The homesteading movement is continuing to grow, as more people are stepping up to have a hand in where their food comes from. Whether you want to dabble or immerse yourself completely in the do-it-yourself, back-to-basics lifestyle, Welcome to the Farm is a comprehensive, fully illustrated guide to growing the very best food right in your own backyard. Shaye Elliott takes readers on a journey that teaches them how to harvest baskets full of organic produce, milk a dairy cow (and make butter), plant a homestead orchard, can jams and jellies, and even raise chickens and bees. From her experience running The Elliott Homestead, Shaye provides all the how-to wisdom you need to know about:
- The benefits of a home garden
- The basics of seed starting
- Building your own greenhouse
- What belongs in the winter garden
- Canning, freezing, and dehydrating techniques and recipes
- The pros and cons of caged vs. free-range chickens
- Keeping a dairy cow and what to do with all the milk
- Raising animals for meat
- Making your own cider and wine
- And so much more!
Welcome to the Farm is aimed to serve homesteaders and urban-farmers alike, guiding them through the beginning stages of small-area farming and utilizing whatever amount of space they have available for optimal and delicious food production.