Finally, having access to homegrown produce eliminates time spent shopping for groceries at the store or farmer’s market. Sustainable Living: Minimising Waste

In this work, he shared tons of great ideas for a home garden, home economics, and inspiration from people who are truly living simple and good lives. He offers views on how we can make a better world. Mostly though, this is a very accessible account of how to be a homesteader and love and care for your land. Root Cellaring by Mike and Nancy Bubel ~ Thought its specifically about root cellaring, whether in an actual root cellar or just creating a root cellar like space in your home or apartment, this is an excellent guide for how to store produce in general. Self-sufficiency involves more than just financial independence or growing your own food; lessons in financial literacy, resourcefulness, problem-solving and creativity must be instilled in children to help them build a strong foundation for success. Wind turbines capture the kinetic energy from wind and convert it into usable electricity that can be stored in batteries or fed directly into an electrical grid.Just consider the device you are reading this article on, there is no way you could build it yourself, and the cost of the internet (either data or WiFi) is an ongoing cost that will need to be paid for and, in most cases, can’t be bartered for. Self-Sufficiency The Homesteading Way The Razor Edge Book of Sharpening by John Juranitch ~ If you don’t think the art of knife sharpening needs a whole book, then you’re probably doing it wrong. This is everything you need to know about the topic, and it’s well written. Like Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, this is one of those books I re-visit annually to push myself to try new things and appreciate our alternative lifestyle even more. I don’t think any homesteading bookshelf is complete without this little gem within fingers reach whenever you need it.

The River Cottage Curing and Smoking Handbook ~ A great beginners guide full of simple, easy to follow recipes. The main difference is that self-sufficient people are more likely to grow their own food, raise their animals and provide for themselves in a more hands-on manner. In contrast, people who are aiming to be self-reliant are more likely to rely on their own knowledge to get them through tough times.

If you want to read a fascinating story about two “makers” opting out of consumer culture and creating a new kind of wealth with waste, this is the book for you. Not only is it totally beautiful with lots of drawings and inspirational ideas, but it can help you change the way you think about what you have to buy. Energy self-sufficiency is a term used to describe the ability of an individual or community to sustain itself with energy resources. It refers to the capacity to produce enough energy from renewable sources, such as solar, wind and water power, to meet all its needs without relying on external sources. It also helps us understand which areas of the world are most vulnerable regarding essential goods or service shortages. While the world has been growing increasingly more connected through trade, we still have many countries that are self-sufficient in their own personal resources. The Do-able Off Grid Homesteadby Sharon Stronger ~ Sharon lives in a 100% hand built off grid homestead in Texas, and her family has done everything from the ground up on a tight budget. If you don’t have a lot to spend, you really want to read this one before trying to go off grid. Sourdough School by Vanessa Kimbell ~ A great beginners guide to working with sourdough. The books above are all yeast based breads, and this one is all sourdough.

Preserving with Pomona’s Pectin ~ A specific guide to working with pomonas “low sugar or no sugar” pectin. A great resource if you’re avoiding processed sugar.The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It (2003). London: Dorling Kindersley. (with Will Sutherland) Budgeting is equally as important; creating a budget helps individuals determine exactly where their income goes each month, so they know how much they are able to save. What Is Energy Self-Sufficiency? Homesteaders rely on their skills, knowledge, and the environment around them to provide for all their needs. This means growing food, raising animals, preserving and storing resources, and building structures without relying on outside sources. If living off-grid in a self-built cabin, growing 90% of your own food, and living 100% off of rainwater is your thing (a la Doug and Stacy vibes), then great; you’re your own version of self-sufficient. If all you have room for is a tomato plant on the windowsill of your 6th-floor city flat, congratulations! You’re what’s known as ‘self-sufficientish’! How Do You Measure Self-sufficiency?