I've got a lot of books on smallholdings and homesteads but this is the first one I've read from a fellow blogger.
It's written by Leigh Tate who has the blog "5 Acres & A Dream", its a blog that I visit regularly and I enjoy seeing what she and her husband do with the same sized piece of land over in the US.
The book is well written, easy to read and broken into sensible chapters. Certain things in it have really given me food for thought - seeing things like how their master plan changed through the years of being there made me wish I'd drawn up more definite plans for here on paper so I could alter them as ideas and needs change.
One chapter I really enjoyed was about food self-sufficiency for animals. This is something that most books skip over, but if you really want your own patch of land to completely support you then it's no good bringing in feed for the animals the whole time. And although they've no where near cracked it in terms of animals feed she shares all their failures and what they're planning to do next.
The book isn't a "how to" or a "guide" but more of the story of how they came to be in the position they're in and the way they are tackling each issue of self sufficiency. I could see that Leigh has a same kind of approach to self sufficiency as I do, whilst still paying the bills and mortgage, and I guess that's part of what makes it so appealing to me.
If you enjoy her blog, then you'll enjoy this book.
Hello
ReplyDeleteJohn Seymours Self Sufficiency has a plan for a 5 acre holding that includes some ideas for fodder foods.
We only have 2 acres here. Over the last 33 years (!) we have changed our plans many times, made many mistakes and many successes.
Good luck with your endeavours.
Happy Smallholding!
Gill
Thanks for the comment Gill,
DeleteWe were never expecting to afford somewhere with 5 acres (a semi detatched house helped lower the cost somewhat).
Its funny, everytime I write about a self sufficiency book there is always a mention of John Seymour!
I have that 5 acre drawing hung above the stairs in my house and see it everytime I walk down them toward the door! I love the detail on it, but I think you'd be pretty lucky to find somewhere that worked as well as he writes it!
Thank you for the info, love reading what other people have done/are doing, even now when we've more or less finished with animals( still miss my goats).
ReplyDeleteI will add this to my wish list.
Yeah, I prefer to read real stories about peoples lives (although I do read a lot so I tend to read a lot of subjects). I grew up with lots of animals so want my girls to do the same.
DeleteI'll add this to my 'must read' list, it sounds really good and as we have just a smidge under 5 acres could be really useful. I hoping that our animals (when we get pigs again in a couple of years) will mostly be able to forage in the woodland and eat all surplus veggies and thus cut some of the feed bills we used to have last time we kept them.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right in saying that most books cnveniently forget all about the animal fee bills.
That should of course read 'feed' not fee, I'm on the bl**dy laptop again :-/
DeleteI've been begining to fence a pig pen so that might be on the cards this year (only might be). some of the books are a bit idealistic and write what you want to read, so its nice to read one where all the questions haven't been answered
DeleteWe are trying to feed our animals ourselves as well, but only manage to reduce the feed bill rather than get it down to zero, but at least we are trying!
ReplyDeleteHey thats a start! Any reduced cost is a saving. If your not careful it costs more to keep the animals than they're worth when they're ready to sell/eat!
DeleteThanks for that kev..will muse over to amazon later
ReplyDeleteNo problem
DeleteKev, thank you so much. You just made my day! I am so glad you liked the book and especially that you found it useful. That was the point really, to encourage others on their journey toward self-sufficiency and hopefully show that "where there's a will, there's a way."
ReplyDeleteI'm working on a "What Readers Say" page for the book's website and hope you'll let me link to this review, along with a snippet of a quote from you.
Your more than welcome to link in this review and quote it. Glad it made your day, I enjoyed reading it!
DeleteI'm getting this book, I enjoy her blog and find it very helpful. I also have a very old, well thumbed copy of John Seymour's self sufficiency book.
ReplyDeleteI have too many books about self sufficiency and homesteading. I think I might start doing some reviews a couple of times a month of this sort of book and see what people think and if they have recommendations
DeleteI love Leigh's blog. I might see if I can get her book from somewhere. Thanks for sharing this :)
ReplyDeleteIt's funny reading the book of a blog that I've read so much really!
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