The Good Living Guide to Country Skills: Wisdom for Growing Your Own Food, Raising Animals, Canning and Fermenting, and More

by Abigail R. Gehring

Gehring’s books on country living have sold more than 500,000 copies. In this book, Gehring offers a guide to country living skills that is as charming as it is practical. Full of sweet illustrations and gorgeous photographs, step-by-step instructions for essential skills such as building a chicken coop are interspersed with country lore and old-fashioned tips and tricks.

Readers will learn how

Raise chickens
Make candles
Churn butter
Grow vegetables
Make jams and jellies
Dry herbs
Ferment vegetables
Make cheese
And more!

Good Living Guide to Country Skills combines the know-how of Back to Basics with the charm of The Farmer’s Almanac . Packaged in an attractive hardcover format and with a price that’s hard to beat, this is the perfect gift for anyone interested in a more self-sufficient, greener, country lifestyle.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Gardening

176 pages, Hardcover

First published July 12, 2016

About the author

Abigail R. Gehring is a writer who divides her time between New York City and rural Vermont. She is the editor of Back to Basics, Homesteading, and Self-Sufficiency, and author of Odd Jobs: How to Have Fun and Make Money in a Bad Economy and Dangerous Jobs: The World’s Riskiest Ways to Make an Extra Buck. The Simple Joys of Grandparenting: Stories, Nursery Rhymes, Recipes, Games, Crafts, and More. The Little Book of Country Baking: Classic Recipes for Cakes, Cookies, Breads, and Pies. She's practiced living self-sufficiently since her childhood in Vermont, helping build a log cabin, being home-schooled, home-canning jams and jellies, and enjoying natural crafts. She's held many of the jobs she writes about in her book, including beer promoter, “Cinderella”, lipstick reader, and hot dog vendor.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very nice little primer on country living. It touches on too many topics to really offer great insight into all. Great for those just dipping a toe into country life but didn't offer much new for those hip deep.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a nice little book to keep on hand (especially the recipes!) but only for the basics. It’s certainly not in-depth enough for a serious homesteader but a nice glimpse into the practices behind self sustainability.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very brief overview of some concepts and ideas. Much too basic to actually use as a guide if you wanted to perform any of the tasks suggested. It is a beautiful book in looks, but too basic for any level of experience and not informative enough for a first-timer. Wish it was better!

[Sherri · Rating 2 out of 5]

A beginner's guide to gardening, animals, canning, and a few homemade recipes. Includes photos.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good, basic information on homesteading. Great variety of recipes. The pictures of the goats made my heart smile.

[Jodi G. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I question the use of the word "wisdom" in this title.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a really nice book to have on hand. It was simple, good pictures and a lot of great tips. I got it from our library, but plan on having on hand for easy use.