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

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What I really love about this book though is that Sepp Holzer is a guy who tells it like it is. He doesn’t try to over-complicate his ideas. He makes permaculture real and simple in a way that more complicated manuals sometimes miss. If you have any inkling of an interest in permaculture-style homesteading, this book will win you over with its beauty, simplicity, and common sense approach. Tree Crops: A Permanent Agriculture by J. Russell Smith ~ Written in 1928, this is one of the very first “Permaculture” books, long before permaculture was even a word. It really takes you through the process of investing in tree crops rather than annuals, as well as how to incorporate animals into a silviculture setup. In 1964 the family moved to a farm near Newport, Pembrokeshire. The 1970s saw Seymour's publication rate reach its peak. In 1973 John and Sally wrote Self-Sufficiency and in 1976 The Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency was published. Appearing shortly after the publication of E.F. Schumacher's Small Is Beautiful: A Study of Economics As If People Mattered (1973) and The Good Life's first showing on British television (1975), the sales of the book exceeded all expectations. It was also set to establish the reputation of two young publishers, Christopher Dorling and Peter Kindersley who had commissioned and edited the work. In addition to self-sufficiency he wrote four guide books in the Companion Guide series.

I’m going to give you a peek into my homestead library, and take you through all my favorite books and resources, broken down by topic. Like Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, this is one of those books I re-visit annually to push myself to try new things and appreciate our alternative lifestyle even more. I don’t think any homesteading bookshelf is complete without this little gem within fingers reach whenever you need it. The relationship between self-sufficiency and sustainable living is clear; by becoming more self-sufficient, individuals can reduce their dependence on external sources, consequently reducing their environmental impact.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. The Razor Edge Book of Sharpening by John Juranitch ~ If you don’t think the art of knife sharpening needs a whole book, then you’re probably doing it wrong. This is everything you need to know about the topic, and it’s well written. It is important to note that self-sufficiency comes in different forms and shapes. What one person may consider being self-sufficient, another may label self-reliant. The two terms are actually quite similar. I’m often asked how I learned to live as we do, foraging food, canning everything in sight, and maintaining a solar-powered homestead. The Seed Garden by The Seed Savers Exchange ~ There are a lot of books on seed saving, and I have many of them, but this is by far the best single volume on the topic.

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 Humanure Handbook by Joseph Jenkins ~ Not a topic that most people want to discuss, but if you truly want to “close the loop” and harvest abundant crops from your own land without outside inputs, then it’s important to look to yourself as a source of fertility. This discusses every aspect of humanure in an accessible and easy to implement way. At the same tie, having access to a supportive network of friends, family members, or even professionals can provide additional strength and resources for individuals striving for self-sufficiency.My favorite bread machine cookbook is The Bread Lovers Bread Machine Cookbook, which has every recipe you could ever want for your machine. When it comes to health, people who have dreams of being self-sufficient might consider looking into natural medicines and alternative treatments for their health problems and ailments. If medical attention is needed, there is no shame in accepting a conventional route and treatment. What Does Self-Sufficiency Mean in Economics?

For many people living in poverty, being able to provide basic necessities like food, clothing and shelter can be difficult without external support. Make Mead Like a Viking by Jereme Zimmerman ~ Techniques for brewing traditional meads with minimal equipment and no additives, as they were brewed thousands of years ago. 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.

The concept of self-sufficiency is important in leading a healthy and productive life. Self-sufficiency refers to the ability to be independent, self-reliant, and able to meet one’s own needs without relying on outside help. The Lives of Bees: The Untold Story of the Honeybee in the Wild by Thomas Seeley ~ This is not a beekeeping manual, but rather a natural history book that discusses how bees live in the wild. None the less, it’s been by far the most useful beekeeping book on my shelf. It has allowed me to understand what bees really want/need and how to tend them in a natural, treatment free way that’s closest to their wild habitat. Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation by Tradd Cotter ~ The only resource you’ll ever need if you plan on growing mushrooms at home, regardless of the variety. Indoor or outdoor, small scale or commercial scale, he covers everything. The author also covers foraging common wild species as well, both edible and medicinal. Mead is similar, but it’s a honey wine that uses honey to feed the yeast. Honey gives the drink incredible body, and unbelievable flavor. I’d take homemade mead over wine any day.