OK- I know we all use the internet these day , right ? LOL well I still love the feel of a good book in my  hands when I curl up to read and it can be a wise thing to have a good reference library on hand! There will be many times that you use these books…

Tyler Geyman, one of our volunteers,  was back up from Louisiana to visit for a while and we got to talking ” things to know “- and what books are good to keep on hand. Promised him a list ! So here goes…

First the usual disclaimer -This is for informational purposes only – these are books we use and enjoy.

My three standbys are :

“The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening” -Rodale Press

Good basic  info about gardening , livestock raising and companion planting”How-to” graft, starting root cuttings etc.

“Stocking Up”

Great how to’s on preserving food- drying , canning , root cellar design , etc.

Merck’s Veterinary Manual”

Conventional meds for livestock- has dosages, diagnoses for illness etc.

There are many other good books- and great resources for books

Storey books- usually on a shelf in you farm supply store- these are good beginners manuals – with sound information. They can give you a great start on basic animal care

Chelsea books – fantastic publisher of alternative building books

Horizon Herbs- now “Strictly Medicinal” – some very good books and their catalog is full of growing info on herbs of all sorts

Alchemy Works – great seed resource for medicinal’s and tons of wonderful, accurate information !

Books in our library include the following , plus many more- I search thrift stores for basic texts on things like chemistry , physics ,etc.

The Hand Sculpted House- fun and informative about cob building…

Serious Straw bale – I feel this is the best book about building with bale-we followed is guidelines about moisture issues and have had no problems with it in seven years…

Rocket Mass Heaters by Ianto Evans and Leslie Jackson- a good read about basic rocket mass design

The Old Farmers Almanac- great lists of best planting days and all – gestation table- just good general information.

Llewellyn’s Moon sign Book- a yearly Lunar almanac

Any of Susan Weeds books about  healing

Euell Gibbons books – wonderful reads about wild foraging…

The Modern Herbal by Henriette Grieve- wonderful compendia of herbs – she refers to Culpepper a lot – includes many old time uses , but there area lot of American plants not included. I tend to use it for reference , but do not count on it for accuracy.

The Herb Book – by john Lust- I consider this to be one of the best sources for descriptions of a plant- I use it in combination with Nat. Audubon Society’s Field Guide to North American Flowers

Trees of Arkansas by Dwight W. Moore- good basic guide to learning trees

Audels- this is a serious of how-to books for construction and mechanics – on of the best to have on hand. Gives how to figure angles for rafters, proportions for mixing concrete, how to figure load bearing. etc.

Eliot Coleman . The New Organic Grower..one of the best newer books on homestead growing!

The Foxfire Series..great anecdotal stories😊

Five Acres and Independence..this was one of my earliest inspirations!

here are so many more , but this gives you an idea  of what a resource library might have in it 🙂

Have fun browsing LOL!