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Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills
Anyone who wants to learn basic living skills—the kind employed by our forefathers—and adapt them for a better life in the twenty-first century need look no further than this eminently useful, full-color guide. Countless readers have turned to Back to Basics for inspiration and instruction, escaping to an era before power saws and fast food restaurants and rediscovering the pleasures and challenges of a healthier, greener, and more self-sufficient lifestyle.
Now newly updated, the hundreds of projects, step-by-step sequences, photographs, charts, and illustrations in Back to Basics will help you dye your own wool with plant pigments, graft trees, raise chickens, craft a hutch table with hand tools, and make treats such as blueberry peach jam and cheddar cheese. The truly ambitious will find instructions on how to build a log cabin or an adobe brick homestead. More than just practical advice, this is also a book for dreamers—even if you live in a city apartment you will find your imagination sparked, and there's no reason why you can't, for example, make a loom and weave a rag rug. Complete with tips for old-fashioned fun (square dancing calls, homemade toys, and kayaking tips), this may be the most thorough book on voluntary simplicity available.
Now newly updated, the hundreds of projects, step-by-step sequences, photographs, charts, and illustrations in Back to Basics will help you dye your own wool with plant pigments, graft trees, raise chickens, craft a hutch table with hand tools, and make treats such as blueberry peach jam and cheddar cheese. The truly ambitious will find instructions on how to build a log cabin or an adobe brick homestead. More than just practical advice, this is also a book for dreamers—even if you live in a city apartment you will find your imagination sparked, and there's no reason why you can't, for example, make a loom and weave a rag rug. Complete with tips for old-fashioned fun (square dancing calls, homemade toys, and kayaking tips), this may be the most thorough book on voluntary simplicity available.
456 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2007
702 people are currently reading
5,035 people want to read
About the author
Abigail R. Gehring
39books55followersAbigail R. Gehring is a writer who divides her time between New York City and rural Vermont. She is the editor of Back to Basics, Homesteading, and Self-Sufficiency, and author of Odd Jobs: How to Have Fun and Make Money in a Bad Economy and Dangerous Jobs: The World’s Riskiest Ways to Make an Extra Buck. The Simple Joys of Grandparenting: Stories, Nursery Rhymes, Recipes, Games, Crafts, and More. The Little Book of Country Baking: Classic Recipes for Cakes, Cookies, Breads, and Pies. She's practiced living self-sufficiently since her childhood in Vermont, helping build a log cabin, being home-schooled, home-canning jams and jellies, and enjoying natural crafts. She's held many of the jobs she writes about in her book, including beer promoter, “Cinderella�, lipstick reader, and hot dog vendor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
July 29, 2009
Hats off to the editors and publisher of this awesome collection of more traditional skills, some of which are fast fading into memory. The book begins with locating and fashioning the home itself, detailing how to dig footers and a well, raise a log home, build a fireplace and moves on to gardening and pruning.
The reader is also instructed in obtaining and maintaining food sources, such as geese, ducks and rabbits, as well as canning, pickling, salting and smoking foods for the coming winter ahead. The intricacies of braided rugs and patchwork quilts are explained, as well as the art of making moccasins, baskets, simple furniture, brooms, candles, soap and natural cosmetics. Learn how to spin your own wool and dye the fleece with dozens of natural dyes.
Although practice will certainly improve the reader’s skills, there is enough information contained in this book to launch an individual in the wilderness or on a rustic farm with a good measure of success. This is a must read for those who embrace a more traditional lifestyle and is a real asset to one’s permanent library.
The reader is also instructed in obtaining and maintaining food sources, such as geese, ducks and rabbits, as well as canning, pickling, salting and smoking foods for the coming winter ahead. The intricacies of braided rugs and patchwork quilts are explained, as well as the art of making moccasins, baskets, simple furniture, brooms, candles, soap and natural cosmetics. Learn how to spin your own wool and dye the fleece with dozens of natural dyes.
Although practice will certainly improve the reader’s skills, there is enough information contained in this book to launch an individual in the wilderness or on a rustic farm with a good measure of success. This is a must read for those who embrace a more traditional lifestyle and is a real asset to one’s permanent library.
August 5, 2008
I'm taking this book and moving to a farm. It's that awesome.
August 18, 2018
Perfect for college/university students, this cookbook is the be all and end all for learning basic cooking skills. It teaches you everything you need to create meals. A must own and highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
My Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
May 9, 2023
Obviously didn't read this back to back, but I've been using it as an encyclopaedia since I started my homestead journey. Not only it is a goldmine of useful information, but it's also very interesting to read for a non-American person, as it has a lot to do with traditional American culture as well. A real treasure!
April 21, 2009
I loved this book. I wish I could convince my husband to move to the country so I can use more of it. But until then, I'll just dream of a big garden where I can grow all of our wheat and vegetables, some fruit trees...well, that's pretty much it. I can't really get on board with the cow thing because in order to keep a cow lactating it has to have a baby every year and guess what happens to that baby? Sold for veal. So sad. I can't do it. I would want to keep all the babies and then we'd be running a cattle ranch.
Aside from lofty amibtions like completely living off the land, this book has a TON of good information for home food production and preservation, gardening (even for us apartment dwellers), and simply good skills. I love it.
Aside from lofty amibtions like completely living off the land, this book has a TON of good information for home food production and preservation, gardening (even for us apartment dwellers), and simply good skills. I love it.
February 11, 2020
A great book.
Explains everything you could ever need to know about living off the grid using traditional skills. And all of it can be useful now.
Not a prepper book but one that is truly helpful identifying things in nature to heal, stop bleeding, how to can, grow things, make cloth, farm, have livestock..
Good book, easy to read, easy to understand and well illustrated.
Explains everything you could ever need to know about living off the grid using traditional skills. And all of it can be useful now.
Not a prepper book but one that is truly helpful identifying things in nature to heal, stop bleeding, how to can, grow things, make cloth, farm, have livestock..
Good book, easy to read, easy to understand and well illustrated.
November 1, 2017
What a comprehensive guide! Readers will learn everything from how to choose your property and building a homestead to cooking with your own produce and making a dulcimer for entertainment! Each section has a list of sources/resources for more information.
Thanks to ŷ giveaways for my complimentary copy to review.
Thanks to ŷ giveaways for my complimentary copy to review.
May 9, 2010
I forget how I came across this volume -- probably by browsing various subject headings in my library catalog -- but it doesn't matter. I'm just happy I did and I hope soon to add it permanently to my own bookshelves.
While this book is intended to be for those desiring to go out and survive in a less urban and technologically minded manner I found it quite useful to assist me in building realistic scenes while writing. For example, on page 21 is a nice chart that describes various soil conditions and their usefulness as foundation material. The drawings accompanying various types of whatever is being discussed -- such as dams (page 99) I found quite descriptive and useful.
For my life in suburban-urban America I found the section on soil improvement and greenhouse building helpful. I also found Part 5 - Skills and Crafts for House and Homestead cute and useful. Given my fibre-art bias I would have liked to see more -- but there is a nice "Sources and resources" section and when combined with a clear description of winding a niddy noddy and various natural dyes (and required mordant) I will let it go. It is nice to see so many things covered concisely yet with enough detail that I have a good idea what I need to do to make it work (such as rug braiding).
I think this is a useful reference for everyone. It's a treasure trove of information that most people once just knew and sadly we often can't turn to a relative and ask "how do you..." This very informative and well written book lets you look it up and learn!
While this book is intended to be for those desiring to go out and survive in a less urban and technologically minded manner I found it quite useful to assist me in building realistic scenes while writing. For example, on page 21 is a nice chart that describes various soil conditions and their usefulness as foundation material. The drawings accompanying various types of whatever is being discussed -- such as dams (page 99) I found quite descriptive and useful.
For my life in suburban-urban America I found the section on soil improvement and greenhouse building helpful. I also found Part 5 - Skills and Crafts for House and Homestead cute and useful. Given my fibre-art bias I would have liked to see more -- but there is a nice "Sources and resources" section and when combined with a clear description of winding a niddy noddy and various natural dyes (and required mordant) I will let it go. It is nice to see so many things covered concisely yet with enough detail that I have a good idea what I need to do to make it work (such as rug braiding).
I think this is a useful reference for everyone. It's a treasure trove of information that most people once just knew and sadly we often can't turn to a relative and ask "how do you..." This very informative and well written book lets you look it up and learn!
January 22, 2014
Two pages on having a dairy cow, two pages on windmills, four pages on constructing an adobe house, single paragraph on killing and dressing a pig, so not all that useful. You'd want 250 pages on most of these topics to be able to begin to try them. A more accurate subtitle would be: "A brief overview of some traditional skills." But for dreamers and return-to-the-country wannabes, I'm sure it'd appeal, with its shiny graphics and simplifications.
September 6, 2014
didn't read the whole thing, just paged through it. I am looking for a practical guide to how to be self-sufficient when things go bad in the world. This book is a great resource for how things were done in the old days. But, it would not be as helpful as a book that is written for today. Lots of interesting facts, but uses lots of tools that people no longer own. So, a good book, but not for my purposes. Not as easy to read as her other book which is geared towards families/children.
November 8, 2016
Back to Basics is a guide for surviving in and living a more simple lifestyle. Covers topics from farming, food preservation, blacksmithing, camping, and other topics. This is a good being reference for the prepper, the survivalist, or those interested in a simpler lifestyle.
August 6, 2017
I found this at Cosco and it has taught me so much. So excited to put it to work.
Wish it had more information about chickens.
Wish it had more information about chickens.
December 14, 2008
Useful for the back-to-the-lander in all of us.
March 20, 2009
Note to self: When apocalypse occurs, find this book.
For now, I will pay special attention to the section on canning. Will save the animal skinning for another life.
For now, I will pay special attention to the section on canning. Will save the animal skinning for another life.
January 30, 2009
Excellent book
March 24, 2024
Everyone should at least own this book if they’re planning on homesteading or gardening. It’s the Betty Crocker cookbook of homesteading. I’m not done with it, but I’ve studied about 1/3 of it so far, focusing on landscaping and gardening.
This is not a typical gardening workbook - it’s a textbook with detailed diagrams, drawings, facts and tables that are incredibly helpful. I spent hours a few weeks ago learning how to build a log cabin from scratch?! I’m skipping through it more now, focusing on the parts that are relevant to what I’m currently working on: gardening, composting, etc. it’s been the most helpful resource from a beginner perspective, explaining the commonly used techniques and why they’re best. I’ve found it’s information much more accessible than the viral social media tips and blogs I’ve read, since it’s all in one place and organized so well.
This is not a typical gardening workbook - it’s a textbook with detailed diagrams, drawings, facts and tables that are incredibly helpful. I spent hours a few weeks ago learning how to build a log cabin from scratch?! I’m skipping through it more now, focusing on the parts that are relevant to what I’m currently working on: gardening, composting, etc. it’s been the most helpful resource from a beginner perspective, explaining the commonly used techniques and why they’re best. I’ve found it’s information much more accessible than the viral social media tips and blogs I’ve read, since it’s all in one place and organized so well.
May 30, 2024
Oh yes, this is a definite must-have in my resource section of my library. I didn't read all of it because there is just so much information. My brain isn't prepared for this download just yet. Just flipping through it tells me that I should be able to use this book whenever I do end up purchasing land for homesteading. It really seems to cover just about everything. I thought oooo it's like a peek into Marty Raney's head. Lol, I love that show. Five out of five stars to Back to Basics Handbook!
July 1, 2020
I absolutely LOVE this book. It's great and I would highly recommend it as a starting point for a number of skills. It's full of photos, instructional illustrations, and easy step by step directions for everything from building a barn, butchering, planting, canning, soap making, brewing, bread baking, wood working, hiking/survival, fishing, etc. It's a very neat collection of practical (and in some cases "old-timey") skills that are still very useful today.
January 27, 2024
This was an exhaustively researched reference book. Some of the contained information can be used in the suburbs. The part that I found to be helpful was a reminder to check your land before you buy any property. You certainly don't want to live in a flood zone! So many people tend to forget that little detail. They are so busy looking at the building structures that they forget that they can all be ruined or washed away in an instant.
September 28, 2017
I'm so excited about this book! The content is so informative and thorough you can literally go out into the country and begin homesteading or survive the zombie apocalypse solely with the information derived from this book. Great for survivalists, preppers, and anyone looking to do some hands-on projects.
January 15, 2023
Flipped through it and seems like the very basics. Maybe pick a topic from this book and get a book that is more in-depth about topic of interest. I was concerned about the compost section saying dog and cat poop was good for nitrogen. Don’t compost cat or dog poop—it is a bad idea due to pathogens carried by pets.
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September 23, 2024This is a great reference or 'coffee table' book with loads of stuff that can be referred to time and again. It shows how to make dyes for fabrics, how to preserve food, how to set up primitive water filtration and many other survival skills that were once common knowlege. Definitely one for the bookshelf.
September 29, 2017
Amazing!!!! The information in this book is easy to understand and put in a awy that makes you think yes I can do that. Reading this book is a must if you are looking to get back to basics and start to do things your self.
October 18, 2023
Bought For honest Review. Wow fantastic book very educational ,interesting, knowledgeable, and a great book for people like me that is new to homesteading or just needing to know how to be more self sufficient .
March 14, 2017
This is a keeper! I have made soap, laundry soap, dried flowers, harvested herbs. There's a lot of info in this book. It makes a great addition to a home library.
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March 24, 2020Wonderfully eclectic and informative, this is a book I grew up with and have continued to enjoy.
January 29, 2021
Excellent reference book. Tons of information in every area.
January 6, 2022
Extremely informative. I enjoyed the basket weaving section. A great book to have in your library
July 16, 2022
This book is outstanding and I regularly go back and reference it for canning and other things! Single handedly the best guide to homesteading I have found so far!
September 15, 2022
There are many ideas and projects in this book. It was very interesting to read and I learned a lot of new skills.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
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