Backyard Homesteading

A simple guide to growing fruits, vegetables, nuts & berries, raising chickens, goats, & bees, and making beer, wine, & cider from your backyard. If you want to take control of the food you eat and the products you use, Backyard Homesteading will help you learn how to do it even if you live in an urban or suburban house on a typical-size lot. Inside, you'll discover how to turn a yard into a productive and wholesome "e;homestead"e; that allows you to grow your own fruits and vegetables and raise farm animals, including chickens and goats. You'll also find the laws and regulations of raising livestock in populated areas, as well as ways to use and preserve the bounty your land produces. GETTING STARTED- Benefits of pure food- Family recreation- Local regulations- Potential yields and savingsRAISING VEGETABLES AND HERBS- Garden planning/layout- Structures/irrigation- Vegetable profiles- Planting techniques- Composting/healthy soil- Seasonal gardeningGROWING FRUITS, BERRIES, AND NUTS- Planting fruit trees and bushes- Fruit profiles- Organic pest control- Grafting and pruning- Harvesting methodsRAISING CHICKENS- The joy of chickens- Collecting eggs- Care and feeding tips- Other small animalsRAISING GOATS- Benefits of goat milk- Structures/fencing- Care and feeding tips- Other large animalsBEEKEEPING- Benefits of beekeeping- Care and harvesting- Building hives- Collecting honeyHARVEST HOME- Canning/drying/freezing- Making beer, wine, cider- Making jerky, sausage- Making jams, jellies- Pickling/salting/smoking- Building root cellars