online,I've copied tons of manuals and articles to put into our library for future reading and for resource info.Now,even the old-timers around here come over to get me to do research for them online-it might be searching for seeds,the best stockyard prices around,breeders,whatever!

-- nobrabbit (conlane@prodigy.net), November 28, 2000.

Storey's Basic Country Skills, Carla Emery Encyclopedia of Country Living, Tightwad Gazette, Square Foot Gardening, RD Back to Basics...and on and on and on!!! I don't think I could list my must have books!! It would take all day to read the list!!!

-- Tracy (trimmer@westzone.com), November 30, 2000.

Hi,

Nobrabbit is right. The extension office sites are fantastic in most cases. I've got a couple of Zip disks full of stuff I've downloaded (and a few boxes full of stuff I've printed...)

For books, always check with the following sites if you're interested in buying

abebooks.com - http://www.abebooks.com/

and

Bibliofind - http://www.bibliofind.com/

I've just about quit buying NEW books since I found these two sites. Generally, you can buy the book (including s/h) for less than Amazon or some of the other sites.

Gee, seems like there's a lot of Al & Tn folks on the board nowadays.. ;-)

jd

-- jd (jw_hsv@yahoo.com), November 30, 2000.