The Self-Sufficiency Bible: Window Boxes to Smallholdings is a collection of tutorials and tips for more self reliant lifestyle whatever the reader's current situation. First published in 2011, this reformat and re-release second edition is due out 9th Feb 2021 from Watkins Publishing. It's 337 pages and will be available in paperback format (other editions available in various other formats).
This is a very well and logically laid out book with hundreds of tips and small (to larger) tutorials. It's not a step by step manual for self-sufficiency to be followed slavishly. In fact there are so many small changes from which to choose that virtually all readers will find something to incorporate into their daily lives to move in a more self sustaining and self-reliant direction.
The way consumerist society is set up is an unsustainable cycle of buy-use-discard which has to move ever faster to maintain forward momentum. The very scary reality is that the vast majority of urban dwellers have nearly zero food security. This book provides numerous tips for increasing food and resource security and diminishing reliance on transport and resource heavy supply chains (which eat up even more of the scarce resources and increase costs astronomically).
The author is a former urbanite who made a paradigm shift to self sufficiency in the early 2000s and now teaches other how to life more simply and self-sustainably.
This book is a goldmine of good advice from homemade dog biscuits to building a hoop house to setting up the first vegetable garden to butchering small stock. There are stops along the way to revisit crafts (basketry, tanning, jewellery-making, candle & papermaking, woodcarving and the like) as well as cooking, preserving, and sausage making.
In a lot of really good ways, this book reminds me of John Seymour's iconic Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency, but with a lot more humor and, frankly, understanding for the modern lifestyle. There is no photography included in this volume; it's illustrated with clear retro-feeling line drawings.
Four stars. Heartily recommended to all smallholders, dreamers, and readers looking for a more independent life with less reliance on commercial sources. This would also make a superlative selection for makers' groups, community/cooperative gardens and allotment collectives.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
No comments:
Post a Comment