Little Farm Homegrown

Book excerpt: A gardening book for anyone who has dreamed of going back to the land and living a simpler life… After two city-bred Boomers weather their first, tumultuous year on their rural backyard farm, the couple foresees smooth sailing for the future…only to discover their homesteading journey has just begun. The sequel to Susan Colleen Browne's award-winning memoir, Little Farm in the Foothills, Little Farm Homegrown follows modern homesteaders Susan and her husband John creating a hands-on life in the foothills of the Pacific Northwest. As they experience the joys and challenges—and sometimes life-changing adversity—of living closer to the land, they labor to transform an old clearcut into a working homestead. In this lively true story, John and Susan cope with the demands of their middle years while raising chickens, creating a self-sufficient lifestyle, and adapting to—and often battling—nature. As Susan writes, “The Gardening School of Hard Knocks is actually a super-effective way to get an education, but I’d like to save you from learning everything the hard way.” With that in mind, Little Farm Homegrown includes tips for caring for your laying hens, maintaining your homestead, and growing your food crops sustainably. Like the first Little Farm in the Foothills memoir, Little Farm Homegrown is a warmhearted tale for gardeners, nature-lovers, and dreamers of all ages! Praise for the first Little Farm book, Little Farm in the Foothills: “The Browne’s foray into slower living…is an enjoyable read. Their delightful, yet very real, experiences in making the big leap toward their dreams make for a humorous and charming book.” —Washington State Librarian Jan Walsh