The Owner-Built Homestead

I like this book because it is very much based in the practicalities of the farm/homesteading life. It seems the author really knows his stuff. He makes use of some fairly anitquarian ideas and obscure sources that provide interesting relevant information. This book cover a great deal for its' some 250 pages. It covers everything from fish farming, to well drilling, the hydrologic cycle, planting schedules, fence building, stump removal, soil science and a lot more. Though some is a bit dated this is a good reference with lots of useful information.

I want to homestead, become as self-sustaining as possible, get off the grid. Of the many books I've read on these subjects, The Owner-Built Homestead is by far the best. It is written by people who have done it themselves. They explain everything you need to know and gives you examples of how to do things as efficiently as possible to save you time, energy, and money. They tell it like it is so that you are prepared for the reality of being self-sufficient. They cover everything - from finding land and the different things to you can do with it, to building a workshop, a home, a barn, to how to locate different sources of water and how to make use of them - and much much more. They cover the whys of doing things, and both the right AND the wrong way of how to go about doing things. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about becoming a homesteader.