There is nothing more fun for me than learning. And when I can’t learn from a person, reading a book or scanning the Internet is a great alternative. I think there are dozens of essential books for beginning small farmers. Nothing replaces actual experience on the land, and the advice from more experienced farmers, but I think these five books represent a good starter shelf.
5. Coop Michael Perry’s book on a year of pigs and parenting gives a great first hand view of life and decisions in a year of living on a new small farm.
4. Gene Logsdon’s Small Scale Grain Raising is a good introduction to how growing grain doesn’t have to be done with a large tractors and gallons of fuel
3. Also by Logsdon, All Flesh is Grass helps understand the need and work behind proper pasture.
2. Chickens are often a first livestock addition to a small farm and the Storey’s Guides are great quick reference guides to all kinds of farm animals.
1. If there is a comprehensive book of how-to, Carla Emery’s The Encyclopedia of Country Living is the go-to book here at Two Mile Ranch when I have questions from gardening to dressing meat, to old remedies for cleaning health and life.
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