British Red posted a thread listing his choice for homesteading type books...
I was asked recently to list the books I have that are useful or vital to self sufficiency. We have a lot. One large three shelf bookcase in the kitchen forms half of our "reference library" - It covers cooking, gardening and self sufficiency. I have left out from this list myriad cook books and flower gardening etc. as they probably do not apply directly to self sufficiency.
Now the books - rather than list them I have photographed them - The titles and authors should all be visible (although you may have to click on the link to get a larger picture). I have tried to group them by category, but the categories are loose. I've commented on each category on what I think are "seminal" books.
Here we go
The Backbone
When trying to plan a garden or a self sufficient lifestyle you need to think and plan in broad strokes. I find John Seymours work great for that. Often it leads on to me buying a more specialised volume, but a plan has levels - and for a "high level" plan these are, in my opinion, the best. I have both but one is more garden oriented - the other more small holding. Pick one or both.
Books 1 - the backbone by
British Red, on Flickr
Handy additions to the backbone
Both of the illustrated books contain a myriad of useful information. I find they contain some information on many tasks I need to undertake. I found both nowhere near as good at the "broad brush planning" as the Seymour books, but contain more detailed information on a specific task. The top four together will get you going on most things!
Books 2 - handy additions by
British Red, on Flickr
Useful Planning
I do also like these three books as supplements to planning out your enterprise. Of the three probably "five acres and independence" is the best - but only after you have the Seymour ones
Books 4 - useful planning by
British Red, on Flickr
Handy General Purpose stuff
There are lots of books out there that come at things from a historical angle - or truly historical books. Of those interested, the titles on the left are of limited value to a smallholder other than sparking a "further interest". Those on the right (Foxfire series and "Manufacturers Practical Recipes" contain good, solid, information and are worth having
Books 3 - Handy general purpose by
British Red, on Flickr
General Garden Books
Clearly growing produce is at the backbone of self sufficiency so we have many volumes on the subject
As additions to the Seymour volume, we find Bob Flowerdews stuff excellent. He's an organic garden, so if that's not your thing, buy another. The basic "Garden Expert" book should be on everyones bookshelf - for its planning seasons stuff if nothing else
Books 5 - basic garden by
British Red, on Flickr
Forest Gardening
For some, Forest Gardening (in a nutshell, planting a perennial garden without much rotation) is the way to go. There are many books on the subject but its not how we work in the main - so we have this one
Books 6 - Forest Garden by
British Red, on Flickr
Garden Specialisms
There are a wealth of specialist books on one aspect of gardening. Of these I strongly reccomend the RHS pruning book if you inted to keep fruit bushes or trees. The seed saving book is a must if you intend to grow heirloom (non hybrid) plants and keep seeds for next year. The River cottage book is good - but not as good as their Bread book
Books 7 - Specialist by
British Red, on Flickr
Herbs
If you have a general interest in growing and using herbs - wither of these will see you right
Books 8 - Herbal by
British Red, on Flickr
Medicinal Preparations
Of these the James Wong is the more accesible but the Hedgreow Medicine more in depth.
Books 9 - Medicinal by
British Red, on Flickr
Storing Food
Well, once you've grown it, you have to keep it fresh for when you need it - all of these books are great (and don't dismiss the freezing one - I had no idea of the right way to freeze more obscure fruits and veg)
Books 10 - Food Preserving General by
British Red, on Flickr
Pickles, Jams and Preserves
This is one of the nicest and most fun things I find - from a home grown mustard to a Thai sweet chilli sauce. Marguerite Patton is of course a goddess and her book is the best
Books 11 - Pickles & Jam by
British Red, on Flickr
"Pressure Canning"
If you are going to get into pressure canning - and its a great way to preserve meat and low acid veg - Start with the Balls Blue Book and go from there
Books 12 - Canning by
British Red, on Flickr
Other Preserving
ALL of these books are "best of breed" - if you have an interest in the subject matter
Books 13 - butchery, cheese and root cellars by
British
Red, on Flickr
Livestock Handling
This is a huge subject in its own right - we are planning to move on to chickens, ducks, bees and perhaps pigs - but I'm no expert here. You will need books though on species, handling, ailments, housing etc.
Books 14 - Livestock by
British Red, on Flickr
Crafts
I don't mean crafts in a hippy tie-dye way. I mean making the things you need and use. The list is endless bus soap making is a great place to start
Books 15 - crafts by
British Red, on Flickr
Specialised Crafts
Some of these facinate me intellectually (e.g. distilling) but making your own vinegar is a huge step towards those chutneys and the Bread book is awesome - everything you need to know about bread by hand.
Books 18 - Make your own by
British Red, on Flickr
"Building"
You are going to have to build stuff. Maybe not a home, but a fence, a door, a gate. My favourite of these are "Handy farm devices and how to make them" and the BTCV fencing manual - I guarantee you will use both
Books 16 - DIY by
British Red, on Flickr
The Good Life
Most of us want treats and a glass of something at day's end. All of these are good. The CJJ Berry is a good primer on wine and where I started
Books 17 - Wine and sweets by
British Red, on Flickr
Clearly that is not all you would need to know about self reliance - but it would be my choice for starting out
Red
I can see why BR photographed these books, to type all the titles and authors takes a fair while, still for anyone interested here they all are.
John Seymour - The New Self-Sufficient Gardener
John Seymour - The NEW complete book of Self-Sufficiency
Carla Emery - The Encyclopedia of Country Living
John and Martha Storey - Storey's Basic Country Skills
Michael Roberts - The Smallholders D.I.Y
- The Smallholding Plan A Practical Starter's Guide
M.G. Kains - Five Acres and Independance
Una McGovern - Lost Crafts
Eliot Wigginton - The Foxfire Book
Thomas J. Elpel - Primitive Living. Self-Sufficiency, and Survival Skills
G. S., Ed. Ranshaw - Manufacturers Practical Recipes
Bob Flowerdew - The Gourmet Gardener
Bob Flowerdew - Complete Fruit Book
Bob Flowerdew - Going Organic
Dr. D.G. Hessayon - The Garden Expert
Patrick Whitefield - How To Make A Forest Garden
Sue Stickland - Back Garden Seed Saving
Jerry Minnich - Gardening for Maximum Nutrition
Christopher Brickell - Pruning
Mark Diacono - River Cottage Handbook No.4 Veg Patch
Rita Buchananan - A Dyers Garden
Andi Clevely - The New Guide to Herbs
Lesley B - The Complete Book of Herbs
Julie Bruton-Seal and Matthew Seal - Hedgerow Medicine
James Wong - Grow Your Own Drugs
Carolyn Humphries - how to freeze
The Gardeners & Farmers of Terre Vivante - Keeping Food Fresh: Old World Recipes and Techniques
Piers Warren - How to Store Your Garden Produce
AFRC Institute of Food Research - Home Preservation of Fruit and Vegetables
Lynda Brown - The Preserving Book
Marguerite Patten - Jams, Preserves and Chutneys
Amelia Swann - The Victorian Kitchen Book of Pickles and Preserves
Catherine Atkinson and Maggie Mayhew - The Complete Book of Preserves and Pickles
Judy Kingry and Lauren Devine - The Complete Book of Home Preserving
United States Department of Agriculture - The Complete Guide to Home Canning, Preserving and Freezing
- Cooking and Canning with the All American Pressure Cooker/Canner Instructions and Recipes
Altrista Consumr Products - Blue Book Guide to Preserving
Mike and Nancy Bubes - Root Cellaring Natural Cold Storage of Fruits and Vegetables
A.D. Livingston - Cold-Smoking and Salt-Curing Meat, Fish, and Game
Ricki Carroll - Home Cheese Making
John J. Mettler Jr - Basic Butchering of Livestock and Game
Katia Thear and Dr. Alistair Fraser (Editors) - The Complete Book of Raising Livestock and Poultry
Katie Thear - Starting with Chickens
Claude Goodchild, Alan Thompson - Keeping Poultry and Rabbits on Scraps
Katie Thear - Starting with Geese
Katie Thear - Starting with Ducks
Susie Vaughan - Handmade Baskets
Angela Ramsey - the handmade paper book
Carol Kroll - The Whole Craft of Spinning
Melindaq Coss - the handmade soap book
Janice Cox - Natural Beauty at home
Julie Townsend - Vinegar A guide to the many types and their uses around the home
Ola Norrman - Home Distillation Handbook
Daniel Stevens - River Cottage Handbook No.3 Bread
Bernie Weisgerber - An Ax to Grind A Practical Ax Manual
Elizabeth Agate - Fencing a practical handbook
Colin Eden-Eadon - Wood Work The Complete Step-By-Step Manual
Rolfe Cobleigh - Handy Farm Devices and how to make them
C.J.J Berry - First Steps in Winemaking
Bruce Weinstein - The Ultimate Candy Book
Terry Garey - Home Winemaking
Margas & Rich Gulling - Wild Wines and Meads