Little house in the suburbs Backyard farming and home skills for self-sufficient living
Book - 2012
Aims to help homeowners live self-sufficiently, including growing their own food, cooking meals from scratch, keeping animals, making homemade cleaning and skin-care products, and making homemade gifts.
Saved in:
- Subjects
- Published
-
Cincinnati, Ohio :
Betterway Home
c2012.
- Language
- English
- Main Author
- Other Authors
- Physical Description
- 255 p. : ill. (chiefly col.) ; 23 cm
- Bibliography
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- ISBN
- 9781440310249
- Introduction
- 1. Why Simple Living in the Suburbs?
- This little chapter is about the why and why not of simple living. There's a whole host of reasons to give it a shot. Simple living is good for your family's health, for the body, the soul, and the planet. The best news is it's low commitment (unlike that gym membership or your cell phone plan).
- 2. I Grew It Myself! Or, But You Don't Understand, I Kill Everything
- Learn how to make a simple raised bed in an afternoon and get years of great produce with very little effort. Find foolproof plants and help them thrive with fertilizing ingredients you can find around the house. Plus learn the basics of composting and pest control and overcome the special concerns suburban gardeners face.
- 3. Did Your Backyard Just Bawk?
- Chickens are easy to care for and terribly useful. They eat all your scraps, bugs, and weeds and turn them into eggs! This quick chick primer shows you how to get them, how to keep them, and how to feed them. Plus learn how to research community code concerning backyard birds.
- 4. Mini-Goats: Interesting, Urn, ... Dog You Got There
- Mini-goats are awesome pets. No claws, no top teeth, and they mow for you! This chapter covers how to select, care for, and feed a good goat. Plus house them and make goat's-milk products.
- 5. Secret Beekeepers
- We'll show you a super low maintenance way to keep bees without alarming the neighbors or endangering your children. Learn how to safely harvest honey, without upsetting or inconveniencing your bees, and find great ideas for using all that glorious beeswax you'll collect!
- 6. My Pantry Was Never So Yummy
- After we've all shaken our heads at the mountains of fake food in our lives, we'll give you about twenty-five recipes we've used for homemade spices and flavoring, and then take you through some basic freezing, canning, and drying techniques.
- 7. I Never Smelled So Good
- Forget the facial scrubs, moisturizers, and hair treatments. This chapter covers the items you use every day-shower gel, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, mouthwash, and lotion. You'll also learn how to fearlessly face soapmaking. Lye isn't that big a deal.
- 8. My House Was Never So Clean
- There is no need for special factory-baked cleaners unless you're afraid of elbow grease. Basic home cleaning formulas cost pennies to make. You'll also find some ways to simplify your housework (like caring less...HA! Just kidding.)
- 9. I Made It Myself!: Gorgeous Gifts Aplenty
- A well-done handmade gift is giving your thought, time, and effort to make something really special that no one else would make. This chapter gives ten different gift-basket ideas with the accompanying projects to get you going.
- 10. Small Town in the City
- This chapter is about rebuilding that interdependence through swaps and co-ops. We'll tell you how to build them, maintain them, and keep them running smoothly. Get the help you need without feeling like you're imposing on anyone. And build relationships that will last forever.
- 11. It's Hard to Complain With a Mouthful of Cookies
- Not everyone goes for our lifestyle. This chapter will help you make choices that don't disturb the family way of life. Also in this chapter, we'll help you deal with those not-so-friendly neighbors.
- Appendix
- Spring Planting Chart
- Fall Planting Chart
- Companion Planting
- Companion Planting Chart
- Fall Garden Plan for Raised Beds
- Root Vegetable Garden Plan for Raised Bed
- Resources for Goat Owners
- Good Neighbors Handout for Suburban Goat Owners
- Resources for Backyard Chicken Owners
- Good Neighbors Handout For Backyard Chicken Owners
- Soapmaking and Skincare Resources
- Resources for Beekeepers
- Good Neighbors Handout For Backyard Beekeepers
- Purpose and Administration Duties for Baby-sitting Co-Ops
- Baby-sitting Co-Ops Bylaws Agreement
- Gardening Log
- Index