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Practical self-sufficiency: an Australian guide to sustainable living
The desire for a simpler, greener life...
Many of us yearn to live more simply, in touch with nature and the seasons, and taking responsibility for what we consume and our impact on the world. This book shows how we can choose to lives greener life - whether it’s growing our own food in the suburbs, keeping bees in the city, or living in the country,
Father and son Dick and James Strawbridge share everything they have tried and tested on their small holding in this inspiring and practical book,
There’s something for everyone. Traditional crafts and cheese- and bread-making sit alongside techniques for reducing waste and harnessing wind and solar energy to power your home.
With authoritative advices step-by-step guidance, and fascinating illustrations, Practical Self Sufficiency will help you make simple changes that can have a major impact on your life and reduce your impact on the planet.
Many of us yearn to live more simply, in touch with nature and the seasons, and taking responsibility for what we consume and our impact on the world. This book shows how we can choose to lives greener life - whether it’s growing our own food in the suburbs, keeping bees in the city, or living in the country,
Father and son Dick and James Strawbridge share everything they have tried and tested on their small holding in this inspiring and practical book,
There’s something for everyone. Traditional crafts and cheese- and bread-making sit alongside techniques for reducing waste and harnessing wind and solar energy to power your home.
With authoritative advices step-by-step guidance, and fascinating illustrations, Practical Self Sufficiency will help you make simple changes that can have a major impact on your life and reduce your impact on the planet.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
18 people are currently reading
451 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 27, 2018
A very practical and inspirational book filled with several ideas. At just shy of 300 pages, there's a lot in here. Practical Self Sufficiency is surprisingly deep considering the large number of topics covered and is written in a no nonsense manner. I recommend this book to anyone looking to get more out of their backyard.
March 13, 2019
I bought this book sometime ago and have only just realise it is still on my 'To read' list, when in fact I've read it.
I found it (and still find it) a great book of "how to" inspiration for getting my garden in order to not just being a place of plants... but a place of food, good health and well being.
Definitely worth a read.
I found it (and still find it) a great book of "how to" inspiration for getting my garden in order to not just being a place of plants... but a place of food, good health and well being.
Definitely worth a read.
March 2, 2019
My Mum absolutely loves this book. Everything is clearly explained and illustrated. Written by two people who actually live the lifestyle and have done for a long time. Packed full of advice and tips for making it work as well as the basics for setting it all up in the first place.
The book covers self-sufficiency for a variety of contexts, for example, the urban homeowner, the rural garden and for those with a small holding. As well as some of the more obvious things you might expect to find, such as keeping chickens or bees, foraging and growing your own fruit and veg, there are step by step guides to making alternative energy by converting waste anaerobically into biogas, making charcoal, building a hydraulic ram pump and building a solar shower to name a few. There are even instructions on building your own compost loo!
The section on traditional knowledge encourages you to think about the skills many of us have lost due to the convenience of modern technology, such as preserving foods, brewing, wine making, crafting with wood, mending old clothes and making natural remedies.
Whether you want to dip in and try out a few ideas or go the whole hog, this book is a great place to start.
The book covers self-sufficiency for a variety of contexts, for example, the urban homeowner, the rural garden and for those with a small holding. As well as some of the more obvious things you might expect to find, such as keeping chickens or bees, foraging and growing your own fruit and veg, there are step by step guides to making alternative energy by converting waste anaerobically into biogas, making charcoal, building a hydraulic ram pump and building a solar shower to name a few. There are even instructions on building your own compost loo!
The section on traditional knowledge encourages you to think about the skills many of us have lost due to the convenience of modern technology, such as preserving foods, brewing, wine making, crafting with wood, mending old clothes and making natural remedies.
Whether you want to dip in and try out a few ideas or go the whole hog, this book is a great place to start.
September 9, 2022
I didn't want to rate a book I admittedly didn't read in its entirety but Goodreads doesn't let me write a review without rating the book first.
Physics has never been my favourite subject and it seems like I would never be fully self sufficient in becoming self sufficient without that branch of knowledge 😅 I found the parts about electricity, machinery are so out of my depths so not too sure now if this book is actually practical for the average people.
This book truly makes me feel like I've been living such a sheltered and convenient life all this while. Yes, I've dabbled in gardening, cooking and eco living but I pretty much know nothing about fruit trees and farm life for example. It's easy to romantise living in countryside with acres of land but it involves so much work (and I'm not a morning person). In a way, this book does inspire me but being the softie that I am, I'm not sure if I'll ever reach this level of self sufficiency in my life. Sobs
Physics has never been my favourite subject and it seems like I would never be fully self sufficient in becoming self sufficient without that branch of knowledge 😅 I found the parts about electricity, machinery are so out of my depths so not too sure now if this book is actually practical for the average people.
This book truly makes me feel like I've been living such a sheltered and convenient life all this while. Yes, I've dabbled in gardening, cooking and eco living but I pretty much know nothing about fruit trees and farm life for example. It's easy to romantise living in countryside with acres of land but it involves so much work (and I'm not a morning person). In a way, this book does inspire me but being the softie that I am, I'm not sure if I'll ever reach this level of self sufficiency in my life. Sobs
November 8, 2023
Excellent and in depth of everything you need to know about self sufficiency in Australia.
It contains information on baking, making cheese and yoghurt, how to heat your home, growing, propagation, irrigation, energy sources - what they are and how to make and implement them into your garden, jarring, garden design plans for each type of space how to create your own healthy water supply, creating a drop toilet, husbandry; how to maintain and slaughter meat and game, forging, woodworking, growing, pruning and harvest seasons for fruit and veg, and quick fact find for growing each one, there’s so much more.
It’s a wealth of knowledge, and should be the first book you purchase on the topic.
It contains information on baking, making cheese and yoghurt, how to heat your home, growing, propagation, irrigation, energy sources - what they are and how to make and implement them into your garden, jarring, garden design plans for each type of space how to create your own healthy water supply, creating a drop toilet, husbandry; how to maintain and slaughter meat and game, forging, woodworking, growing, pruning and harvest seasons for fruit and veg, and quick fact find for growing each one, there’s so much more.
It’s a wealth of knowledge, and should be the first book you purchase on the topic.
January 1, 2019
A modern, updated, copy of John Seymour's The New Complete Book Of Self Sufficiency, using photos as well as drawings to explain processes and ideas step by step. Perhaps the DK publisher accounts for the similarity between these two books, but the new takes on old methods, and the humour make it well worth it.
November 14, 2018
Is there anything this book leaves out? “Comprehensive” is a great way to describe it. Animal management, recipes for home made “champers”, basket weaving, electronic diagrams, plant guides... it’s all there. Great illustrations throughout, and some terrific ideas.
January 23, 2024
Absolutely goated. Inspired me a lot as a kid and still inspires me. Never read start to cover, but over the years I've probably read 80% of it. One of those books that you come back to again and again
April 7, 2022
What an absolute golden nugget. I very much enjoyed this book and the amount of detail in every aspect of self sufficiency, and their knowledge on sustainability.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2023
Absolutely Awesome book. Made some of the recipes. Great drawings and explainations.
October 1, 2025
Great start to learn more about the breadth of self sufficiency.
March 17, 2020
This is an absolute wealth of helpful information. For only $20, this large, 300 page full-colour coffee table book is the most useful guide I have ever read on sustainable living in Australia. A lot of the pages include full photographic guides, too. Step by step!
From making your own salves and poultices, to raising chickens, to growing, harvesting and storing/preserving every popular fruit and vegetable, to baking bread, breeding stock and even building an earth shelter! That's just a small amount this incredible book has to offer. Truly fantastic.
From making your own salves and poultices, to raising chickens, to growing, harvesting and storing/preserving every popular fruit and vegetable, to baking bread, breeding stock and even building an earth shelter! That's just a small amount this incredible book has to offer. Truly fantastic.
June 26, 2025
So much detail! So many step by step photos & illustrations. Growing, storing & preserving food; set up renewable energy around the home; storing, filtering, & harnessing water; raising & slaughtering animals; it even has some basket weaving & wood work. Choc full if tips for reusing items around the home & some random stuff for good measure (how to repair a bicycle puncture, how to mend a sock, etc). This book is both helpful & beautiful. Highly recommended.
September 23, 2015
I got itching hands, and a buzzing mind while reading...
It is a great book to read for inspiration and a hands-on guide for actually doing.
Not a book for in my bookcase, I want this book to be near me to grab!
It is a great book to read for inspiration and a hands-on guide for actually doing.
Not a book for in my bookcase, I want this book to be near me to grab!
February 3, 2014
I found lots of interesting ideas in this book. I think its one I'll go to for inspiration over the coming years. some of the wooden boxes to make are a bit beyond me at the moment but that's partly because there is no necessity for me to learn.
May 22, 2015
This is a great book, even better when accompanied by the short-lived tv series.
It's not perfectly adapted for Australian conditions, but it's not bad. Still, I love picking it up for inspiration for more green projects around the home!
It's not perfectly adapted for Australian conditions, but it's not bad. Still, I love picking it up for inspiration for more green projects around the home!
April 18, 2016
Brief information on a very wide range of topics, clearly set out.
I was especially interested in the projects about comfrey fertiliser, dyeing with natural extracts, making apple cider and calendula salve.
I was especially interested in the projects about comfrey fertiliser, dyeing with natural extracts, making apple cider and calendula salve.
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October 17, 2017Amazing, just about everything you could need to know is in here, and beautifully presented in this fabulous tome.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews