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Carla Emery

The Encyclopedia of Country Living, 50th Anniversary Edition: The Original Manual for Living Off the Land & Doing It Yourself (Homesteading & Off-Grid Survival) Paperback �C Illustrated, Dec 3 2019

by Carla Emery (Author)

4,535 ratings

4.4 on Goodreads

3,131 ratings

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OVER 1 MILLION COPIES SOLD:?The 50th anniversary edition of the classic manual for sustainable living��with 1,000+ pages covering basic country skills and wisdom for living off the land!

Whether you��re homesteading, prepping, or living off-grid, keep your family healthy, safe, and self-sufficient��no matter what��s going on in the world.

From homesteaders to urban farmers, and everyone in between, there is a desire for a simpler way of life: a healthier and self-sufficient natural lifestyle that allows you to survive and thrive��even in uncertain times. Carla Emery��s classic guide will teach you how to live off the grid, be prepared, and do it yourself.?

? Can, dry, and preserve food
??Plan your garden with a beginner's guide to gardening
??Grow your own food
??Make 20-minute cheese
??Make your own natural skincare products
??Bake bread
??Cook on a wood stove
? Learn beekeeping
??Raise chickens, goats, and pigs
??Create natural skincare products
??Make organic bug spray
??Treat your family with homemade natural remedies
??Make fruit leather
??Forage for wild food
??Spin wool into yarn
??Mill your own flour?
??Tap a maple tree
? And so much more!

The Encyclopedia of Country Living has been guiding readers for more than 50 years, teaching you all the skills necessary for living independently off the land.?Whether you live in the city, the country, or anywhere in between, this is the essential guide to living well and living simply.

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Print length

928 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Sasquatch Books
Publication date

Dec 3 2019
Dimensions

21.31 x 4.7 x 27.56 cm
ISBN-10

1632172895
ISBN-13

978-1632172891

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#1 The Best Country and Rural Living Books list: "This comprehensive resource is the most authoritative guide available to a sustainable lifestyle and living off of the land."
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#1 15 Best Homesteading Books for Beginners in 2021: "This book is one of our favorites��many aspects of basic farm life fill the (tremendously) detailed 928 pages. You��ll find gardening tips, how to prepare food, and how to buy land. ��If you want to know more about keeping bees, raising rabbits, and taking care of cows, then this is the book to get!
��Outdoor Happens

��For the suburbanite with just enough space for a little garden to the die-hard homesteaders and everyone in between, The Encyclopedia of Country Living makes for both fascinating reading and a truly essential reference source. You won��t find a more complete source of step-by-step information about growing, processing, cooking and preserving every kind of food��from the garden, the orchard, the field or the barnyard!��
Rodale Book Club

"If you're dreaming about moving "back to the land" someday, or if you're already there and want to live more self-sufficiently, you'll want a copy of ... The Encyclopedia of Country Living."
Organic Gardening

��This book is a monument to the coevolution of a person and an idea. . . this book should be shelved in your collection between the Foxfire books and Alicia Bay Lau?rel��s Living on Earth.��
Whole Earth catalog

"Packed with old wisdom as well as up-to-date websites and mail-order sources to make country living easier."
Country Almanac

��As one aston?ished browser acclaimed, ��Is there anything this book doesn��t tell you how to do?��
Library Journal

"If you��re thinking about ditching the city and reconnecting with a simpler, more direct way of life . . .? The Encyclopedia covers a wealth of information to keep you on target."
Lehman's Country Living

"If I could only have one comprehensive how-to book on self-reliant living, this would be it."
Backwoods Home Magazine

"The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery is one of my favorite finds. It is a guide to all things country..."
The Jefferson County Post

"While it is impossible for one book to have everything you need, 'The Encyclopedia of Country Living' does an exceptional job of giving you the most bang for your buck when it comes to needing a single resource where you are likely to find the answer to your country living questions."
Outdoor Self Reliance

"Practical advice, invaluable information, and collected wis?dom for folks and farmers in the country, city, and anywhere in between."
Territorial Seed catalog

About the Author

Carla Emery lived on a farm in Idaho for more than thirty years as a wife, mother of seven, home-schooler, goat-keeper, garden-grower, writer, and country-living instructor. She wrote and self-published the first editions of The Encyclopedia of Country Living during the early 1970s and also ran her "School of Country Living." Carla sold nearly 90,000 copies of her self-published editions, traveling the country to promote it and appearing on such shows as The Mike Douglas Show, The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Phil Donahue Show, and Good Morning America, where she demonstrated country-living skills such as goat-milking, bread-making, and butter-churning.

When Sasquatch Books published the 9th Edition of Encyclopedia in 1994, Carla continued to travel the country promoting and selling the book, and teaching the timeless skills of country living. Carla cultivated a large and loyal following across the country. Carla passed away in 2005.

Excerpt. ? Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

What This Book Is
?
This book has been written��and rewritten��over a span?of 32 years. Like a geological deposit, it has layers. The first?layer was the ambitious 12-page table of contents I started?compiling back in 1969. That��s when I first got to thinking?about this book. I wanted to put into one work everything?someone would want or need to know about family food?production. I wanted it to be a complete reference, an encyclopedia?of information and skills, a practical resource?anyone could use.

The ��back to the land�� movement had started happening?then��a tremendous out-migration from cities to?country. I was living in a tiny town in northern Idaho, and?the newcomers were everywhere, full of urgent questions?about growing plants and raising animals. So the next layer?of the book got written as I tried to answer their questions,?encourage them in the hard moments, and help them adapt?to the harsh realities of country living. I was struggling to?create for them an affordable, single-volume reference work?on raising and preparing food��every kind of food, every?step of the way��from planting a seed in the garden or?mating animals to preparing a meal.

I was also trying to preserve the precious knowledge?of an older generation of homesteaders��knowledge that?was rapidly disappearing as that generation passed on. It?seemed that traditional, ��old-time�� technologies were being?cast aside as people flocked to petroleum-based technologies?and centralized supply systems. I wanted to help?record and preserve the traditional methods. They offer a?workable alternative to petroleum-dependent technologies,?and as we continue to deplete the earth��s oil deposits, the?old, self-sufficient methods will become more and more?important to know

Mrs. Harless and Imogene Kepford were among the?first old-timers I talked to. I visited their homes��where?they always made me feel welcome��and listened to them,?enjoying their blunt, charming, pioneer language. Their?amazing knowledge about every aspect of home food production?humbled me. I began trying out what they told?me��and writing it down. Then I��d return to their homes?to ask more questions, and I��d write those answers down?too. When Mrs. Harless died unexpectedly about a year?after I met her, I felt as though I��d lost a mother. And I?realized how much harder and faster I needed to work?on my project.

Today, a general ignorance about food production��?as well as the lack of land on which to grow plants or raise?animals��makes most people captive consumers. Unlike?their great-grandparents, the urbanized members of today��s?society are almost totally dependent on other people to?produce their food, clothing, and shelter��and they��re?subject to the market prices for those essential commodities.?Many people spend their lives a paycheck away from?hunger or homelessness��because they must pay other?people to supply their most basic needs.

I love education and books because they empower?people. That��s what this book is all about: providing?you with the information you need to do things on?your own, instead of paying someone else to do them?for you.

Another layer of this book comes from the many?people who have contributed to it. I��ve been helped by?an army of persons who have shared recipes, advice, and?information gained from years of experience. And every?time I finished another edition of this book, people wrote?to me with corrections, or with more information, or with?important questions I hadn��t answered. The book grew and?improved edition after edition, prodded by those interactions?with readers. So this isn��t only ��Carla��s Book.�� Often I?just had the humble task of stitching together information?from other people, guided by the knowledge and experience?I do have.

It took me four years to complete the first edition of?this book. During that time, I was a lonely rural housewife,?grateful for my pen pals from all over the country��wonderful?people who read early parts of the book and shared?with me recipes, advice, and encouragement. As I continued?writing the book, I kept thinking about those faraway?but precious friends, and I began including personal?thoughts and memories in my book, sharing with my readers?stories about myself, my past, my life. Thus, another?layer emerged.

I added several more layers. I described mushroom?cultivation and aquaculture, and updated the book to give?advice on problems such as killer bees, global warming,?and pesticide contamination in food. Because the international?swapping of seeds has made a multitude of non-native,?exotic plants available, I added extensive instructions?for growing and cooking those plants. This information is?useful to city folks as well, now that so many ��new�� fruits,?vegetables, and herbs are appearing in supermarkets. I also?added websites and e-mail addresses for over 1,500 mailorder?sources.?In fact, as this book has evolved, I��ve thought of more?and more ways it could be useful to city- as well as country-?dwelling people. I��ve begun to think of it as��and have?strived to build it into��a basic kitchen reference work, so?packed with reliable, practical information that any family,?urban or rural, would want to own it.?Is that the final layer? If the last 32 years are any indication,?probably not!

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sasquatch Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ Dec 3 2019
Edition ‏ : ‎ Illustrated
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 928 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1632172895
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1632172891
Item weight ‏ : ‎ 1.68 kg
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 21.31 x 4.7 x 27.56 cm
�鶹�� Rank: #2,418 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7 in Home Improvement (Books)
- #14 in Gardening & Horticulture (Books)
- #192 in Parenting & Families (Books)
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4,535 ratings

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Carla Emery

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Carla Emery lived on a farm in Idaho for more than thirty years as a wife, mother of seven, home-schooler, goat-keeper, garden-grower, writer, and country-living instructor. She wrote and self-published the first editions of The Encyclopedia of Country Living during the early 1970s and also ran her "School of Country Living." Carla sold nearly 90,000 copies of her self-published editions, traveling the country to promote it and appearing on such shows as The Mike Douglas Show, The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Phil Donahue Show, and Good Morning America, where she demonstrated country-living skills such as goat-milking, bread-making, and butter-churning. When Sasquatch Books published the 9th Edition of Encyclopedia in 1994, Carla continued to travel the country promoting and selling the book, and teaching the timeless skills of country living. Carla cultivated a large and loyal following across the country. Carla passed away in 2005.

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Customers find the book amazing, full of practical knowledge and great information. They say it's an essential read/reference for anyone starting to homestead or prep. Readers describe the book as useful and great in every possible way.

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37 customers mention "Content"37 positive0 negative

Customers find the book amazing, full of practical knowledge and great information. They say it's an essential read/reference for anyone starting to homestead or prepping. Readers describe the book as well-written, detailed, and fun to read.

"...The book is huge & heavy. A great reference book. Totally worth it." Read more

"Great book..." Read more

"Absolutely the most complete book I've ever purchased...." Read more

"This is a must have quality book. Very insightful and full of things I would not have come up with myself...." Read more

4 customers mention "Usefulness"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book useful, with lots of useful information. They say it's great in every possible way.

"...Sooooo useful. Very reasonable price. The great amount of work put into this and the tender care are obvious...." Read more

"...It's great in every possibly way. Everybody should have a copy of this book!" Read more

"LOTS of useful imformation, i would recomend to anyone...Creator bless...doug" Read more

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Gensch13
A great reference book
Reviewed in Canada on July 30, 2025
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Very addictive book. I have learned so much from it already. The book is huge & heavy. A great reference book. Totally worth it.

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�鶹�� Customer
They aren't joking about it having 928 pages
Reviewed in Canada on November 28, 2024
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Absolutely the most complete book I've ever purchased. Has literally every subject you would want to know about for country living/ homesteading, and an unexpected number of recipes in every chapter.

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4 people found this helpful

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mybuddy
Nice presentaion and a welcome to my bookshelf
Reviewed in Canada on August 5, 2025
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This is a must have quality book. Very insightful and full of things I would not have come up with myself. Excellent illustrations and easy to read through.

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angelhazel
Absolute Must Have
Reviewed in Canada on June 15, 2024
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Absolute must have full of so much useful information. I love having a book to look at rather than search all the confusing and contradictory stuff on the internet. Will still have access during power outages

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7 people found this helpful

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Katie Jane
Awesome book!
Reviewed in Canada on May 9, 2023
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I have this book and it's been the most used one on my shelf. So I ordered a copy as a gift. Sadly the cover came bent.

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Katie Jane

Awesome book!

Reviewed in Canada on May 9, 2023
I have this book and it's been the most used one on my shelf. So I ordered a copy as a gift. Sadly the cover came bent.

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3 people found this helpful

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A buyer in Ontario
Amazing book full of practical knowledge
Reviewed in Canada on September 5, 2023
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Wow! A huge book packed full of knowledge with much detail, as well as nice touches to make it pleasant. Sooooo useful. Very reasonable price. The great amount of work put into this and the tender care are obvious. Thanks Carla for sharing so much knowledge and wisdom with your readers!!! God bless you.

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3 people found this helpful

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SwixzzleStar
It��s a BIG book
Reviewed in Canada on March 21, 2024
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THICK she sooo THICK. This book is filled with a lot of great information but also some things that really could have been summarized.
All in all, it��s awesome and has a lot to start with and sustain with.

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SwixzzleStar

It��s a BIG book

Reviewed in Canada on March 21, 2024
THICK she sooo THICK. This book is filled with a lot of great information but also some things that really could have been summarized.
All in all, it��s awesome and has a lot to start with and sustain with.

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2 people found this helpful

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Ashley
Textbook
Reviewed in Canada on March 16, 2025
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This is a textbook. It is way bigger than I expected

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Reviewed in Japan on September 19, 2024
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�Ը��hĺ�餷�ˤĤ��ƣ��}��٤ʤ��Υ��ʤΤ�ϧ��Ȥ��Ǥ��ͨ��һ��h��ˤȤɤޤ餺��ϸ��˼��Ƥ��ޤ��ũ��η��ʳ�ʤɤΥ쥷�Ԥ��तӡ��Ǥ��1000�ک`��δ��ͱ��ʤΤǷǳ��i�ߤ��ޤ��Ӣ��ƽ�פʤΤ�Ӣ��˵ֿ��ʤ��Ը��ζ��ˡ��Ǥˌg��Ƥ��ˤˤ⤪��ᤷ�ޤ��

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Rizwan Khan
excellent book :: must have
Reviewed in India on July 9, 2023
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excellent book :: must have

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Chris Worth
The classic text, and with a better printing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 26, 2025
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The classic text on homesteading - enjoyable simply for the insight it gives into the lifestyle, even if you have no plans to go back to the land yourself. Not just useful - incredible depth and range - but genuinely human in scale, with lots of "here's the theory, but here's what happens in practice"-type stuff.

Note some reviews mention poor paper quality - it's a BIG book and the stock is necessarily thin. But I don't see any problem with this 2024 printing; maybe the printers upgraded the paper. There's nothing wrong with this paper stock; in fact it's rather good quality, perfect matt for noting things in the margins (as you will).

On your preparedness bookshelf, this teams beautifully with Seymour's "Complete New Book of Self Sufficiency" and Gehring's "Back to Basics", each volume giving a somewhat different take on roughly the same material - together the info is unbeatable in scale and scope. Recommended even if you're just a dreaming hobbyist.

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Dulc
Buena compra
Reviewed in Mexico on February 3, 2024
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Buena informaci��n

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Mat
Awesome
Reviewed in Australia on April 22, 2024
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I liked this book has heaps of great ideas and helpful information I was heaps bigger than I thought it was going to be great for anyone who wants to homestead

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The Encyclopedia of Country Living, 50th Anniversary Edition: The Original Manual for Living Off the Land & Doing It Yourself (Homesteading & Off-Grid Survival) Paperback �C Illustrated, Dec 3 2019

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It��s a BIG book

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Awesome book!

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4.0 out of 5 stars ���ݳ�g

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book :: must have

5.0 out of 5 stars The classic text, and with a better printing

5.0 out of 5 stars Buena compra

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome

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��ݳ�g

excellent book :: must have

The classic text, and with a better printing

Buena compra

Awesome