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The Homesteading Encyclopedia
Discover how to start your homesteading journey the right away... and avoid making expensive beginner’s mistakes.
Are you thinking about moving to a country homestead, but have no idea how to start planning?
Do you want to raise your level of self-sufficiency, but live in a small city apartment and don’t know how to do it?
Just imagine what it would be like if you didn’t have to rely on municipal power or water grids (or pay those expensive bills every month).
Not to mention the joy and health benefits of growing your own organic food, instead of being forced to buy supermarket food infused with dangerous chemicals and pesticides.
Does this sound like a lot of work?
You’re right. It is.
Planning your homestead journey can take weeks, or even months if you’re a complete beginner.
You would have to read numerous books, research the farthest corners of the Internet, and spend thousands of dollars on consultations.
And even after all that planning, there are no guarantees that you wouldn’t miss something crucial... something that would make a huge dent in your budget and make you regret starting this blasted thing in the first place.
That’s how it goes for most first-time homesteaders -- they make mistakes, lose money, learn from the experience, and spend more money to make it right.
If you don’t want to be one of them, you’ve come to the right place.
You don’t have to plan everything yourself. Actually, you don’t have to plan anything yourself.
We’ve done it for you.
In The Homesteading Encyclopedia, you will discover:
A diverse range of different ways to live your homesteading dream, even if you can’t afford moving to the country
The best US states to live in when homesteading or going off-the-grid
A complete guide to utility options for homesteaders, including renewable energy and water sources
Exactly how you can avoid making expensive beginner’s mistakes when planning your homesteading paradise
Different ways to become completely food independent -- even if you don’t own a lot of garden space
How to deal with medical emergencies when you live in an isolated area
Types of homestead properties (and how to choose the right one for yourself)
How to become a homesteader on a small budget
And much more.
No matter your motivation, financial situation, or living arrangements, homesteading is a great option for anyone who wants to gain any level of independence -- whether that’s a small taste or complete control of your lifestyle.
Even if you live in a city apartment, this book will spark your imagination, and show you how to make the most of what you have to become thoroughly self-sufficient.
Are you thinking about moving to a country homestead, but have no idea how to start planning?
Do you want to raise your level of self-sufficiency, but live in a small city apartment and don’t know how to do it?
Just imagine what it would be like if you didn’t have to rely on municipal power or water grids (or pay those expensive bills every month).
Not to mention the joy and health benefits of growing your own organic food, instead of being forced to buy supermarket food infused with dangerous chemicals and pesticides.
Does this sound like a lot of work?
You’re right. It is.
Planning your homestead journey can take weeks, or even months if you’re a complete beginner.
You would have to read numerous books, research the farthest corners of the Internet, and spend thousands of dollars on consultations.
And even after all that planning, there are no guarantees that you wouldn’t miss something crucial... something that would make a huge dent in your budget and make you regret starting this blasted thing in the first place.
That’s how it goes for most first-time homesteaders -- they make mistakes, lose money, learn from the experience, and spend more money to make it right.
If you don’t want to be one of them, you’ve come to the right place.
You don’t have to plan everything yourself. Actually, you don’t have to plan anything yourself.
We’ve done it for you.
In The Homesteading Encyclopedia, you will discover:
A diverse range of different ways to live your homesteading dream, even if you can’t afford moving to the country
The best US states to live in when homesteading or going off-the-grid
A complete guide to utility options for homesteaders, including renewable energy and water sources
Exactly how you can avoid making expensive beginner’s mistakes when planning your homesteading paradise
Different ways to become completely food independent -- even if you don’t own a lot of garden space
How to deal with medical emergencies when you live in an isolated area
Types of homestead properties (and how to choose the right one for yourself)
How to become a homesteader on a small budget
And much more.
No matter your motivation, financial situation, or living arrangements, homesteading is a great option for anyone who wants to gain any level of independence -- whether that’s a small taste or complete control of your lifestyle.
Even if you live in a city apartment, this book will spark your imagination, and show you how to make the most of what you have to become thoroughly self-sufficient.
Kindle Edition
First published August 11, 2021
262 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 21, 2022
A Checklist for Further Research
This handbook is just that, a handbook with general information covering an array of topics for people who are interested in homesteading, all in one book, to get them started. The author lets readers know that homesteading isn't just living off-the-grid, it is about making a conscious effort to be more self-reliable. Covering the legalities of homesteading and types of homestead properties, what types of utilities you can consider using, how to start a garden, what types of animals you can raise, being prepared for medical needs, maintaining your homestead and budgeting, it gives a good place to start your research and the types of questions to ask.
I personally have been doing research for homesteading for years and we've done what we can with small changes to live a homesteading type life until we are able to settle on a piece of land and build our home, so about half of the information I already knew, but there is more stuff I get to look into as well.
There were a couple areas that had mechanical issues or didn't make sense. For example:
- the pdf wasn't formatted correctly to read on my Kindle, so the text would change font size randomly and cut off multiple lines of the page.
-'...where that warmth is transferred to air that will be circulated throughout the house.' I'm mainly confused by the method the author was trying to explain here, geothermal energy. Is the heated water radiating heat throughout the house or is there a step I missed between the heated water going to the heating pump and being circulated throughout the house?
As a book targeted to beginners in homesteading I would've liked to see a bit more information in some areas, not as much generalizations and a bit more consistency with how much information was shared. For example:
- When discussing raising the animals the author discussed how the chickens, pigs, geese and ducks, goats and even rabbits could be used on the homestead, but didn't say how sheep could be used, simply mentioned that they should graze after cows.
I personally would have liked to see the author mention a few other things that could help a beginner homesteader decide the type of lifestyle they'd want. Such as quail as an alternate to chickens or alpaca as opposed to sheep or in addition to. A masonry stove or masonry heater would've been an additional heating source that could have been mentioned due to its efficiency using its fuel source and not requiring as much of it, like a fireplace or wood burning stove. Lastly, a monolithic dome home, which has the efficiency of the underground home mentioned by the author, without the need to be buried.
While reading this book I did highlight some sections that would be useful and I could do a bit more research on, such as the websites mentioned to help find land and the distillation water purification system. Overall, I liked the book and I will definitely be using it to further my homesteading studies and going through the authors references page is one of the places I will start.
This handbook is just that, a handbook with general information covering an array of topics for people who are interested in homesteading, all in one book, to get them started. The author lets readers know that homesteading isn't just living off-the-grid, it is about making a conscious effort to be more self-reliable. Covering the legalities of homesteading and types of homestead properties, what types of utilities you can consider using, how to start a garden, what types of animals you can raise, being prepared for medical needs, maintaining your homestead and budgeting, it gives a good place to start your research and the types of questions to ask.
I personally have been doing research for homesteading for years and we've done what we can with small changes to live a homesteading type life until we are able to settle on a piece of land and build our home, so about half of the information I already knew, but there is more stuff I get to look into as well.
There were a couple areas that had mechanical issues or didn't make sense. For example:
- the pdf wasn't formatted correctly to read on my Kindle, so the text would change font size randomly and cut off multiple lines of the page.
-'...where that warmth is transferred to air that will be circulated throughout the house.' I'm mainly confused by the method the author was trying to explain here, geothermal energy. Is the heated water radiating heat throughout the house or is there a step I missed between the heated water going to the heating pump and being circulated throughout the house?
As a book targeted to beginners in homesteading I would've liked to see a bit more information in some areas, not as much generalizations and a bit more consistency with how much information was shared. For example:
- When discussing raising the animals the author discussed how the chickens, pigs, geese and ducks, goats and even rabbits could be used on the homestead, but didn't say how sheep could be used, simply mentioned that they should graze after cows.
I personally would have liked to see the author mention a few other things that could help a beginner homesteader decide the type of lifestyle they'd want. Such as quail as an alternate to chickens or alpaca as opposed to sheep or in addition to. A masonry stove or masonry heater would've been an additional heating source that could have been mentioned due to its efficiency using its fuel source and not requiring as much of it, like a fireplace or wood burning stove. Lastly, a monolithic dome home, which has the efficiency of the underground home mentioned by the author, without the need to be buried.
While reading this book I did highlight some sections that would be useful and I could do a bit more research on, such as the websites mentioned to help find land and the distillation water purification system. Overall, I liked the book and I will definitely be using it to further my homesteading studies and going through the authors references page is one of the places I will start.
September 12, 2021
I purchased this book for my son as a gift. I was disappointed in the size immediately as it’s a small paperback book and barely over 140 pages in length. The title “Encylopedia” is quite misleading. The author never explains who she is or how long she has been homesteading. The book is geared to be a beginners guide to all things homesteading. I found very little useful information in it unfortunately. To say she covered a subject would be too generous. She more or less barely touches on each topic included with a paragraph. For example, She touches on the myths of homesteading, legality, permits, land options, budgeting…things like that. I suppose I expected chapters on raising livestock, canning, baking bread, water resource options…practical topics that I could use. I would not recommend this book for anyone truly interested in homesteading. It could perhaps help a city dweller begin to think outside the box. That’s the best I can say about it.
August 11, 2021
I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This was a fantastic resource as someone who's been looking into homesteading for a while now. The book was incredibly thorough on its topics - everything from looking to property and researching local laws, to different breeds of cows. The book didn't go too far into the technical details, but it covered a lot of topics enough to give you a good idea of what else to research.
I found the book well organized and easy to read through, and I think if you're new to homesteading and need something that covers a lot of the relevant topics, without getting lost in the minute details, this is a fantastic place to start.
This was a fantastic resource as someone who's been looking into homesteading for a while now. The book was incredibly thorough on its topics - everything from looking to property and researching local laws, to different breeds of cows. The book didn't go too far into the technical details, but it covered a lot of topics enough to give you a good idea of what else to research.
I found the book well organized and easy to read through, and I think if you're new to homesteading and need something that covers a lot of the relevant topics, without getting lost in the minute details, this is a fantastic place to start.
November 17, 2021
This is a great book. Don't let the word "encyclopedia" fool you into thinking it's a book of dry facts. This book is easy reading, it's extremely informative as it is very thorough. I am preparing to homestead on a property with only one way in and out and not a lot of neighbors so I appreciate that this book is pushing me to think about things that were not previously on my radar. It is a modern book with modern ideas such as tiny homes and other alternative home ideas. I want to live off grid and I appreciate the thorough run down of water sources. I also appreciate the maintenance list and budgeting info like how to downsize. I definitely feel more prepared to design my homestead and I'm sure I will refer back to this book.
October 14, 2021
I love having good resources and this one certainly delivered. With good information for the novice, small scale to those who want to take on their biggest dreams and prepare to provide all they can for themselves, the word encyclopedia was very apt in the title. And then the book goes a step further. While most encyclopedias can be dry and dull, this one was not. I enjoyed reading it.
August 30, 2021
Excellent book
I found this to be an informative book full of great information. This, along with a dose of common sense will get you off to a good start and hopefully avoid many mistakes.
I found this to be an informative book full of great information. This, along with a dose of common sense will get you off to a good start and hopefully avoid many mistakes.
July 6, 2022
Very Informative
While this book isn’t big it still covers things I wouldn’t have thought about, suck as medical needs and communication. I personally learned quite a bit from this book even though this isn’t the first book I’ve read on Homesteading.
While this book isn’t big it still covers things I wouldn’t have thought about, suck as medical needs and communication. I personally learned quite a bit from this book even though this isn’t the first book I’ve read on Homesteading.
August 11, 2021
This is a great book to learn what to look into BEFORE you decide to homestead.
June 24, 2022
Gave a lot of information and things you will need. Very helpful and well written
October 30, 2024
informative
I enjoyed this book and got alot out of it. There is alot of useful information and helpful tips. Recommended
I enjoyed this book and got alot out of it. There is alot of useful information and helpful tips. Recommended
November 15, 2024
I found this book an excellent source of information perfectly geared to help any new to off the grid ideas and instructions. I now want to buy the paperback or hardcover version.
November 16, 2023
The Homesteading Encyclopedia is a beginners guide, and not much more. Geared towards people considering the idea of homesteading, this book is very simple and reads like a wiki-how article. It does not offer resources to those who have begun the process of homesteading.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews