Small farm resources

Back to the land -- a 140-year trend

"Ten Acres Enough: The Small Farm Dream is Possible" by Lynn R Miller, Ralph C Miller, Edmund Morris, 1864, 2nd Edition 1996, Small Farmers Journal, ISBN 1885210035
First published in 1864, this is the journal of a man who moved from the city to the country a hundred years before it became the fashion. It's the story of his experiences building a small farm and living the simple life, with his advice on a range of topics such as buying land, planting peaches and berries, livestock, weeds, liquid manure, and hard financial realities. It was possible then, and it's possible now. Read it online at the Making of America (MOA) digital library:
http://moa.umdl.umich.edu/cgi/sgml/moa-idx?notisid=AJR0739

"Three Acres And Liberty" by Bolton Hall, 1907, Macmillan
This original back-to-the-land book is much more than a how-to, also a why-to, and Hall's reasons are as clearcut today as they were a hundred years ago. From the Foreword: "We are not tied to a desk or to a bench; we stay there only because we think we are tied. In Montana I had a horse, which was hobbled every night to keep him from wandering; that is, straps joined by a short chain were put around his forefeet, so that he could only hop. The hobbles were taken off in the morning, but he would still hop until he saw his mate trotting off. This book is intended to show how any one can trot off if he will." Out of print, full text online at the Soil and Health Library:
http://www.soilandhealth.org/

"Five acres and independence: a practical guide to the selection and management of the small farm" by Maurice Grenville Kains, 1935, 1973, Dover Publications, ISBN 0486209741
Another great back-to-the-land classic on the basics of self-sufficient farming, covers all aspects of making a small acreage profitable and livable. First published in 1935, still in demand and still in print. Costing information and some other details are out of date now, but the principles remain intact -- eg, the chapter on "Tried and True Ways to Fail". From Powell's Books:
http://www.powells.com/biblio/
46600-46800/0486209741.html

"The Have-More Plan: A Little Land -- A Lot of Living" by Ed and Carolyn Robinson, Storey Books, ISBN 0882660241
This homestead classic from the 1940s encouraged thousands to go "back to the land" to seek a better life after the Great Depression and World War II. It has been in constant demand since it was first published. A wealth of information for anyone seeking a self-reliant lifestyle. All the basic information to get started, good on property layout and building design for optimum use of space and time, useful, detailed guide. The style is dated but the message isn't! From Powell's Books:
http://www.powells.com/biblio/61-9780882660240-0

"MetroFarm: The Guide to Growing a Big Profit on a Small Parcel of Land" by Michael Olson, 1994, ISBN 0-963787-60-8
According to a recent US Census of Agriculture, the most productive farmland in the US is in the Borough of the Bronx, the second most productive farmland is in the City of San Francisco. How to earn up to eight times the average personal income on as little as one acre of land. Written for both the experienced and the novice, both modern and traditional technologies used by space-intensive farmers from around the world. Photos, charts and illustrations. From MetroFarm Online:
http://www.metrofarm.com/mf_Books.php

"On Good Land: The Autobiography of an Urban Farm" by Michael Ableman, 1998, Chronicle Books, ISBN 0811819213
Opens with an aerial photograph of the 12.5-acre Fairview Gardens Farm in California in 1954, part of thousands of acres of farmland, and again in 1998, surrounded by the homes and malls of a modern suburb. Ableman simply refused to let it be bulldozed -- he's in love with the place. And it's not even his: he's a tenant farmer. But it's the land itself and what it produces that matters to him. Now it's become the organically farmed Center for Urban Agriculture. Ableman's struggles and success make an inspiring story. "Michael Ableman's farm is a landmark, a source of comfort to all of us who love good farming and good food. A lot of people are grateful to him, and I am one of them." -- Wendell Berry. From Powell's Books:
http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=6-0811819213-0

Small farms

"Successful Small-Scale Farming" by Karl Schwenke, 1991, Storey Books, ISBN 0882666428
The potential and the harsh realities of living on the land. Covers organic soil management, essential machinery, market strategies, basic skills, lots of useful charts and tables. Small farms can be cleaner, smarter, and more efficient than corporate agribusiness, says Schwenke -- indeed so. Concise overview and how-to's, for one acre and up. From Powell's Books:
http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9780882666426-15

"Small Farm Handbook", Small Farm Program at UC Davis. A practical, easy-reading guide for people interested in operating a successful small farm. Tips on livestock and crop production, buying property and equipment, dealing with taxes and regulations, marketing, maintaining healthy family relationships, and more. Easy-to-use worksheets to fit your farming goals. Thirty-eight authors -- researchers, farm advisors, small farm specialists, and farmers -- covering all aspects of owning and operating a small farm: Requirements for Successful Farming, The Basics, Finances, Marketing, Selling your Product, Enterprise Ideas, Growing Crops, Raising Animals, Postharvest, Alternative Agriculture, Labor Management, Keeping the Family Farm Healthy, Worksheets, resources and references.
http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/docs/sfhandbook.html
Order online:
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/merchant.ihtml?
pid=816&lastcatid=103&step=4

"Grow It! -- The Beginner's Complete In-Harmony-With-Nature Small Farm Guide -- From Vegetable and Grain Growing to Livestock Care" by Richard W. Langer and Susan McNeill (illustrator), first published in 1972, reissued 1994, Noonday, ISBN 0374523908
Practical and easy-to-use guide to small-scale organic farming, packed with good advice on "everything from building and stocking a pond to planting an orchard or making cheese". Read it or use it as a quick-reference guide. From Powell's Books:
http://www.powells.com/biblio?isbn=0374523908

"People's Farming Workbook" Environmental and Development Agency Trust, David Philip, Cape Town, South Africa, 1995, ISBN 0 86486 112 5
For rural and resource-poor communities, the Workbook has obviously grown from the ground up, like a good crop: written by a collective, the authors know the needs of the grass-roots people the book targets. It's easy to read and easy to use, well-illustrated and well-organized to meet the needs of everyone from small farmers to backyard gardeners with little time and few resources. Simple without being simplistic, it's a mine of sheer usefulness -- an object-lesson for some of the expensive, top-heavy programs that set out to help poor rural people. Applicable anywhere in the Third World, not just South Africa. From David Philip Publishers, Cape Town, South Africa.
http://www.newafricabooks.co.za/books_detail.asp?ID=127
From Stylus Publishing:
http://www.styluspub.com/Books/BookDetail.aspx?productID=45177

"Amaranth to Zai Holes: ideas for growing food under difficult conditions" by Laura S. Meitzner and Martin L. Price, 1996, ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization). This book is an updated compilation of 15 years of ECHO's quarterly technical bulletin, ECHO Development Notes. "Amaranth is a drought-tolerant plant which provides both high-protein grain and delicious edible leaves. Zai holes use termites to improve soil fertility and increase water filtration in farmers' fields in West Africa. These are just two of the plants and techniques people are using to produce food under difficult growing conditions in the tropics." A treasurehouse of practical information for and from the field, mainly for people working with small farmers or urban gardeners in Third world settings -- new ideas, techniques, underutilized tropical plants, and offers of trial packets of seed to evaluate them. Full text free online:
http://www.echotech.org/technical/az/aztext/azcntnts.htm

"Smallholders, Householders: Farm Families and the Ecology of Intensive, Sustainable Agriculture" by Robert McC. Netting, 1993, Stanford University Press, ISBN 0804721025
A detailed analysis of the livelihoods of farmers practising intensive, diversified and sustainable agriculture. Focuses on small farms in areas of dense population around the world. Well-researched ethnographic review of agricultural practices and their social and economic aspects, many examples showing how intensive, diversified farming systems are often efficient and sustainable alternatives to modern chemical and fossil-fuel dependent agriculture. From Fertile Ground Books:
http://www.agaccess.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/~fg/st_prod.html?
p_prodid=STA013&sid=22zsARv
From Cambridge University Press (UK):
http://uk.cambridge.org/anthropology/catalogue/0804721025/default.htm

"Making Your Small Farm Profitable" by Ron Macher, 1999, Storey Books, ISBN 1580171613
Ron Macher is the editor of Small Farm Today magazine ("Our readers make money!"), the original how-to magazine for small farmers, established in 1984. This is a good overview for anyone wanting to start a small, sustainable farm and make a profit. From Powell's Books:
http://www.powells.com/biblio/
61-9781580171618-0

"Small Farm Today" bi-monthly magazine for small-acreage landowners and small farmers: "Make a profit on your farm!" The original how-to magazine of alternative and traditional crops, livestock, and direct marketing, established in 1984. How-to articles on profitable livestock, wool and fibre, poultry, draft animals, vegetable and small fruit crops, aquaculture, marketing, gardening, farm equipment, rural/home-based businesses. "Small farms (178 acres or less, grossing $40,000 a year or less) are 80% of the farms in the US, and small farm numbers are expected to increase 17.4% over the next 10 years; 47% of our readers have been farming less than five years, and 76% farm 100 acres or less." Each issue has a theme.
http://www.smallfarmtoday.com/

Growers' Connection: Books & online resources for small farm marketing and farmers' markets, with links to a wide variety of small farm and sustainable agriculture topics.
http://www.nwpub.net/

"Sell What You Sow! The Grower's Guide To Successful Produce Marketing", by Eric Gibson, 1993, New World Publishing, ISBN 0963281402
This how-to book that reveals the tricks of the trade from master marketers around the US. High-value produce marketing for farmers and market gardeners, hands-on information, practical, how-to guidance on selling what you grow and making profits from produce. "Far-and-away the outstanding farm produce marketing text. If you're trying to sell what you grow, this book will quickly pay for itself" -- Small Farmer's Journal.
http://www.nwpub.net/swys.html

"The New Farmers' Market" by Vance Corum, Marcie Rosenzweig & Eric Gibson, 2001, New World Publishing; ISBN: 0963281429
If you want to succeed at farmers' markets in the US, this is the book for you. A "must have" for farmers' market sellers, managers, market planners, and farmers' market community. "Finally, a really good book on farmers' markets!" -- Growing For Market newsletter.
http://www.nwpub.net/tnfm.html

"Countryside & Small Stock Journal -- The Magazine of Modern Homesteading" -- promoting self-reliance and simple life style through home food production, gardening, cooking, food preservation and other homesteading techniques. "83 years old, and a new wrinkle with every issue!" Gardening, small-scale livestock, cooking, food preservation, resource conservation, recycling, frugality, money management, alternative energy, old-time skills, home business, and more. Useful how-to's and practical information, detailed and well-written -- stuff you need to know. Features from back issues online, back issues available (unless sold out), contents listed. Good bookstore, lots of useful guides and resources for the homesteader.
http://www.countrysidemag.com/

"Tools for Agriculture: A guide to appropriate equipment for smallholder farmers" by Ian Carruthers and Marc Rodriguez, 4th edition 1992, Practical Action, ISBN 185339100X
Unique guide to small-scale farming equipment. Each subject is introduced by an expert who sets the available tools against the background of good farming practise. Helps you evaluate what's most suitable for your situation. Analyses why some projects are successful and suggests ways to improve them. Land preparation, sowing and fertilizing, pest control, harvesting, water lifting, livestock care, and beekeeping. With lists of manufacturers (mostly in the Third World). From the Development Bookshop:
http://developmentbookshop.com/product_info.
php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=17

"The Scythe Book" by David Tresemer, 1981, Reprint 1996, Alan C. Hood, ISBN 0-911469-14-1
"In this age when most wonder how you can accomplish anything without the aid of electricity or gasoline, we must reassert that a hand tool finely made has greater versatility, has comparable efficiency even in large areas, and even makes for good exercise because the tool fits the dynamics of the body. Most importantly, a finely made tool does not interfere with personal communion with the ever-amazing natural world." A well-researched manual on the (almost) lost art of using a scythe: how to use a scythe with little effort. Tresemer delves into subjects such as the Alexander Technique, relaxation and mind-body techniques to explain the relaxed, natural swing that cuts the best -- Zen and the art of the scythe (though he doesn't say so). Interesting recounting of the history of the scythe (it took about 2,000 years to develop it). Includes sections on scythe maintenance and harvesting and processing small grains. A real pleasure to read. From Powell's Books:
http://www.powells.com/biblio/61-9780911469196-0

Scythe Supply offers high-quality European-style scythes, scythe blades, snaths, whetstones, hammers, anvils and equipment. "We are scythe enthusiasts and want others to discover this wonderful tool." Lots of content and a workshop section with how-to explanations and photos.
http://www.scythesupply.com/

"The Smallfarming Revolution -- New beginnings in rural New Zealand" by Ian and Dianne Grant, 1998, Penguin. Part 1 -- The smallfarming way of life; 25 Secrets of Successful Smallfarmers; Promising Smallfarming Ventures. Part 2 -- 21 case studies of different types of small farms and small farm enterprises throughout New Zealand. For new and budding small farmers and existing farmers looking for new ideas. From Smallfarmers Association of New Zealand:
http://www.smallfarmer.org.nz/trading.htm

The Small Farm Resource -- "created to help disseminate information of use to people with small farms or rural property. This is a cooperative effort. Some of our information comes from people like you." Emphasis is on practical information you can use. Covers Aquaculture, Bees and Beekeeping, Forage Crops, Orchard/Fruit, Other Crops, Equipment, Extension, Gardens, Livestock, Pests, Property Management, Wildlife. Crops--Forage, for instance, takes you to an index of 18 forage crops, each with a useful FAQ, followed by Related web pages, Commercial suppliers, Electronic mailing lists, Suggested references, Periodicals. Very useful. Prefers safety, but not a strictly "chemical-free" site -- use your discretion.
http://www.farminfo.org/index.html

Country Smallholding -- Britain's Smallholding Site. "Country Smallholding" magazine was started as a bi-monthly in 1975 by David and Katie Thear at a time when there was no publication available for smallholders and the whole climate was one of intensive, chemical farming. They learnt to cultivate the soil organically and to raise animals and poultry humanely -- efforts supported by John Seymour, the self-sufficiency author, Lawrence D. Hills, founder of the Henry Doubleday Association, Britain's main organic society, and Dr Fritz Schumacher, author of "Small is Beautiful: A Study of Economics as if People Mattered". Initially called Practical Self Sufficiency, then Home Farm, now Country Smallholding. Subscribe online, site has good resources for smallholders: wide selection of books on smallholding subjects, extensive set of British links.
http://www3.mistral.co.uk/cgs/

The Smallholding Plan from Britain's Country Smallholding magazine provides a blueprint for anyone about to buy a smallholding or who wishes to make productive use of a little land -- anything from a large garden and small orchard to several acres. Sage advice here -- David and Katie Thear are veterans at the smallholding game. Subjects covered: buying a country property, the kitchen garden, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, quail, rabbits, sheep, goats, house cow, pigs, bees. Each with Key factors, Space, Time, Energy and Money, and Further information. Useful.
http://www3.mistral.co.uk/cgs/smallhol.htm

Backwoods Home Magazine sets out to help you achieve a more self-sufficient lifestyle for yourself and your family. Solid, practical, hands-on information on a wide range of self-reliance topics, written by people who are out there doing it. Country living, building a homestead, tools, gardening, livestock, alternative energy, making a living, self-sufficiency, preparedness, homeschooling, crafts, nature, how-to's, achieving independence, and more. This magazine is a great resource. Six anthologies available (special offers), back issues, selected articles online, and a good bookstore.
http://www.backwoodshome.com/

Homestead.org Online Homesteading and Small Farming Resource -- excellent site for back-to-the-landers. What is homesteading/What is a homesteader? -- Aren't homesteaders just [survivalists/hippies/eco-nuts/etc.]? -- How does one begin homesteading? -- Where can I get more information? Right here is a good place to start. How-to's and other articles, bookstore -- old copies of Mother Earth News and more, Homesteading FAQ, large collections of resources on agriculture, animals, everything else to do with sustainable farming, and a Kids' Korner. Most resources conveniently grouped into Internet Sites, Literature, Organizations, Suppliers, Usenet Newsgroups.
http://www.homestead.org/

Homestead Links is a searchable directory of more than a thousand categorized websites of use to homesteaders. Agriculture, Education, Energy Sources, Gardening, Homesteaders Home Pages, Indoors, Library, Livestock, Outdoors and more. Online forums. Good site search, interesting selection of books in the library. Useful site -- some of the links are too mainstream-conventional for smallholders, but generally a useful resource.
http://www.segues.com/homesteadlinks/

HOMESTEAD Discussion Group -- Internet community of several hundred homesteaders.
Subscribe: email listserv@unc.edu, leave subject blank, in the body of the email, type:
subscribe Homestead
Or subscribe online:
http://help.unc.edu/?id=62#d0e86

The Homesteading Discussion Web forum -- all topics related to homesteading, including keeping farm animals, growing grains and feed, making soap, or whatever is necessary to be self-sufficient. Read messages and post replies online, archives (long), no archive search but you can search the whole site. Hosted by Country Life Online, run by Lehman's Non-electric. See "Discussions -- Choose a board":
http://www.countrylife.net/