Homesteading: A Backyard Guide to Growing Your Own Food, Canning, Keeping Chickens, Generating Your Own Energy, Crafting, Herbal Medicine, and More (Back to Basics Guides)

**The companion to the bestseller __Back to Basics__ for country, urban, and suburban folks—now fully updated!** Who doesn’t want to shrink their carbon footprint, save money, and eat homegrown food whenever possible? Even readers who are very much __on__ the grid will embrace this large, fully illustrated guide on the basics of living the good, clean life. It’s written with country lovers in mind—even those who currently live in the city. Whether you live in the city, the suburbs, or even the wilderness, there is plenty you can do to improve your life from a green perspective. Got sunlight? Start container gardening. With a few plants, fresh tomato sauce is a real option with your own homegrown fresh tomatoes. Reduce electricity use by eating dinner by candlelight (using homemade candles, of course). Learn to use rainwater to augment water supplies. Make your own soap and hand lotion. Consider keeping chickens for the eggs. From what to eat to supporting sustainable restaurants to avoiding dry cleaning, this book offers information on anything a homesteader needs—and more. Cover 1 Title Page 2 Copyright 3 Contents 6 Acknowledgments 13 Introduction 15 Part One: The Home Garden 18 Planning a Garden 21 Improving Your Soil 42 Conserving Water 84 Mulching in Your Garden and Yard 98 Organic Gardening 109 Start Your Own Vegetable Garden 117 Start Your Own Flower Garden 125 Planting Trees 139 Container Gardening 154 Rooftop Gardens 171 Terracing 177 Raised Beds 184 Growing Plants without Soil 190 Pest and Disease Management 208 Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Bees to Your Garden 222 Harvesting Your Garden 226 Community Gardens 237 Farmers’ Markets 253 Part Two: Pantry 261 Eating Well 264 Food Co-ops 267 Canning 345 Drying and Freezing 519 Edible Wild Plants and Mushrooms 551 Make Your Own Foods 591 Sharing Your Bounty 621 Part Three: The Backyard Farm 654 Chickens 658 Ducks 674 Turkeys 683 Beekeeping 691 Goats 709 Sheep 728 Llamas 746 Part Four: Simple Structures for Your Land 761 Doghouses 764 Birdhouses 770 Simple Stables 783 Poultry Houses 788 Fences, Gates, and Pens 808 Basic Bridges 830 Tool Sheds and Workshops 838 Smokehouses 846 Root Cellars 854 Treehouses and Brush Houses 860 Trellises 874 Weathervanes 878 Part Five: Energy 888 Solar Energy 891 Wind Energy 922 Hydropower 965 Geothermal Energy 973 Composting Toilets 993 Greywater 1001 Part Six: Crafts 1014 Handmade Candles 1017 Making Your Own Soap 1031 Potpourri From Your Garden 1039 Pottery Basics 1051 Handmade Jewelry 1075 Handcrafted Paper 1085 Knitting 1090 Bookbinding 1112 Tying Knots 1119 Kites 1123 Boomerangs 1134 Toboggans 1137 Preserving Flowers 1139 Cornhusk Dolls 1144 Basketweaving 1151 Marketing Your Skills 1160 Part Seven: Well-Being 1167 Herbal Medicine 1170 Natural Disasters 1217 First Aid 1244 Managing and Reducing Stress 1257 Massage 1272 Interior Designs 1286 Stenciling 1292 Wallpapering 1302 Lighting 1311 Feng shui 1321 Intentional Communities 1329 Appendix: Trees, Stars, and Birds 1335 Sources 1514 Resources 1533 Index 1554 EBC,Converted The companion to the bestseller Back to Basics for country, urban, and suburban folks#x97;now fully updated!Who doesn't want to shrink their carbon footprint, save money, and eat homegrown food whenever possible? Even readers who are very much on the grid will embrace this large, fully illustrated guide on the basics of living the good, clean life. It's written with country lovers in mind#x97;even those who currently live in the city. Whether you live in the city, the suburbs, or even the wilderness, there is plenty you can do to improve your life from a green perspective. Got sunlight? Start container gardening. With a few plants, fresh tomato sauce is a real option with your own homegrown fresh tomatoes. Reduce electricity use by eating dinner by candlelight (using homemade candles, of course). Learn to use rainwater to augment water supplies. Make your own soap and hand lotion. Consider keeping chickens for the eggs. From what to eat to supporting sustainable restaurants to avoiding dry cleaning, this book offers information on anything a homesteader needs#x97;and more From the author of Back to Basics, this updated guide to green living in the city, country, or suburbs is “a vast wealth of resources for the eco-minded” (Booklist). Who doesn’t want to shrink their carbon footprint, save money, and eat homegrown food whenever possible? Even if you’re very much on the grid, you’ll find lots of useful information in this fully illustrated guide on the basics of living the good, clean life. City, suburb, or wilderness-dweller, there’s plenty you can do to improve your life from a green perspective. Got sunlight? Start container gardening—and make sauce with your own homegrown fresh tomatoes Reduce electricity use by eating dinner by candlelight (using homemade candles, of course) Learn to use rainwater to augment water supplies Make your own soap and hand lotion Consider keeping chickens for the eggs From what to eat to supporting sustainable restaurants to avoiding dry cleaning, this book offers information on anything a homesteader needs—and more. Wherever you live - farm, suburb, or even city - The Homesteading Handbook will show you how to embrace a more self-sufficient lifestyle. Learn to plan, plant, and harvest your own organic garden. Enjoy fruits and vegetables year-round by canning, drying, and freezing. Build and install alternate energy devices such as solar panels or geothermal heat pumps. Who doesn't want to shrink their carbon footprint, save money, and eat fresh, homegrown food whenever possible? Even readers who are very much on the grid will embrace this fully-illustrated guide on the basics of living the good, clean life. From beekeeping to basket weaving to baking, this handy guide has everything you need to experience the satisfaction that comes with self-sufficiency, as well as the assurance that you have done your part to help keep our planet green.--COVER Wherever you live - farm, suburb, or even city - The Homesteading Handbook will show you how to embrace a more self-sufficient lifestyle. Learn to plan, plant, and harvest your own organic garden. Enjoy fruits and vegetables year-round by canning, drying, and freezing. Build and install alternate energy devices such as solar panels or geothermal heat pumps ... From beekeeping to basket weaving to baking, this handy guide has everything you need to experience the satisfaction that comes with self-sufficiency, as well as the assurance that you have done your part to help keep our planet green."--Page 4 of cover