Easy As It Sounds?

Review of The Backyard Homestead

- Ryan Lee Price

The Premise: Since its publication in 2009, Madigan’s The Backyard Homestead has been a staple in the library of anyone with a desire to live life unhindered by GMOs, pesticides, chemicals, and unnatural fertilizers lacing their store-bought food. Long before she collected the materials for this book, Madigan had been the managing editor of Horticulture magazine and has lived, worked, and learned on an organic farm in Massachusetts.

Overall, The Backyard Homestead is an excellent resource for homesteaders and preppers interested in sustainability, from the beginner to the advanced reader. Because it tries to cram lots of info into one resource, it hardly has room to delve into scholarly depths. If you’re a beginner, you won’t feel overwhelmed about getting started.

The 411: The Backyard Homestead is nicely divided into seven sections, from vegetables, fruits and nuts, herbs, and grains to poultry, meat and dairy, and wild food. The information is presented in a straightforward and well-organized manner, showing readers just how easy it is to grow their own food and raise their only limited livestock.