The The New Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency: The Classic Guide for Realists and Dreamers

Product Information

Sourdough School by Vanessa Kimbell ~ A great beginners guide to working with sourdough. The books above are all yeast based breads, and this one is all sourdough. Beyond these specific fermentation guide books, I’d also recommend any of the cookbooks by Olia Hercules. She’s a Ukrainian author and though she writes about Ukrainian cooking, that’s something you just can’t do without covering a lot of home fermentation recipes (and other food preservation topics). Wild food and foraging guides are often really regionally specific, as plants vary from place to place. My favorites are actually more generalist foraging books, that cover plants with wide ranges so they’re applicable across most the US.

The LDS Preparedness Manual ~ A curated compilation of preparedness articles on just about every topic, this is by far the best book on general practical preparedness I’ve found to date. Though it’s put out with a Later Day Saints bias, it’s still the best manual, regardless of whether you’re religious or secular. Kristin and her (now) husband Mark, went all-in on a full-service CSA while also navigating the travails of learning to live together and plan a wedding. Their story, from Kristin’s wry perspective, makes for a dramatic and memorable memoir that proves the adage whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Canning for a New Generation by Liana Krissoff ~ Really inventive recipes with unique flavors, truly not your grandmas cookbook (in a good way). I’m a bit obsessed with canning recipe books, and I have literally dozens of books on all aspects of home canning. Specialized books that cover how to make jam and preserves, as well as books that go through hundreds of different pressure canning recipes. Homesteaders rely on their skills, knowledge, and the environment around them to provide for all their needs. This means growing food, raising animals, preserving and storing resources, and building structures without relying on outside sources.Find sources: "John Seymour"author– news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR ( March 2011) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) We’ve been making homemade beer for more than a decade, and have literally hundreds of batches under our belts. Still, there are a few homebrewing books that we refer to again and again. Most food preservation books cover a single topic in depth, rather than the subject of food preservation in general. It’s easy enough to find canning books, or fermenting books, or dehydrator books…but general manuals that cover all manner of food preservation techniques are much less common. It also helps us understand which areas of the world are most vulnerable regarding essential goods or service shortages. While the world has been growing increasingly more connected through trade, we still have many countries that are self-sufficient in their own personal resources.

Artisan Cheese Making at Home by Mary Karlin ~ Though she does have a lot of advanced recipes in here, I still think this is a good guide to getting started with cheesemaking (especially if you hope to progress to more advanced recipes). This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Brewing Classic Styles by Jamil Zainasheff and John J. Palmer ~ This contains one recipe for every classic beer style: IPAs, Porters, Lagers, Sour Ales, Milk Stouts and many more. Really, any style you’d want to make, you’ll find a recipe here. Each recipe has won awards at brewing competitions, and it’s the perfect base if you want to try developing your own recipes (or just make a great beer in any style). The Family Garden Plan by Melissa K Norris ~ If your hope is to grow a significant portion of your own food in your home garden, this is the book to help you plan it. The Home Winemakers Companion by Ed Halloran ~ The best all around manual I’ve found for making fruit wines. He covers techniques for grape wines as well as country wine with other fruits, and many of my winemaking recipes are adapted from this book (including this recipe for blueberry wine).

Alternative Energy Books

Proto-Ninth Edition. All 12 chapters thoroughly revised, updated, and expanded. Chapters called “Sours” and “Home Industries” integrated with other chapters. Chapters called “Introduction to Plants” and “Bee, Rabbit, Sheep, and Pig” added. “Sweets” chapter renamed “Tree, Vine, Bush, and Bramble,” “Meats” now called “Introduction to Animals.” First time book ever printed on white paper. Bound like eighth edition. Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz ~ The initial guide that started the modern fermented food revolution. There’s a lot of discussion covering the benefits of fermented food, as they were still uncommon on modern tables when this was written.

The Home Preserving Bible by Carol Cancler ~ A good general purpose preserving book that covers multiple methods of food preservation (canning, freezing, dehydrating, etc). Die Lerchen singen so schön (1982). München: Heyne Science Fiction Bibliothek (English version, unpublished: The Larks They Sang Melodious, novel) Plus, the fact that it was written by a spunky teenager, self-named Dolly Freed, gives this work an upbeat, audacious tone that makes you feel like you can take on the world after reading it. With wisdom beyond her years, Dolly says, “It’s easier to learn to do without some of the things that money can buy than to earn the money to buy them.” Then, she shows you how in hundreds of ways.

Metalworking & Blacksmithing

Exposure to real-life situations would serve as an effective tool for teaching self-sufficiency. For example, providing children with opportunities to solve problems independently can help them develop critical thinking skills, unleash their creative potential, and inspire others. For more of the casual reader, that’s willing to learn the history and lore alongside the straightforward “DIY” manuals, I’d also recommend the book series below.

Self-reliant living starts with re-skilling, and unless you have a mentor handy, there’s no better way than hitting the books. These are my favorite books for self reliant living, and they’re taught me more than I can even begin to express. In the US, operating HAM radio requires a license, which just ensures you understand the basic principles of how it works before you get on the air. These books cover the basics, as well as how to pass the test. If you think you don’t have enough room to grow sufficient food on your postage stamp property, this book is for you. Two single guys buy a duplex on a run-down lot in town and turn it into a garden of eating. How can that not be an interesting read? Rehydration Calculations Made Easy by Wanda Bailey Clark ~ Everything you need to know to substitute dehydrated (or freeze dried) food into your recipes. Alternative Energy Secrets by Stephen Chastain ~ I know the title sounds horrible and spammy, but this is by far the best book on alternative energy technology I’ve found to date. Seriously, hands down the best.

The Do-able Off Grid Homesteadby Sharon Stronger ~ Sharon lives in a 100% hand built off grid homestead in Texas, and her family has done everything from the ground up on a tight budget. If you don’t have a lot to spend, you really want to read this one before trying to go off grid. If you want to read a fascinating story about two “makers” opting out of consumer culture and creating a new kind of wealth with waste, this is the book for you. Not only is it totally beautiful with lots of drawings and inspirational ideas, but it can help you change the way you think about what you have to buy. Energy self-sufficiency is a term used to describe the ability of an individual or community to sustain itself with energy resources. It refers to the capacity to produce enough energy from renewable sources, such as solar, wind and water power, to meet all its needs without relying on external sources. Not everyone’s going to move to land out in the country, and many people are just looking for a way to incorporate small DIY projects into their routine. This book reads like the biggest mess of mistakes imaginable. Yet, with love and determination, this odd couple manage to pull off a full-service CSA that includes, meat, milk, grains, and all the vegetables needed to feed local families for a whole year.