Scan barcode
Reviews
The Backyard Homestead: Produce All the Food You Need on Just a Quarter Acre! by Carleen Madigan
sallyavena's review
3.0
An interesting book, with some good ideas. Just not what I was expecting and not that practical to our situation right now. I was hoping for more of a reference book and this was more of an approach that you could try if you had the right set up.
zaphod46's review
3.0
This is an edited collection from lots of storey books, so there is lots of good info, but it doesn't always get to the depth I would like.
There are a few good spots of reference material, but not enough to warrant buying the whole thing.
There are a few good spots of reference material, but not enough to warrant buying the whole thing.
pato_myers's review
4.0
Looks good, I was already doing some of these things and would like to implement some things I read. This book is very informative, but each little bit is definitely up to the individual for instance I won't grow things I don't eat and I can't raise any sort of farming animals in my neighborhood technically.
amibunk's review
3.0
This is a great book for a beginning gardener or for someone who wants a quick over-view on raising animals. It wasn't quite detailed enough in the life-stock arena for my use. However, the author provides excellent references for a more in depth look. Further more, in my opinion the illustrations were merely adequate. Additional pictures could have put this book on a whole new level. I did, though, fall in love with the cheese making section and am now mentally toying with the idea of buying a milk cow. Sigh.
kristirose's review
3.0
A Beginner's Reference Book
This book provides a good starting point for someone interested in homesteading. It is full of a wide variety of information.
However, I was a bit disappointed. The author is not a homesteader. The majority of the book is just straight information. There is no personal touch or stories. The book fails to take into account that things go wrong on a homestead. Under ideal circumstances, someone might be able to meet the claims listed on the back cover. However, life is not ideal. I feel like this book missed that completely.
This book provides a good starting point for someone interested in homesteading. It is full of a wide variety of information.
However, I was a bit disappointed. The author is not a homesteader. The majority of the book is just straight information. There is no personal touch or stories. The book fails to take into account that things go wrong on a homestead. Under ideal circumstances, someone might be able to meet the claims listed on the back cover. However, life is not ideal. I feel like this book missed that completely.
ajediprincess's review
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.5
I bought this book for my parents who are very eager to build their own homestead and eventually become self-sufficient. While this book is probably not comprehensive (no info on heating and energy, water collection, clothing, etc.) for living off the grid, this is a wealth of knowledge for those who want to minimize their grocery bill and pursue a simpler way of living and it offers a greater awareness of what we consume and how to regain control of it for ourselves. I am glad I purchased this book and it will undoubtedly be useful to my parents as they continue to develop and expand their farm.
I read this book and found myself absolutely sucked in by the way it was designed, laid out, and everything was explained. There are all kinds of helpful charts, illustrations, and diagrams, and the sections are organized in a thorough and easy-to-follow way. It also has a clear enthusiasm for getting back to basics that I found infectious. I grew up on a farm and already know quite a bit about organic gardening and small animal husbandry, but this book has so much information that I definitely found myself learning new things and helpful tidbits that I will remember going forward.
This book covers many different aspects of what it takes to cultivate your own homestead. It isn't just about growing your own food, but that is the prevailing theme of the book. There is also information on natural medicine, brewing beers, ciders, and wines, foraging, beekeeping, building protective and intuitive structures, preserving your harvest, developing routines, intelligent and efficient farming, and creating systems that work for you not against you as your time and space is limited, especially if you live in an urbanized area. This book is handy, it's visually appealing, and it's a fantastic resource that my family will return to again and again for working on and improving our homestead for years to come.
I read this book and found myself absolutely sucked in by the way it was designed, laid out, and everything was explained. There are all kinds of helpful charts, illustrations, and diagrams, and the sections are organized in a thorough and easy-to-follow way. It also has a clear enthusiasm for getting back to basics that I found infectious. I grew up on a farm and already know quite a bit about organic gardening and small animal husbandry, but this book has so much information that I definitely found myself learning new things and helpful tidbits that I will remember going forward.
This book covers many different aspects of what it takes to cultivate your own homestead. It isn't just about growing your own food, but that is the prevailing theme of the book. There is also information on natural medicine, brewing beers, ciders, and wines, foraging, beekeeping, building protective and intuitive structures, preserving your harvest, developing routines, intelligent and efficient farming, and creating systems that work for you not against you as your time and space is limited, especially if you live in an urbanized area. This book is handy, it's visually appealing, and it's a fantastic resource that my family will return to again and again for working on and improving our homestead for years to come.
citajucazahradnicka's review
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
This book is a good overview of options, but definitely should not be treated as a reference text!