Just in Case you Need Something Good To Read
I’ve Got You Covered
I love to read. I love to read books that teach me something new most of all. Being new to homesteading there have been a TON of things that I have needed to learn this last year and a half. So many things. Thankfully I’ve been blessed with some great books to help me along the way. Below you will find a few of my favorites. I will likely continue to add to this post as I discover new books. I don’t have as much time once the weather starts to warm up in the spring but I still love to spend any quiet time I get with a good book.
Please note that I am not affiliated with the authors of these books in any way, I just loved their book is all. I don’t make any money or get any kickbacks for recommending them.
Raising Goats Naturally
Deborah Neimann
Raising Goats Naturally will help readers work with nature to raise dairy goats to produce milk, cheese, meat, fertilizer, leather, fiber, and soap – all without relying on drugs or following the factory farm model.
The Backyard Goat
Sue Weaver
This straightforward guide teaches you how to choose, house, feed, train, and breed the best goats for your space and needs. Whether you want to churn out fresh dairy products, harvest soft cashmere for knitting, or keep goats as playful pets, The Backyard Goat makes it easy to enjoy the benefits of owning goats, with no experience necessary.
The Small Scale Poultry Flock
Harvey Ussery
The most comprehensive guide to date on raising all-natural poultry for the small-scale farmer, homesteader, and professional grower. The Small-Scale Poultry Flock offers a practical and integrative model for working with chickens and other domestic fowl, based entirely on natural systems.
Working With Farm Animals
Temple Grandin
Temple Grandin extends her expert guidance to small-scale farming operations. Grandin’s fascinating explanations of how herd animals think — describing their senses, fears, instincts, and memories — and how to analyze their behavior, will help you handle your livestock more safely and effectively.
The Frugal Homesteader
John Moody
The Frugal Homesteader is a fun, inspirational, and educational guide filled with a lifetime of learning that comes along with becoming a homesteader.
Homestead Cows
Eric + Callene Rapp
With an approach built around investing for the long term, Homestead Cows prepares homesteaders and small farmers to open the farm gate to cattle, whether a single milk cow or a small beef herd.
Teaming With Microbes
Jeff Lowenfels +
Wayne Lewis
This must-have guide is for everyone, from those devoted to organic gardening techniques to weekend gardeners who simply want to grow healthy plants without resorting to chemicals.
Permaculture For The Rest of Us
Jenni Blackmore
Jenni Blackmore presents a highly entertaining, personal account of how permaculture can be practiced in adverse conditions, allowing anyone to learn to live more sustainably in a less-than-perfect world. With a rallying cry of “If we can do it, you can too,” she distills the wisdom of 20 years of trial and error into a valuable teaching tool.
The Living Soil Handbook
Jesse Frost
In this comprehensive guide, Farmer Jesse Frost shares all he has learned through experience and experimentation with no-till practices on his home farm in Kentucky and from interviews and visits with highly successful market gardeners in his role as host of The No-Till Market Garden Podcast.
Plant Partners
Jessica Walliser
Companion planting has a long history of use by gardeners, but the explanation of why it works has been filled with folklore and conjecture. Plant Partners delivers a research-based rationale for this ever-popular growing technique, offering dozens of ways you can use scientifically tested plant partnerships to benefit your whole garden.
I hope you found something you’re excited about reading here in my list. Please share your favorite homesteading books in the comments or send me an email with your recommendations. I’m always looking for the next great book to devour!
