"Your backyard can be the source of the best eggs and meat you've ever tasted. The answer is chickens--endearing birds that require but a modest outlay of time, space and food. As they learned to raise chickens, Gail and Rick Luttmann came to realize the need for a comprehensive but clear and nontechnical guide. Their book covers all the basics in a light and entertaining sytle, from housing and feeding through incubating, bringing up chicks, butchering, and raising chickens for show. Througout the book, the Luttmanns express their wonder at the personalities of chickens--the role of brash protector played by roosters, and the instinctive motherliness of the hens. Given some freedom and attention, these birds can become much more than the egg-and-meat machines of commercial hatcheries and broiler factories. Chickens provide backyard farmers with enjoyable pastime, as well as a supply of good food."

EU English Edition

"Thanks to this book and of course the all knowing John seymour, I am a city girl who now owns Sheep, ducks and hens. Soon to move to a small holding, I am confident that I can also cope with goats and donkeys - And make a small income from the land and feed the family! It gives you the info you need to care for the animals, but also to talk to others without looking a complete novice! As soon as you have a bit of knowledge under your belt, others with heaps more experience are soon happy to give you good advice and before you know it - you really DO know what you are doing!"

EU English Edition

"When is the right time to shear a sheep? Is there a market for manure? What time of day is best to collect eggs? What is the correct way to milk a goat? What does a duck eat? Can a cow and a sheep share the same pasture? Which types of rabbit are easiest to raise? Each chapter focuses on a different animal and offers a comprehensive review of the ins and outs - the tribulations and triumphs - of living with and caring for a small farmyard."

"Damerow, author of several books on chickens and a breeder of dairy goats, has compiled a primer on easy-to-raise and companionable farm animals that will provide a good return for the novice farmer. The introduction acquaints the reader with all the pros and cons of keeping farm animals, covering such topics as manure, noise, and dealing with the neighbors."

EU English Edition

"This really is a fantastic book. An extremely enjoyable read, it covers in a very well-judged level of depth every aspect of creating a "Home Farm", from selection of the animals and crops, through layout, to how to care for it all on an ongoing basis. Sumptuously and attractively illustrated throughout in the normal DK fashion, this book really is a joy on every level. A must-have purchase for anyone interested in the subject."

"Home farm tells you a lot about the different breeds of animals on the farm and the sorts of tools farmers use. The book contains recipies on how to make bread, cereal foods,cheese,jams pickels and cider. If you wanted to make a fence or grow crops this book reveals all. I give this excellent,up to date book 10/10"

"Whether you are an established smallholder, or just starting to take the first tentative steps towards farming at your home, this book contains a wealth of useful information on all the key aspects of small-scale agriculture. The book covers the rural property - buying a small farm, preparing outbuildings and equipping it with machinery and tools; the land - the kitchen garden, protected cultivation, orchards and pasture; livestock - from bees, rabbits and chickens to goats, cattle and exotic species; and commercial considerations, regulations and organic farming. For the established smallholder you would be hard pushed to find any new information. For those just starting out this book will provide good information on finding a smallholding. It gives good advice on the things you might overlook such as the buildings, boundaries, water and electric supply."

"This manual contains detailed instructions for 22 projects from a simple feed scoop holder to housing and fencing for chickens, sheep and goats. There are plans for gates and hurdles; troughs and hayracks; brooders, nestboxes and dustbaths; and a sawbench, ratbox and goat milking bench."

"As any smallholder knows the cost of a lot of small scale equipment is absolutely horrendous. This book deals with many of those useful but hard to get items. Written primarily for smallholders, it contains no difficult woodwork techniques and even gives advice on where to buy wood and screws. A cutting list would have been a great help - but the plans were easy to follow."

"Cows and horses, donkeys and mules, sheep and goats, pigs and fowl, even Ilamas are living on small farms and in backyard barnyards, but how and where are these animals being housed? Author Carol Ekarius knows. In How To Build Animal Housing, she provides dozens of plans - with illustrated, step-by-step instructions - for species-specific shelters that are well ventilated, safe, appropriate for the animals, appealing, convenient, and a solid value for their owners. The book is essential reading for anyone interested in animal health and welfare. It includes complete plans and step-by-step, illustrated instructions for sheds, coops, hutches, multipurpose barns, and economical easy-to-build wind-breaks and shade structures. Ekarius covers new high-tech, portable structures made of plastics and fabrics, as well as more traditional alternatives, such as straw-bale structures."

"Kathy and Bob make it easy for anyone to understand the fine art of raising your own pigs for the dining pleasure of your family. An especially good book for those that plan on having a sustainable food source in times of disruption, such as Year 2000 grocery disruptions, an extended illness, layoffs, recession, depression, etc. This book will help you understand that you too can raise your own oinker for hard times. It's a CAN DO kind of book."

"Kathy and Bob make it easy for anyone to understand the fine art of raising your own pigs for the dining pleasure of your family. An especially good book for those that plan on having a sustainable food source in times of disruption."

"This is a much acclaimed guide for those starting in sheep and comes recommended by both the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and the National Sheep Association as well as many of the sheep societies. It is full of detailed information and solid, sensible advice complemented by descriptive line drawings and a section of plates dedicated to breeds of sheep.

The contents include buying and selecting your breed, housing, handling, care of the breeding flock, lambing, veterinary advice, keeping records and grassland management as well as a useful shepherds calendar. The emphasis throughout is on the essential skills and techniques that should be at any shepherd's fingertips."

"This guide gives both the novice and experienced livestock farmer information on selection, housing, behaviour, space requirements, breeding and birthing techniques, feeding, health concerns, and remedies for illness. It also covers the business side of raising ducks.

Everything You Need to Know to Raise Ducks Successfully. An essential resource for any duck breeder, it provides the most up-to-date information on: Individual breeds, Breeding for color varieties, Feeding and housing, Maximizing egg production, Breeding for color varieties, Showing prize-winning ducks, Health care and disease prevention."

"Gardening with Guineas is a delightful and informative guide to raising guinea fowl. It covers the life of a guinea from egg throughout adult, including incubation, feeding, housing, training and common problems. In Gardening with Guineas you will learn: Reasons for raising guinea fowl, what you need to know before you buy, working with newborns and young keets, handling typical problems, and much, much more. This book is easy to follow and will surely benefit anyone who desires to raise guinea fowl. Jeannette S. Ferguson is a published author and speaker in the art of Gardening with Guineas. She shares the joy of raising guinea fowl with children and adults alike through school programs and published articles. She also hosts an interactive message board and website answering many questions about Gardening with Guineas."

"Raising meat goats is an excellent proposition for today's livestock farmer. Niche or artisanal farmers looking for a profitable specialty should search no further than the simple goat. Compact, friendly, and efficient, meat goats do not require a lot of browsing land, and they can thrive on plants cows find inedible, such as nettles and thistles. Now author Maggie Sayer adds Storey's Guide to Raising Meat Goats to the popular series that has guided countless farmers through the day-to-day tasks of animal care. Sayer thoroughly explains the basics of selecting a breed, buying the goats, and raising healthy animals. She explains how goats think and how to handle, house, and transport them properly. There is plenty of basic health-care information for preventing disease, addressing common ailments, and breeding safely. A wealth of information is offered on catering to ethnic populations and marketing the product."

"This is the book for anyone who hunts, farms, or buys large quantities of meat. The author takes the mystery out of slaughtering and butchering everything from beef and veal, to venison, pork, and lamb. The text is clear and easy-to-follow. Combined with 130 detailed illustrations by Elayne Sears, the reader is provided with complete, step-by-step instructions. Here is everything you need to know: ; At what age to butcher an animal ; How to kill, skin, slaughter, and butcher How to dress out game in a field ; Salting, smoking, and preserving ; Tools, equipment, the setup ; More than thirty recipes using all kinds of meat An Outdoor Life Book Club Selection "Provides clear, concise, and step-by-step information for people who want to slaughter their own meat. Provides clear, concise, and step-by-step information for people who want to slaughter their own meat."

"First published in the United Kingdom, THE RIVER COTTAGE MEAT BOOK quickly became an underground hit among food cognoscenti around the world. Now tailored for American cooks, this loving, authoritative, and galvanizing ode to good meat is one part manifesto on high-quality, local, and sustainable meat production; two parts guide to choosing and storing meats and fowl; and three parts techniques and recipes for roasting, cooking, barbecuing, preserving, and processing meats and getting the most out of leftovers. With this thought-provoking and practical guide, meat eaters can knowledgeably buy and prepare meat for better health and better living, while supporting the environment, vibrant local economies, and respectful treatment of animals."

"There are well over 200 identifiable breeds of goat in the world with some 13 in the UK as well as many cross-breeds. Distinctive cheese and yoghurt, prime lean meat and highly prized cashmere and mohair fibre are all products of this unique species. In this illustrated manual, the author provides essential information for successful goat keeping. In addition, Hilary Matthews has written a chapter on showing which should give the reader an insight into the world of the show ring. Subjects covered include: characteristics and breeds; breeding and reproduction; kid rearing; milk production and dairy work; goat fibre and production; health and disease; showing; and profitable goat keeping."

"Goats are fairly adaptable creatures in the wild but, if kept as pets, or commercially farmed, they rely on their owners not only for food, but also for protection from diseases, injury and predators. As the title of the book suggests, goat health and welfare are closely linked and it is a truism that 'a fit and healthy goat is a happy and productive goat'. This is comprehensive and non-technical book covering the following: general goat health, welfare, behaviour and related management issues; principal diseases and abnormalities affecting goats - considers their causes, main diagnostic signs, treatment and prevention; recognizing abnormal behaviour as an early indicator of ill-health; the importance of goat keepers establishing good working relationships with their vets; poisoning and diseases that can be transmitted between goats and man."

"This book is about keeping hens for pleasure in your garden, about their suitability as pets and the joy of having fresh free-range eggs. The author has kept bantams in her garden for many years and this book is based on personal experiences. The book includes chapters on housing, feeding, egg laying, hatching chicks plus information on breeds and common ailments. The second half of the book contains egg recipes with helpful ideas for surplus eggs and left over yolks or whites. Savoury and sweet recipes include tarts, souffles, mousses, cakes, Swiss rolls, Ice creams, roulades and meringues. The book is illustrated with black and white drawings and with an 8 page colour section."

"This fascinating book is a valuable guide for farmers and the general public concerned about the overuse of nonnatural medicine, herbicides, and insecticides in farm management and animal husbandry. The author, Juliette de Baïracli Levy, offers detailed directions for treating all farm animals with natural methods, while stating her evidence that "mechanized" farming methods have led to the demise of domesticated animals' overall health. She asserts that poor and inadequate natural habitat, unnatural feeding practices, and a reliance on medicine to fight individual symptoms of disease without addressing the whole animal have weakened farm animals' innate disease-fighting ability. Her argument for a return to reliance on the natural and away from the synthetic and artificial rearing and feeding methods of farm animals becomes more urgent and relevant given the outbreaks of "mad cow disease" and other ailments caused by these practices."

"In this comprehensive guide for all breeders and keepers of sheep, Pat Coleby draws on decades of experience in natural animal husbandry to provide essential information for organic and sustainable farmers. A longtime commercial livestock farmer who takes a natural approach to husbandry, Coleby covers breeds of sheep, wool, meat and milk production, feeding requirements, poisonous plants, minerals and vitamins, herbal, homeopathic and natural remedies, and more. Originally published in Australia, this edition has been expanded significantly in the areas of breeding for finer wool and meat, land management, sheep management, and treatment of health problems. Coleby's step-by-step explanations of how to best benefit from a naturalistic, holistic approach make this book an invaluable resource for everyone with sheep."

"In her engaging though sometimes preachy new book, Kingsolver recounts the year her family attempted to eat only what they could grow on their farm in Virginia or buy from local sources. The book's bulk, written and read by Kingsolver in a lightly twangy voice filled with wonder and enthusiasm, proceeds through the seasons via delightful stories about the history of their farmhouse, the exhausting bounty of the zucchini harvest, turkey chicks hatching and so on. Her daughter Camille contributes recipes, meal plans and an enjoyable personal essay in a clear if rather monotonous voice. Hopp, Kingsolver's husband and an environmental studies professor, provides dry readings of the sidebars that have him playing Dr. Scientist, as Kingsolver notes in an illuminating interview on the last disc. Though they may skip some of the more moralizing tracks, Kingsolver's fans and foodies alike will find this a charming, sometimes inspiring account of reconnecting with the food chain."