Urban Homesteader Hacks

Create refreshing, healthier drinks, from kombucha to herbal sodas and more, in your own kitchen. Since the relatively recent introduction of kombucha onto North American supermarket shelves, this healthy sparkling beverage has exploded in popularity. But can it be brewed at home, with the same tasty, healthy results? With this straightforward, accessible, and highly visual how-to guide, author Andrea Potter does away with specialist jargon and expensive or hard-to-find equipment, showing how sparkling homebrews from kombucha to water kefir are definitely possible for just about anyone to make, and have fun doing it. Coverage includes: • Basic fermentation science • Controlling fizz, acidity, and alcohol content • Secondary fermentation and adding flavors to the brew • Wild-fermented sodas, using a ginger bug (a wild yeast culture) • Recipes for kombucha's honey-fed relative, Jun, as well as for water kefir. Answering key questions including "where does all that sugar go?", "do I need to get a sitter for it when I go on holiday?", and "does this SCOBY look normal?", and including a comprehensive troubleshooting guide to help you keep brewing confidently and consistently, DIY Kombucha is ideal for foodies, urban and rural homesteaders, and health-motivated people-it's an essential addition to your DIY toolkit!

Fertilize your garden naturally-a guide to growing your plants in healthy, happy soil. People want to know where their food comes from, who grows it and how it is grown. Interest in permaculture, backyard composting, and gardening in general, is growing. So how does the budding gardener ensure that his soil is healthy and nutrient-rich enough to support all the produce he intends to grow? Here's a hint-think worms! Vermiculture is the healthiest and most cost-effective way to ensure that your soil receives the nourishment that it needs. A simple vermicompost bin can produce the completely natural, nutrient-rich fertilizer that can be used to boost soil health and, in turn, increase your crop yield. In true Crystal Stevens' fashion, Worms at Work is a practical, easy-to-implement guide to fertilizing your garden naturally. It discusses the vital role worms play in boosting soil health, and the reasons why every gardener should use vermicompost in order to decrease reliance on toxic synthetic fertilizers. Coverage includes: • Simple designs to build your own vermicompost bin • Caring for your worms • Garden applications for your worm castings • Lesson plans to incorporate vermicomposting into the school science curriculum Whether you're tending to a small backyard garden or managing a large farm, Worms at Work can show you how to start vermicomposting today in order to grow healthy plants in healthy, happy soil.

Create beautiful cured meats at home, revel in the delicious combination of craft and thrift, and discover creativity and empowerment through charcuterie practice. Meredith Leigh makes a case for meat preservation both as a means of artistic expression and flavorful eating, and she captures the beauty, value, and, essence of charcuterie, in a beautiful, accessible guide for the everyday cook.

Put off by the origin-unknown, not-so-fresh, pesticide-laden herbs at the grocery store? Hungry for delicious high-quality vegetables and looking to have some control over where your food comes from? Foodie meets novice gardener in this deliciously accessible, easy-to-use guide to planting, growing, harvesting, cooking, and preserving 20+ popular, easy-to-grow vegetables and herbs. Taking the first-time gardener from growing to cooking delicious, nutritious, and affordable meals using these herbs and vegetables, this book is a celebration of food in all its stages. The Food Lover's Garden guides you through: • Getting started with easy step-by-step growing instructions from balcony to backyard • Simple, tasty cooking recipes incorporating each vegetable and herb • Meal combinations of two or more of the featured herb and vegetable dishes • Selecting essential kitchen tools and gadgets to maximize the herb and vegetable harvesting • Canning and pickling recipes for preserving the rest. From the humble potato to pungent garlic to the beauty of the beet, classic vegetables take a delicious turn with innovative cooking recipes. Truly food for all seasons and palates. Foodies, novice gardeners, urban homesteaders, and supporters of sustainable living-take back your right to high-quality food with The Food Lover's Garden.