Self-sufficiency: a complete guide to baking, carpentry, crafts, organic gardening, preserving your harvest, raising animals, and more!

1024 Pages·2015·56.15 MB·English

by  Gehring

Copyright © 2015 by Abigail R. Gehring All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.
ISBN: 978-1-63220-280-2
e-book ISBN: 978-1-63450022-7
Printed in China
Contents
Introduction
Part One: The Family Garden
Part Two: The Country Kitchen
Part Three: Canning and Preserving
Part Four: Country Crafts
Part Five: The Barnyard
Part Six: The Workshop
Appendix 1: Alternative Energy
Appendix 2: Food Co-op Directory
Sources
Acknowledgments
Index

Introduction
More and more families are being drawn toward a lifestyle that is greener,
cleaner, more genuine, and more aware. We want to know where our food is
coming from, to the point of touching the dirt that it springs out of, if possible.
We want our children (or nieces or nephews or godchildren) to understand that
eggs come from chickens—not just from cardboard cartons on supermarket
shelves. We love the idea of building things with our own hands, of picking our
own berries, of making fresh bread and spreading it with homemade butter. We
are, in short, longing for self-sufficiency.
“Self-sufficiency” as a term is somewhat misleading. “The good life” that most
of us are seeking in our varied ways does not involve cutting off ties from those
who surround us. Complete independence is not possible and, at least for most
people, would not bring much satisfaction anyway. The early settlers banded
together whenever they could, knowing their lives would be made easier and
better by the community’s support. In similar ways, we benefit from those who
have ventured into back-to-basics living before us, and we would be wise to share
ideas, tools, and experiences with those on similar paths around us now. But we
do not need to be trapped by dependency on anyone or any group—or any idea,
for that matter. We can be responsible for growing or raising at least a portion of
what we consume; we can find ways to fix things rather than running to the store
to buy replacements; we can teach our children ourselves, rather than leaving the
burden entirely on public or private schools.
People and experience are the best teachers when it comes to learning things
like how to plant a garden or milk a cow. But sometimes you don’t have a
neighbor to call on for advice and trial and error will result in more error than
the trial is worth. That’s where this book comes in. You’ll find instructions and
tips for everything from growing tomatoes to canning jams and jellies to
constructing a chicken coop. Scattered throughout are fun projects for “The
Junior Homesteader” and “Homeschooling Hints,” which can be used to
supplement your children’s education, whether or not you choose to participate
in a traditional schooling system. You’ll also find plenty of photographs and
illustrations to add clarity and interest to the written directions. Let these pages
inspire and direct you as you discover what self-sufficiency means for you.
Part 1
The Family Garden
Planning a Garden
Improving Your Soil
Planting Your Garden