Book Review: Homegrown and Handmade

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Gone are the days when people relied on what they could grow or make to sustain their families. These days you go to the grocery store and you can find almost any food you desire, at any time of the year. Though having everything accessible all the time has its benefits, it is also has its downsides. In order to produce such quantities of food, the farming industry relies on mass use of antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides. Then there's the other unsustainable and questionable practices like hybrid chickens and genetically modified produce. These practices are not only harmful to the farmers who manage the food, but their health effects on consumers are still uncertain. It's starting to seem the only way to 'protect' yourself from these unwanted additives is to grow and raise everything you eat and use on your own. This isn't always an option, especially for those of us who live or work in cities, and don't have the time or space to grow all their own food. Deborah Neimann's book, "Homegrown and Handmade: A Practical Guide to a More Self-Reliant Living" is as an introduction to self-reliance for people who don't necessarily have the time or resources to grow everything for ourselves, but are interested in taking the first steps to a more sustainable lifestyle.

Gone are the days when people relied on what they could grow or make to sustain their families. These days when you go to the grocery store  you can find almost any food you desire, at any time of the year. Though having everything accessible all the time has its benefits, it also has its downsides. In order to produce such quantities of food, the farming industry relies on mass use of antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides. Then there's the other unsustainable and questionable practices like hybrid chickens and genetically modified produce. These practices are not only harmful to the farmers who manage the food, but their health effects on consumers are still uncertain.

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It's starting to seem the only way to 'protect' yourself from these unwanted additives is to grow and raise everything you eat and use on your own. This isn't always an option, especially for those of us who live or work in cities, and don't have the time or space to grow all their own food. Deborah Neimann's book, "Homegrown and Handmade: A Practical Guide to a More Self-Reliant Living" is as an introduction to self-reliance for people who don't necessarily have the time or resources to grow everything for ourselves, but are interested in taking the first steps to a more sustainable lifestyle. When Neimann had her first child, she became interested in nutrition and the impact of artificial ingredients on her families health . She started making her own bread, and eventually bought a homestead out in Illinois where she grew her own fruits and vegetables and raised goats, cows, chickens, and turkeys. As a result, Neiman is now a self sufficiency expert and a sought after speaker on the slow-food movement and on sustainability issues.

Living more sustainable can be as simple as growing your own herbs and sprouts inside your apartment, or as "complex" as raising your own goats and sheep and using their byproducts to make felted soap. In "Homegrown and Homemade" Neimann includes basic instructions for a variety of activities compatible with a wide range of lifestyles. Neimann understands that not everyone can or wants to move out into the "middle of nowhere" to become a "full fledged homesteader". By including testimonials from "homesteaders" who occupy a variety of living arrangements, Neimann illustrates that no matter where or how you live, taking some responsibility and growing your own food can be a pleasurable experience. Not only does Neimann include easy understanding advice on how to create the best garden for your lifestyle, but she also includes examples on how to utilize your produce. Topics covered in "Homegrown and Homemade" include : gardening fruits and vegetables, cooking, canning, composting, raising poultry for meat and eggs, raising and managing dairy and fiber animals, soft cheese making, soap making, and knitting.

Since "Homegrown and Handmade" covers such a wide array of topics that are not appropriate for all living arrangements, the reader may not get to utilize every topic covered in the book. If the reader is anything like me, they can still gain a lot from reading the book. Neimann’s instructions are very relaxed, but she has a positive attitude towards making mistakes. She understands that different people do things different ways and what works best for one person does not work best for everyone. Sometimes I found the book a little frustrating because the pictures in the book were not very helpful. I also prefer exact directions but I understand that Neimann uses this technique as not to intimidate her readers.

I recommend "Homegrown and Handmade" to anyone who is interested in living a more self reliant lifestyle but is unsure how to start. If you are unsure whether the book is right for you check out Neimann's Website at www.homegrownandhandmadethebook.com . The website includes interviews with the author along with recipes and tips not included in the book.