Always interested in the "homesteading" aspect myself - its more achievable in my day to day life.
Not come across "Possum Living" though - would you recommend it?
Red
What are the essential Bushcraft books a man should own?
- Thread starter Ridge Runner
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Always interested in the "homesteading" aspect myself - its more achievable in my day to day life.
Not come across "Possum Living" though - would you recommend it?
Red
Emery's book is better for the "normal" homesteader. Possum Living was written by a woman about her and her father's experiences trying to live on the "fringe" of normal city life - on very little actual money, little "formal" work, and without attracting too much attention associated with modern society. It's good for the little daily-life/living hints and cooking tips. And to help realize just how little "money" you can get by on.
It's been a bit since I last saw the book buried somewhere in all the piles. But, as I recall, it also gave hints about finding places to live in for free (until caught/discovered) without asking permission (abandoned vehicles and buildings), building a little hidi-hole shack on property few people ever visit, dumpster diving, restaurant scavanging, etc.
The idea was to not get noticed, licensed, taxed, or added to the ever growing "lists" compiled by governmental authorities. But you really needed a large city to operate around for most of the things talked about.
Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands
Cheers Mike, sounds interesting but not the way I choose to live! You might want a galnce at "The New Complete Guide to Self Sufficiency" at some point (John Seymour). If you liked "Country Living" I think it would be right up your alley. It has been as influential to me as any Bushcraft book for sure.
Red
Red
Ah, yes. John Seymour. I have several of his books - including that Self Sufficiency book - although my copy is The Guide to Self-Sufficiency 1976 edition isbn 0-910990-62-2. Sounds like he revised/update it. Love it - had it for many years. And it got me looking for other books by him - like The Forgotten Crafts isbn 0-394-53956-7 and Forgotten Household Crafts isbn 0-394-55830-8. Great books. You will love them. But they have a fault. They ... whet your appetite for more info on the crafts, but then stop. There's enough info to start, but you really want more! And he's also got a smaller book that I can't seem to find on the shelf right now.
If you can find it, you would also like Practical Skills by Gene Logsdon isbn 0-87857-577-4. He was associated with and wrote for Rodale Press for years - mostly known for their magazine Organic Farming. But if you like Seymour, you will also like Logsdon.
And Reader's Digest came out with BACK TO BASICS and COUNTRY WAYS: A Celebration of Rural Life. This last one is a good ... read, but the first has LOTS more of the nuts-n-bolts stuff.
And a bit ... dated ... is COUNTRY COMFORTS: Designs for the Homestead by Bruyere & Inwood isbn 0-8473-1031-0 or 0-8473-1138-4 in paperback. Published in 1976, so pretty early in the back-to-the-land movement.
And, of course, the whole FOXFIRE series of books - 1 through 10. But few knew of or heard of the New England coastal versions - SALT 1 and SALT 2.
And I know you would like LOST COUNTRY LIFE by Dorothy Hartley isbn 0-394-74838-7. Copywrited in 1979, but recently re-published. It is subtitled "How English country folk lived, worked, threshed, thatched, rolled fleece, milled corn, brewed mead ...". It's all about the late middle ages, and how the common folk lived - arranged by the months of the year, with the normal taskes associated with that month.
There's a few books to keep you busy. Yes, they are mostly household, gardening, back-to-the-land books, but a lot of the info can be incorporated into adventures ooot-n-abooot.
Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands
p.s. Oops, almost forgot about The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn (aka The Frugal Zealot) isbn 0-679-74388-X She has written a newsletter for years all about tips "Promoting Thrift as a Viable Alternative Lifestyle". And then compileda bunch of those tips from the newsletters into this book. I think she also has a second book out.
I suspect "The self sufficient gardener" may be the other Seymour you can't rememember Mike - great book. I've got a couple of the Fox fire collections - really like them but going to have to buy "Lost Country Life" that sounds right up my street.
If you haven't got this one I suggest "Hand Farm Devices and How to make them" by Rolfe Cobleigh - great book
Apologies to Ridge Runner for the thead Hijack - I should probably start a "homesteading" thread sometime!
Red
If you haven't got this one I suggest "Hand Farm Devices and How to make them" by Rolfe Cobleigh - great book
Apologies to Ridge Runner for the thead Hijack - I should probably start a "homesteading" thread sometime!
Red
A lot of the choices so far are about 'How To...' rather than 'Why?'
So to redress that a bit:
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Reflections from the North Country by Sigurd Olson
One Mans Wilderness by Proenneke (need to check spelling)
To Build a Fire -short story by Jack London, available on line.
So to redress that a bit:
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Reflections from the North Country by Sigurd Olson
One Mans Wilderness by Proenneke (need to check spelling)
To Build a Fire -short story by Jack London, available on line.
Where to start!?
Wind in the Willows
Swallows and Amazons (having kids has been a great excuse to revisit these classics)
Coral Island
The Tenderness of Wolves
Rogue Male
... and did I mention ZATAOMM?
As stated by others my mainstays have already been listed (both predictable & a couple not so)...
However, and I'm sure I may have just missed it, I didn't see reference to The Survival Handbook by Raymond Mears (as he once was), which as has been stated in the past is an excellent instructional manual composed prior to him becoming quite so well known.
However, and I'm sure I may have just missed it, I didn't see reference to The Survival Handbook by Raymond Mears (as he once was), which as has been stated in the past is an excellent instructional manual composed prior to him becoming quite so well known.
its thicker too so less commercial than his later works.
a good book for kids is educating litle tree - not a manual but the story of a half caste boy being raised by his granparents as a cherokee. good read for adults as well.
there's a film of it I think.
a good book for kids is educating litle tree - not a manual but the story of a half caste boy being raised by his granparents as a cherokee. good read for adults as well.
there's a film of it I think.
The south american "mate" tea is made from the leaves of a kind of holly tree. Maybe something to try out. Mind you, there are people who are just after that poisonous effect
A top 5, only exist of a selection of my own books and the few ones I've read:
- Kephart "Woodcraft and Camping"
- "Food for Free" Mabey
- "Practicing Primitive: A Handbook of Aboriginal Skills" By Steven M. Watts
- "Of People and Plants" By Maurice Messegue
- "Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats" By Sally Fallon, Mary Enig
You can't do much without good health.
