Five Acres and Independence: A Handbook for Small Farm Management

Now, I don't want to sound dramatic, but Kain's book had a profound effect on my life. "Five Acres" can be looked at as a gardening book or a mystical piece about living in harmony with nature. I live in the suburbs, not on a small farm, but the interesting reading brings a certain peace to me. I am comforted in the fact that my family and I could live off the land in the country when I read Kain's words. He is very sure of himself, and even though the book is somewhat of a period piece, he makes homesteading seem like a science.

I have a 1946 edition of this book which my father used as a reference in supplying our family all of our food from 1948 until 1962 and a large portion of our food thereafter. I have referred to it on a regular basis since 1972. While the precise numbers for costs and quantity of production are dated, the basic principles for successful small farming are clearly elucidated. You can update the costs and quantities yourself. Some of the information on animal breeds should be updated by additional research. But the priciples are all here. The chapters on "City vs. Country Life" and "Tried and True Ways to Fail" are essential reading if you have never been involved in agriculture previously. I have many reference books, and this is one of the best...with a tattered cover and yellowed pages!

This book contains easy-to-follow guidelines and plans for those who wish to free themselves from dependence on utility companies. With five acres and hard work, the author shows the reader how to live an independent lifestyle and be self-sufficient.A required read for those who still dream about living life as unfettered people.

This is a classic text covering all of the areas of the small farm. He provides very good advice about everything from where to put your buildings to what to put in them. He provides very practical advice about plants, animals and capital expenses. For example, his comments on raising chickens for meat is very pointed, if you can't kill a chicken, don't raise them for meat. But he also goes on to describe how to house them. He advises not to be too cheap as it will cost you in the end. This practical thorough description of every aspect of a working small farm is a must for every small farmer's library. Don't be fooled by the copy right date, this book is a classic!