Gail Damerow's second edition of The Chicken Health Handbook has been sitting on my shelf for a few months. I was really excited when the publisher sent me a review copy, and I started reading immediately. By the time I was approaching 300 pages, however, my enthusiasm was waning. I was worried that people who read the book would suffer from the chicken keepers version of … [Read more...]
Holiday Gift Guide: Favorite Homesteading Books of 2017
For your Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping, we're excited to share ten of our favorite homesteading books that would make great gifts for many people on your list. We didn't want to play favorites -- and besides, it would have been way too challenging to rank these -- so they are simply listed here alphabetically. The Art of Natural Cheesemaking -- This would … [Read more...]
Want to go pro as a sustainable farmer? Meet Joel Salatin
When people think about sustainable or organic agriculture, many simply think that we are trying to replicate what our grandparents or great grandparents did. In fact, I remember visiting an organic farm years ago whose motto was "Grandpa knew best," and at the time I heartily agreed. I also hear conventional farmers say things like, "Why would we want to go backwards when we … [Read more...]
Natural Spa Recipes for Herb Lovers
Even though homesteaders tend to be really good at working hard, most of us need to get better at relaxing and pampering ourselves sometimes. That's exactly what The Herb Lover's Spa Book provides -- information and recipes for naturally pampering ourselves. Author Sue Goetz has put together a beautiful and informative book filled with stunning photographs and simple recipes. … [Read more...]
Can you tell the difference between edible and poisonous berries?
I recently met Helen Yoest who is an expert edible and waterwise gardener, garden stylist, and particularly an advocate for creating pollinator-friendly backyards. Lucky for me, I live in the same city as Helen so have been able to join her garden club! But even from afar you can benefit from her expertise by checking out her blog Gardening with Confidence and pollinator … [Read more...]
Celebrating summertime with the best varieties of tomatoes
Reading Epic Tomatoes by Craig LeHoullier took me back to my childhood and enjoying tomato sandwiches with my grandfather during the summertime. Though I've reviewed many books this year, this is one of the most delightful perhaps because of the many delicious-looking photos, descriptions, and the author's personal stories about different tomato varieties. LeHoullier even … [Read more...]
Homegrown Pork: Learn to raise ‘the Einsteins of the farm animal world’
As I'm getting started with pigs, I was happy to discover Homegrown Pork: Humane, Healthful Techniques for Raising a Pig for Food by Sue Weaver, and I can't imagine a more comprehensive guide to raising pigs. Not only is the book very well-organized and thorough, but it will certainly endear you to these intelligent and entertaining animals if you're not already. In fact, … [Read more...]
Save water, time, and money using drip irrigation
"Trees grow faster, with wider trunks. Shrubs and perennial flowers bloom more profoundly. Vegetables and fruit and nut trees yield more abundantly." - Robert Kourik How is this possible? In the quote above, the author of Drip Irrigation: For Every Landscape and All Climates is referring to the benefits of drip irrigation, compared to watering your garden by hand or using … [Read more...]
Getting started with saving your own seeds
During my cross-country farm tour last fall, I stopped by Seed Savers Exchange (SSE) in Iowa and was overwhelmed by their amazing heirloom seed collection and the many other resources that they offer. So, I was excited to read Seed to Seed, which was written by one of SSE's seed researchers - Suzanne Ashworth. At Del Rio Botanical near Sacramento, California, Ashworth conducts … [Read more...]
Foreword by Joel Salatin:
Homegrown and Handmade
My new book, Homegrown and Handmade, second edition, comes out next month, and I'm incredibly honored that farmer extraordinaire Joel Salatin wrote the Foreword. ~~ Deborah by Joel Salatin "What can I do?" The question encompasses both the angst and hope of people touched by personal gravitas in a dysfunctional world. It's perhaps the most common request I receive in my … [Read more...]
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