The Half-Acre Homestead

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Lloyd Kahn and his wife Lesley's story of building their own home, establishing a garden, and practicing crafts on a small piece of land on the Northern California Coast over a 46-year period, with over 500 photos. Lloyd, the former shelter editor of the Whole Earth Catalog , has published seven books on owner building, showcasing hundreds of builders, and this is his first book on his own work. Starting with a vacant half-acre piece of land, they built their own home, created a garden with vegetables and fruit, and describe raising chickens, bees, and goats. The book also covers cooking, foraging, fishing, crafts, birds, butterflies, and tools. Their main theme is that this was all done by hand. They have never paid rent nor have they ever had a mortgage. There are over 500 photos illustrating all the above facets of their lives and clear explanations of building skylights, maintaining a septic system, building greenhouses and raised vegetable beds. There is a section on unique kitchen tools, as well as advice on useful tools used in construction.