The Urban Farm Handbook Giveaway
When my friend Annette Cottrell from Sustainable Eats asked me to read through her new book Urban Farm Handbook: City Slicker Resources for Growing, Raising, Sourcing, Trading, and Preparing What You Eat I gladly accepted. There’s nothing I love more than giving my friends a hand, especially when it means that I get a free copy of the book to give away to one of you!
I expected this book to be like most of the other homesteading books that abound these days. It seems everyone wants to relearn some of the skills that have been lost throughout the last couple generations, so homesteading books are flooding the market. Thankfully, this book is different. Anette’s personal style brings the information to life, unlike many other books of this genre that I’ve read. She’s passionate about why she does what she does and it comes through. Her directions/explanations are in depth enough but still simple. You won’t be overwhelmed with information and feel like it’s unattainable for you to incorporate these changes into your current lifestyle.
The book covers everything from keeping chickens and grinding grain, to growing your own vegetables and making cheese. She makes these tasks seem achievable by anyone who sets their mind to it and takes away some of the mystique that surrounds them. If you’ve ever considered dabbling in keeping goats, chickens, making your own cheese, grinding grains, growing your own vegetables and all other kinds of self-sufficient things, this will be a fabulous reference guide to keep on your bookshelf.
Annette’s book is a great resource for the newbie, especially those of you that live in the Pacific Northwest. She lives in that area provides many resources that she knows about first hand. Reading about all the wonderful groups she’s a part of made me wish I had something similar here in NE Ohio.
If you’d like to win a copy of this book for your library, comment below. I’ll choose a winner next week.
What is one area of homesteading that you’d like to learn a bit more about and possibly incorporate into your life this year?
We have a winner – Congrats to Andres from Stell Homestead.
Anette is having a year long Urban Farm Handbook Challenge on her blog if you’re interested in joining. Each month a different area is featured, it’s the perfect way to work on incorporating changes into your life slowly without feeling overwhelmed.
In case you missed it, the winner for the Victory Garden Poster winner is Chicago Mike.
what a great book to add to our urban homestead! i’d like to learn more about fermenting – sourdough, pickles, saurkraut…
to kirsten's comment
I would LOVE to win this book, it looks beautiful and full of amazing information!!
to Jesse M's comment
Hi! I would really like to take my herb drying and canning to the next level. I would like to waste less :)
to Jennifer C.'s comment
I would like to have honeybees and start cheesemaking. Thanks for sharing!
to cynthia's comment
Great book! I’d love to give it as a gift.
to brittney's comment
So glad to hear this book was written in the Pacific NW. I live in the NW too! This year I’d like to learn more about cold storage and get some of those precious garden crops lasting me through some of the winter.
to Jerilee Costa's comment
As much as I would love this book for myself, I would love it even more to give as a gift to a close friend of mine. After she finishes hiking the AT, she and her husband are selling everything, moving from Florida, and starting a small CNG farm in Virginia. I’m sure they would love this read.
to Christine McCormick's comment
Susy, I have read every homesteading book that I can lay my hands on but I have not heard about this one. It looks like a great book to read about the process of building a homestead. The Amazon sneak peek reveals just how awesome this book must be. I am on the request list at the local library but would definitely like to add it to my urban homestead library.
Have a great day on the urban homestead.
to Nebraska Dave's comment
I would like to learn more this year about grains and how to buy them in bulk and grind them to make my own bread. I am clueless. I would also like to learn more about goats for milk and meat. Thank you for the exciting opportunity to win this book!
to Brittany P.'s comment
One of my many goals fo this year is to start making my own bread, and get my own sourdough starter. The amount of glucose fructose and other garbage in the store-bought stuff is unreal.
to Leanne's comment
We have been “beginner urban farmers” for four years now — I think we would like to learn more about establishing our garden and getting the cycles down… so it doesn’t feel like we’re starting from scratch again every year. We’re such city-slickers, it’s pitiful.
to Jen G-D's comment
I’d like to learn more about chickens, as well as starting to Can and make cheese!
to Kristi Coleman's comment
I’ve reviewed all of the tasks on the Challenge, and I think composting is the biggest on my list this year. I’d like to find a solution not only for our home, but for our town house community. 24 units could make a lot of great dirt!
to Amy's comment
I would like to learn more about keeping urban livestock this year. My county will hopefully be legalizing miniature dairy goats this spring, so maybe I’ll have some dairy animals come summer time!
to Daedre Craig's comment
It’s hard to pick just one, but right now what jumps out at me most is learning more about foraging and botanicals (I guess that is acutally two, but they are related!). I’m currently living out in the PNW and would love to learn more about the resources Annette has found out here. Thanks so much for offering the giveaway and featuring her blog – it looks like a great resource!
to Becky's comment
Annette is a NW treasure, isn’t she? I adore her style and am inspired by her endeavours. Her blog, along with yours, are my first stops on the web each morning.
I’ve only had a chance to check out the book at the library (i promised myself no new books until we get settled into our new place), but the couple chapters i have read are wonderful.
She is hosting a blog-school of sorts for people who wish to know more about improving their land, growing their food, and various other kitchen/gardening/animal keeping subjects this year. It’s so exciting!
Thank you for the opportunity to win this book. And good luck with your house projects and impending move!
Sincerely,
Whit
to Whit's comment
I’d like to learn more about keeping chickens in the city. Minneapolis is a permit nightmare, but we’re gearing up to do it–despite the fees and neighborhood permission!
to Sarah's comment
I would like to add a few chickens to my backyard homestead!
to Jennifer's comment
I am new to homesteading so I am looking forward to learning about ALL of it! :) In particular, what aspects of homesteading I might utelizing now, even though we don’t have land yet (living in an apartment)…
Thanks for the chance! :)
to Charity's comment
I’d love to learn more about keeping chickens and that it REALLY involves.
to Karen's comment
I want to learn more about raising/keeping chickens in an urban setting.
to Darla Jones's comment
Thanks for a chance to win the book. I consider myself a “newbie”
in so many areas! Keep up your great blog. Your blog is my favorite!
to Karen's comment
I am moving soon to the PNW so this book would be awesome! Thanks…. Enjoy your blog alot.
to Ealasaid's comment
I would like to learn more about keeping chickens!
to Jennifer's comment
I’m a total newbie and want to learn more about everything! In my dreams I would grow my own veggies, keep chickens (and other animals), and spin my own yarn. Someday maybe.
to Kirsten's comment
I agree, it is difficult to pick only one but i would have to say year round gardening is a top priority for me. Our desire is to grow more waste less and buy little. Year round gardening would for sure help us to obtain this goal, (but to be honest the idea intimidates me a little) so I will try and I will err and hopefully get it right eventually :). And I love books :).
to Rocky Top Farm's comment
We actually just moved to NE Ohio from the Pacific Northwest. Out there we had a garden and chickens. We are excited to expand now that we’re here. Growing and storing grain, as well as keeping larger animals (namely goats and a couple of pigs) are two areas that I want to learn as much about as I can!
to Eileen's comment
There’s so much I’d like to learn/improve on. One thing that really is a challenge is gardening on the coast in the Pacific NW–maybe Annette’s book would have some more tips for me on gardening in our rainy climate!
to Wendy Buss's comment
Wow – we’re just getting going (this will be our second full year with a garden) on moving into this lifestyle, and I would LOVE to have a copy of this book. We’re in the greater Seattle area – middle of the Pacific Northwest – so I too can’t wait to see what resources she suggests! Count me in! :)
to Chris Tindall's comment
Since I live in the NW, winter gardening can be a real possibility. With our change to a whole food eating approach, I’d love to work on extending our garden season a little longer each year. The book looks awesome!
to Connie S.'s comment
I would like to know more about raising Talapia, making cheese and squeezing more crops out of my small area.
to Little Homestead in the Village's comment
I would LOVE to have chickens (not sure about my husband) but I would not know where to start! We have a very small lot, and I’m just not sure how we could fit them in. I would love to read this book to see if we can, how much space they need, etc. Eggs are so good for you, and my 14 month old daughter adores them scrambled! I am also a gardener and would love to read more about pepper growing. They never seem to grow properly for me. Tomatoes I can do! :)
to Carrie F.'s comment
Oh, and one more thing. I LIVE in the Pacific NW!!! Corvallis, Oregon in fact. SO this book would be very helpful! :)
to Carrie F.'s comment
Oooo, this looks like a fabulous read! I would love to learn how to build better stores and make my own staples like grains. Chickens…someday. After I divorce the 9-5?
to Caroline's comment
Looks like it’ll be a great read! Looking forward to checking it out!
to KimH's comment
Would love a copy! If only to see the look on my DC neighbors’ faces when I tell them I’m thinking of raising chickens! Currently make do with my small community garden plot, but would love to do more in limited space.
to Kelly's comment
I’m quite intrigued with cheese making lately and my husband would love some chickens – if we didn’t live in town. :(
to harper's comment
Cheese….I want to make cheese. Have for a couple years but have been just too darn intimidated by it!
to heidi's comment
My goal is to actually build a coop and get chickens this year. I’ve started gardening and canning and making a lot of our food and household items from scratch, so the chickens seem like the next logical step.
to itchbay's comment
I always look for resources that will help me improve my gardening expertise. This year’s challenge will be to grow healthy winter squash, which means keeping the squash bugs at bay without resourting to insecticide.
to Trish's comment
I would love to expand my cheese making to hard cheeses!
to Nadeanne's comment
This book looks amazing!
I just discovered your blog, and I love it!
to Marilee's comment
Yeah, I’m not going to say no to this… And, is that you on the cover? ;)
to Allison's comment
My husband & I have retired and moved to the country. We need all the help we can get as we want to raise a large garden and can as much as possible. Always looking for earth friendly methods…ie…water conservation and not using insecticides if possible. Your book sounds like just what we need.
to Nancy's comment
I have a garden the the PNW and I would love all the tips, especially on cheesemaking.
to three on grove's comment
That sounds like a great book! I learned how to can some easy things this year and I can’t wait to try to make cheese. I could learn a lot from this book!
to Alley's comment
I would love to learn more about gardening and forging for food. Thanks for this opportunity to win.
to aruna's comment
I would love this for our family. We, like many others, are in the process of learning these old skills ourselves. Thank you!
to KellyR's comment
Thanks for the great review! I just found your blog and I have found it really helpful! I loved your post about the Yellow Wonder strawberries–I’m going to try growing them this year. This year I would like to try and grind my own flour. I found a local source for the wheat, and now I am in the market for a good beginner grinder. Thanks!
to Brandi's comment
This is the year for fermenting! Fermented salsa and pickles is a priority this summer. It looks like a beautiful book!
to kittyrose's comment
I would like to start grinding my own grains and learning to make a tasty, healthy loaf of bread.
to Celeste Coetzee's comment