How to Do Things

Book excerpt: A useful and entertaining guide to practical skills for homesteaders—or anyone who likes to do things with their own two hands. For anyone who wants to learn how to make cheese, catch a runaway pig, mend a fence post, milk a cow, or throw an unforgettable barn party, this engaging volume delivers timeless advice on accomplishing tasks big and small around the house, garden, and farm. Featuring original text and illustrations from the 1919 first edition, this volume presents a new generation of readers with expert guidance on every facet of homesteading. With projects that range from practical (ridding a yard of poison ivy) to downright bemusing (organizing a potato peeling contest), this delightful book is equal parts useful and entertaining. An ode to self-reliance brimming with wit, wisdom, and nostalgia, this is a must-have for anyone who enjoys doing things with their own two hands, on the farm or in the backyard, the kitchen, or the workshop.