Abigail R. Gehring - The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Country Living

THE ILLUSTRATED
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
COUNTRY LIVING

THE ILLUSTRATED
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
COUNTRY LIVING

abigail r. gehring

illustrations by

james balkovek

Skyhorse Publishing

Copyright 2011 by Abigail R. Gehring

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Gehring, Abigail R.

The illustrated encyclopedia of country living / Abigail R. Gehring.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-61608-467-7 (pbk.)

1. AgricultureEncyclopedias. 2. Family farmsEncyclopedias. 3. Sustainable living Encyclopedias. 4. Home economics, RuralEncyclopedias. I. Title.

S501.2.G445 2011

640dc23

2011016189

Printed in China

CONTENTS

T o create an encyclopedia is a daunting task. I began this book with grandiose plans to include everything there is to know about living off the landif anyone had ever planted it, raised it, built it, baked it, or crafted it, it would be in this book. And here it is! Okay, maybe not quite. The truth is, every time I flip through these pages I think of some other project, or some useful bit of information I would love to add. But I trust that Ive compiled a resource that is comprehensive enough to teach even the most seasoned farmer a trick or two, and user-friendly enough to inspire the greenest green thumbs among my readers.

There was some lively debate leading up to publication regarding whether an encyclopedia must be in alphabetical order. Strictly speaking (according to the all-knowing Merriam Webster), it does not. Though Merriam states that encyclopedias are usually arranged alphabetically, the criteria for fitting a book into the category is simply a work that contains information on all branches of knowledge or treats comprehensively a particular branch of knowledge... When a colleague stopped by my desk, glanced at my nearly-finished work, and casually suggested, Shouldnt it be in alphabetical order? I got worried. My instinct was to keep the book arranged in a more chronological wayfirst you plan your garden, then you buy the seeds, then you till the soil, then plant, weed, and water, and finally you harvest. My prior books have all been set up in this way, and to me it made perfect sense. This was my position when I began asking others for their opinions. Thats fine, was the general response but you cant call it an encyclopedia. In the end, I hastily rearranged the entire book to begin with the letter A. And Im so glad I did.

A book of this size would be terribly difficult to navigate without the order imposed by the alphabet. As it stands now, you know that animals are at the start of the book, and that within that section goats will come before horses, and rabbits before sheep. In the Crafts section, baskets come well before candles, and soap making is easily found between sewing and spinning wool. You can thank my meddlesome friends and colleagues.

As you begin using this book, I hope you find exactly what youre looking for, whether its instructions for companion planting techniques or just the chance to dream about a simpler way of living. When the book falls short of its aim to be all-inclusive, be sure to check out the extensive resource section at the end.

If youre like most homesteaders I know, youre eager to get started, so without further ado, I present The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Country Living. Heres to your adventures in living off the land!

Abigail R. Gehring

PART ONE

ANIMALS

Bees

Chickens

Cows

Dogs

Ducks

Fish

Goats

Horses

Llamas

Pigs

Rabbits

Sheep

Turkeys

B eekeeping (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.