Storey's Basic Country Skills A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance

by Storey, John; Storey, Martha

• ISBN13: 9781580172028
• ISBN10: 1580172024
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-09-01
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC

Summary

This is the book for anyone who wants to become more self-reliant, from suburbanites with 1/4 of an acre to country homesteaders with several. The information is easily understood and readily applicable. More than 150 of Storey's expert authors in gardening, building, animal raising, and homesteading share their specialized knowledge and experience in this ultimate guide to living a more independent, satisfying life. Readers will find step-by-step, illustrated instructions for every aspect of country living including: Finding country land Buying, building, and renovating a home Developing water sources and systems Understanding wiring, plumbing, and heating Using alternative heating and energy sources Vegetable, flower, and herb gardening Traditional cooking skills such as baking bread and making maple syrup Preparing and preserving meat, fruits, and vegetables Building and maintaining barns, sheds, and outbuildings Caring for common farm and ranch animals, and pets

Author Biography

John Storey founded Storey Communications, Inc. with his wife Martha in 1983. He has three children and eight grandchildren. He lives in western Massachusetts and farm in Westport, New York.

Martha Storey lent her party-planning advice to Keeping Entertaining Simple. She has mastered the art of relaxed hostessing, whether giving small dinner parties for close friends or large corporate picnics, and she shares her secrets and inspiring ideas with readers. Country-living publisher for more than 17 years, Martha also draws on her country roots to bring you the time-honored classics of the American country kitchen in her book, Treasured Country Recipes from Martha Storey and Friends. Martha founded Storey Communications, Inc. with her husband John in 1983. She has three children and eight grandchildren. She lives in western Massachusetts and farm in Westport, New York.

Table of Contents

Foreword
John
Martha Storey
PART 1: YOUR PLACE IN THE COUNTRY
Your Country Home	2	(14)
Outdoor Spaces	16	(12)
The Water Supply	28	(20)
Plumbing	48	(12)
Heating Your Home	60	(22)
Electricity	82	(18)
Basic Home Improvements	100	(24)
The Home Interior	124	(34)
PART 2: YOUR GARDEN, YARD & ORCHARD
The Vegetable Garden	158	(40)
The Herb Garden	198	(14)
The Flower Garden	212	(40)
Water and Rock Gardens	252	(14)
Improving Your Soil	266	(18)
Garden Pests and Diseases	284	(16)
Birds and Butterflies	300	(14)
Lawn Care	314	(12)
Berries and Fruits	326	(22)
Arbors and Trellises	348	(10)
Greenhouses	358	(8)
Sheds and More	366	(16)
PART 3: COUNTRY COOKING & STOCKING UP
Classic Country Recipes	382	(16)
Fresh from the Dairy	398	(16)
Meat, Fish, and Game	414	(14)
Preserving The Harvest	428	(16)
The Country Pantry	444	(18)
PART 4: YOUR BARN, STABLE & FIELDS
Farm and Ranch Animals	462	(34)
Barns and Fences	496	(18)
Country Pets	514	(8)
Small-Scale Farming	522	(14)
Tools and Techniques	536	(6)
Illustration Credits	542	(2)
Books	544	(6)
Resources	550	(4)
Index	554	(10)
Hardiness Zone Map	564

Excerpts

From Chapter 3: The Water Supply Water Sources _ Water Supply Systems _ Wells _ Pumps _ Natural Springs _ Ponds _ Water Distribution _ Water Quality We started our publishing business in a converted motorcycle repair shop in Pownal, Vermont. One hot July morning, we ran out of water. We called Floyd Patterson, the builder, who explained that there was a reservoir in the hills and a pipeline that ran down a mile or so. "Could be a break anywhere on the line," he said. "We could dig it all up, but why don't we try a dowser first?" Skeptically, we watched the dowser use a forked stick made of hazel. Within 20 minutes he had found the break, allowing the backhoe to dig in just the right spot. We were quickly becoming converts to the arts, crafts, and skills of country life. --John a cover or housing; cleanout access; an overflow; and an intake line that connects to the distribution system of the house. Protection. Protecting the sanitary quality of any spring used as a potable water source is of paramount importance. A spring ought to have a removable cover, but the cover should be a heavy one and perhaps be locked in place. I've never known a child who could resist exploring a spring once he or she has found one. It's best to fence in a spring, to keep out both children and livestock. Terrain above a spring should be bermed or swaled to divert surface drainage. If springwater looks turbid after a heavy rainstorm, runoff water is probably getting into the spring. A contaminated spring should be disinfected, much like a well or cistern. A solution of water and bleach may be poured into the spring box. It should be allowed to run through the spring line to the house until its chlorine odor can be smelled at all fixtures. Disinfectant should sit in the system for as long as 24 hours if possible. Then it can be flushed out. --from The Home Water Supply by Stu Campbell Ponds Building an Excavated Pond New ponds come in two categories: the excavated pond and the embankment pond. Excavated ponds are simpler and more economical to build on nearly level land. They eliminate the need for expensive and elaborate embankments, spillways, and drainage systems. Their maintenance cost is low, and they are relatively safe from floodwater damages. Their disadvantages may lie in limits on the size of the area that can be excavated. Selecting the correct site is the most important part of any plan, and the water-holding capacity of the soil is especially critical. Test borings to the proposed depth of the pond, then filling the hole with water, will give some idea of the water-holding capacity of the lower soil strata. If there is some doubt that the test reflects the bottom strata, set a pipe the full depth of the hole, then fill the pipe with water. The result will reflect the water-holding capacity at your maximum proposed depth. Excavated ponds may be fed by surface runoffs, groundwater aquifers, underground water from natural springs, or wa

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Excerpted from Storey's Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance by Storey Books Staff, John Storey, Martha Storey
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.