"Time-honored practices for a more self-reliant and satisfying lifestyle...Ever have the urge to raise your own chickens, grind your own flour, or start your own compost pile? If any of these ideas sound appealing, this is the book for you. A growing number of people are intrigued by the 'homesteader' experience and the idea of doing things themselves, whether they own a big spread in the wilderness or live on a small plot of land in the suburbs....

Wherever you live - farm, suburb, or even city - The Homesteading Handbook will show you how to embrace a more self-sufficient lifestyle. Learn to plan, plant, and harvest your own organic garden. Enjoy fruits and vegetables year-round by canning, drying, and freezing. Build and install alternate energy devices such as solar panels or geothermal heat pumps. Who doesn't want to shrink their carbon footprint, save money, and eat fresh, homegrown food...

"Teaches readers how to raise and process their own homemade food and other goods, from vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees to eggs, goat milk, and soap. Includes tips for designing homesteads and building simple backyard projects"--Provided by publisher.

This indispensable reference book is divided into three sections: food (from sourdough bread baking to pickling vegetables to fermenting kefir), herbalism (from growing an herbal garden to making skin and hair care products to foraging), and animal husbandry (from beekeeping to buying, raising, and owning chickens, cows, and pigs).