Living on an Acre: A Practical Guide to the Self-Reliant Life

by Christine Woodside (Editor), U.S. Department of Agriculture

Who hasn’t daydreamed at one time or another about selling produce at a farmer’s market, keeping chickens, or planting an orchard of fruit trees? Inside every do-it-yourselfer is a longing for a more independent lifestyle and the satisfaction that can come from getting one’s hands dirty while turning some earth. Whether one is thinking about a second home in the country, starting a part-time farm, or going back to the land, Living on an Acre is the classic USDA handbook, offering a comprehensive and fully updated guide to:
*The benefits of rural versus urban life
* What to consider when remodeling an older house
* How to build a barn
* Growing for self-sufficiency versus growing for profit
* Beekeeping
* Raising livestock
* Land conservation
* And much more!

Genres: Nonfiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2003

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some very practical, if main-stream, information. The whole premise of the book is that if you are independently wealthy, you can make a living on one acre. For someone who would like to REALLY make their lively hood off a piece of land, this book would be helpful, but won't have all the answers you are looking for. Try 'You Can Farm' by Joel Salatin if you really want to make a go of living off the farm.

[Rivkah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good beginner's overview. I started out with more encyclopedic references, like Storey's 'Country Living' and John Seymour's 'The Self Sufficient Life, etc.' so it is nice to get a step back and see what that life looks like from the outside, and from people who are not quite so extreme--the idea of going 'part-time' into the lifestyle is considered much more realistic here, and that's nice to see. I think this book would be a good jumping off point for others; they don't gloss over the heartbreak or the glory and the people who contributed really seem to love what they do.

[Gabrielle W. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title to me makes no sense. I feel like this book was more about things to look at before moving to the country....what kinds of "country person do you want to be?" What each type of person does. Pluses and minus' of moving to the country.....if you're already living in the country, this book is a waste. There really isn't that much helpful information in it...I'd suggest other books such as the Back to Basics books.

[Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book lived up to my expectations as a good overview for the broader topic of small/hobby farms. There is not enough depth in any one area for it to stand alone as a how-to manual, but I have not found another book that does as good a job covering the big picture.

Use this book to make sure you are thinking things through, and once (if) you've decided to move forward with a small farm, find in-depth guides -- or consult your cooperative extension! -- for the specifics activities you take on.

I'll keep this book and shelve it among my other farming & homesteading books. I may not reach for it for my own use, but it's be in the stack I loan out to anyone thinking of going the small farm route.

[Daniel Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative and interesting. It covers so many different ideas on how to attempt home farming. What a great resource. I checked it out of the library but am going to order a copy for myself to keep at home.

[Qristy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just enough information to discourage you from pursuing a rural life. Not enough information to be helpful if you want to know how to go about it.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of new information added in this edition.

[Barbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my desire to learn about self-sufficiency I picked this book up. It had a lot of good information in it and was set up so that the items that didn't correspond with my farm could be skipped.