Homestead & Gardening Resources

For all of my homestead-obsessed followers, here are a list of homestead resources that I have found to be quite helpful.  By the way, you don't have to have 100 acres to be considered a homesteader, you can create your own homestead within the boundaries of your suburban home.  We have 1/3 of an acre and are able to produce a lot of our own fruits and vegetables.  I have tons of herbs growing in pots on my back patio and what used to be flower beds are now beds full of beautiful, medicinal, flowering herbs!

Storey's Basic Country Skills

Probably my most thorough resource. This is my "go-to" book for most information and projects. This book contains anything from growing herbs, fruit trees, and vegetables, to cleaning your house, raising livestock, and simple building projects. A must have for any beginning homesteader.

The Backyard Homestead

This book resembles The Basic Country Skills book, but on a more simplistic level.  Still, I found it to be greatly beneficial, containing information that the above book did not.  A great one to have on hand for a quick resource.

Homestead Blessings DVDs

Ah, our favorite West Ladies.  Let me just say, these DVDs have been one of the best sources of encouragement and information for our family.  My kids LOVE watching the West Ladies' simple country skills at work.  A must for any visual learner, and the projects and information are simple enough for the basic level homestead beginner.  Totally worth the investment!

Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening

IF you can get your hands on a copy of this huge encyclopedia, it is a gem of a book.  This book was handed down to me from my father and is about as old as I am (watch it on the comments).  I haven't found a more informative book yet, full of every kind of vegetable, herb, animal, flower, and weed you can imagine, besides sections on composting, weed control, pest control, greenhouses, and tons more.  Truly a treasure and one book I could not do without.

The New Self-Sufficient Gardener

Last, but not least, another detailed book, containing similar information as the first two, but also has a section on how to preserve fruits and vegetables, and a section on bee-keeping.  I love the illustrations in this book, I find it much easier to identify how my plants are supposed to turn out when I have a clear visual guide to go by.

Alright now, all you gardeners, start your tillers!

Another Book Review

This time......cookbooks!

Hearth and Home by Karey Swan is a wonderful resource if you are cooking with fresh, wholesome grains.  I love her scientific approach to every recipe, she explains how the ingredients work together, and WHY they work together.  I think I will have my children take science lessons from her cookbook!

Rejuvenate Your Life by Serene Allison is perfect for anyone looking for a vegetarian diet.  You know I love meat, but I have used several recipes in this book for an alternative.  She is very nutritionally informative regarding all of the vegetables, fruits, oils, and grains you will find in her recipes.  I especially love her explanation on how to open a coconut!

Up-With-Wholesome, Down-With-Store-Bought Book has been around a long time.  I think this book may be as old as I am!  I love it how basic it is.  This book is choc full of common sense recipes ranging from meals to household cleaning.  A must have, if you can find one!

Around here, we love the West Ladies.  This cookbook has quickly become one of our favorites.  Filled with personal stories, helpful tips, and great recipes.  Our particular book was signed by the West Ladies themselves, they are such a sweet, godly example of the Lord's goodness and the good things He gives us through His creation.

The Better Homes and Garden Cookbook has to be one of my all-time favorites.  It's the one I go to the most.  I was given mine as a wedding gift, so it's now 17 years old and still holding together!  There are recipes for just about everything you can imagine, from basic to fancy and everything in between.  If you use fresh-ground ingredients, you may have to make adjustments, but if you are a seasoned cook (no pun intended) you should haven any problems with the substitutions. 

Happy cooking!

Book Reviews

From my last post, a friend asked about a good devotional for her 5 year old son.  I sent her an email, but later thought, I should share them here as well.

One of our all-time favorites is Wisdom and the Millers.  I have used this book for simple devotionals beginning with my children from 2 years old and up.  I think my oldest was 4 when we first began reading it!

Wisdom and the Millers contains several parables which are easily identifiable to everyday life.  All of the chapters parallel to a particular chapter/verse in the book of Proverbs.

As for devotions for our older children, we really don't use any type of curriculum, or devotional book.  We simply choose a book of the Bible and read through it chapter by chapter, verse by verse.  All of our school aged children have a Bible curriculum by Rod and Staff, which aids in teaching them to dig deep and search out the scriptures.

As for reading, whether for enjoyment or school, we love Pathway books, CLE, ABeka readers, and a various assortment of classics.  I have to make special mention of a set of books that we purchased last year from The Maxwell Family called The Moody Family series.  My oldest daughter will read anything that is placed in front of her, she soaks up every available opportunity to read a good book.  My second daughter is a more active soul and cannot sit still, even for a good read.  I have had the most difficult time finding anything to peak her interest in reading, and then the Moody books came along.  She read the first five books in a matter of a few short weeks, and when she heard there would be a sixth one, she asked if she could have it for her birthday.  What?  You want a BOOK for your birthday?!  Seriously........?

If you are looking for wholesome books for your children, The Moody series is a great investment!  The books include character-building, life-lessons, developing good habits and manners, and working together as a family.  The Moodys are a large, homeschooling family, so my children identify with their fictional lives.  They even have a set of twins!

That's all I have for now, but I will add some more of our favorites as I can.  Please note, these are only my personal recommendations, each family has different values and guidelines for their children.  I find all of these books to be wholesome and of good character.  If you have any questions or need other recommendations, ask away, I'll do what I can to help!