Thursday, August 25, 2011

Book Review: Mini Farming, Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre


If you are looking for a book that provides a general overview on the "backyard homestead", then this is a great book with which to start.  Brett Markham is a real part-time homesteader.  He works full-time as an engineer, and he farms in his free time.  This book is written through that lens, which I think a lot of people with a dream to homestead can truly appreciate.

This book does not go into great details on every subject covered.  It provides a general overview of the main areas of small-scale homesteading.  Some of the chapters in the book include: Raised Beds, Compost, Watering and Irrigation, Seed Selecting, Seed Saving, Fruit Trees and Vines, Raising Chickens for Eggs, Raising Chickens for Meat, and Preserving the Harvest.

While not my favorite book on homesteading, it does provide some unique information on composting and really good instructions on how to make a chicken plucker.  Overall, this is a good book for someone who is entertaining the idea of producing more of their own food in their backyard.

2 comments:

  1. Funny that you should review this book. My copy is overdue at the library. I found the seed propagation info interesting because he included a good recipe for seed starting mix. He combined a lot of knowledge from other books.

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  2. I wonder how many books the public library system has been able to buy thanks to my late fees! I totally understand. :)

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