The bestselling classic guide to off-grid green living, now with a brand new foreword from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
John Seymour has inspired thousands to make more responsible, enriching, and eco-friendly choices with his advice on living sustainably. The New Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency offers step-by-step instructions on everything from chopping trees to harnessing solar power; from growing your own vegetables and fruit and vegetables, and preserving and pickling your harvest, to baking bread, brewing beer, and making cheese. Seymour shows you how to live off the land, running your own smallholding or homestead, keeping chickens, and raising (and butchering) livestock.
While we aren’t all be able to move to the countryside, we can appreciate the importance of Seymour’s message, as he shows us the value of living within our means and making the most of what we have to hand using skills that have been handed down through generations.
With refreshed, retro-style illustrations and a brand-new foreword by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, this new edition of Seymour’s classic title is a balm for anyone who has ever sought solace away from the madness of modern life.
Author(s): Jane Seymour
Edition: new edition
Publisher: Penguin Random House DK UK
Year: 2019
Language: English
Pages: 408
City: London
Contents
Foreword by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Prefaces to the 2019 Edition
Prefaces to Earlier Editions
Introduction
CHAPTER 1 THE MEANING OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY
The Way to Self-sufficiency
Humans & their Environment
The Natural Cycle
The Seasons
The Urban Garden
The Allotment
The One-acre Holding
The Five-acre Holding
CHAPTER 2 FOOD FROM THE GARDEN
The Food-producing Garden
The Deep Bed
Sowing & Planting
Growing under Cover
Protecting from Pests
Pests, Fungus & Diseases
The Illustrated Index of Vegetables, Herbs & Fruits
The Edible Parts of Plants
Roots
Stems
Leaves
Flowers and Vegetable Fruits
Seeds and Pods
Fruits
Green Manure Crops
The Cultivation of Vegetables
The Cultivation of Herbs
The Cultivation of Fruits
Caring for Fruit Trees
Vegetables through the Year
Winter
Spring
Early Summer
Late Summer
Autumn
The Greenhouse
CHAPTER 3 FOOD FROM ANIMALS
The Living Farmyard
The Cow
Beef
Goats
Pigs
Sheep
Poultry
Rabbits
Bees & Honey
CHAPTER 4 FOOD FROM THE FIELDS
Clearing Land
Draining Land
Irrigating Land
Making Use of Woodland
Hedging & Fencing
The Working Horse
Horse & Tractor Power
Preparing Land & Sowing
Harvesting
The Cereals
Wheat
Milling Grain
Oats & Rye
Barley
Maize
Rice
Growing Crops for Oil
Growing Root Crops
Grass & Hay
CHAPTER 5 FOOD FROM THE WILD
Game
Fish & Sea Foods
Plants, Nuts & Berries
Mushrooms
CHAPTER 6 IN THE DAIRY
The Hayshed & Cowshed
The Dairy
Making Butter & Cream
Making Cheese
CHAPTER 7 IN THE KITCHEN
The North-facing Storeroom
Harvesting & Storing
Making Bread
Preserving
Freezing
Bottling
Making Pickles & Chutneys
Making Jams & Syrups
Cakes, Biscuits & Puddings
Meats
Fish
Vegetables
CHAPTER 8 BREWING & WINE-MAKING
Brewing Basics
Malting Barley
Making Beer
Making Wine
Making Cider & Vinegar
CHAPTER 9 ENERGY & WASTE
Food for the Garden
The Dry Toilet
Managing Waste
Saving Energy
Power from Water
Heat from the Sun
Power from the Sun
Fuel from Waste
Power from the Wind
CHAPTER 10 CRAFTS & SKILLS
The Workshop
Building
Springs & Plumbing
Knots & Ropework
Basketry
Pottery
Spinning Wool & Cotton
Dyeing & Weaving
Spinning Flax
Curing & Tanning
Making Bricks & Tiles
Working in Stone
Working in Metal
Building & Thatching
Scything
Working in Wood
Household Items
Making a Pond & Fish Farming
The All-purpose Furnace
Becoming a Self-supporter
Glossary
Index
Resources
About the Authors
