Planet Earth Home

Cover, Planet Earth HomeAuthor(s): Mel Moench

Publisher: Osprey Press

ISBN: planetearthhome

Order From: http://www.planetearthhome.com/
(links will open in a new window)

“This is by far the most comprehensive attempt to create the truly unplugged house… …systems forliving which honor the Earth.” –John Todd, President Ocean Arks International

This book fills a needed niche in self-sufficiency information. The book is a complete resource for the home biosphere. Rather than the home thought of as only a shelter, we need to begin to redefine the home as a potential provider. The result will be our own increased well-being as well as the future well-being of planet Earth. Greenhouse Gardener’s Companion From the Authors website: This book contains a plan for constructing a completely self-sufficient home for a family of four, which is designed to provide both food and power and can be located anywhere. No stream needed No hilltop location necessary No sunbelt location required No extensive farming skills No major mechanical skills No huge costs Limited lifestyle change This is a complete reference spanning and condensing over 21 years of research and tens of thousands of books, articles, technical documents and phone calls, covering all aspects of self-sufficiency. It answers questions such as: Which power source do I need? Which plants and animals are best? Which building materials last the longest? What are the easiest plumbing and sewage methods? How do I preserve enough food? Where is recycling used? The information and plan has been designed to simplify the many complex technologies into an understandable and easy-to-read format. The table of contents is grouped by function, making information easily accessible. The basic plan can be modified to suit the Individual needs in building your own home. Whether you are a survivalist, a young family looking for some measure of independence or want a second food source, this book can give you as much self-sufficiency ideas as you ever could want.

Solviva: How to grow $500,000 on one acre, and Peace on Earth

Solviva: How to grow $500,000 on one acre, and Peace on Earth

Solviva: How to grow $500,000 on one acre, and Peace on Earth

Author(s): Anna Edey

Publisher: Trailblazer Press

Paperback: 224 pages

ISBN-10: 0966234901

ISBN-13: 978-0966234909

Order From: Amazon.com
(links will open in a new window)

 

Solviva: How to grow $500,000 on one acre, and Peace on Earth

You’ll want to live in a greenhouse once you read this inspiring book. Anna shows how animals and plants thrive in her bio-diverse system, which uses no pesticides, recycles CO2, is solar efficient and produces healthy, thriving plants that grow like crazy- even in winter in Massachussetts!

Since 1976 Anna Edey has made one astonishing discovery after another (how to heat and cool with solar power, how to grow exceptionally high yields of highest quality organic foods year-round without heating fuel or cooling fans, how to manage sewage in ways that benefit the landscape and reduce water pollution, etc) under the name Solviva Solar-Dynamic Bio-Benign Design.

This book is about one woman’s sacred vision and commitment to learning to live sustainably on Earth.

The results of her experiments and methods have again and again exceeded highest hopes and expectations. This book describes the exciting trials and triumphs of her journey, and offers convincing proof that we can, with today’s technology and knowledge, live in ways that reduce pollution and depletion of resources by 80% or more, and at the same time reduce cost of living and improve quality of life, in urban and rural locations anywhere on Earth.

The book contains 155 color illustrations, 244 pages, softcover, color, with color photos, and many detailed instructions and recommendations to help others along on their own journeys toward living sustainably.

Back to Basics : How to Learn and Enjoy Traditional American Skills

Cover, Back to Basics : How to Learn and Enjoy Traditional American Skills

Publisher: Readers Digest

ISBN: 0895779390

Order From: Amazon.com
(links will open in a new window)

Back to Basics : How to Learn and Enjoy Traditional American Skills

Hardcover March 1997

Amazon.com
Voluntary simplicity has become a catch phrase for what seems to be a yearning for a simpler, more self-sufficient and economical way of living in the late 20th century. This book, first published in 1981 and recently updated, was probably many folks’ first in-depth exposure to the idea of a simpler life, making things by hand, and enjoying a stronger sense of control over personal budgets, home projects, and lifestyles. Hundreds of projects are listed, illustrated in step-by-step diagrams and instructions: growing and preserving your own food, converting trees to lumber and building a home from it, traditional crafts and homesteading skills, and having fun with recreational activities like camping, fishing, and folk dancing without spending a lot of money. This book will have you dreaming and planning from the first page! —

Synopsis
With so many urban and suburban dwellers moving toward simplifying their lives, Reader’s Digest has updated its popular Back to Basics series to provide the ultimate how-to book. It’s packed with hundreds of projects and illustrated step-by-step sequences to help you learn to live more self-sufficiently, with sections on shelter, alternative energy sources, growing and preserving food, home crafts, and even recreation. Includes over 2,000 photos, diagrams and drawings.

Homesteading Adventures : A Guide for Doers & Dreamers

Cover, Homesteading Adventures : A Guide for Doers & Dreamers Author(s): Susan J. Robishaw, Stephen K. Schmeck (Illustrator), Sue Robishaw, Steve Schmeck

Publisher: ManyTracks

ISBN: 0965203611

Order From: Amazon.com
(links will open in a new window)

Homesteading Adventures : A Guide for Doers & Dreamers

Paperback, 303 pages
Publication date: November 1997

How-To Editor’s Recommended Book, 02/01/98:
Sue Robishaw takes an unusual approach in her examination of of homesteading. She converses with two imaginary characters, J. J. and CindyLou, to tell the story of Robishaw’s and her husband’s move to rural Northern Michigan nearly two decades ago. The three commiserate about the Robishaws’ trials, learning experiences, and misconceptions. With the help of J. J. and CindyLou, Robishaw simply, often hilariously, tells her story and offers no one-size-fits-all approach to homesteading. She also describes, in great detail, gardening tips, how to construct a solar oven, recipes, ways to become more self-sufficient by growing your own food, how to build a simple structure such as a home or outbuilding, and how to deal with critters. While filled with practical how-to information, the real joy of Homesteading Adventures is the story of the Robishaws life and experiences, told with gentle humor and affection, and mercifully free of self-righteousness. It’s a real treat to read.

Greg Prange, Northern Lights, Dec. 1997:
Her book is the perfect gift to inspire someone to take the first step to the Goodlife . . . She is truly a kindred spirit with the earth.

Bountiful Gardens, Dec. 1997:
This book is fun to read yet has a lot of good information; it would be a good one to read out loud to the family.

Michael Emerson, Independent Publisher, Mar/Apr 1998:
A practical and entertaining look at self-sufficient living. More than a how-to manual, Robishaw offers an enjoyable and insightful introduction to homestead living and philosophy Homesteading Adventures to be an inspiring and useful book for improving the quality of their lives.

Countryside magazine, Jan/Feb 1998:
Seed Saving, the outhouse, making maple syrup and the greenhouse, it’s all here, making this one of the most comprehensive manuals on homesteading we have seen. And yet . . . it’s much more readable and interesting than a manual . . . Anyone interested in homesteading is sure to enjoy, and benefit from, this very readable book.

From Independent Publisher:
Based on two decades of homesteading in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Sue Robishaw’s Homesteading Adventures is a practical and entertaining look at self-sufficient living. More than a how-to manual, Robishaw offers an enjoyable and insightful introduction to homestead living and philosophy through her amusing conversations with two fictional neophyte homesteaders, J.J. and CindyLou. With 20 extensive chapters, Homesteading Adventures covers a wide range of topics, including building a home, solar cooking, outdoor and greenhouse gardening, cooking, wine-making, solar electricity, windmilling and making maple syrup. Robishaw provides a wealth of practical information, photographs, drawings, and references to other homesteading books and resources which she and her husband, Steve Schmeck, have used over the years. As the subtitle promises, this is a book for those who have experimented with a homesteading lifestyle, as well as anyone who has dreamed of growing their own food, using solar power, or connecting to the seasonal rhythms of the earth. Whether rural or suburban, young or old, readers will find Homesteading Adventures to be an inspiring and useful book for improving the quality of their lives.

Build Your Own underground Root Cellar

Cover, Build Your Own Underground Root CellarAuthor: Phyllis Hobson

ISBN: 0882662902

Order From: Amazon
(links will open in a new window)

Build Your Own Underground Root Cellar #A76

Describes the right location, tools, and materials needed. Includes detailed drawings on building the cellar. Adapting the cellar to your needs. Getting the most from your root cellar. Gives storage requirements of individual fruits and vegetables. Root cellar maintenance. Country Wisdom Bulletin. Paperback, 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 inches, 32 pages with line drawings.

Each “how to” booklet is easy to read and offers clear direction.

They are a great place to start a small project…like building a compost holder or mulching a garden properly. Many of the authors are well known experts, and these booklets are a condensation of one topic, or the information has been excerpted from a bigger, more expensive book. At $4.00 each they are affordable, and are a fast read.

Root Cellaring : Natural Cold Storage of Fruits and Vegetables

Cover, Root Cellaring : Natural Cold Storage of Fruits and Vegetables

Author(s): by Mike Bubel, Nancy Bubel, Pam Art (Editor)

Publisher: Storey Books

ISBN: 0882667033

Order From: Amazon.com
(links will open in a new window)

Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits and Vegetables

Paperback
320 pages
2nd edition
October 1991

The publisher, Storey Books , April 24, 1998
Root cellaring is a simple, energy-saving way to keep food fresh all year. This book explains building and using different types of root cellars and which vegetables and fruits store best. Includes specific storage requirements for nearly 100 home garden crops, plus dozens of delicious recipes.

Customer Comments

Annette Kent from Rupert, Idaho, USA ,October 6, 1998
Very informative, and complete in all areas of information. I was looking for how to build a root celler. Several Ideas were presented, along with what can be stored, how to store it and how long it could likely be stored. I first saw this book as a loan from another library. Now I want to get one to have as reference in my library.

Outdoor Lighting Pattern Book

Outdoor Lighting Pattern Book

Outdoor Lighting Pattern BookAuthor(s): Leslie, Rodgers, Lighting Research Center

Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional; 1 edition (November 1, 1996)

Hardcover: 208 pages

ISBN: 0070371881

ISBN-13: 978-0070371880

Order From: Amazon.com
(links will open in a new window)

Using a series of “patterns” or model lighting designs, this book presents several lighting possibilities for typical situations. It addresses residential, commercial, institutional, industrial and public spaces, including walkways, alleys, quick-stop shopping, pedestrian malls, business districts, office parks, parking garages, loading docks, school yards, playgrounds, public parks, and areas adjoining apartment buildings. For each setting, the book first illustrates the commonly used lighting treatment and then offers several options for upgrading or redesigning the lighting. This book complements the Lighting Pattern Book for Homes and is also written by the faculty of the Lighting Research Center. 218 pages, 1996

Constructed Wetlands in the Sustainable Landscape

Constructed Wetlands in the Sustainable Landscape

Constructed Wetlands in the Sustainable LandscapeAuthor(s): Craig Campbell and Michael Ogden

Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (April 22, 1999)

Paperback: 288 pages

ISBN: 0471107204

ISBN-13: 978-0471107200

Order From: Amazon.com
(Link will open in a new window)

Constructed wetlands are gaining worldwide acceptance as effective, low-cost and low-impact alternatives to unsightly, high-impact wastewater treatment facilities. The creative involvement of today’s planners, landscape architects, developers, environmental engineers and public officials is helping to maximize the potential of these wetland habitats — from their aesthetics to their multiple uses as water treatment plants, wildlife refuges and recreational or educational facilities. Yet, to date, the literature has paid no attention to these aspects, focusing instead on the technical side of wetlands construction and function.

Constructed Wetlands in the Sustainable Landscape is the first book to integrate aesthetic design and planning issues with the technical aspects of wetlands engineering. Renowned landscape architect Craig S. Campbell and engineer Michael H. Ogden clearly demonstrate how the successful development and management of multifunctional, sustainable wetland habitats depend on harnessing the knowledge and working principles of a number of disciplines. Richly illustrated with real-world case studies, the book:

 

  • Covers the concept of sustainable development and the nature of wetland processes.
  • Discusses designs for new and existing municipal and small community wastewater treatment facilities.
  • Offers calculations for designing surface and subsurface flow wetlands.
  • Provides guidance for construction and operation.
  • Contains examples of on-site planning for, and management of, stormwater renovation, single-family residential systems and multiple-use systems.
  • Examines landscape engineering and planning for ponds, urban wildlife, and ecological art.

Clearly written and accessible to nonengineers and nonscientists, Constructed Wetlands in the Sustainable Landscape is a crucial guide for landscape architects, environmental engineers, planners, developers and government officials.

Review

“This book is a valuable resource to be consulted in the early planning stages of a wetland construction project, particularly where aesthetics and social acceptance are important factors.” (Theodore J. Hogan: Environmental Practice 3(1), March, 2001)”This book addresses a broad audience: water and environmental engineers, planners, landscape architects, developers and public officials responsible for planning and environment protection. Written in a clear way, it is accessible to a wider audience than engineers and scientists, and can be a useful compliment in studying. Indeed, anyone interested in sewage treatment, water protection, landscape planning and ecology may find this book useful. Specialists may benefit from a new, broader perspective on their professional problems.” (Hydrological Sciences Journal, Feb. 2002)

Solar Gardening: Growing Vegetables Year-Round the American Intensive Way

Solar Gardening: Growing Vegetables Year-Round the American Intensive Way

Solar Gardening: Growing Vegetables Year-Round the American Intensive WayAuthors: Leandre Poisson, Gretchen Vogel Poisson

Publisher: Chelsea Green; 1St Edition edition (September 1, 1994)

Paperback: 288 pages

ISBN-10: 0930031695

ISBN-13: 978-0930031695

Order From: Amazon.com
(links will open in a new window)

SSolar Gardening shows how to increase efforts of the sun during the coldest months of the year and how to protect tender plants from the intensity of the scorching sun during the hottest months through the use of solar “mini-greenhouses.” The book includes instructions for building a variety of solar appliances plus descriptions of more than 90 different crops, with charts showing when to plant and harvest each. The result is a year-round harvest even from a small garden.

In Solar Gardening the Poissons show you how to:

  • Dramatically increase the annual square-foot yield of your garden.
  • Extend the growing and harvest season for nearly every kind of vegetable.
  • Select crops that will thrive in the coldest and hottest months of the year, without artificial heating or cooling systems.
  • Build solar appliances for your own garden.

Armed with nothing but this book and a few simple tools, even novice gardeners can quickly learn to extend their growing season and increase their yields, without increasing the size of their garden plot.