Abigail R. Gehring - The Country Living Handbook: A Back-to-Basics Guide to Living Off the Land

THE COUNTRY LIVING HANDBOOK

Copyright 2011 by Abigail R. Gehring

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data is available on file.

ISBN: 978-1-62873-614-4
eISBN: 978-1-62873-968-8

Printed in China

Contents

Animals

Baking, Preserving, and More

Crafts

part four Gardening

Introduction

Y ouve dreamt of living a simpler, more sustainable, more self-sufficient life. Maybe those dreams have turned into plans, and maybe those plans have led you to buy land in the country, or plant a vegetable garden, or buy some chicks and start raising them for fresh eggs! Whatever stage youre at, my hope is that this book will inspire you to dive a little deeper. That may mean learning to bake your own bread or dip candles, or it may mean growing and threshing your own grains or raising goats for their milk. As you flip through these pages, youll find an introduction to a wide range of country living skills. Any one of these topics could occupy a whole book, and really no book, no matter how long or how comprehensive, can tell you everything you need to know about growing tomatoes or making cheese or keeping bees. My goal for these pages is to open your eyes to the possibilities and then give you the tools you need to get started. From there, read more books (there are many listed in the sources section), and perhaps even more important, talk to other farmers or gardeners or craftspeople in your area. Ask questions, take classes, be humble, and accept that a great deal of learning is done through trial and error. And have fun! Country living on any level requires patience and hard work, but the process can be as deeply rewarding as the results.

Each section is alphabetical for easier navigation and quick reference. Thus Harvesting your Garden comes before Planting and Tilling Your Garden, though obviously youd need to plant your garden before you can harvest it. Keep that in mind as you peruse these pagesthey are not set up chronologically, but rather alphabetically, a choice made so you can more easily flip to the sections youre most interested in when youre in a hurry, and then explore the rest at your leisure.

So dive in, and heres to your adventures in country living!

Abigail R. Gehring
Chester, Vermont

Bees

Beekeeping (also known as apiculture) is one of the oldest human industries. For thousands of years, honey has been considered a highly desirable food. Beekeeping is a science and can be a very profitable employment; it is also a wonderful hobby for many people in the United States. Keeping bees can be done almost anywhereon a farm, in a rural or suburban area, and even, at times, in urban areas (even on rooftops!). Anywhere there are sufficient flowers from which to collect nectar, bees can thrive.

Apiculture relies heavily on the natural resources of a particular location and the knowledge of the beekeeper in order to be successful. Collecting and selling honey at your local farmers market or just to family and friends can supply you with some extra cash if you are looking to make a profit from your apiary.

Why Raise Bees?

Bees are essential in the pollination and fertilization of many fruit and seed crops. If you have a garden with many flowers or fruit plants, having bees nearby will only help your garden flourish and grow year after year. Furthermore, nothing is more satisfying than extracting your own honey for everyday use.

How to Avoid Getting Stung

Though it takes some skill, you can learn how to avoid being stung by the bees you keep. Here are some ways you can keep your bee stings to a minimum:

1. Keep gentle bees. Having bees that, by sheer nature, are not as aggressive will reduce the number of stings you are likely to receive. Carniolan bees are one of the gentlest species, and so are the Caucasian bees introduced from Russia.

2. Obtain a good smoker and use it whenever youll be handling your bees. Pumping smoke of any kind into and around the beehive will render your bees less aggressive and less likely to sting you.

3. Purchase and wear a veil. This should be made out of black bobbinet and worn over your face. Also, rubber gloves help protect your hands from stings.

4. Use a bee escape. This device is fitted into a slot made in a board the same size as the top of the hive. Slip the board into the hive before you open it to extract the honey, and it allows the worker bees to slip below it but not to return back up. So, by placing the bee escape into the hive the day before you want to gain access to the combs and honey, you will most likely trap all the bees under the board and leave you free to work with the honeycombs without fear of stings.

What Type of Hive Should I Build?

Most beekeepers would agree that the best hives have suspended, moveable frames where the bees make the honeycombs, which are easy to lift out. These frames, called Langstroth frames, are the most popular kind of frame used by apiculturists in the United States.