14 Essential Homesteading Books for Beginners (Popular Community Picks)

So, you’ve decided to step into homesteading. Great! But where do you even start?

One minute you’re Googling how to can tomatoes, the next you’re chasing a chicken out of your kitchen.

Homesteading can feel overwhelming in the beginning. (There’s a lot to learn – and even more to clean up.) But thankfully, you don’t have to wing it alone. 

Plenty of seasoned homesteaders have been there, done that, and written the book – literally – so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel… or rebuild the coop for the third time.

Below you’ll find 14 tried-and-true books that come highly recommended by the homesteading community.

From growing veggies and preserving your harvest to raising livestock and keeping your sanity somewhat intact, these reads have got you covered.

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1. The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery

If homesteaders had a Bible (besides, well, the Bible), this would be it.

Consistently ranked as one of the top must-reads by seasoned homesteaders, The Encyclopedia of Country Living has earned its legendary status.

Everything You Could Possibly Need 

First published in the ’70s and updated many times since, this mammoth guide covers just about everything: from baking your own bread and preserving that summer harvest, to raising chickens, making soap, and yes, even delivering a baby goat (because, why not?).

At over 900 pages, it might seem intimidating, but don’t worry – we’re not expecting you to read it like a novel.

Instead, it’s your trusty go-to when you suddenly realize, “How on earth do I butcher a chicken?” or “What’s the best way to keep my garden alive during a heatwave?” Spoiler: Carla’s got your back.

What Makes This Book So Special?

Carla’s warm, conversational style makes it feel like a chat with a good friend who’s been there, made all the mistakes, and is here to help you skip the hard parts.

It’s the kind of practical, time-tested advice that every homesteader should have on their shelf.

In short: If you’re looking for one go-to resource that covers just about everything beginner homesteaders need to know, this is it.

2. The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It by John Seymour

Ever wish you had a friendly grandpa who’s been around the block and could gently nudge you toward being more self-reliant – without drowning you in details?

That’s exactly the vibe you get from John Seymour’s The Self-Sufficient Life.

Often called the father of the modern self-sufficiency movement, Seymour wrote this book back in the 1970s, and it’s still a go-to for homesteaders today. 

Compact but Packed with Practical Advice

Unlike Carla Emery’s encyclopedia, this one is a bit more compact and easier to digest, but don’t let that fool you – it’s packed with practical advice on everything from growing fruits and veggies to chopping wood, brewing beer, making cheese, and even basic carpentry.

The Homesteader Mentality

What really stands out is Seymour’s knack for creative problem-solving with whatever you’ve got on hand. That true homesteader mentality of “use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” 

Plus, the book is filled with clear diagrams like garden layouts, crop rotations, animal housing plans – perfect for visual learners who want to see what’s what before jumping in.

Whether you’re working with a tiny suburban backyard or a handful of acres, this book lays out a realistic, inspiring roadmap to living more self-sufficiently. 

No wonder it’s a favorite among homesteaders who appreciate a straightforward, encouraging guide that doesn’t overwhelm but instead helps us take practical steps forward.

3. Back to Basics: How to Learn and Enjoy Traditional American Skills (Reader’s Digest Association)

So, you want to get your hands dirty and learn some old-school homesteading skills?

Back to Basics is like having a stack of vintage Mother Earth News mags all rolled into one handy book – full of real-deal advice for doing things the traditional way.

Old-School Skills, Made Simple

This classic from the ’80s covers everything you’d expect: building a log cabin, using alternative energy (hello, windmills and water wheels), gardening the way your great-grandparents did, raising and butchering animals, making your own tools, and even some clever mechanical projects like water rams that pump water uphill. (Yep, no electricity needed – just some smart engineering.)

Step-by-Step for Total Newbies

What really stands out is how it’s packed with easy-to-follow diagrams and step-by-step drawings. So even if you’ve never touched a saw or sheared a sheep, you won’t be left guessing what comes next.

What’s great about this book is it mixes pioneer skills with some mid-century DIY tricks. You’ll find yourself moving from insulating an off-grid cabin to shearing sheep without missing a step.

Homesteaders recommend this one because it’s straightforward, approachable, and you can just flip to whichever chapter you need – whether it’s gardening, food preservation, carpentry, or crafts.

Basically, if you weren’t born on a farm but want to live as if you were, Back to Basics is like a friendly mentor who’s got your back.

4. Storey’s Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance by John & Martha Storey

If you liked Back to Basics, you’ll feel right at home with this hefty Storey’s Basic Country Skills guide from Storey Publishing.

It’s like a giant toolkit filled with country wisdom, pulled together from over 150 experts. Seriously, if there’s a homesteading question out there, this book probably has the answer.

Your All-in-One Homesteading Reference

Think of it as your go-to quick-reference manual for everything from buying and caring for land, building or fixing up your homestead, growing and preserving food, raising animals, and handling home maintenance.

It also tackles fences, outbuildings, homemade cleaners, and herbal remedies – basically, all the little things that keep a homestead humming.

Beginner-Friendly, Straightforward, and Dependable

What makes this book a favorite is how beginner-friendly it is.

The chapters are organized so logically, and the language is straightforward enough that even if you didn’t grow up on a farm, you’ll find exactly what you need without scratching your head.

Homesteaders love keeping this one close because it’s like having a seasoned country handyman or handywoman right there beside you.

Need to fix a leaky roof? Check. Wondering how to compost your kitchen scraps? Check. Curious about fermenting sauerkraut? Yep, that too.

One reader said it feels more approachable than some of the older classics, making it perfect if you’re totally new to this lifestyle.

So whether you want to look up how to chop firewood or make your own pickles, chances are Storey’s got you covered.

Bottom line: this book is a practical, wide-ranging toolkit you’ll turn to over and over as you build your self-reliant life.

5. The Backyard Homestead by Carleen Madigan (Ed.)

Don’t have 40 acres and a mule? No worries!

The Backyard Homestead shows you how to squeeze surprising amounts of food out of a small patch of land – even if you’re working with a tiny suburban quarter-acre.

This friendly guide helps you turn your backyard into a mini-farm that really delivers.

Maximizing Your Small Space

The book covers everything in easy-to-digest sections: planning a high-yield garden, growing fruits and veggies, raising a few chickens or rabbits, keeping bees, and even growing grains on a small scale.

It breaks down exactly how much food you can produce on 0.10 acre, 0.25 acre, and so forth, complete with sample layouts.

You can raise enough veggies for a family, a couple of pigs, a dozen hens, plus a few apple trees on a typical suburban lot. Not too shabby, right?

Beyond Growing: Preserving and Cooking

It doesn’t stop at planting, either. You’ll also get basics on canning, drying, and pickling so you can enjoy your harvest all year long.

The book is easy to read and packed with charts, illustrations, and even recipes to help you turn garden bounty into tasty meals.

Beginners often say this book opened their eyes to how much is possible with just a little space.

It’s part of a series with other volumes on raising animals and building projects, but this original Backyard Homestead stands strong on its own as a perfect introduction.

If you’re aiming for self-sufficiency on a smaller scale, this one is definitely worth having on your shelf.

6. Ball Blue Book / Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving by Judi Kingry & Lauren Devine (eds.)

Fresh eggs and vegetables are wonderful, but knowing how to preserve your harvest is just as important on the homestead.

When it comes to food preservation, the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving (now expanded and updated as the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving) is a trusted classic that many beginners rely on.

Home Canning Made Simple

Ball is the company that popularized home canning jars, so this guide comes from true experts.

It clearly explains water-bath canning (for jams, pickles, fruits), pressure canning (for low-acid vegetables, meats, and soups), plus tips on dehydrating and fermenting.

The instructions are straightforward and beginner-friendly, helping you preserve food safely and confidently.

Hundreds of Tested Recipes

The latest editions include over 400 tested recipes, from classic dill pickles and strawberry jam to newer salsas and chutneys.

It also answers common questions like “Why didn’t my jars seal?” or “How do I adjust for altitude?” in clear FAQ sections.

Homesteaders often recommend this book as a must-have for anyone starting out with food preservation. It’s like having an expert guiding you through each step.

Planning to grow more produce than you can eat fresh?

This guide is an essential tool to make sure nothing goes to waste.

7. Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon (with Mary Enig)

If you’re serious about cooking wholesome, traditional foods, Nourishing Traditions is a staple on many homesteaders’ kitchen shelves.

Part cookbook, part nutrition guide, it dives into ancestral eating habits and explains why modern processed foods aren’t doing us any favors – something many of us have suspected all along.

Real Food the Old-Fashioned Way

But this book isn’t just about what to avoid. It offers hundreds of recipes to help you prepare real food the old-fashioned way: bone broths, fermented veggies, sourdough bread, cultured dairy like yogurt and kefir, sprouted grains, and plenty of butter and lard.

Yes, it’s famously pro-animal fat, making a strong case that butter, cream, and even bacon grease can be good for you.

More Than a Cookbook – It’s a Food History Lesson

What sets this book apart is its deep research and interesting sidebars on food history and science, so you really understand why Grandma’s way often meant healthier meals.

It’s a hefty read (over 600 pages), but you don’t have to take it all in at once. Many homesteaders use it as a go-to reference for recipes and techniques.

You don’t have to follow every recommendation exactly to benefit. Plenty of folks swear by it for improving family health, especially if you want to raise and prepare food “like great-grandma did” – raw milk, pastured meats, soaked grains, and all.

Even if you just pick up a few skills like lacto-fermentation, rendering fat, or making rich bone broth, you’re ahead of the game.

Plus, the recipes taste great – who wouldn’t want to try homemade ginger carrots or a stew packed with real bone stock?

Bottom line: Nourishing Traditions inspires you to cook from scratch with nutrient-dense ingredients and gives you the practical know-how to do it well.

8. All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew

If you’re new to growing your own veggies, this book feels like a friendly coach telling you, “Take it easy, you’ve got this – let’s start small and grow a lot.”

Mel Bartholomew’s Square Foot Gardening is one of the most popular beginner methods because it’s simple, efficient, and makes the most of even the tiniest space.

The Clever Idea Behind Square Foot Gardening

The idea is pretty clever: instead of digging up a big garden plot, you build a raised bed – usually 4 by 4 feet – then divide it into one-foot squares.

You plant each square with a different crop, following easy spacing rules. No wasted space or endless weeding between rows. Every square foot pulls its weight.

Step-by-Step from Build to Harvest

The book walks you through the whole thing: building the raised bed, filling it with a special soil mix, planting, and rotating crops through the year.

Plus, it’s super accessible if you don’t have a lot of space or if bending down is tough – the beds are raised just right for easy care.

Mel was an engineer, so his method is all about cutting out unnecessary work – he hated how traditional long rows meant tons of thinning, weeding, and watering.

Homesteaders often suggest this book to beginners or friends with small suburban yards because it makes starting a garden feel doable, not overwhelming.

Perfect for Small Spaces and Busy Hands

Even if you have acres to work with, this method can help you grow a productive kitchen garden without stress.

It’s perfect for kids or anyone who likes a straightforward, paint-by-numbers style guide to gardening success.

By the time your first 4×4 bed is overflowing with fresh salads and veggies, you’ll be raising a glass to Mel for making gardening easy and fun.

9. Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture by Toby Hemenway

Ready to take your gardening up a notch and work with nature instead of against it? Gaia’s Garden is the perfect next step if you want to explore permaculture without getting overwhelmed.

Don’t worry about the hippie label – Toby Hemenway breaks down the principles in a clear, friendly way that makes sense for any home gardener.

This book will change how you look at your backyard. Instead of planting rows of single crops, you’ll learn to create plant communities where everything supports one another like fruit trees with herbs and nitrogen-fixing plants helping keep the soil healthy.

It covers smart techniques like rainwater harvesting, composting, attracting helpful insects, and building perennial food forests – all scaled for your home garden.

Practical Permaculture Techniques for Your Backyard

If you’re new to permaculture, you’ll pick up handy tips like planting comfrey near fruit trees to chop and drop as natural fertilizer or using your chicken coop’s run to prepare garden beds.

Hemenway’s writing is practical and engaging, filled with real-world examples and garden plans you can follow.

Turning Your Garden into a Thriving Ecosystem

Many homesteaders credit this book with sparking their love for permaculture because it makes the big ideas usable for everyday gardeners.

By the end, you’ll see your garden as a thriving ecosystem instead of just separate plants. You might even want to try building a keyhole garden, herb spiral, or backyard pond.

No matter the size of your yard, Gaia’s Garden helps you work smarter by tapping into natural systems.

It’s a great companion to basic gardening guides and will help make your homestead more resilient and productive.

10. The Backyard Homestead Guide to Raising Farm Animals by Gail Damerow (Storey Publishing)

Ready to add some barnyard animals to your homestead?

The Backyard Homestead Guide to Raising Farm Animals by Gail Damerow is a solid beginner’s guide to small-scale livestock – basically Homesteading Animals 101 without the overwhelm.

This book covers practical advice on choosing, caring for, and benefiting from chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, rabbits, goats, sheep, pigs, and even a cow – all scaled to fit a backyard setup.

Starting with animals is a different challenge than starting a garden, and Damerow helps you avoid common beginner mistakes.

You’ll learn which breeds suit small spaces, how to build appropriate housing and fencing, feeding and health basics, and yes, how to handle the manure (there’s plenty of that).

Essential Care, Housing, and Feeding Tips

The tone is reassuring and straightforward – like a calm friend who knows their way around a chicken coop.

Handy charts and checklists show you how to tell if a hen is laying or how much space goats really need (hint: it’s more than you might guess).

While it doesn’t dive deep into veterinary care or breeding, it gives you enough to get started confidently.

The Realities and Rewards of Raising Livestock

Consider this your reality check – because caring for animals takes daily commitment and planning (and maybe a little patience when that “cute” goat decides your garden is its new buffet).

If you find yourself hooked, there are more specialized books waiting, but for now, this guide sets you up to enjoy fresh eggs, milk, and maybe some bacon straight from your own backyard.

11. The Weekend Homesteader: A Twelve-Month Guide to Self-Sufficiency by Anna Hess

One big challenge for new homesteaders is figuring out how to start without getting overwhelmed.

There are so many skills to learn and projects to tackle – where do you even begin?

Anna Hess’s The Weekend Homesteader comes to the rescue by breaking the journey into bite-sized monthly projects spread over a year.

Breaking Homesteading Into Manageable Monthly Projects

This book is beloved by beginners because it makes homesteading feel doable, with clear, manageable tasks for each month, including estimated time commitments.

Each chapter focuses on a specific month and offers projects suited to that season.

In spring, you might build a raised bed or start a compost pile; summer could be the time to can jam or raise chickens; in autumn, plant fruit trees or build a root cellar.

Designed for Busy Weekend Homesteaders

Hess assumes you’re working on homesteading in your spare time (hence the “weekend” in the title), so nothing requires full-time labor or a crash course in exhaustion.

The book covers a wide range of topics – gardening, foraging, food preservation, energy conservation, simple construction, and more – all with practical instructions, helpful tips, and personal stories.

Many homesteaders recommend this book to those who feel stuck or overwhelmed by all the possibilities.

It’s essentially a roadmap: follow along month by month, and by the end of the year you’ll have checked off plenty of milestones without burning out.

As one fan put it, “This book breaks it down into things you can actually do today that fit the season.”

It’s also perfect for part-time homesteaders juggling a job, offering steady progress and a little monthly encouragement.

If you want a sensible plan that gently pushes you forward, The Weekend Homesteader is like a patient project planner who cheers you on – one weekend at a time.

12. The Suburban Micro-Farm by Amy Stross

If you’re juggling a job, family, and a tiny yard, The Suburban Micro-Farm is exactly the kind of book you want.

Amy Stross took her suburban patch of land and turned it into a productive little homestead – and she shows you how to do the same without wearing yourself out.

Simple, Low-Maintenance Permaculture Tricks

This book focuses on smart, sustainable gardening inspired by permaculture, but don’t worry – it’s not overwhelming or full of jargon.

Amy shares easy, low-maintenance tricks like sheet mulching to cut down on weeding, planting perennials that keep giving year after year, and setting up self-watering systems so you’re not stuck dragging hoses around all day.

She covers veggies, fruits, and even chickens and bees – all with a suburban spin.

What’s great is that she breaks down permaculture ideas like garden zones, composting, and attracting helpful pollinators in a way that feels totally doable. No need to be an expert to get started.

Amy’s style is practical but friendly, and she’s honest about her own successes and goofs (because, yes, even homesteaders mess up sometimes).

If your space is about a tenth of an acre, she’ll show you how to squeeze every bit of goodness out of it without turning your life upside down.

Balancing Homesteading With a Busy Life

It’s perfect if you can’t homestead full-time but want to bring some of that lifestyle home.

Amy proves you don’t need a farm to grow a good chunk of your own food.

Think of this as the bigger picture companion to Square Foot Gardening: one gives you the planting how-to, this one shows you how to design your whole yard to be both productive and pretty.

Bottom line: It’s a smart, realistic, and encouraging guide for anyone who wants to make the most of their suburban space without losing their mind.

13. Polyface Micro: Success with Livestock on a Homestead by Joel Salatin

Joel Salatin probably needs no introduction if you’ve ever watched a farming documentary or read The Omnivore’s Dilemma.

He’s the larger-than-life, no-nonsense farmer behind Polyface Farm, known for doing things a little differently and making sustainable agriculture look downright doable.

In Polyface Micro, he shrinks those big ideas down to fit small homesteads – proving you don’t need a sprawling ranch to raise happy, healthy animals.

Small-Scale Livestock for Small Homesteads

The book’s core message is simple: even if you only have a few acres (or less), you can still keep chickens, pigs, rabbits, and maybe a couple of sheep or a calf, and do it well.

Salatin dives into smart systems like rotating chickens in movable “chicken tractors” to fertilize your soil naturally, or raising pigs on your kitchen scraps and garden leftovers. Basically, it’s farming with a brain.

Practical Systems for Sustainable Animal Farming

What makes this book a standout is how it balances big-picture thinking – how animals and plants can work together to create a thriving ecosystem – with practical, step-by-step advice.

Need to build a mini broiler operation? He’s got you covered. Want to compost with pigs? Yep, there’s a chapter for that too.

Joel’s Style and Reader Impact

True to Joel’s style, it’s lively, straightforward, and yes, often sprinkled with dry humor.

Readers say it gave them the confidence to manage livestock responsibly even on tiny plots, and seasoned homesteaders find fresh ideas to boost efficiency.

So if you dream of farm-fresh eggs, meat, or dairy but think you’re land-poor, this book flips that idea on its head.

Joel shows that with some creativity and good management, small homesteads can enjoy all the perks of animal farming without needing a hundred acres – and keep both the critters and the land happy in the process.

14. Your Custom Homestead: Awakening a Fresh Vision of Homesteading by Jill Winger

Let’s wrap things up with something a little different.

This one leans into mindset, motivation, and getting started right where you are – even if “where you are” currently looks more like a balcony than a barn.

Jill Winger, from the popular Prairie Homestead blog, wrote Your Custom Homestead for people who want to homestead someday… but aren’t quite sure how to get from “dreaming” to “doing.”

Her big message?

You don’t need to move to the country or buy 20 acres to start living more self-sufficiently. Homesteading is something you build, not something you find on Zillow.

The 21-Day Guided Process to Your Custom Homestead

The book takes you through a 21-day process (part planning journal, part pep talk) to help you figure out what your version of homesteading looks like.

Some days are reflection-based (like writing out your goals), others are practical (like learning a basic skill or clearing out space for your first project).

Real Talk: Wins, Flops, and Starting Where You Are

Jill’s tone is warm and realistic. She’s been there, starting on a not-so-perfect piece of land, learning as she went. She shares her own wins and flops in a way that makes you feel like, “Okay, I can actually do this too.”

No pressure to go full Little House on the Prairie overnight – this is about starting where you are, with what you have.

Who This Book is For and Why It Works

It’s especially great if you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed by all the YouTube rabbit holes and Pinterest-perfect setups.

Jill helps you zoom out, focus in, and take actual steps forward (without needing to sell your house or quit your job first).

Bottom line: if you need a little nudge, a loose plan, and someone cheering you on from their own muddy backyard, Your Custom Homestead is a great way to kick off the journey.

One Step, One Season, One Page at a Time

These books are here to guide you, cheer you on, and gently remind you that you don’t have to do it all at once.

Homesteading is about progress, resilience, and learning one messy project at a time.

So pick a book (or three), brew a cup of something cozy, and take that next step toward the life you’ve been craving – one compost pile or jar of jam at a time.

What’s your favorite homesteading book? Did we miss a must-read? Let’s swap book recommendations below!