Product Description

With frequent warnings about water and energy shortages, and the potential dangers of pesticides and genetically modified foods, many people nurture a dream of living a 'self-sufficient' lifestyle.With these people in mind, this comprehensive yet easy-to-read book examines what it truly takes to live off the fat of the land. Authors Alan and Gill Bridgewater, who themselves recently moved to a smallholding, answer all the fundamental questions that anyone considering a similar lifestyle shift might ask; from the best way to warm your home off the grid to the time and effort that go into growing your own food and raising your own animals. The book even goes so far as to describe quirkier aspects of the lifestyle, with detailed descriptions of how to make soap and candles. Both the most fulfilling aspects and the hard graft of self-sufficient living are revealed in full.Packed with informative illustrations and diagrams, and a wealth of useful advice, "The Self-Sufficiency Specialist" is the perfect guide for prospective 21st-century smallholders.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #187555 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 80 pages

About the Author
Alan and Gill Bridgewater have gained an international reputation as producers of gardening and DIY books on a range of subjects, including ponds and patios, stone and brickwork, decks and decking, and garden design. They have written a wide range of highly successful books and contributed to several international magazines. They live in Rye, East Sussex.

Customer Reviews

the self-suficiency specialist
I found this book extremely superficial. With the minimum of research, anyone could have written this book. Although it is perhaps unfair to expect too much depth in such a small book, the number of times that any sort of the imparting of any sort of useful information is skated over with a bland statement referring the reader to an expert are legion.
It almost prompts me to set about writing a book of my own with useful and practical information in it.

A great place to start
This is a small book. Consider it a beginners overview...

Deciding to attempt self sufficiency is an exciting and yet daunting prospect. It's a dream my husband and I have been pursuing and preparing to launch into for some time.

There is no denying that there is a great deal to learn and discover when learning to live life in a completely different way, and this book certainly does not begin to provide it all, however it was for me an invaluable overview - a taster of different aspects of self sufficiency which then need to be grappled with individually and in greater depths.

If you are toying with anything from making your lifestyle more eco-friendly to going completely off grid and producing all your own food, this is a great place to start. It will give you something to build on and a taste of what is possible.

Read this, read other books. Research on the internet - find blogs of others who have done what you dream of already. Approach farmers and local authorities. Investigate the region in which you plan to settle. Get creative and just keep digging!