The New American Homestead

Book excerpt: Learn how to live sustainably in the city, the suburbs, or the country Many people are cutting back on consumerism and trying to simplify their lives, realizing that the "new way" isn't necessarily the best way. The sustainable living movement goes beyond a desire to protect the environment and practice green living; it's about rediscovering simple survival skills that, in an earlier time, were known and practiced by almost everyone. The New American Homestead gives you a wealth of information about homesteading—a lifestyle of simple, agrarian self-sufficiency—from raising chickens, bees, and other animals to gardening in earth-friendly ways to canning, preserving, home brewing, and cheese making. The book does not assume that you have a sizable parcel of land in the country; author John Tullock's techniques can be put to use in virtually any space, even a small urban plot. The book appeals to anyone who has a yard, courtyard, deck, or porch with room for gardening; wants to spend less money maintaining a household; and desires to reduce his or her carbon footprint through sustainable living The author emphasizes cultivating foods of all kinds in spaces of one-third of an acre or less, with consideration given to costs, family needs, available space, and the pleasures of the table Includes advice for achieving sustainability in other aspects of urban/suburban life Whether you're dwelling in the country, suburbs, or the city, The New American Homestead shows you how to live a more sustainable life.