The Self-Sufficiency Handbook: Your Complete Guide to a Self-Sufficient Home, Garden, and Kitchen

Are you worried about ever-rising fuel bills and longing for the day when you can be off-grid and independent? Anxious about the quality of the food you eat and planning to go organic? Yearning to get back to the way it was but don't know where to start? This book will show you how to achieve the eco-friendly good life.

The authors cover the ecological gamut from geothermal heating to crop rotation to soap making. They answer important questions like how much land is really needed to be self-sufficient, whether or not to depend entirely on natural forms of energy, and which farm animals will best meet your needs. There’s practical information here on building an insulated flue pipe chimney, identifying edible wild plants, and composting with worms—as well as recipes for jams, rhubarb wine, cheeses, and more.

Packed with full-colour photographs, helpful illustrations and diagrams, The Self-Sufficiency Handbook will appeal to everyone who aspires to adopt certain aspects of greener living as well as to serious adherents of back-to-basics living.

Inside The Self-Sufficiency Handbook: Inspirational yet practical introduction to a greener way of living; Essential reading for anyone considering a shift to a more self-sufficient lifestyle, no matter how small the change; Emphasis is on the positive aspects of self-sufficiency, such as cutting living costs and eating well; Covers everything from fitting a wind turbine to making honey from your own beehives; Step-by-step instructions on keeping animals, growing organic food, and preserving your own produce; Guidelines for creating a self-sufficient home and eco-friendly home improvements.

Authors Alan and Gill Bridgewater have gained an international reputation as producers of gardening and DIY books on a range of subjects, including ponds and patios, stone and brickwork, decks and decking and garden design. They have written a wide range of highly successful books and contributed to several international magazines.