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. Traditional Crafts and Skills f...

Growing your own food is a hot topic today because of the high cost of transporting food long distances, the heightened problem of diseases caused by commercially grown foods, concerns of the overuse of chemicals in mass food production, and the uncertain health effects of GMOs. Many people-from White House executives to inner-city kids-have recently discovered the benefits of homegrown vegetables and fruits. Community gardens, and even community canning centers, are increasingly popular a...

Build your own outbuildings and enjoy the space to do more of what you love. From simple toolsheds and animal shelters to smokehouses and low-cost barns, Monte Burch guides you through everything you need to know to make your small building projects a reality. Detailed blueprints, easy-to-follow instructions, and expert advice are suited to even the first-time builder. Discover how easy it is to create your own customized spaces that will allow your passions to grow.

A handy guide to hunting one of America’s favorite game birds.Having lived most of his life in rural Missouri, Monte Burch has a wealth of knowledge to share on all things hunting. In The Pocket Guide to Spring and Fall Turkey Hunting, Burch draws on more than two decades of turkey hunting experience and collects it in an easily accessible pocket guide. Included is essential advice on:Selecting the right shotgun and shellsEffectively using f...

Smoke and cure everything from store-bought meats to freshly harvested fish and game!Drawing on more than forty years of experience smoking everything from succulent salmon to whole hogs, award-winning outdoor writer and photographer Monte Burch presents this practical handbook for anyone who wants to make their own smoked or cured products.The Complete Guide to Smoking and Salt Curing introduces beginners to the ancient art of preserving meat, fis...

Now, with The Complete Guide to Making Sausages, you can impress your family and friends by making all types of sausages in the comfort of your own kitchen. In an easy to follow manner, writer-outdoorsman Monte Burch explains how to make sausages using wild game and store-bought meats like pork, chicken, and beef. Learn to make all sorts of delicious variations, including bratwurst, bologna, pepperoni, salami, liver, and smoked sausages. With his advice, you can perfect and master...

With more than forty years of experience butchering domestic animals, game, and birds, award-winning outdoor writer and photographer Monte Burch presents this complete guide for butchering many types of livestock or wild animals. Learn how to butcher cows, chickens, goats, hogs, deer, turkeys, rabbits, and more, with simple and easy-to-follow, step-by-step photographs and illustrations. Burch also provides recommendations on which tools (knives, paring knives, meat scissors, meat grinders,...

Here is the complete guide to a skill that may be mysterious to some, written by Monte Burch, an authority who practices many of the traditions of tanning and hiding. Starting at the beginning, Burch introduces the hunter to the tools of a tanner, and even gives complete plans for making many of these implements. Instructions are given for making fleshing beams, stretchers for pelts, fleshing knives, and many others. He also covers tanning formulas and materials, both traditional and moder...

Combining today’s issues of creating self-sustaining environments with the age-old sports of hunting, shooting and trapping, Wildlife and Woodlot Management is the ultimate guide to attracting game to your property. Expert outdoorsman Monte Burch teaches a wide variety of techniques based on his own land management practices. Learn to match the vegetation of your land to the type of wildlife you need to attract. Hundreds of diagrams and photographs as well as Burch’s charming, ins...

Here is the most comprehensive guide to making your own Native American tools and weapons. This reference takes you through the steps of the basic flint-knapping of arrowheads and scrapers to the most complex decorating and finishing techniques of painting and fletching. Fully illustrated with photographs and line illustrations, this is the perfect book for the survivalist, historian, student, or Native American enthusiast.

Does your backyard or garden look bleak and boring? Has your spouse ever told you that you need your own work building? Are your children's toys overflowing into the neighbor's yard because you have nowhere to put them? Have you ever thought about investing in a screened-in porch or a greenhouse? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this is the book for you.We all know that hiring a contractor or builder to take care of backyard projects can be costly and frustrating. Mon...

As more and more self-sufficiency methods rise out of today’s waning economy and growing green movement, so does jerky. Jerky is one of the oldest forms of food preservation, and yet these days, a very popular hobby for the hunting enthusiast and a great way of using game meats. Award-winning outdoor writer and photographer Monte Burch brings readers this pocket-sized guide to making one of the most popular, convenient, and protein- enriched foods.The Complete Jerky Book i...