I just got this book today  - ordered from Amazon - and after flipping thru it, it looks to be a very, very good book to have on your book shelf for reference. The chapters are:

1. The Meaning of Self-Sufficiency

2. Food from the Garden

3. Food from Animals

4. Food from the Fields

5. Food from the Wild

6. In the Dairy

7. In the Kitchen

8. Brewing and Wine-making

9. Energy and Waste

10. Crafts & Skills

11. Things you need to Know

There are many illustrations and sub-chapters on the various subjects; how best to use a 1 acre plot, or a 5 acre plot of ground for gardening, raising animals for meat and milk, how to clear the land, plant a garden, milk a cow or goat, make butter and cheese, storing and preserving food, butchering,  how to handle waste products, getting power from water, wind and solar, many different crafts like ropework, spinning, working with stone, curing and tanning, basketry, pottery, and much much more.

This is a British book, and it took a few weeks to get it, but well worth the wait.  It was $28.50 from Amazon. I'm excited to get further into the book. I think this is well worth the price for the information it contains. There is a companion book about gardening, that is on back order so haven't received it yet. Even though I wouldn't be doing things like raising cows or goats, it still is good to have that knowledge available for future generations. Edey

sounds like a very interesting book. might have to see if it is in the library.

just check the new west library online. They don't have that one but have another book by him from 2001. Forgotton arts and crafts: skills from bygone days.  Will put a hold on it.  Is checked in the library but easier to put a hold on it and let them get it for me :)

Online at the bby library..they have 9 of his older books, 4 companion guides to different parts of england, forgotten houshold crafts, on my own terms and a blueprint for the environmentm your practical guide to restoring the worlds environment.  All from 87 or before so maybe this new book is a combination of some of his older books.

My Family's Interests:

Forgotton arts and crafts: skills from bygone days. 

I didn't realize until you mentioned this book that I have that one also. It covers many different crafts from an era before electricity and is a very good companion to the Self-sufficiency book, which has a more modern view. Both of these are large books in larger print than most books use. And I love the illustrations, as I find it hard to learn something not accompanied by pictures.

Chapters in Forgotten Arts and Crafts: Part I

1. Woodland Crafts - working with wood to make tool handles, ladders, cribs, bakset, etc.

2. Building Crafts - buildings, walls, thatching, slate cutting

3. Crafts of the Field - Hedge laying, dry stone walling, well-digging, etc.

4. Workshop Crafts - chair making, blacksmithing, wheelwrighting, coopering (making barrels), boat building, knife making, many more.

5. Textiles - weaving, linen, wool, silk, cotton

PART II

1. Kitchen crafts - preparing food, open hearth cooking, cooking at a range, storing food, drying and smoking, coffee making, and more.

2. Dairy crafts - milk, cream, butter, cheese, ice cream

3. Laudry Crafts - drawing water, making lye soap, washing and drying linen, pressing, dying

4. Around the home - Gathering and making fuels, heating, home doctoring, candle and oil lighting, cleaning, waste disposal, more.

5. Textile crafts - spinning, lace making, crochet, knitting, making and repairing clothes, more

6. Decorative crafts - painting and papering, stenciling, festival & decorations, more.

It's a good feeling having books like this on my shelf. Edey

I have it on reserve so I will have fun reading it.

I got this book last week...

His older books drying food is great thats how I learned to do elk jerkie, and drying alot of herbs its good to read and fun to teach the homeschoolers on what people did to survivimg also on fun............:)

I have his older book from the library but it is more a description of what you had to do in the past, some how to info but more history lesson. interesting book though!