Epic Homesteading: Your Guide to Self-Sufficiency on a Modern, High-Tech, Backyard Homestead

by Kevin Espiritu

Followed by millions @epicgardening, Author Kevin Espiritu has built a modern, high-tech homestead on a modest urban lot. In Epic Homesteading , he teaches you how to do the same, wherever you live.

As Kevin has proven—thanks to his enthusiasm and willingness to experiment—there’s no need to go “back to the land,” live off-grid, and leave behind modern conveniences to improve your self-sufficiency and autonomy . Anyone can do it.

Follow in Kevin’s footsteps with this accessible, beginner-friendly guide to embracing today’s technology to grow and preserve food, raise mini livestock like bees and chickens, set up automated systems like irrigation and greywater recycling, and so much more.

The high-tech homesteading concepts and projects introduced in Epic Homesteading show you that, wherever you are in the world—city, country, or suburbia—homesteading is for YOU!

Learn how
 
Plus, you’ll find large and small step-by-step DIY projects to power-up your homestead quickly. As an added bonus, Kevin also shares advice on more complex subjects, such as investigating local zoning regulations and permitting requirements, staying organized, understanding your limitations, and designing your homestead for efficiency and beauty.

Learn how to make an epic homestead of your own and, as Kevin likes to say, “Keep on Growing!”

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Food, Cooking

224 pages, Paperback

Published January 9, 2024

About the author

Kevin Espiritu is the founder of Epic Gardening, a multi-platform online gardening education company. His mission is to teach 100,000,000+ people around the world how to grow their own food at home.

Reviews

[Emma Sotomayor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Epic Homesteading offers a fresh perspective on self-sufficient living, as Espiritu examines how one might homestead in a urban setting. He covers most of the basics, such as growing vegetables and fruits, irrigation, chickens, and preservation. This book offers a lot of helpful, practical advice and an openness and knowledge of technology on the homestead.

While I didn't think I would care for this book, as urban homesteading isn't really my cup of tea, I actually found it very refreshing. Espiritu takes a very scientific outlook to homesteading. He has a lot of very handy diagrams and charts and gives specific instructions for different systems in irrigation or beekeeping. I also appreciated the very non-judgmental tone to this book. The author offers a lot of grace to first-time homesteaders, reminding the reader to start small and recognize that you don't have to do everything—tackle what you can manage. Overall, a very encouraging book for homesteading!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great, accessible guide for aspiring backyard urban/suburban "homesteaders" (or just those who are looking for more ways to be self-reliant). Espiritu has done a ton of projects in his own yard, everything from garden beds to rainwater cisterns to solar panels, and he walks you through it in an easy-to-understand way. Tons of pictures, helpful hints and tips, and lots of inspiration.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’ve followed the YouTube channel, you don’t necessarily need to read this book. It’s basically a highlight of all that Kevin has done to his property in San Diego. It lacks the humor you will find on his social media, so I like his videos better than this book. But a newbie would find it interesting, all the gadgets you can bring to gardening. It looks remarkably expensive.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Epic Homesteading is an accessible and well written guide to increasing self sufficiency in the backyard where-we-are-now written and curated by Kevin Espiritu. Due out 9th Jan 2024 from Quarto on their Cool Springs Press imprint, it's 224 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

The author is experienced and well-versed with different gardening sites and their challenges and offers readers creative solutions to limits in space and budget which affect nearly all of us. He has a positive and upbeat style of writing with a lot of encouragement and a you-can-do-it motivational style.

Food scarcity, rising costs, quality & selection, supply line disruption, and resource security are ever-present issues, and they're not likely to get better anytime soon. Decades ago, self-sufficiency was mostly the purview of the very rural areas as well as some isolationist "doomsday" fringe philosophies. That has happily changed, and now there are creative solutions to improve outcomes even for suburban micro-homesteaders who wish to increase their garden efficiency and self-sufficiency in their own daily lives.

The book has a logical layout, information is arranged thematically in chapters: site selection, outdoor food growing, indoor food growing, orchard, composting (a solid and useful chapter), energy systems, water conservation, mini-livestock, and food preservation & storage.

It's well photographed throughout, in color. Tutorials are explained clearly and simply, in understandable language which can be understood by laypeople. Each tutorial includes tools and supplies in a sidebar bullet list, followed by step by step instructions. The photographs are clear and understandable. This -is- a guide from Epic Gardening, and as such, the supplies pictured and used in the tutorials are their brand name products. It's not heavy handed, but it is present. Readers can (and should) use their own available supplies.

Four stars. Well written and usable. It would be a good choice for the urban gardener, homesteader, self-sufficiency interested folks, as well as public or school library acquisition.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like to watch YouTube videos about gardening, you've probably run into the Epic Gardening channel where Kevin Espiritu shows you how to grow your own food, raise your own chickens, etc. This book is a companion to that programming with information on how to collect rainwater, compost and live a self-sufficient lifestyle.

Most people aren't trying to go completely off grid, but Epic Gardening shows you how to embrace the roots of your pioneer ancestors and detach a bit from the commercial supply chain.

Recommended.

[Karen C · Rating 5 out of 5]

With every page, I could hear Kevin’s voice in my head as I read. Great and truly accesible read if you live in an apartment, in a house with little property in a city (like I do), or have lots of acreage. Kevin’s newest book has lots of ideas from his own homestead in CA that can be replicated or modified to fit your needs. I can’t wait to get started on some new projects for 2024! Thanks Kevin (and to Jacques and the rest of the team)!

[Mandie]

I already followed Kevin on Instagram for many years when I read this book of his, so it seemed to me to be very much “this is how I made MY homestead,” more than a guide to homesteading for someone attempting it. Very friendly and conversational, but didn’t deep dive into many of the ways that things could be done.

That being said, it was still an enjoyable enough read and I may recommend it to people just beyond true beginners.

[Rhode PVD · Rating 2 out of 5]

A nicely illustrated oversized paperback that is trying to cover way too much ground. It’s only got 213 pages and they are not exactly crammed with text, but this claims to educate you in everything from orchard care to beekeeping.

It’s a light, friendly overview that may appeal to rank novices, but you’ll need way more info to actually take action on anything in this book.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great guide on homesteading! Anyone who follows Epic Gardening knows how passionate Kevin is about sharing his knowledge, and it comes across in every page. I love the QR codes that link to related videos, too. Great to have around as a reference!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Pam Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the Epic Gardening YouTube channel about a year ago. When I learned Kevin had published this book, I new I wanted to grab a copy to add to my collection of gardening books. I appreciate the way Kevin expands the definition of homesteading to include those of us who live in neighborhoods. Kevin grows a lot of food on his .3 acres and this book has inspired me to do more with my yard.

[Alix St Amant · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are very new to the concept of homesteading, or brand new to gardening, then this is probably a great book for you. If you know anything beyond the most basic fundamentals, then there are better books to spend your time with. It’s not what I’d consider a reference book, so if you can find it for free:at a library, even better.

[Jennifer Hazen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epic Homesteading isn’t meant to be read in one setting. Instead, it should be referred to while implementing the ideas it contains…and it is chock full of ideas! Everything you need to know about homesteading, or just gardening, can be found in this book. Included are detailed photos.

[Bobbi Galvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

You won't need another book if you are going to start to be self sufficient. While it's more than I can do, there are great tips from panting, to harvesting, to preserving. Plants, animals, electricity sources...it has it all.

[Maxwell Bean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good summary of how to homestead

[Dirty Dayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think it's great. I wish it was more like his tiktoks but If you go page by page you top can have an epic garden. I need to do better this year in planting and preserving but it was my first time and I did it watching him

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is great for someone looking to up their homestead game. There's a variety of sources of different areas to pick from. I wouldn't say this is comprehensive but the information provided mixed with helpful hints and beautiful photography it's a great idea generator for your own homesteading space.