Time-honored wisdom and essential skills for living a more self-sufficient life—on or off the grid. Packed with step-by-step instructions, useful tips, time-honored wisdom, and both illustrations and photographs, this guide has everything you need to dive into a more self-sufficient life. From canning and preserving to keeping chickens, fermenting vegetables to soap-making, Abigail Gehring covers all the basics in this easy-to-read collection. Whether you own a hundred acres or rent a studio apartment, this book has plenty of ideas to inspire you. Learn how to: make maple sugar, cheese, and herbal medicine * master farm mechanics * build a smokehouse * dye wool * compost * be prepared for emergencies * build a log cabin * craft handmade paper * install a solar panel on your roof * make your own tea from dried herbs * cure a ham * bake a loaf of bread * brew your own beer * and more