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The half-acre homestead : 46 years of building & gardening  Cover Image Book Book

The half-acre homestead : 46 years of building & gardening / Lloyd Kahn & Lesley Creed.

Kahn, Lloyd, 1935- (author.). Creed, Lesley, (author.).

Summary:

"This is the story of Lloyd and Lesley building a home and establishing a garden on a small piece of land on the Northern California Coast over a 46-year period. Lloyd, the former shelter editor of the Whole Earth Catalog, has published seven books on owner building, showcasing hundreds of builders, and this is his first book on his own work. Starting with a vacant half-acre piece of land, they built their own home, created a garden with vegetables and fruit, and describe raising chickens, bees, and goats. The book also covers cooking, foraging, fishing, crafts, birds, butterflies, and tools. Their main theme is that this was all done by hand. They have never paid rent nor have they ever had a mortgage. There are over 500 photos illustrating all the above facets of their lives and clear explanations of building skylights, maintaining a septic system, building greenhouses and raised vegetable beds. There is a section on unique kitchen tools, as well as advice on useful tools used in construction."--provided by publisher.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9780936070810
  • ISBN: 0936070811
  • Physical Description: vii, 159 pages : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 22 cm
  • Publisher: [Bolinas, CA] : Shelter Publications, [2020]

Content descriptions

Formatted Contents Note:
Introduction -- The house -- Dining area -- Curved-roof shed -- The kitchen -- Cooking -- Foraging, fishing -- The production studio/office -- Crafts -- Small-scale farming in the '70s -- Gardening for two people -- Pond -- Living roof -- Flowers -- Geometry from the garden -- Greenhouses -- Garden tools -- Chickens -- Birds in our lives -- Animal visitors -- Butterflies, caterpillars, bees, and other insects in the garden -- Pests -- The shop -- Skins and bones.
Subject: House construction.
Dwellings > Design and construction.
Owner-built houses > California.
Gardening > California.
Landscape architecture > California.

Available copies

  • 2 of 2 copies available at BC Interlibrary Connect. (Show)
  • 1 of 1 copy available at Nakusp Public Library.

Holds

  • 0 current holds with 2 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Holdable? Status Due Date
Nakusp Public Library 640 KAH (Text) 35160000795626 Adult Non-fiction Volume hold Available -

  • Perseus Publishing

    Lloyd Kahn and Lesley's story of building their own home, establishing a garden, and practicing crafts on a small piece of land on the Northern California Coast, with over 500 photos.

  • Perseus Publishing

    Discover the benefits and joys of simple living in this coffee-table book that presents the homestead of Lloyd Khan and Lesley Creed.

    If you’ve ever researched a DIY home-building project, then you’ve probably come across the books of Lloyd Kahn. If you’ve ever been curious about self-sufficient living, The Half-Acre Homestead is for you. Lloyd, the former shelter editor of the Whole Earth Catalog, has published several books—including some of the most definitive titles on owner building, such as Shelter and Tiny Homes. Lloyd has showcased hundreds of builders in his books. Now, for the first time ever, he spotlights the work of himself and his wife, Lesley Creed.

    Starting with a vacant half-acre piece of land, back in the 1970s, the couple built their own home, created a garden with vegetables and fruit, and began raising chickens, bees, and goats. This book presents every aspect of their homestead, from the kitchen and dining area to the shed and workshop. It also introduces several fascinating aspects of their lifestyle, such as crafting and small-scale farming. It goes on to cover cooking, foraging, fishing, birds, butterflies, and tools.

    Book Features

    • Detailed look at a homestead built entirely by hand
    • More than 500 full-color photos, illustrating every facet of home life
    • Tips about building skylights, greenhouses, living roofs, and more
    • Section on unique kitchen tools, as well as useful tools for construction

    Lloyd and Lesley have never paid rent and never had a mortgage. This coffee-table book is their story of building and maintaining their own home, over a 46-year period, on a small piece of land in Northern California.


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