Determined to figure out the meaning of 21st-century life as a college freshman, I spent a term break working on a self-sufficient off-grid homestead in Bangor, Michigan.
I learned about making hugelkultur mounds, growing amaranth and foraging for mushrooms there, but what left the biggest impression on me was the owner’s reference library. It filled the whole front room of the house and was used often throughout the day.
I’m still working on the philosophical questions, but In the years since, I’ve been building my own collection of used books. This library helps me develop the practical skills needed for rural living and learn more about what has and hasn’t worked for other homesteaders. It’s easy to do with a little bit of time, and it doesn’t have to be expensive.
Though I’m glad to have online resources available, especially how-to videos, there’s a lot to be said for a physical collection. You can read it any time; you can take it into the field and even make notes on it. Books are easier to revisit and keep track of than a video or blog.
Plus, in the homestead realm, a lot of information is timeless (food safety is one notable exception) and you can use older material as a starting point for whatever you want to research.
My favorite sources for used materials are library shops and book sales, where treasures run just a dollar or two. Some seasonal sales let you fill a bag for a few bucks or a free-will donation.
The social aspect of this can be enriching, too. When I bought a copy of Eric Sloane’s “A Reverence for Wood” at a library store last month, the volunteer cashier told me about how reading that book at my age changed his life.
Regular used bookstores and sometimes antique malls have also been good sources for me in the $5 to $15 price range. Antique malls in particular often have interesting titles that aren’t too pricey.
If I know I really want a book that I can’t find — those “also available” lists on the front pages of older books add to this — I keep a running note of titles until I’m ready to make an online order from a site like Thriftbooks or eBay.
If you find a book you really value, checking out the publisher’s other listings is helpful.
I could collect personal narratives about homesteading to no end, but I also make an effort to find things outside of my favorite reading to supplement my weaker points.
Here are a few types of materials to keep an eye out for when building your own library:
How-it-works books
I’m not naturally mechanically minded, but I can’t escape the need to use equipment. Illustrated books about how things are put together, especially when the diagrams show the pieces fitting together, really help me to understand what is happening when I use tools and (in a perfect world) how to fix them.
Specialty topic books
Sometimes a deep dive into tomato varieties or managing a team of working oxen can be a refreshing change of pace. Plus, you never know what you’ll learn that might translate to your own activities or what new interest you could develop.
Identification guides
Even if taxonomy isn’t your strong suit (it certainly isn’t mine), having basic guide books is essential to understanding what’s going on around you. Learning tracks, insects, fungi and plant types can tell you a lot about what’s happening on your land. Over time, I’ve even learned to appreciate understanding how species are related to each other.
History textbooks
Give it a chance! Anthropology-focused titles can give you interesting ideas and contexts for homesteading that you might never have thought about otherwise. If you’re not a big reader, I find these can still be valuable just for flipping through.
Cookbooks
It’s easy to get overwhelmed in the cookbook section, but I like to take a look for farm-focused options to give me ideas for using what I grow. I’ve been guilty of having toast for dinner after a full day outside growing food; planning out easy things to cook feels like a step in the right direction.
Story books
My personal favorites tell an individual’s story, whether in first or third person. I remember poring over the Foxfire books and their New England equivalents, the Salt books, when I was very young. Recorded oral histories like these are readily available once you start looking.
