The Big Book of Self-Reliant Living: Advice and Information on Just About Everything You Need to Know to Live on Planet Earth

Rating:
Summary: More than you would expect
Review: I really do not know where to start with this book. I am a former executive that left that world behind 2 years ago. I am currently working towards more self-reliant living and ways to cut down on money that leaves my driveway. This book will tell you how to do everything from raising little farm animals, to prepping and planting a garden, selecting an appropriate water heater, positioning your new home to take advantage of shade in reducing costs for heating & cooling, building a bench, construction techniques (large and small), home remedies (including making cleaning supplies), country cooking (with numerous recipes and substitutions), to selecting land. There is just too much in this book to cover everything. In every section it gives you the good and the bad. Unlike other books of this type, it does not contain radical, anti-anything, just hard facts, and common sense suggestions.

Examples are: types of solar power, advantages/disadvantages of each, and their ROI (some of which are years [up to 25] to recoup the costs); raising sheep correctly, ensuring that you can rotate pastures to prevent diseases that I haven't heard of since I was in vet school; and, not raising turkeys where you will have animal A or B. Just good stuff!!

I know that many people my age (mid-30s) are realizing that debt is too easy, and we need to take responsibility for ourselves. This book will give you the tools you need, the rest is up to you.

I have purchased a dozen copies of this book so far, to give to people that really want to live self-reliantly, or that just want help in making informed decisions to become a little self-reliant. This book can be useful anywhere for most of it; however, unlike other books that contain information on gardening and small-scale farming, this book covers the southeastern US like a blanket in regards to winter grazing and feeding for animals, and planting times.

I just cannot say enough about this book. This will be the best money you spend on a library of books...it is large, small print, and packed with information, without being radical like other books...its just good, common sense.

Rating:
Summary: More than you would expect
Review: I really do not know where to start with this book. I am a former executive that left that world behind 2 years ago. I am currently working towards more self-reliant living and ways to cut down on money that leaves my driveway. This book will tell you how to do everything from raising little farm animals, to prepping and planting a garden, selecting an appropriate water heater, positioning your new home to take advantage of shade in reducing costs for heating & cooling, building a bench, construction techniques (large and small), home remedies (including making cleaning supplies), country cooking (with numerous recipes and substitutions), to selecting land. There is just too much in this book to cover everything. In every section it gives you the good and the bad. Unlike other books of this type, it does not contain radical, anti-anything, just hard facts, and common sense suggestions.

Examples are: types of solar power, advantages/disadvantages of each, and their ROI (some of which are years [up to 25] to recoup the costs); raising sheep correctly, ensuring that you can rotate pastures to prevent diseases that I haven't heard of since I was in vet school; and, not raising turkeys where you will have animal A or B. Just good stuff!!

I know that many people my age (mid-30s) are realizing that debt is too easy, and we need to take responsibility for ourselves. This book will give you the tools you need, the rest is up to you.

I have purchased a dozen copies of this book so far, to give to people that really want to live self-reliantly, or that just want help in making informed decisions to become a little self-reliant. This book can be useful anywhere for most of it; however, unlike other books that contain information on gardening and small-scale farming, this book covers the southeastern US like a blanket in regards to winter grazing and feeding for animals, and planting times.

I just cannot say enough about this book. This will be the best money you spend on a library of books...it is large, small print, and packed with information, without being radical like other books...its just good, common sense.