Grow your own sustainable clothes!From seed to shirt, Cindy Conner shows you how to plant, grow, harvest, process, spin, and weave cotton and flax into cloth from which you can sew your own clothes. And since cotton and flax are made from plants, when your clothes' usefulness has passed they can also return to the environment without causing harm--a truly renewable and sustainable option for clothing.Whether you live in colder climates where flax can thrive, or warmer clima...

Row by row - maximize your harvest and feed your soil by developing a customized plan for your gardenEveryone loves to prepare a meal with ingredients fresh from their own garden. But for most of us, no matter how plentiful our harvest, homegrown produce comprises only a fraction of what we eat. And while many gardening guides will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about individual crops, few tackle the more involved task of helping you maximize the perce...

Community-based initiatives to preserve and protect our food supplyHistorically, seed companies were generally small, often family-run businesses. Because they were regionally based, they could focus on varieties well-suited to the local environment. A Pacific Northwest company, for example, would specialize in different cultivars than a company based in the Southeast. However the absorption of these small, independent seed businesses into large multinationals, com...

Go back to basics—compost, raising chickens, water and irrigation, dealing with pests, and much more—with this unique, full-color bestseller.Mini Farming describes a holistic approach to small-area farming that will show you how to produce eighty-five percent of an average family’s food on just a quarter acre—and earn $10,000 in cash annually while spending less than half the time that an ordinary job would require.Even if you have never been a far...

The Responsible Company, by Yvon Chouinard, founder and owner of Patagonia, and Vincent Stanley, co-editor of its Footprint Chronicles, draw on the their 40 years' experience at Patagonia and knowledge of current efforts by other companies to articulate the elements of responsible business for our time.Patagonia, named by Fortune in 2007 as the coolest company on the planet, has earned a reputation as much for its ground-breaking environmental and social practices as for the qu...

In this authoritative guide, Ed Smith shares how to grow a thriving and bountiful vegetable garden through his high-yield method that emphasizes wide rows, organic methods, raised beds, and deep soil.Succeed with fussy plants, try new and unusual varieties, and learn how to innovatively extend your growing season. With thorough profiles of hundreds of popular varieties, The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible provides expert information and an inspiring roadmap for...

Discover How to Profit From Your CraftHave you ever dreamed of learning the elegant art of jewelry making? You can! Jewelry Making For Fun & Profit was written with two purposes in mind: to teach you the basics of this fun craft and to show you how to turn these new skills into cash! Whether you've been crafting for years or are just getting started, you'll learn:·The benefits and enjoyment of jewelry making·The right material...

The Weekend Homesteader is organized by month—so whether it’s January or June you’ll find exciting, short projects that you can use to dip your toes into the vast ocean of homesteading without getting overwhelmed. If you need to fit homesteading into a few hours each weekend and would like to have fun while doing it, these projects will be right up your alley, whether you live on a forty-acre farm, a postage-stamp lawn in suburbia, or a high rise.You'll learn about backyar...

Packed with step-by-step instructions, useful tips, time-honored wisdom, and both illustrations and photographs, this might just be the most comprehensive guide to back to basics living ever published. Fans of Back to Basics, Homesteading, and Self-Sufficiency have been asking for a one-stop resource for all the subjects covered in that successful series. In response, Gehring has compiled a massive, beautifully presented, single volume that covers canning and pre...

Turn your farm into a cash cow! Ron Macher offers a host of simple strategies for increasing your farm earnings, from purchasing durable equipment to growing economically viable crops. A seasoned expert in farm efficiency, Macher shows you how to locate a lucrative niche market for your products, optimize sales, and minimize costs. Whether you’re buying a new farm or jump-starting an old one, Macher’s savvy tips will help you turn your enterprise into a profitable business.

Can a graphic designer be a catalyst for positive change? Green Graphic Design reframes the way designers can think about the work they create, while remaining focused on cost constraints and corporate identity. Simple, eco-innovative changes are demonstrated in all phases of the design process, including:· Picking projects· Strategizing with clients· Choosing materials for manufacture and shipping· Understanding users· Picking ink and paper for...

Do you want to have electricity and hot water at any time, no matter what's going on outside your property? Do you want to have more control over the things you eat and how they are processed? Do you want your family safe from the worries of a bad economy and crime?If you answered "yes" to these questions, then living off the grid may be for you. Although living off the grid takes some hard work, the benefits make it all worthwhile. This practical guide gives you all the i...