books
Living the
Green Life Text By Shana Raley-Lusk
“Many of us spend too much time at a computer all day, leading an indoor sedentary life.” This quote from Backyard Homesteading: A Back-to-Basics Guide to Self-Sufficiency may sound all too familiar. For a great number of people, the statement sums up the reality of modern living. The book’s premise stresses the fact that many of us find ourselves drifting away from true self-sufficiency these days, whether we like it or not. With the addition of each new modern convenience, today’s average person is drawn that much farther from a connection to the earth itself. The book offers ways to become more attuned to the planet in general and to get back to basics with food and lifestyle. The concept of producing your own food may seem both appealing and overwhelming. In this helpful guide, author David Toht 98 | At Home Tennessee • April 2012
aims to provide readers with the answers and information that they need to make informed decisions on just how deeply into the backyard homesteading world they may actually want to delve. Accordingly, the book is divided into seven handy sections with topics ranging from “Raising Vegetables and Herbs” to “Harvest Home,” which covers the preservation of your garden’s bounty. For more ambitious readers, there are indepth sections about topics such as how to raise chickens and goats in smaller spaces. The beginning of Backyard Homesteading addresses planning for this new venture, as well as municipal regulations of which you should be aware before getting started. “Kids also benefit from being involved in producing food for the family,” Toht writes. The advantages of a healthy lifestyle for the entire family are another focus of the book. “The flavor of homegrown fruit is a
revelation,” he begins in chapter three. At the same time, Toht acknowledges that there are challenges to take into account when considering these endeavors, such as finances. “The benefits are not in cost savings,” the author notes, “but in freshness, purity, and your food independence.” Certainly, backyard homesteading is a serious undertaking that requires a considerable amount of planning and commitment. However, for those of us looking to make a healthy change in both our diets and our outlook, Backyard Homesteading has a lot of helpful advice on getting started. Whether you want to create the ultimate urban minifarm in your own backyard, or you’d just just like to grow a few tomato plants this spring, this book has all the tips and tricks to give you a great head start. (Creative Homeowner/$16.95)