The Encyclopedia of Country Living
So much information in this one! I have had it for years and still haven't looked at everything. A must have!
Storey's Basic Country Skills
A nice, basic introduction to lots of things. I find it most helpful as a starting point, before reading whole books on different topics.
The Backyard Homestead
Another very basic book, but great for a beginner starting out. The included plot plans are fun to look at and it's inspiring to see how much you can really do in a relatively small space!
The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener
Lots of great information about keeping a garden growing all year, especially great if you live in or near Zone 5, like me!
Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener's Handbook
I love this one! This is a book that you write in, which is always fun. The handbook literally goes week-by-week. You start by filling in your last frost date, then you fill in the dates that come before and after. The result is a custom garden plan that tells you when to do what.
Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
My "canning bible". Mine is totally covered in strawberry jam stains, always a sign of a good cookbook:)
Keep Chickens!
A very basic intro to chickens, but very inspiring and just plain fun if you are a newbie. This was one of the very first homesteading books I read. Great for kids too, because there are so many fun chicken facts and stories throughout.
Keeping Chickens with Ashley English
Another very fun chicken book, that goes into detail about how to care for your chickens. I found her daily/weekly checklists very helpful and the egg recipes are a nice bonus. Gorgeous photographs too! I love all the Ashley English books.
Made From Scratch
This is a nice, light, quick read about a woman trying to become more self-sufficient. I really enjoyed this one!
Goats: Small-Scale Herding
There aren't nearly as many books about goats out there as there are about chickens! This and Raising Goats for Dummies are our go-to goat books.
Ducks: Tending a Small-Scale Flock
Same series as the goats book above. We enjoy these books. There are lots of photographs so the kids like to read them. And the little tips and stories from duck/goat owners throughout the book are a nice bonus. It's always helpful to read about how other people do things!
I've read many of these and they are so helpful in finding new ideas on homesteading.
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