1 post tagged “smallholding”
A curious book, this, originally brought home by the Lass. A cosy hardback, well designed with an eye-catching use of colour and layout throughout, Paul Wassington's 21st Century Smallholder is best taken as an inspirational starting block for leading a more environmentally balanced life. It does get into quite a bit of detail on certain points - the seasonal gardening table is particularly impressive - but not enough on others, giving it a somewhat uneven feel. You're getting more information than, say, a newspaper feature, but all the same it lacks the depth of a full-on guide like John Seymour's Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency (to be reviewed some time soon).
Then again, that may be to its benefit. While Seymour's is a great daunting tome, exhaustive and perhaps a little too Good Life for some, 21st Century Smallholder is a lot less work. There's a lot here for city-dwellers, for those with only a balcony or the smallest of gardens to grow in (sadly, at this point in time, we've got neither) and it offers plenty to pick and choose from. Ultimately, it probably works best as something to read when considering what changes you'd like to make in the future, making vague concepts become a realistic proposition in your life, then pointing you on in the direction of more specific books to actually get to grips with the practical side of it all.
All the same, 21st Century Smallholder is an enjoyable and easy read, well worth hunting down from the library. It makes home-based environmentalism sound economical, practical and not so disruptive, while the wide range of suggested options may include things you'd never even contemplated. Before reading this, I'd never considered the possibility of having a beehive in our future garden - after reading the genuinely enthusiastic piece on beekeeping and the benefits, it sounds damn near essential.
Then again, that may be to its benefit. While Seymour's is a great daunting tome, exhaustive and perhaps a little too Good Life for some, 21st Century Smallholder is a lot less work. There's a lot here for city-dwellers, for those with only a balcony or the smallest of gardens to grow in (sadly, at this point in time, we've got neither) and it offers plenty to pick and choose from. Ultimately, it probably works best as something to read when considering what changes you'd like to make in the future, making vague concepts become a realistic proposition in your life, then pointing you on in the direction of more specific books to actually get to grips with the practical side of it all.
All the same, 21st Century Smallholder is an enjoyable and easy read, well worth hunting down from the library. It makes home-based environmentalism sound economical, practical and not so disruptive, while the wide range of suggested options may include things you'd never even contemplated. Before reading this, I'd never considered the possibility of having a beehive in our future garden - after reading the genuinely enthusiastic piece on beekeeping and the benefits, it sounds damn near essential.
