As I write this, I glance over at my bookshelves and realise just how many of the books I own contribute to my simple living philosophies. I thought to share these titles along with a few notes on why I recommend them.
Stalking the Wild Asparagus by Euell Gibbons:
this is a personal favorite. I enjoy a good trek through the forest and as I walk along I scan the countryside for edibles. Euell makes this practice interesting, sharing his personal adventures and encounters with nature. If you have ever thought to eat a little something wild grown, any book by Gibbons is a must. I personally plan to incorporate many of his ideas into firm practice as I progress with my simple living plan.
Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants by Bradford Angier:
Another book regarding wild food collecting. This one has great artwork, depicting plants in full color drawings. It makes identification much easier.The book tells you alot of great information from what a plant looks like to where it grows and what to do with it once you have it.
Reader's Digest Back to Basics: How to Learn and Enjoy Traditional American Skills:
This book touches upon a broad range of activities that can be helpful to those who want to homestead. It isn't really an in depth book, but I love it because it inspires me to press on and investigate new skills and investigate further. Includes topics of building, alternative energy, gardening, preserving foods, growing both a soft fruit garden and an orchard, raising meat and dairy animals, etc.
Wilderness Living by Berndt Berglund:
This is not the greatest book I've ever read on the subject, but there is still a bit to be gleaned from the pages. Berglund writes about his own experiences, which can be quite amusing, as well as giving some pretty good info along the way. There are plans for a bee hive, which I will be using next year; information about building a simple structure, revamping an orchard, building a simple smokehouse, and a really nice chapter on maple syrup. The book also includes a nice assortment of recipes.
The Country Store by Stephanie Donaldson:
I love this book even though it is a little froufrou. There are a lot of fun projects that can help a person like myself make the migration from buying to making my own things. A beautiful book to look at, lots of photographs, and a very overall "country" feel. Highly recommended just for the projects alone.
Living Off the Country For Fun & Profit by John L. Parker:
An older book, but still filled with useful information. I appreciate the sections regarding meat production. As a simple living enthusiast I feel that raising your own meat, eggs, and dairy are crucial to a healthier lifestyle. This book tends to focus in the direction of animal husbandry and the products that animals produce. There is a section on fruit and gardening also.
Homesteading: A Practical Guide to Living Off the Land by Patricia Crawford:
This has to be one of my all time favorite books on the subject of country living. I love, love, love it! Crawford tell of her experiences of buying and moving to a country property and how she makes ends meet. Each section is well detailed, describing her approach to every aspect of her tasks, as well as her future plans to move forward. I only wish she had done a follow up book to tell us how her plans matured. Included are sections about money, country living, gardening, fruit gardening, nuts, flowers, other plants as a cash crop, hens and eggs, winter income, etc.
Micro-Eco Farming; Prospering from Backyard to Small Acreage In Partnership with the Earth:
The name pretty much speaks for itself. This book discusses how individuals with just a very small piece of ground have hit upon ideas to make the land profitable through niche farming. I like the book because it gets my brain pumping and reminds me to think about the impact that my own little farm has upon the planet. Good book.
The Tightwad Gazette Series by Amy Dacyczyn:
I fell in love with the newsletter back in the 1980's, so when the books came out I bought each one in turn. I now own all three books, only to discover that they have now printed a full collection in one book. These books are a reminder to think before you buy. In keeping with my philosophy of "Use it up , wear it out", these books keep me thinking of new ways to do things to accomplish a task rather than just running out to buy something. Perhaps not everything in the books are relevant to my country life, but I gather quite a bit from all three of these books as a general rule. I love these books. Thank you Amy Dacyczyn.
The Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder:
I have read and re-read all nine books, collecting notes on the old way of doing things. There really is a lot of information to be had i the pages of theses little books. The books bespeak of a family that had to make due. There simply was no other way. They lived simply. These stories are probably one of the catalysts that spawned my own love of a simpler country life. My great, great, great aunt and uncle Annie Belle and Odie Moore lived with no electricity or running water. As a child, I imagined that they too must have lived the way the Ingalls family did. Take time to read through some of these.
Lastly, there are a series of books that I intend to collect, but have not done so just yet. The Foxfire Books. Growing up, my family had some of these and I marveled at just how close we lived to the ways of those mentioned i the books. We raised and slaughtered our own hogs and chickens; Mammy sewed quilts and sewed clothing; we rendered lard in beautiful black iron kettles; we raised a huge garden patch and had a cash crop of tobacco. There are many other books on my shelves and on my wish list, but I felt like sharing just a few that seem to be relevant right now. Happy reading, and if you feel like it leave behind a few titles that you recommend.
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