Using a wood burning stove effectively is both an art and a science. In this friendly, comprehensive guide, chartered forester and woodfuel expert Will Rolls talks the reader through the theory and practice of getting the best results from their stove. From finding the fuel and seasoning it, to lighting the stove and operating it cleanly, this book describes the best techniques for looking after your log stove. The Log Book covers log suppliers, avoiding too much smoke and ash, checking fuel ...

Make your own custom-tailored and perfectly formed cold-process soaps!Learn how to use milk jugs and yogurt containers for molds, and how coffee, avocado, and even beer can add unique dimensions to your creations. This encouraging introduction to the art of soapmaking makes it simple to master the techniques you need to safely and easily produce your own enticingly fragrant soaps.

Everyone knows that the planet is in trouble, but is there a solution? This timely book identifies the most effective ways individuals can be more green in four key areas: home, travel, food, and consumerism. It also describes how citizens can ensure that governments take the actions necessary to make sustainable lifestyles the norm instead of the exception. Environmental lawyer David Boyd and celebrated ecologist David Suzuki provide vital tips for choosi...

With great recipes for meats, sauces and rubs mixed with ideas for pickles, slaws, puddings and cocktails, plus features on meats, equipment and methods, the Pitt Cue Co. Cookbook is your guide to enjoying the best hot, smoky, sticky, spicy grub all year round.From Pitt Cue's legendary Pickle backs and bourbon cocktails, to their acclaimed Pulled pork shoulder; Burnt ends mash; Smoked ox cheek toasts with pickled walnuts; Lamb rib with molasses mop and onion salad;...

Start your own backyard vegetable garden with this easy-to-use guide for beginner gardeners and new homesteaders!Growing Vegetables & Herbs takes you from start to finish—from garden planning to planting and nurturing, to enjoying your first home harvest. This guide shows you:• How to design the best gardening layout for your space• The ins and outs of weeding, watering, and pest control• Ways to organize your plantings to take advant...

Are you looking for creative ways to lower your energy costs, generate more of your own power, or become less reliant on the grid? Paul Scheckel offers practical advice for taking matters into your own hands. Explaining the fundamentals of solar, wind, water, and biofuel energy production, Scheckel shows you how to build and maintain a wide variety of energy-saving and energy-producing equipment, ranging from thermosiphon solar hot water collectors to bicycle-powered generators. Use less e...

Adventures on the road to real-world self-sufficiencyMany of us want to increase our self-sufficiency, but few have access to the ideal 5 sunny, gently-sloping acres of rich, loamy, well-drained soil. Jenni Blackmore presents a highly entertaining, personal account of how permaculture can be practiced in adverse conditions, allowing anyone to learn to live more sustainably in a less-than-perfect world. With a rallying cry of "If we can do it, you can too," she dist...

Reclaiming Our Food tells the stories of people across the United States who are finding new ways to grow, process, and distribute food for their own communities. Discover how abandoned urban lots have been turned into productive organic farms, how a family-run sustainable fish farm can stay local and be profitable, and how engaged communities are bringing fresh produce into school cafeterias. Through photographic essays and interviews with innovative food leaders, you’ll be inspi...

The compelling story of one family’s life among the rugged landscapes of British Columbia's Coast Mountains, converting youthful ideals, raw land and a passion for the outdoors into a practical off-grid homestead.Rob Wood grew up in a village on the edge of the Yorkshire Moors, where he eventually developed a preoccupation with rock climbing. After studying architecture for five years at the Architectural Association School in London, England, he made his ...

For hard-working office workers Kristy Athens and husband Michael, farming was a romantic dream. After purchasing farm land in Oregon's beautiful Columbia Gorge, Athens and hubby were surprised to learn that the realities of farming were challenging and unexpected. Get Your Pitchfork On! provides the hard-learned nuts-and-bolts of rural living from city folk who were initially out of their depth. Practical and often hilarious, Get Your Pitchfork On! reads like a twenty-fi...

Be Well Prepared and Well Fed!With all the uncertainty in the world today, there is peace in preparing. In an emergency, you don't want to depend on a grocery store or government agency to feed your family. Storing food assures your family's self-sufficiency year-round and benefits your budget when you plan correctly.This in-depth, nuts-and-bolts guide to storing food teaches you a variety of food storage methods that you can customize to meet your family's unique circumsta...

Keep your lawn and garden lush without wasting resources by capturing and recycling the greywater that drains from your sink, shower, and washing machine. This accessible and detailed guide walks you through each step of planning for and installing a variety of greywater systems, including laundry-to-landscape and branched drain gravity-fed systems. After identifying greywater sources in your home and estimating flow rate, you'll learn to pinpoint where to redirect the wastewater for the g...