What do you think?
Rate this book
Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life
"Point is, it feels good to get dirty, work hard, and slow down."
In a world of mass-produced food, factory-stitched clothing, 300-channel cable television, and computer-centric desk jobs, it's easy to overlook the simple pleasures of eating homegrown vegetables, raising animals naturally and humanely, wearing hand-sewn clothing, or simply enjoying an evening of unplugged entertainment.
Inspired by her growing admiration for small farmers and her equally strong distaste for out-of-control consumerism, Jenna Woginrich decided to take great control of her life - what she ate, what she wore, and how she spent her free time. Learn a few basic country skills, she reasoned, and she would be able to produce at least some of the food and resources she used every day.
Goodbye, fast food and Wonder Bread; hello, homesteading. With enthusiasm and joy for the tasks at hand, Woginrich embarked on a journey that has been sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking and always soul satisfying.
From the fulfilling work of planting a garden and installing honeybees, to the bliss of gathering fresh eggs for an omelet or playing an old-time ballad on the fiddle, Made from Scratch shares the honest satisfaction of doing for oneself, and brings the reader to a deep appreciation for the value of simple skills performed well.
184 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
94 people are currently reading
3134 people want to read
About the author
Jenna Woginrich
12 books130 followersFormer urbanite, future shepherdess and current farm writer — Jenna Woginrich has big plans. Plans that include living a more self-sufficient life with dogs at her side and wi-fi in the barn. She drives an orange pickup and shares her Vermont cabin and gardens with working sled dogs, a small flock of sheep, a hilarious goat, a flock of gregarious chickens, two awkward geese, wooly angora rabbits, and a hive of bees. She's also the author of Cold Antler Farm, a blog about her life as a beginner homesteader and several books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 479 reviews
March 14, 2010
Mere nostalgia for a so-called “simpler time” is not enough reason for me to do anything; I have to know there is some modern benefit, something to justify its practice in the here and now. The author of Made From Scratch does an excellent job not only convincing me of this, but stoking my excitement for it.
Of 11 chapters, I loved 6:
Chickens. Eggs aren’t that expensive -they might be some of the cheapest sources of protein available- so why raise your own chickens? First, by doing so you’ll know exactly how they’ve been treated instead of wondering by what loophole “free range” came to be stamped on the egg cartons at the grocery store. Second, fresh eggs (Cook’s Illustrated and a number of other authorities assert) really do taste better. Third, getting eggs out of your own backyard is a nice way to bypass the whole contrived “eat organic vs. eat local” debate. Fourth, chickens will eat the slugs and other pests harassing your vegetable and herb garden (also a boon for the garden: chicken waste, which contains much-needed nitrogen for the compost heap). The one glitch seems to be getting your hands on chickens humanely. She gets chickens through the mail, first two-day-old chicks who arrive in a box “parched and starved” and later pullets (chickens just a few weeks away from laying their first eggs) who arrive with clipped beaks.
Grow Your Own Meal. The food at the grocery store is a mystery. You don’t know how it was grown, how far it was trucked, how long ago it was picked, who picked it, or what they were paid. It’s coated in wax and dyes. It’s oversized, dry, and flavorless. It’s grown for shelf life rather than taste. Not only does growing your own food cut all that out of the equation, it gives your kitchen scraps new purpose as compost.
Beekeeping. Honey! Wax! Support for the garden’s ecosystem! Too bad I'm probably actually too afraid to try this one.
Old Stuff. “There are a lot of really good reasons I run to the past when I need something as utilitarian as a cheese grater: things were made better, looked prettier, and lasted longer before plastic took over. Buying from a neighborhood secondhand shop helps support the local economy and is a kind of recycling.” -p. 78
DIY Wardrobe. There are two things that excite me about this chapter. First is simply the fact that I hate shopping for clothes; 10 minutes in a dressing room and I seriously ponder following the example of the woman who made a single brown dress and wore it for a year. My body type (like anyone else’s) only seems to be “in style” once a decade, if that. Things don’t look on me the way they look on the hanger/mannequin. I know I’m not the only one to have a great skirt hanging in the back of the closet for lack of the right shirt to go with it. I can’t count on living to see the type of clothes I like (1930’s, 1940’s) being manufactured ever. Second is just enthusiasm for the idea that it is possible to REALLY make stuff with my own hands. “Most of us never even consider that something like a pair of jeans could actually be made without an assembly line behind it.” -p. 90 It seems widely regarded that any homemade item is sure to be inferior, unsafe, or even flat out impossible. I think this is reinforced by “craft” stores like Michael’s where to make paper, soap, candles, or chocolate you must first buy ... paper, soap, wax, and chocolate, merely shredding or melting it down and bringing it back together in a new shape. Even as a kid I thought that was pretty lame -and quite the letdown for someone high on reading Anne of Green Gables and the Laura Ingers Wilder books.
Research, Son. Seventeen pages of memoirs, how-to books, and websites that pertain to the topics discussed in the book.
The other five chapters are: The Country Kitchen, Working House Dogs, Angora Rabbits: Portable Livestock, Homemade Mountain Music, Outside The Farm, and Want More? (I especially wanted more out of The Country Kitchen chapter; it's kind of just lifestyle porn regarding hand-ground coffee beans and home made bread. Maybe an attempt at cheese-making gone awry?)
Whether your interest in the DIY scene began with knitting a scarf and now you're looking for more, you crave the comfort of control that only self-sufficiency can provide in turbulent times, or you feel like there is nothing to do with your free time anymore but shop, this book is worth a look.
And definitely check out her blog: http://coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com/
------------------------------------------
I would give the book five stars but for two things: 1. the occasional cliche-riddled description of rich, authentic, simple, soul-satisfying farm life that reads like it was lifted off a Cracker Barrel billboard. 2. there's a bit of a disconnect between the preface and the rest of the book. In the preface, she stresses that you don't need a barn or a border collie or to live someplace where "reckon" is part of the local vernacular to embrace simplicity and self-sufficiency. She says that kind of prerequisite excludes a lot of people and that she does many of the things archetypal homesteaders do and she doesn't even have a backyard. So after that opening, I'm not sure why the rest of the book takes place on Idaho farms with plodding cows and perfect sunsets or why she adopted a writing style that dumps copious amounts of "heck" and "folks" all over everything.*
*When I read this book in December 2008, though I enjoyed it, I was mildly disappointed that it was not (I thought) as useful to my situation as the preface had led me to believe. But six months later, as I've returned to this topic and started reading more about gardening, beekeeping, and chicken raising, I am amazed at how much I recognize, how much I already know that I didn't even realize I knew -about raised beds, queen bees, pullets- all from reading her stories. And I think a lot of that comes because she chose to share her difficulties and failures (by far the best parts of the book). As Michael Pollan says in Second Nature "...his failures have more to say to him -about his soil, the weather, the predilections of local pests, the character of his land. The gardener learns nothing when his carrots thrive, unless that success is won against a background of prior disappointment. Outright success is dumb, disaster frequently eloquent." (p. 121)
Two more things she said that have come back again and again:
1. Homesteading is about small steps. Be happy with what you can do today. This helps me not spoil my own excitement over everything I'm growing on my balcony with wishing I could fit a clothesline, rain barrel, composter, solar panel, mini-windmill, three chickens, and a pygmy goat, too.
2. Have a mentor. Reading is useful of course and a reference library will earn its shelf space, but also having someone from whom to learn is invaluable; they can show you with their hands when the book's diagrams aren't yielding their secrets and answer questions omitted by the index. I should've figured this out from giving up on both sewing and knitting after trying to learn solely from books, but it took her saying as much to get me moving on at least finding sewing and gardening classes. For canning, I may try finding someone through craigslist.
Of 11 chapters, I loved 6:
Chickens. Eggs aren’t that expensive -they might be some of the cheapest sources of protein available- so why raise your own chickens? First, by doing so you’ll know exactly how they’ve been treated instead of wondering by what loophole “free range” came to be stamped on the egg cartons at the grocery store. Second, fresh eggs (Cook’s Illustrated and a number of other authorities assert) really do taste better. Third, getting eggs out of your own backyard is a nice way to bypass the whole contrived “eat organic vs. eat local” debate. Fourth, chickens will eat the slugs and other pests harassing your vegetable and herb garden (also a boon for the garden: chicken waste, which contains much-needed nitrogen for the compost heap). The one glitch seems to be getting your hands on chickens humanely. She gets chickens through the mail, first two-day-old chicks who arrive in a box “parched and starved” and later pullets (chickens just a few weeks away from laying their first eggs) who arrive with clipped beaks.
Grow Your Own Meal. The food at the grocery store is a mystery. You don’t know how it was grown, how far it was trucked, how long ago it was picked, who picked it, or what they were paid. It’s coated in wax and dyes. It’s oversized, dry, and flavorless. It’s grown for shelf life rather than taste. Not only does growing your own food cut all that out of the equation, it gives your kitchen scraps new purpose as compost.
Beekeeping. Honey! Wax! Support for the garden’s ecosystem! Too bad I'm probably actually too afraid to try this one.
Old Stuff. “There are a lot of really good reasons I run to the past when I need something as utilitarian as a cheese grater: things were made better, looked prettier, and lasted longer before plastic took over. Buying from a neighborhood secondhand shop helps support the local economy and is a kind of recycling.” -p. 78
DIY Wardrobe. There are two things that excite me about this chapter. First is simply the fact that I hate shopping for clothes; 10 minutes in a dressing room and I seriously ponder following the example of the woman who made a single brown dress and wore it for a year. My body type (like anyone else’s) only seems to be “in style” once a decade, if that. Things don’t look on me the way they look on the hanger/mannequin. I know I’m not the only one to have a great skirt hanging in the back of the closet for lack of the right shirt to go with it. I can’t count on living to see the type of clothes I like (1930’s, 1940’s) being manufactured ever. Second is just enthusiasm for the idea that it is possible to REALLY make stuff with my own hands. “Most of us never even consider that something like a pair of jeans could actually be made without an assembly line behind it.” -p. 90 It seems widely regarded that any homemade item is sure to be inferior, unsafe, or even flat out impossible. I think this is reinforced by “craft” stores like Michael’s where to make paper, soap, candles, or chocolate you must first buy ... paper, soap, wax, and chocolate, merely shredding or melting it down and bringing it back together in a new shape. Even as a kid I thought that was pretty lame -and quite the letdown for someone high on reading Anne of Green Gables and the Laura Ingers Wilder books.
Research, Son. Seventeen pages of memoirs, how-to books, and websites that pertain to the topics discussed in the book.
The other five chapters are: The Country Kitchen, Working House Dogs, Angora Rabbits: Portable Livestock, Homemade Mountain Music, Outside The Farm, and Want More? (I especially wanted more out of The Country Kitchen chapter; it's kind of just lifestyle porn regarding hand-ground coffee beans and home made bread. Maybe an attempt at cheese-making gone awry?)
Whether your interest in the DIY scene began with knitting a scarf and now you're looking for more, you crave the comfort of control that only self-sufficiency can provide in turbulent times, or you feel like there is nothing to do with your free time anymore but shop, this book is worth a look.
And definitely check out her blog: http://coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com/
------------------------------------------
I would give the book five stars but for two things: 1. the occasional cliche-riddled description of rich, authentic, simple, soul-satisfying farm life that reads like it was lifted off a Cracker Barrel billboard. 2. there's a bit of a disconnect between the preface and the rest of the book. In the preface, she stresses that you don't need a barn or a border collie or to live someplace where "reckon" is part of the local vernacular to embrace simplicity and self-sufficiency. She says that kind of prerequisite excludes a lot of people and that she does many of the things archetypal homesteaders do and she doesn't even have a backyard. So after that opening, I'm not sure why the rest of the book takes place on Idaho farms with plodding cows and perfect sunsets or why she adopted a writing style that dumps copious amounts of "heck" and "folks" all over everything.*
*When I read this book in December 2008, though I enjoyed it, I was mildly disappointed that it was not (I thought) as useful to my situation as the preface had led me to believe. But six months later, as I've returned to this topic and started reading more about gardening, beekeeping, and chicken raising, I am amazed at how much I recognize, how much I already know that I didn't even realize I knew -about raised beds, queen bees, pullets- all from reading her stories. And I think a lot of that comes because she chose to share her difficulties and failures (by far the best parts of the book). As Michael Pollan says in Second Nature "...his failures have more to say to him -about his soil, the weather, the predilections of local pests, the character of his land. The gardener learns nothing when his carrots thrive, unless that success is won against a background of prior disappointment. Outright success is dumb, disaster frequently eloquent." (p. 121)
Two more things she said that have come back again and again:
1. Homesteading is about small steps. Be happy with what you can do today. This helps me not spoil my own excitement over everything I'm growing on my balcony with wishing I could fit a clothesline, rain barrel, composter, solar panel, mini-windmill, three chickens, and a pygmy goat, too.
2. Have a mentor. Reading is useful of course and a reference library will earn its shelf space, but also having someone from whom to learn is invaluable; they can show you with their hands when the book's diagrams aren't yielding their secrets and answer questions omitted by the index. I should've figured this out from giving up on both sewing and knitting after trying to learn solely from books, but it took her saying as much to get me moving on at least finding sewing and gardening classes. For canning, I may try finding someone through craigslist.
November 23, 2010
Pathologically self-absorbed, undeservedly self-congratulating-- especially given her apparent special talent for neglecting animals to death-- and overwhelmingly under-helpful.
"Me. Memememememe, me!" x 184 pages = Made From Scratch by Jenna Woginrich
An open letter to the author:
Dear Jenna Woginrich,
I hate to inform you of this, but "pioneers" did not send animal hair to online retailers for processing into yarn, nor did they have laptops for ordering, well, anything at all. Especially considering that you are in an economic class which allows you to buy everything you could ever need and would therefore have no fear of shortfall, as well as you are a mere 20-minute bicycle ride away from the fallback of urban life (but you drive a guzzler of an automobile anyways to cut that commute in half)-- by thus retaining the confidence known only to those who are aware that there is no real risk or even commitment involved in their endeavours, I felt it was incumbent upon me to inform you that what you are doing is not special, but rather something more akin to weekend getaway'ing for the General Foods International Coffee set, so that you may please get off yourself.
Signed,
A reader probably just jealous because you have the luxury to fake it while my desire to do it for real shall go forever unsatisfied, despite my obviously superior breadmaking skillz
P.S. Carry your own damn groceries and leave your dogs out of it. Damn, you're only one person and you have a garden, wtf all do you need that you can't tote it yourself? to your CAR?! what the hell?
"Me. Memememememe, me!" x 184 pages = Made From Scratch by Jenna Woginrich
An open letter to the author:
Dear Jenna Woginrich,
I hate to inform you of this, but "pioneers" did not send animal hair to online retailers for processing into yarn, nor did they have laptops for ordering, well, anything at all. Especially considering that you are in an economic class which allows you to buy everything you could ever need and would therefore have no fear of shortfall, as well as you are a mere 20-minute bicycle ride away from the fallback of urban life (but you drive a guzzler of an automobile anyways to cut that commute in half)-- by thus retaining the confidence known only to those who are aware that there is no real risk or even commitment involved in their endeavours, I felt it was incumbent upon me to inform you that what you are doing is not special, but rather something more akin to weekend getaway'ing for the General Foods International Coffee set, so that you may please get off yourself.
Signed,
A reader probably just jealous because you have the luxury to fake it while my desire to do it for real shall go forever unsatisfied, despite my obviously superior breadmaking skillz
P.S. Carry your own damn groceries and leave your dogs out of it. Damn, you're only one person and you have a garden, wtf all do you need that you can't tote it yourself? to your CAR?! what the hell?
May 19, 2010
After an amusing, promising start, this devolves into disorganized rambling about a variety of disconnected and increasingly ridiculous DIY projects, none of which seemed to be done particularly well. The author gets excited about but then fails at chickens, bees, and sewing, shares a recipe for basic (boring) white bread, and then goes on pointlessly about her antique cheese grater ... blah blah blah, who cares?
I skimmed a bit, and then I gave up entirely. I could really care less about training dogs to "pack" (and I love dogs!). Gimme a break.
The book tries to be a helpful how-to, but it's just not that helpful, and a memoir, but it's not well-written enough to pull that off, either.
An example of the DIY movement turned gimmicky, bloggy (and I love blogs!), and way too trendy for its own good.
Plus, it's chock-full of romanticized visions of "pioneers" and "homesteading" which are just patently ridiculous, forget historically accurate.
I skimmed a bit, and then I gave up entirely. I could really care less about training dogs to "pack" (and I love dogs!). Gimme a break.
The book tries to be a helpful how-to, but it's just not that helpful, and a memoir, but it's not well-written enough to pull that off, either.
An example of the DIY movement turned gimmicky, bloggy (and I love blogs!), and way too trendy for its own good.
Plus, it's chock-full of romanticized visions of "pioneers" and "homesteading" which are just patently ridiculous, forget historically accurate.
March 9, 2009
"Plenty of people in suburbs and sublets all over the country are replacing their pansies with peas and putting up henhouses where the doghouses used to be. Knitters are casting on in subways, and homebrewed wine is fermenting in your neighbor's basement. A revolution is self-sufficiency is riding the L train, and we saved you a seat."
What begins with this sage observation continues to offer enough information to inspire and humor to educate. Yes, that's what I meant. The information and resources give better than a taste, and beckon more research. The humor results in part from her mistakes which heart-wrenchingly teach the reader valuable lessons.
Organized well, engagingly told, and bravely honest (most of her animal experiences involved death). The author's youth and naivete are not a hindrance, but rather reassuring: if she can do it, so can I.
Loved it. I've sent off for beekeeping and chicken catalogs, and it's time to get out my seeds and put a few in the kitchen window.
What begins with this sage observation continues to offer enough information to inspire and humor to educate. Yes, that's what I meant. The information and resources give better than a taste, and beckon more research. The humor results in part from her mistakes which heart-wrenchingly teach the reader valuable lessons.
Organized well, engagingly told, and bravely honest (most of her animal experiences involved death). The author's youth and naivete are not a hindrance, but rather reassuring: if she can do it, so can I.
Loved it. I've sent off for beekeeping and chicken catalogs, and it's time to get out my seeds and put a few in the kitchen window.
October 27, 2009
Read this book if you check three more of the following:
__You want to raise hens and lay awake at night imagining how good their eggs will taste.
__You have untapped desires for shopping antique malls and acquiring old things.
__You are jealous of fancy-pants farmers who spend all day in their gardens and all winter spinning wool from sheep, but work a 40 hr. a week job.
__Reading about a flopped bee hive in this woman's backyard sounds interesting to you.
__You want to live simply, so you learn how to sew your own pajama pants which takes longer and costs more than buying a new pair of pajama pants, but it still seems simple because in the end, you're wearing pajama pants that you made yourself.
Okay. I think you get the idea. I really liked the book b/c I have such a strong drive to homestead and I'm stuck in a rental duplex and not on a real farm. But the book made me realize there are plenty of little things I can do to homestead in my little apartment and in my little square of yard.
__You want to raise hens and lay awake at night imagining how good their eggs will taste.
__You have untapped desires for shopping antique malls and acquiring old things.
__You are jealous of fancy-pants farmers who spend all day in their gardens and all winter spinning wool from sheep, but work a 40 hr. a week job.
__Reading about a flopped bee hive in this woman's backyard sounds interesting to you.
__You want to live simply, so you learn how to sew your own pajama pants which takes longer and costs more than buying a new pair of pajama pants, but it still seems simple because in the end, you're wearing pajama pants that you made yourself.
Okay. I think you get the idea. I really liked the book b/c I have such a strong drive to homestead and I'm stuck in a rental duplex and not on a real farm. But the book made me realize there are plenty of little things I can do to homestead in my little apartment and in my little square of yard.
July 27, 2008
I know the feeling of making something yourself. Woginrich really takes it to a new level in that she not only knits and spins (like I do) she also raised hens, kept bees, and taught herself how to play both the mountain dulcimer and fiddle. While this book is essentially a shallow primer of all her accomplishments, it really provides an interested reader the highlights (and lowlights) of each task she took on.
I enjoyed the lighthearted take on everything and the book did make me want to try a few new things (beekeeping anyone?). This is one woman I'd love to sit and have a cup of coffee with.
I enjoyed the lighthearted take on everything and the book did make me want to try a few new things (beekeeping anyone?). This is one woman I'd love to sit and have a cup of coffee with.
April 5, 2010
This book is just a hodge podge. Idaho graphic designer is inspired by friend Diane's family farm 20 miles down the road and attempts to emulate the self-sufficient lifestyle. I suspect this is a blog turned into a book and it should have stayed a blog. The author is expert in nothing yet ends each chapter with how-tos.
I was mildly entertained in the beginning with the chickens (first batch killed when the chicks are left too close to her dogs), the garden, and the bees (first hive killed off because she forgets to unbox the queen and second hive killed off one weekend when she was away by a bear attack - never got any honey but offers tips on honey extraction). The I just was bored and skimmed through the rest. She learns how to make a loaf of bread!! Wants to make clothes yet can't get beyond drawstring pants!! Turns her dogs into a huskie team!! (?!!!) Decides to raise rabbits for angora wool!! (Unless you have a real 1980s fetish, how many furry sweaters does anyone need?) Decides to learn to play the old time fiddle!! (Full discloser - I hate old time country music so I'm predisposed to think this is an awful idea). She's not a good enough writer to make any of this interesting.
While I applaud her attempts to try to be more self-sufficient, I don't think those attempts are book worthy.
I was mildly entertained in the beginning with the chickens (first batch killed when the chicks are left too close to her dogs), the garden, and the bees (first hive killed off because she forgets to unbox the queen and second hive killed off one weekend when she was away by a bear attack - never got any honey but offers tips on honey extraction). The I just was bored and skimmed through the rest. She learns how to make a loaf of bread!! Wants to make clothes yet can't get beyond drawstring pants!! Turns her dogs into a huskie team!! (?!!!) Decides to raise rabbits for angora wool!! (Unless you have a real 1980s fetish, how many furry sweaters does anyone need?) Decides to learn to play the old time fiddle!! (Full discloser - I hate old time country music so I'm predisposed to think this is an awful idea). She's not a good enough writer to make any of this interesting.
While I applaud her attempts to try to be more self-sufficient, I don't think those attempts are book worthy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2008
THIS is what I wanted from the last book on homesteading / hobby farming that I read. Interspersed among the little anecdotes about homesteading is solid advice about raising chickens, planting a garden, cooking from scratch, and more. I thought the dogsledding/packdog section seemed a bit strange for inclusion, but the other topics were just what I wanted to find. This will definitely be taking a spot on my reference shelf, and I'll be heading to the library to check out some of the other books she listed in the reference section.
May 19, 2021
How many of us really know how does our food reaches our plates? We don't know it beyond your local grocery store or Amazon, right? This, coupled with a few more reasons, prompted Jenna to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle-- one that's all about being more responsible for the tasks we’ve become numb to. In her own words-- "We expect food to be waiting at markets and entertainment to be a few buttons away. When you start producing your own food, even the simplest plot of potatoes, your life regains some of the authenticity we’ve all forgotten about. When you sit back against a tree with a mandolin on your lap instead of lying on the couch with three hundred channels of instantly recordable distraction, you gain a little more from your downtime."
.
In 'Made from Scratch', Jenna takes us with her on a journey to her homesteader lifestyle. Part memoir, part 'how-to', she has combined her experiments, her failures with lively, humorous storytelling. There are stories of her adventures with bee-keeping, and her misadventures with rearing rabbits. This book is most appropriate for beginners who want to know what's it like to be a farmer. She also has dedicated chapters about reusing/recycling, buying antique things, sewing her own clothes, and making her own food (from farm to plate). Although not all her experiences are universal (she had a rented farm in Idaho, USA), but her stories are personal, honest and show her vulnerable side.
.
Even if you're not an aspiring farmer/homesteader, I would highly recommend you to pick this book and understand what goes behind creating things from scratch. It's addictive, rewarding, and fulfilling. There's no match to the feeling you get when you drive pleasure out of the simplest of things, live sustainably, and befriend nature.
Leaving you with a quote from Jenna- "The work in this book isn’t about playing farmer, it’s about being more responsible for the tasks we’ve become numb to.”
.
In 'Made from Scratch', Jenna takes us with her on a journey to her homesteader lifestyle. Part memoir, part 'how-to', she has combined her experiments, her failures with lively, humorous storytelling. There are stories of her adventures with bee-keeping, and her misadventures with rearing rabbits. This book is most appropriate for beginners who want to know what's it like to be a farmer. She also has dedicated chapters about reusing/recycling, buying antique things, sewing her own clothes, and making her own food (from farm to plate). Although not all her experiences are universal (she had a rented farm in Idaho, USA), but her stories are personal, honest and show her vulnerable side.
.
Even if you're not an aspiring farmer/homesteader, I would highly recommend you to pick this book and understand what goes behind creating things from scratch. It's addictive, rewarding, and fulfilling. There's no match to the feeling you get when you drive pleasure out of the simplest of things, live sustainably, and befriend nature.
Leaving you with a quote from Jenna- "The work in this book isn’t about playing farmer, it’s about being more responsible for the tasks we’ve become numb to.”
December 29, 2008
About the most I can say for this book is that her enthusiasm for the subject was fairly infectious. Definitely made me excited for the sort of projects/ideas she was presenting. However, most of the projects unfortunately can't really be done if you live in a true urban setting (read: condo with no back yard). Other than her enthusiasm for growing her own food, raising chickens, bees, and rabbits, about the only thing I got from the book was that you should be prepared for these things to be difficult- or at least more difficult than your idealized picture would suggest.
She started the book by poking fun of the idealized version of someone living more in tune with nature. (Picture: cabin, woods, oil lanterns) However, she then proceeded to simply update the idealized notions of how that should be done herself.
Not a bad book, really, just not nearly as useful as I thought it would be.
She started the book by poking fun of the idealized version of someone living more in tune with nature. (Picture: cabin, woods, oil lanterns) However, she then proceeded to simply update the idealized notions of how that should be done herself.
Not a bad book, really, just not nearly as useful as I thought it would be.
Read
April 7, 2020You know those books that feel like you're settling deep-down into a big, cozy couch in a nice, warm living room strewn with quilts? (If not, just go with me here anyway.)
This is one of those books, guys.
After turning the last page, I found myself wanting to bake homemade bread more than I ever have in my whole entire life; to start making plans to grow a salad garden of my very own; to embrace the beauty of thrifted kitchenware; and also, to high five the author.
This is just good-old-fashioned GOOD, and the storytelling is beautiful. A fabulous celebration of embracing the simple life, getting back in touch with self sufficiency, and the beauty of digging in deep to the ideas you're passionate about.
& now if you'll excuse me, I have a dire need to bake some bread.
This is one of those books, guys.
After turning the last page, I found myself wanting to bake homemade bread more than I ever have in my whole entire life; to start making plans to grow a salad garden of my very own; to embrace the beauty of thrifted kitchenware; and also, to high five the author.
This is just good-old-fashioned GOOD, and the storytelling is beautiful. A fabulous celebration of embracing the simple life, getting back in touch with self sufficiency, and the beauty of digging in deep to the ideas you're passionate about.
& now if you'll excuse me, I have a dire need to bake some bread.
March 3, 2009
oh, how i longed for this book to be more. while i guess it's interesting to hear tiny stories from a person's experiences with "homesteading," i was really hoping for some lengthy narratives and real advice/experiences from which to learn. this would have been much more compelling and useful if it was about twice as long/she focused on half as many topics with the same number of pages.
January 26, 2011
A wonderful mix of how-to and storytelling, this book is a testament to the simple pleasures in life. Cunningly split into several chapters, it encompasses many aspects of farm life as seen through the authors eyes and performed by her hands.
The first chapter, Chickens, is exactly that. From her own experiences with chickens, to a basic guide on caring for them, this encompasses all of what it means to have a small flock of chickens. I enjoyed the stories of her chickens and their antics, and the detail she put into describing some of the different breeds and the desciption of what a banty chicken is.
Next is Grow Your Own Meal, a small chapter on the joys and hardships of gardening. She gives great ideas for raised beds and tells of her own successes (and not so successful attempts) at gardening on a piece of land in Idaho.
Beekeeping is a very basic guide to beekeeping. If this is a hobby that interests you, I strongly recommend buying supplemental reading. However, it does detail the hardships of keeping bees and just where a beginner can go wrong. While Woginrich would eventually learn to care for them the proper way, she had a hard lesson in the first couple years of keeping bees.
The Country Kitchen held a wonderful collection of the joys of baking and the pleasure it gives to cook not only for yourself, but friends as well from scratch. It also includes a recipe for bread, butter, and excellent coffee (so the writer proclaims).
Old Stuff is a small chapter on antiquing and making the most out of your old finds. Instead of going just for the value, she shows how you can find old things that are still quite usable today. As an added bonus most don't even run on electricity, saving energy.
DIY Wardrobe is also a small chapter. While she talks about making clothes and how wonderful it is to create something unique, there is no real guide in how to do this.
Working House Dogs describes the use of dogs for carrying packs, pulling a cart, and of course, dog sleds. Full of detail, it is probably very helpful for those who want to do this. However, it is probably not practical for most people who will read this book.
Angora Rabbits:Portable Livestock mainly covers the author's trials with her rabbits rather than be a guide on how to keep and collect from these fiber animals. However, the knowledge of her enjoyment in these creatures is enough to keep reading.
One of the later chapters, Homemade Mountain Music, has a description of how she learned the Dulcimer, Guitar, and Banjo. She also tells where these skills can be learned and the best instruments for what the person would like to do.
Outside the Farm is a short bit on finding like-minded people in the community with who you can learn a new skill, or just have a good conversation. She also arranges it by type so if you're looking for a hiking buddy, or someone to knit with, it is easy to tell the difference.
The last parts of the book are Want More, and the research section. This section includes recipes, links to helpful websites, and a great listing of books for more reading in the homesteading arts.
While Made from Scratch does not go as in depth as most other homesteading books, it is perfect for inspiring a first timer, or maybe an old time homesteader who would like to learn a new skill. It also shows that you don't have to own a farm to do all these things. They can be done in the smallest apartment (some of them anyway).
I vastly enjoyed this book, but then I love all books of this genre. Even for people not ready to go full out into this type of homesteading, I highly recommend it just for small things. Bake that loaf of bread, stitch your own skirt, it doesn't have to be something large to be enjoyable.
Made From Scratch
Copyright 2008
184 pages
The first chapter, Chickens, is exactly that. From her own experiences with chickens, to a basic guide on caring for them, this encompasses all of what it means to have a small flock of chickens. I enjoyed the stories of her chickens and their antics, and the detail she put into describing some of the different breeds and the desciption of what a banty chicken is.
Next is Grow Your Own Meal, a small chapter on the joys and hardships of gardening. She gives great ideas for raised beds and tells of her own successes (and not so successful attempts) at gardening on a piece of land in Idaho.
Beekeeping is a very basic guide to beekeeping. If this is a hobby that interests you, I strongly recommend buying supplemental reading. However, it does detail the hardships of keeping bees and just where a beginner can go wrong. While Woginrich would eventually learn to care for them the proper way, she had a hard lesson in the first couple years of keeping bees.
The Country Kitchen held a wonderful collection of the joys of baking and the pleasure it gives to cook not only for yourself, but friends as well from scratch. It also includes a recipe for bread, butter, and excellent coffee (so the writer proclaims).
Old Stuff is a small chapter on antiquing and making the most out of your old finds. Instead of going just for the value, she shows how you can find old things that are still quite usable today. As an added bonus most don't even run on electricity, saving energy.
DIY Wardrobe is also a small chapter. While she talks about making clothes and how wonderful it is to create something unique, there is no real guide in how to do this.
Working House Dogs describes the use of dogs for carrying packs, pulling a cart, and of course, dog sleds. Full of detail, it is probably very helpful for those who want to do this. However, it is probably not practical for most people who will read this book.
Angora Rabbits:Portable Livestock mainly covers the author's trials with her rabbits rather than be a guide on how to keep and collect from these fiber animals. However, the knowledge of her enjoyment in these creatures is enough to keep reading.
One of the later chapters, Homemade Mountain Music, has a description of how she learned the Dulcimer, Guitar, and Banjo. She also tells where these skills can be learned and the best instruments for what the person would like to do.
Outside the Farm is a short bit on finding like-minded people in the community with who you can learn a new skill, or just have a good conversation. She also arranges it by type so if you're looking for a hiking buddy, or someone to knit with, it is easy to tell the difference.
The last parts of the book are Want More, and the research section. This section includes recipes, links to helpful websites, and a great listing of books for more reading in the homesteading arts.
While Made from Scratch does not go as in depth as most other homesteading books, it is perfect for inspiring a first timer, or maybe an old time homesteader who would like to learn a new skill. It also shows that you don't have to own a farm to do all these things. They can be done in the smallest apartment (some of them anyway).
I vastly enjoyed this book, but then I love all books of this genre. Even for people not ready to go full out into this type of homesteading, I highly recommend it just for small things. Bake that loaf of bread, stitch your own skirt, it doesn't have to be something large to be enjoyable.
Made From Scratch
Copyright 2008
184 pages
June 3, 2009
I picked this up because Krista saw it somewhere and thought it looked good. Usually, by the time I end up reading a book I have no idea where the recommendation originated from, but in this case, I know it was definitely my wife. We got in queue at the library for this book, and waited for months. I guess it's pretty popular in Olympia lately.
I was pleased to find that this book is an accessible, clear, forthright memoir of one lady's efforts to become more self-sufficient. From cubicle to compost, it's inspirational and entertaining. I've been hauling my ass through dry how-to nonfiction lately, and don't get me wrong, I love information. However, it was a nice breezy read to follow the meandering plot. Some of the funniest jokes were the titles of the chapters - i get cocky with my hoes (about gardening), chickens: the most exciting backyard accessory since lawn darts. The latter chapter was read aloud as we drove down 101 along Puget Sound, discussing our chicken plans for 2009 or 2010. I want chickens so bad! Right now!
Suffice to say, this is not a dense "how to live my rugged lifestyle" book. This is like a diving board over a very, very deep pool. Expect reflections on different aspects of sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyles and truly hilarious anecdotes centered on the Learning Experiences of the author. As a person who may or may not have inadvertently killed a healthy happy zucchini plant yesterday, I deeply empathize and laugh alongside others and their self-sufficiency trials. There are sections on chickens, honey bees, angora rabbits, your own pack of working/sledding dogs, gardening, sewing your clothes, making your own music, and various kinds of foodstuff that's worth making from scratch. I'm tempted to try Jenna's butter recipe, if i could only get over my aversion to dairy. The author puts a lot of emphasis on building community relationships with other people who are keeping bees, growing gardens, raising chickens, and so on, since that wealth of knowledge is more valuable than book-learnin'. This is an aspect that gets brushed over in a lot of the nonfiction "how to" books - Go Find a Mentor is almost never mentioned.
Many thanks to Krista for finding this book, discussing the ideas with me, and always being up for an adventure. Thanks to the author for her efforts, mistakes, and good work. I hope her next book chronicles her adventures in DIY alcohol production, because I have a feeling that would be a highly entertaining read.
I was pleased to find that this book is an accessible, clear, forthright memoir of one lady's efforts to become more self-sufficient. From cubicle to compost, it's inspirational and entertaining. I've been hauling my ass through dry how-to nonfiction lately, and don't get me wrong, I love information. However, it was a nice breezy read to follow the meandering plot. Some of the funniest jokes were the titles of the chapters - i get cocky with my hoes (about gardening), chickens: the most exciting backyard accessory since lawn darts. The latter chapter was read aloud as we drove down 101 along Puget Sound, discussing our chicken plans for 2009 or 2010. I want chickens so bad! Right now!
Suffice to say, this is not a dense "how to live my rugged lifestyle" book. This is like a diving board over a very, very deep pool. Expect reflections on different aspects of sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyles and truly hilarious anecdotes centered on the Learning Experiences of the author. As a person who may or may not have inadvertently killed a healthy happy zucchini plant yesterday, I deeply empathize and laugh alongside others and their self-sufficiency trials. There are sections on chickens, honey bees, angora rabbits, your own pack of working/sledding dogs, gardening, sewing your clothes, making your own music, and various kinds of foodstuff that's worth making from scratch. I'm tempted to try Jenna's butter recipe, if i could only get over my aversion to dairy. The author puts a lot of emphasis on building community relationships with other people who are keeping bees, growing gardens, raising chickens, and so on, since that wealth of knowledge is more valuable than book-learnin'. This is an aspect that gets brushed over in a lot of the nonfiction "how to" books - Go Find a Mentor is almost never mentioned.
Many thanks to Krista for finding this book, discussing the ideas with me, and always being up for an adventure. Thanks to the author for her efforts, mistakes, and good work. I hope her next book chronicles her adventures in DIY alcohol production, because I have a feeling that would be a highly entertaining read.
January 4, 2009
This was a Christmas gift from Lynn, and it kept me from completely losing my mind as I was stuck in the airport on my way back to the 'burgh. It was a quick, light, enjoyable read. However, I'm going to have a little trouble reviewing it. The book is one part "how-to" and one part "anecdotal evidence." I enjoyed the latter much more than the former. I appreciate that the author was willing to share her many missteps when learning to raise honeybees and angora rabbits, among other things, and did so with humor and honesty. As for the "how-to" section, I thought the instructions were very clear and easy to follow. And if I ever do decide to raise some chickens in the backyard, or train my large dogs to pull me into town on a sleigh, this book will be the first place I look. (Oh, and in the event that does happen, there is what appears to be an excellent resource section in the back).
Overall, I found the book to be inspiring. While the hippie in me who would love to harvest her own fiber from angora rabbits will probably not get to do so for some time, this book did inspire me to head over to the co-op and get some honey harvested in Western PA (instead of to my local grocery store as is my usual practice). The author has a great "do what you can, don't stress yourself out" mentality. Her writing is not at all pretentious, and very accepting of the fact that not everyone can raise chickens in her backyard. Even though she makes it sound really, really easy.
Overall, I found the book to be inspiring. While the hippie in me who would love to harvest her own fiber from angora rabbits will probably not get to do so for some time, this book did inspire me to head over to the co-op and get some honey harvested in Western PA (instead of to my local grocery store as is my usual practice). The author has a great "do what you can, don't stress yourself out" mentality. Her writing is not at all pretentious, and very accepting of the fact that not everyone can raise chickens in her backyard. Even though she makes it sound really, really easy.
July 20, 2010
While I agree with some of the reviews that the enthusiasm of the author is infectious, this book left me unsatisfied. Her anecdotes about how she got started in various parts of homesteading were very entertaining reading. I appreciate that she gives the good with the bad. I came out of this realizing that she's not very good at taking care of living creatures (except for her dogs). She killed two whole hives of bees, 5 chicks, and a rabbit. I therefore didn't feel that she was particularly authoritative on finishing her chapters on these topic with telling me how to go about the tasks at which she hadn't found success (especially beekeeping, which she failed at two times and finishes saying she hopes to successfully keep bees at some point). It sounded like she's only been at most of these things for a year as well. I'd rather get my instructions from someone who knows what they're talking about. There were several chapters about subjects that I could tell she had more experience with and these were easier for me to take seriously. All in all though it was an inoffensive and quick read, if not terribly informative.
November 6, 2014
Clearly intended for a reader who has little or no experience with gardening, tending animals, or baking. The author over-romanticizes her lifestyle. She shares tips for a dizzying array of activities from keeping chickens to playing a dulcimer, none of which she seems to do particularly well. Her chapter about chickens contains mostly failures with few successes, the chapter about beekeeping was a disaster, and the section about sewing was laughable-from sewing a cheap pair of pajama bottoms to telling the reader they can easily sew a wool coat. The author seems like a jack of all trades and a master of none. Developing these skills requires a tremendous amount of time and effort and it seems like the author flits from one to another without the time and effort to really master at least one.
October 8, 2010
I really wanted to like this book. It sounded like a great idea, but in reality this was a total snoozer. I'd give it 1.5 stars if I could. (Give us 1/2 stars Goodreads!!).
I certainly don't know it all when it comes to sustainability, but I really didn't learn anything from this book. There was no substance to this book. I think I would do OK buying vintage things, I don't really need a tutorial on that.
The more books I read from bloggers, the less I like. Apparently, if you have a blog, you get a book deal. I'm off to sign up for a blog and get a book deal!
I certainly don't know it all when it comes to sustainability, but I really didn't learn anything from this book. There was no substance to this book. I think I would do OK buying vintage things, I don't really need a tutorial on that.
The more books I read from bloggers, the less I like. Apparently, if you have a blog, you get a book deal. I'm off to sign up for a blog and get a book deal!
Read
June 5, 2011So far it's horrible! I think I should have stopped when she let her chickens die a horrible death by the teeth of her dogs by leaving them on a table at dog mouth level.
Okay, I DID stop reading after she KILLED the Queen bee from the group of bees she mail ordered. She let the Queen Bee die an awful death. Queen bees are mailed in a little box to protect her from the journey and is surrounded by the rest of the hive. She just dumped the whole thing into a bee box and the hive had no chance of surviving.
Okay, I DID stop reading after she KILLED the Queen bee from the group of bees she mail ordered. She let the Queen Bee die an awful death. Queen bees are mailed in a little box to protect her from the journey and is surrounded by the rest of the hive. She just dumped the whole thing into a bee box and the hive had no chance of surviving.
March 12, 2016
How is it possible that someone would know so little about starting a bee hive that she would neglect to let the queen bee out of the little box that it was shipped in ? If you are about to receive all the necessary parts to start a bee hive, wouldn't you at least read something about what to do once the package arrives? What a moron.
It's like an episode of Portlandia, where the hipsters go out to the woods to live off the land, only this book isn't supposed to be funny.
This book is awful, look for a copy of 'We Took To The Woods' instead.
It's like an episode of Portlandia, where the hipsters go out to the woods to live off the land, only this book isn't supposed to be funny.
This book is awful, look for a copy of 'We Took To The Woods' instead.
November 15, 2017
Enjoyed her voice as she told her story. She really gets into the homesteading more than I could even fathom. She learns all sorts of skills and makes me jealous. Easy and enjoyable book to read.
October 24, 2017
I started this book when I was deployed to Afghanistan. I was really interested in homesteading and the anticipation of beginning our journey to self-sufficiency upon my return home was one of the things that helped me keep my sanity while I was deployed. The content was fairly straightforward and helped me realize it doesn't take much to become a homesteader.
September 26, 2020
I am in two minds about this book. While the self sufficiency aspects really interested me there were some elements that made for distressing reading - especially around animals. I will read more of Jenna’s memoirs to see how things progress for her.
September 19, 2022
Just…read it. A page turner, subjects range from Angora rabbits to mountain music. Something for everyone
July 2, 2009
A couple of months ago Mother Earth News ran the introduction to Jenna Woginrich’s Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life. I read the article as I sat in the eye doctor’s office waiting for my pupils to dilate. I can’t imagine a more pleasurable way to lock my eyes into a position that makes everything else foggy. Woginrich’s style and sensibility really stuck with me.
So last week, I went looking for her book, and lo and behold, my local library had several copies. I ordered one to my branch and started reading. I gobbled up this book just like I would gobble up the honey that Woginrich makes on her rented farm in Idaho. It’s full of practical advice - how to raise angora rabbits, how to sew your own clothes, etc - but also carries a sense of willing camaradarie about this whole process of “self-reliance.”
In the introduction she says,
I think the real trick to finding that sense of satisfaction is to realize you don’t need much to attain it. A window-box salad garden and a banjo hanging on the back of the door can be all the freedom you need. If it isn’t everything you want for the future, let it be enough for tonight.
Don’t look at your current situation as a hindrance to living the way you want, because living the way you want has nothing to do with how much land you have or how much you can afford to spend on a new house. It has to do with the way you choose to live every day and how content you are with what you have. If a few things on your plate every season come from the work of your own hands, you are creating food for your body, and that is enough. If the hat on your head was knitted by your own hands, you’re providing warmth from string and that’s enough. If you rode your bike to work, trained your dog to pack, or just baked a loaf of bread, let it be enough.
Accepting where you are today, and working toward what is ahead, is the best you can do. You can take the projects in this book as far as your chosen road will take you. Maybe your gardens and coops will outgrow mine, and before you know it you’ll be trading in your Audi for a pickup. But the starting point is to take control of what you can and smile with how things are. Find your own happiness and dance with it.
As I sit and dream about a place like Woginrich’s, I find great hope and comfort in the idea that I need not have all I dream of now. My compost bowl on the counter and the two heads of cabbage in planter boxes on the deck are enough. And I think I”ll make some bread today.
And if you have time, sidle up to Woginrich’s words and find contentment and ideas for yourself. You’ll be glad you did.
Cover of Made from Scratch by Jenna Woginrich - Made from Scratch by Jenna Woginrich
So last week, I went looking for her book, and lo and behold, my local library had several copies. I ordered one to my branch and started reading. I gobbled up this book just like I would gobble up the honey that Woginrich makes on her rented farm in Idaho. It’s full of practical advice - how to raise angora rabbits, how to sew your own clothes, etc - but also carries a sense of willing camaradarie about this whole process of “self-reliance.”
In the introduction she says,
I think the real trick to finding that sense of satisfaction is to realize you don’t need much to attain it. A window-box salad garden and a banjo hanging on the back of the door can be all the freedom you need. If it isn’t everything you want for the future, let it be enough for tonight.
Don’t look at your current situation as a hindrance to living the way you want, because living the way you want has nothing to do with how much land you have or how much you can afford to spend on a new house. It has to do with the way you choose to live every day and how content you are with what you have. If a few things on your plate every season come from the work of your own hands, you are creating food for your body, and that is enough. If the hat on your head was knitted by your own hands, you’re providing warmth from string and that’s enough. If you rode your bike to work, trained your dog to pack, or just baked a loaf of bread, let it be enough.
Accepting where you are today, and working toward what is ahead, is the best you can do. You can take the projects in this book as far as your chosen road will take you. Maybe your gardens and coops will outgrow mine, and before you know it you’ll be trading in your Audi for a pickup. But the starting point is to take control of what you can and smile with how things are. Find your own happiness and dance with it.
As I sit and dream about a place like Woginrich’s, I find great hope and comfort in the idea that I need not have all I dream of now. My compost bowl on the counter and the two heads of cabbage in planter boxes on the deck are enough. And I think I”ll make some bread today.
And if you have time, sidle up to Woginrich’s words and find contentment and ideas for yourself. You’ll be glad you did.
Cover of Made from Scratch by Jenna Woginrich - Made from Scratch by Jenna Woginrich
April 19, 2009
Let me preface this by saying that I grew up in a family of women making their own clothes and people singing and playing instruments. Also, I live in Seattle, where keeping chickens is not uncommon, there are enough beekeepers to support a beekeeping association, and gardening is rampant. So, many of the things Woginrich talks about as somewhat uncommon steps towards a more sustainable life just feel like parts of people's normal lives to me.
I love personal essays, and what I think of as information books -- books that let me get to know something beyond the surface and the obvious elements of an item or a process. Woginrich has a strong voice in these essays and I really liked the sections following each essay, in which she gives basic information about whatever activity she discussed in the essay. I think some of the advice is a little misleading -- sewing one's own clothes is easy; sewing clothes that actually fit well is a little more difficult, unless your dimensions exactly fit those used to draft the pattern -- but in most of the areas that I know about, she's right on target with what a beginner would need to know.
If it were possible to give the book three-and-a half stars, that would be my rating. It doesn't make it to 4 stars because of one sentence in the preface: "When you start producing your own food, even the simplest plot of potatoes, your life regains some of the authenticity we've all forgotten about." When someone starts talking about what's authentic about people's lives and, by contrast, what isn't, I want to head in the opposite direction as quickly as I can. In fact, I picked this book up in a bookstore months ago, read the preface, and put it down again. (Sorry, Jenna, the fact that I like to buy clothes made by other people and don't want to fill my kitchen with used things doesn't mean my life is lacking in "authenticity.") I got the book out of the library because I wanted to read it before listening to the Craftsanity podcast interview with Woginrich. Annoyance with the authenticity comment aside, I'm glad I did. I would recommend this book to someone who is curious about a life that includes gardening, baking, sewing, keeping chickens, etc., and wants ot know what it was like for someone else to start doing those things without having had models in family members or close neighborhoods.
I love personal essays, and what I think of as information books -- books that let me get to know something beyond the surface and the obvious elements of an item or a process. Woginrich has a strong voice in these essays and I really liked the sections following each essay, in which she gives basic information about whatever activity she discussed in the essay. I think some of the advice is a little misleading -- sewing one's own clothes is easy; sewing clothes that actually fit well is a little more difficult, unless your dimensions exactly fit those used to draft the pattern -- but in most of the areas that I know about, she's right on target with what a beginner would need to know.
If it were possible to give the book three-and-a half stars, that would be my rating. It doesn't make it to 4 stars because of one sentence in the preface: "When you start producing your own food, even the simplest plot of potatoes, your life regains some of the authenticity we've all forgotten about." When someone starts talking about what's authentic about people's lives and, by contrast, what isn't, I want to head in the opposite direction as quickly as I can. In fact, I picked this book up in a bookstore months ago, read the preface, and put it down again. (Sorry, Jenna, the fact that I like to buy clothes made by other people and don't want to fill my kitchen with used things doesn't mean my life is lacking in "authenticity.") I got the book out of the library because I wanted to read it before listening to the Craftsanity podcast interview with Woginrich. Annoyance with the authenticity comment aside, I'm glad I did. I would recommend this book to someone who is curious about a life that includes gardening, baking, sewing, keeping chickens, etc., and wants ot know what it was like for someone else to start doing those things without having had models in family members or close neighborhoods.
October 14, 2021
A wonderful friend gave me this book because it had a section on chickens and they figured this would be right up my alley. Now, I'm not sure how good of a friend this is. I'm just kidding, they didn't read the book. But I did and I am so upset with most of the content.
I suspect my upset began early in the beginning. The author starts off by discussing how much she hates factory meat farming (enough to become a vegetarian) and then... orders chicks from a production catalog from a mass-producing hatchery. If the entire point of this book is to become self reliant and to support local farmers, it is odd that she's also promoting big commercial hatcheries. She's worried about how animals are treated -- well don't tell her how many cockerels are thrown into grinders from these commercial hatcheries! So, already I took issues with what the author *claimed to be wanting* and then what she was actually doing. Supporting a commercial hatchery is not supporting local. Let's just be clear on that.
But to make matters worse she 'does research' and then brings the chicks home and puts them on cedar shavings. Cedar shavings have toxicity issues and could kill chicks. These chicks are Silkie bantams -- not Japanese bantams (an entirely different breed). For all of this 'research' she keeps asserting that they are Japanese Silkie bantams... they're not. They're not the same thing. Ugh. Okay so I guess you're wondering did the chicks die from the cedar shavings? No, surprisingly they did not.
Instead, they get eaten by her dogs because she leaves Huskies (high prey drive, nothing wrong with that, but something we are all aware of generally) with them unsupervised. Is she mortified? Not really... she shrugs this off and says well, when you're on a farm, shit happens. True. Very true. But you need to take at least a bit of responsibility for being completely unprepared for these chicks and for not realizing leaving them unsupervised could be a bad idea. If you think that's the only bird death... her friend then gives her some adult laying hens. When she lets them out of the coop *the next day * (you know, giving them no time to acclimate to a new area/home before turning them loose to free-range) one of the hens takes off and is never seen again. I assume the hen was killed. Again, no remorse, just a casual 'oops' from the author. I cannot believe her friend didn't scold her and never speak to her again. I guess chickens are just casualties and it is no big deal.... so all that factory farming she's worried about, well, she's not much better.
Also, Ameraucanas and Easter Eggers are NOT the same breed of chickens. When she starts talking about 'easter colored eggs' in all kinds of colors, those are EASTER EGGERS hence the name. Not Ameraucanas, which should only lay one color of egg. Not the same. So much for 'research.'
And at the end when they get to the discussion about the county fair I'm floored. If a hatchery chicken won the 'champion rooster' prize your fair must be full of hatchery/production type birds and that's disappointing. If you'd like to do some research look up the American Poultry Association. Look up the American Bantam Association. Find some reputable breeders in your area and get chicks/birds from them. If you think you like your birds now wait till you see the *real* versions of these breeds. Production/hatchery birds are nowhere close to the birds being raised and exhibited by APA/ABA members.
Take a deep breath. That's all I'm going to rant about in regards to chickens. I promise.
I get to the bee section and I am happy to never have to read the chicken section again. But the bee section is not much better. She decides to get bees for honey. Great idea, no really, I like the idea. But the next thing you know she's talking about the research she's done to get the bees only to then lead us down a path where suddenly the bees are dying because the QUEEN BEE IS DEAD because she was shipped and the author dropped all the bees in the hive without REMOVING THE QUEEN from her secure shipping box. Queen bees get shipped in a special protective mini-box. For all the research this author did, that was never mentioned?! Never?! Not even in the unpacking instructions most apiaries include when sending bees to new owners?
And to make matters worse.... a new Queen is found and the hive gets destroyed by a hungry bear. That's right. The hive was not protected. Now, this may be an actual accident. But again... all this 'research' and yet I feel like barely any research was done. So we have dead chicks, chickens, and now bees.
Get me to the rabbit section. You know, or you should know by now, that at least one rabbit (of the two) does not meet a happy ending. That's right. A rabbit gets injured, then another rabbit cannibalizes part of its leg, so she's got to shoot the rabbit (which is the right thing to do) but the moral is: she didn't check the original injury, leading to the overnight leg getting eaten by the other rabbit, and the moral really is now there is another dead animal in this book.
Don't get me started on the fact that she grooms the Angora rabbit and then sends the 'wool' off to get spun, and genuinely acts like this is how pioneers did this. No. No, you usually have to work with your own wool. Sheep, rabbit... doesn't matter. You aren't going to be sending it off if you're trying to be self reliant. I said don't get me started, I'm sorry.
Note to everyone yes, raising animals is hard, but it should not be this hard if you have done a bit of research. There should not be this much death. And when an animal does die in your care you should really care a bit more. Said as a farmer who sees death on the farm... but takes responsibility when that death is caused by something I have taken part in. Ugh.
I cannot actually believe this was published as any sort of guide to how to go about doing any of these animal projects. It seems more like a: don't do this. Literally, here is a list of things to not do if you want to start with animals.
At least the dogs, who she's using to pack things, are not dead. But, while I'm here, if you're thinking of using your dog as a packing dog don't use this guidance as your starting point. There are a lot of intricacies to teaching a dog to pack that are not included in the chapter presented here and you'd do better to start your research elsewhere. Not every dog should be a pack dog, either. There's a lot more to it than tie a towel on the dog and off you go.... so much more. If you have a local dog trainer who works with pack dogs, honestly, start there (or other online resources) not here. [but again, no dogs died in the making of this book, luckily, because I was so worried after all the other animal death]
The other sections of the book without animals aren't much better. A lot of "me me me" and patting oneself on the back for shopping at thrift/second-hand/antique stores (nothing wrong with that, I do it, it is great... but you cannot make an entire chapter about it).
So... take everything here with a grain of salt. Don't do any of the animal death stuff that is here. Definitely do go do more research. Once you do, you'll see some of the holes that are apparent in this book.
I suspect my upset began early in the beginning. The author starts off by discussing how much she hates factory meat farming (enough to become a vegetarian) and then... orders chicks from a production catalog from a mass-producing hatchery. If the entire point of this book is to become self reliant and to support local farmers, it is odd that she's also promoting big commercial hatcheries. She's worried about how animals are treated -- well don't tell her how many cockerels are thrown into grinders from these commercial hatcheries! So, already I took issues with what the author *claimed to be wanting* and then what she was actually doing. Supporting a commercial hatchery is not supporting local. Let's just be clear on that.
But to make matters worse she 'does research' and then brings the chicks home and puts them on cedar shavings. Cedar shavings have toxicity issues and could kill chicks. These chicks are Silkie bantams -- not Japanese bantams (an entirely different breed). For all of this 'research' she keeps asserting that they are Japanese Silkie bantams... they're not. They're not the same thing. Ugh. Okay so I guess you're wondering did the chicks die from the cedar shavings? No, surprisingly they did not.
Instead, they get eaten by her dogs because she leaves Huskies (high prey drive, nothing wrong with that, but something we are all aware of generally) with them unsupervised. Is she mortified? Not really... she shrugs this off and says well, when you're on a farm, shit happens. True. Very true. But you need to take at least a bit of responsibility for being completely unprepared for these chicks and for not realizing leaving them unsupervised could be a bad idea. If you think that's the only bird death... her friend then gives her some adult laying hens. When she lets them out of the coop *the next day * (you know, giving them no time to acclimate to a new area/home before turning them loose to free-range) one of the hens takes off and is never seen again. I assume the hen was killed. Again, no remorse, just a casual 'oops' from the author. I cannot believe her friend didn't scold her and never speak to her again. I guess chickens are just casualties and it is no big deal.... so all that factory farming she's worried about, well, she's not much better.
Also, Ameraucanas and Easter Eggers are NOT the same breed of chickens. When she starts talking about 'easter colored eggs' in all kinds of colors, those are EASTER EGGERS hence the name. Not Ameraucanas, which should only lay one color of egg. Not the same. So much for 'research.'
And at the end when they get to the discussion about the county fair I'm floored. If a hatchery chicken won the 'champion rooster' prize your fair must be full of hatchery/production type birds and that's disappointing. If you'd like to do some research look up the American Poultry Association. Look up the American Bantam Association. Find some reputable breeders in your area and get chicks/birds from them. If you think you like your birds now wait till you see the *real* versions of these breeds. Production/hatchery birds are nowhere close to the birds being raised and exhibited by APA/ABA members.
Take a deep breath. That's all I'm going to rant about in regards to chickens. I promise.
I get to the bee section and I am happy to never have to read the chicken section again. But the bee section is not much better. She decides to get bees for honey. Great idea, no really, I like the idea. But the next thing you know she's talking about the research she's done to get the bees only to then lead us down a path where suddenly the bees are dying because the QUEEN BEE IS DEAD because she was shipped and the author dropped all the bees in the hive without REMOVING THE QUEEN from her secure shipping box. Queen bees get shipped in a special protective mini-box. For all the research this author did, that was never mentioned?! Never?! Not even in the unpacking instructions most apiaries include when sending bees to new owners?
And to make matters worse.... a new Queen is found and the hive gets destroyed by a hungry bear. That's right. The hive was not protected. Now, this may be an actual accident. But again... all this 'research' and yet I feel like barely any research was done. So we have dead chicks, chickens, and now bees.
Get me to the rabbit section. You know, or you should know by now, that at least one rabbit (of the two) does not meet a happy ending. That's right. A rabbit gets injured, then another rabbit cannibalizes part of its leg, so she's got to shoot the rabbit (which is the right thing to do) but the moral is: she didn't check the original injury, leading to the overnight leg getting eaten by the other rabbit, and the moral really is now there is another dead animal in this book.
Don't get me started on the fact that she grooms the Angora rabbit and then sends the 'wool' off to get spun, and genuinely acts like this is how pioneers did this. No. No, you usually have to work with your own wool. Sheep, rabbit... doesn't matter. You aren't going to be sending it off if you're trying to be self reliant. I said don't get me started, I'm sorry.
Note to everyone yes, raising animals is hard, but it should not be this hard if you have done a bit of research. There should not be this much death. And when an animal does die in your care you should really care a bit more. Said as a farmer who sees death on the farm... but takes responsibility when that death is caused by something I have taken part in. Ugh.
I cannot actually believe this was published as any sort of guide to how to go about doing any of these animal projects. It seems more like a: don't do this. Literally, here is a list of things to not do if you want to start with animals.
At least the dogs, who she's using to pack things, are not dead. But, while I'm here, if you're thinking of using your dog as a packing dog don't use this guidance as your starting point. There are a lot of intricacies to teaching a dog to pack that are not included in the chapter presented here and you'd do better to start your research elsewhere. Not every dog should be a pack dog, either. There's a lot more to it than tie a towel on the dog and off you go.... so much more. If you have a local dog trainer who works with pack dogs, honestly, start there (or other online resources) not here. [but again, no dogs died in the making of this book, luckily, because I was so worried after all the other animal death]
The other sections of the book without animals aren't much better. A lot of "me me me" and patting oneself on the back for shopping at thrift/second-hand/antique stores (nothing wrong with that, I do it, it is great... but you cannot make an entire chapter about it).
So... take everything here with a grain of salt. Don't do any of the animal death stuff that is here. Definitely do go do more research. Once you do, you'll see some of the holes that are apparent in this book.
November 17, 2009
I have mixed feelings about this book. I adore the premise (the exchange of the consumable society with a lifestyle that is more authentic), and the author is a great writer. There are moments of pure brilliance, like the introduction. But there were some things that bothered me.
The structure felt wrong to me. The book was set up as a series of stand-alone chapters on different topics (bee-keeping, working dogs, cooking, etc.), but this was very disjointed because Jenna Woginrich's story seems more of a cohesive journey than a set of chapters. It was disconcerting to have her living in Tennessee in one chapter, and then find her in Idaho in another chapter, with no clear explanation of how she got from one place to the other.
I also had some problems with her almost flippant approach to her animals' deaths, whether it was her chickens, her rabbits, or her bees. I know that these events couldn't have been easy for her, but she comes across (and even says in one place) that she was more surprised than anything. What about horror? Shame? Fear? It just seemed cold-hearted, and I don't think she intended to come across that way.
The chapters that shone for me were the ones rife with personal experience -- the dog-sledding chapter, for instance, or the one on music. It's interesting because I was not clear why the dog-sledding info was included in a book on "Made from Scratch." But the luminosity of her writing made up for any questions about why it was included. In contrast, though, other chapters (most notably, the one on sewing and knitting) seemed almost to be written from afar, with no real personal detail or anecdote.
I would love to read another book by Woginrich that was more a storybook, with lots more information about her personal journey, and a little less of a resource book.
The structure felt wrong to me. The book was set up as a series of stand-alone chapters on different topics (bee-keeping, working dogs, cooking, etc.), but this was very disjointed because Jenna Woginrich's story seems more of a cohesive journey than a set of chapters. It was disconcerting to have her living in Tennessee in one chapter, and then find her in Idaho in another chapter, with no clear explanation of how she got from one place to the other.
I also had some problems with her almost flippant approach to her animals' deaths, whether it was her chickens, her rabbits, or her bees. I know that these events couldn't have been easy for her, but she comes across (and even says in one place) that she was more surprised than anything. What about horror? Shame? Fear? It just seemed cold-hearted, and I don't think she intended to come across that way.
The chapters that shone for me were the ones rife with personal experience -- the dog-sledding chapter, for instance, or the one on music. It's interesting because I was not clear why the dog-sledding info was included in a book on "Made from Scratch." But the luminosity of her writing made up for any questions about why it was included. In contrast, though, other chapters (most notably, the one on sewing and knitting) seemed almost to be written from afar, with no real personal detail or anecdote.
I would love to read another book by Woginrich that was more a storybook, with lots more information about her personal journey, and a little less of a resource book.
December 28, 2012
My Amazon review: This is a fun, quick read with some personal stories and a few tips for getting started on things like beekeeping, training working dogs, sewing clothes, keeping chickens and rabbits, cooking, making music and generally making the most of everyday life. This is not, however, (nor do I think it was meant to be) a book for someone looking for detailed information on becoming a homesteader or on becoming self-sufficient.
For those who already practice "the lifestyle" this will be a fun diversion - it is always interesting to hear how others are faring in their attempts - but it is not anything that most homesteaders will find new.
As a beekeeper/chicken raiser/gardener/cook myself, I found her chapters on those to be a fairly good overview of the work involved. I was, of course, disturbed at the outcomes of both of her initial forays into chickens and bees but these things do happen and there is something to be said for being completely honest about our own failings and the willingness to keep trying and set things right.
Personally, I found her chapters on working dogs, rabbits and music most interesting as these are things not currently in my life. And I found a little extra nudge towards starting to learn a musical instrument based on Jenna's story of her own beginnings and her excellent list of resources.
Jenna talks about research ad naseum and while some may find this repetition a bit annoying the bottom line is that she is right and you really can't say it enough. If this book inspires to you get started with any of the projects she talks about, use her Research, Son section like a bible and expand on it every chance you get.
Jenna's writing is charming and you feel as if you know her, to some degree, when you are finished reading. I would "talk farm" with her anytime.
For those who already practice "the lifestyle" this will be a fun diversion - it is always interesting to hear how others are faring in their attempts - but it is not anything that most homesteaders will find new.
As a beekeeper/chicken raiser/gardener/cook myself, I found her chapters on those to be a fairly good overview of the work involved. I was, of course, disturbed at the outcomes of both of her initial forays into chickens and bees but these things do happen and there is something to be said for being completely honest about our own failings and the willingness to keep trying and set things right.
Personally, I found her chapters on working dogs, rabbits and music most interesting as these are things not currently in my life. And I found a little extra nudge towards starting to learn a musical instrument based on Jenna's story of her own beginnings and her excellent list of resources.
Jenna talks about research ad naseum and while some may find this repetition a bit annoying the bottom line is that she is right and you really can't say it enough. If this book inspires to you get started with any of the projects she talks about, use her Research, Son section like a bible and expand on it every chance you get.
Jenna's writing is charming and you feel as if you know her, to some degree, when you are finished reading. I would "talk farm" with her anytime.
February 18, 2017
I love this book! It will make you want to sell everything, move to the country side, and churn your own butter. I also really enjoyed Woginrich's writing style, and her balance between how-to and memoir
Displaying 1 - 30 of 479 reviews