I was first made aware of Storey’s Basic Country Skills, A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance by my brother. It has the appearance of a college textbook it is so thick, but after quickly glancing through the book I found it an easy read and an absolute must have for our kitchen library.
I forget how useful this book is when attempting to do something I’m not quite familiar with. It is full of detail and information, and gives me the support I need to start or complete a project. Because I live in the city and have a small yard, I rely mainly on Part Two and Three of this book. I do like Part One of the book though because it deals so much about home ownership that can be applied to a city dwelling as well. The book is divided into four parts for easy navigation. It is centered around the idea of not just living frugally, but living with the environment.
Part One deals with “Your Place in the Country”. While this part of the book focuses a lot of attention on places of residence that would normally be found on acreage in the country, many of the concepts can be applied to city dwelling as well. It gives an introduction to the basics on buying a home, construction of outdoor spaces, home heating, electricity, and basic home improvements. I found that many of the concepts would apply to any place of residence, weather you reside in the country or the city.
Part Two focuses on “Your Garden, Yard, and Orchard”. While city dwellers aren’t able to do have a garden or orchard on a large scale, the same ideas and concepts can be achieved on a smaller scale. The book gives great information on gardening vegetables, and herbs. I liked the fact that it provides detailed information regarding many types of herbs and vegetables and find myself referring to this book because it is so complete. This part of the book also focuses on flower gardens, water, and rock gardens. It has great tips on improving your soil, managing garden pests, attracting birds and butterflies, and general lawn care.
Part Three addresses “Country Cooking & Stocking Up”. This part of the book deals with all things concerning cooking, preserving, and stocking up. I liked the detailed information the authors provide on preserving your harvest from the garden and creating jams and jellies.
Part Four concludes with “Your Barn, Stable, & Fields”. Deals with the upkeep and care of all things farm related. Although I don’t have a farm, I did like the chapter on small scale farming. It was interesting to see the profit potential a small scale farm could have.