Plowing with Pigs - Something (and Much) for Everybody

Plowing with Pigs and Other Creative, Low-Budget Homesteading Solutions
by Oscar H. Will III & Karen K. Will
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: New Society (January, 2013)
ISBN: 978-0-86571-717-6

When I first read the title of this book, Plowing with Pigs I wasn't sure it would be the right read for me.  I don't have pigs, and I don't intend to have pigs.  But the subtitle, and Other Creative, Low-Budget Homesteading Solutions, told me to take a look. I'm glad I did!

Authors Oscar and Karen Will combine their knowledge and experience in homesteading, farming, gardening, resourcing and cooking with their creative writing skills to inspire the reader to "make better use of readily available renewable resources" and strive for a simpler, healthier lifestyle.

Like many people who consider themselves modern homesteaders, I crave a way of life that more closely resembles that of our grandparents and great-grandparents who lived closer to the land, raising animals and food that is healthy and untainted by the modern practices of using chemicals and genetically modifying our food sources.

Plowing With Pigs gives us a look at the past when farm animals were not raised in restrictive enclosures but were valued as hard working farm hands who "thrive at doing what comes quite naturally to them," and "are among the most likely to partner with you on the labor required around your place."  

This easy read provides very practical insights and instructions for making use of your property elements and resources for the "creation of sturdy fences, structures and tools that will benefit your place and your pocketbook."

Plowing With Pigs also includes several chapters on how to grow and harvest crops and then turn them into forage for your animals or food for your table.  The authors' conviction and detailed information makes it possible to envision "a society that values do-it-yourself skills" as they "encourage you to try the methods that make sense in your particular setting rather than blindly following some list of rules from some expert."

The concluding section of the book, "Home(stead) as a Production Center" contains  some heartwarming chapters on cooking from scratch (including lots of great recipes), upgrading your kitchen on a budget, and how to run a home-based food business. From the first chapter to the last, the Wills remind us that "recycling is the name of the game on the homestead, so don't overlook anything."

I was delightfully enthralled by Plowing With Pigs for its nostalgic look at the past, practical, useful information on "how to" be a homesteader today, and the wide gamut of topics that were covered in an easy-to-read, interesting and very instructional format.  It has something (and much) for everybody!  

Maple Sugaring Season

You know that spring is just around the corner when you see the sap buckets hanging on the maple trees.  The fields and trees are still brown and bare, but the air is getting warmer. In late February and early March there is a very short season when the temperatures are above freezing in the daytime and below freezing at night. That is when the sugar sap starts flowing; it is harvest time in the maple groves of the northeastern United States.  

Homestead in the Winter

A homestead is a dwelling and the property connected to it that a family uses for their living purposes.  Some people use their homesteads to grow food for their family; some have animals to provide dairy foods or meats, or even fibers for textiles. It's not the  extent to which you develop self-sufficiency that makes it a homestead.  Nor is it the setting, as homesteads can be rural or urban, or anywhere in between. It's not the size that matters either.  In my mind, a homestead is a matter of the heart.

Homestead Bloggers - Old-Fashioned Mingles with Modern

My farm-style kitchen boldly reveals my appreciation of that which is old (or old-fashioned) and that which is modern and convenient. I have no problem mixing the old with the new.  In fact, I love that. The plank flooring and farm sink give a nod to the past, and the Hoosier cabinet and marble top dresser are authentic antiques.  At the same time, the appliances and white wall units are brand new and up to date.  When I'm cooking or baking, I often have my lap top computer sitting on the counter so I can read recipes online or from my cookbook software, but my approach to homemaking is old-fashioned.  I'm canning and freezing foods, and I make a lot of food from scratch.  More and more, I'm using less and less processed foods.

Real Home (stead) Cooking

This is what I call REAL home cooking.  Not just home cooking, but homestead cooking.  It gives me so much joy and satisfaction to be able to prepare meals this way -- homemade spaghetti noodles made with fresh eggs from my own flock; tomato sauce and diced tomatoes that I canned from fresh picked-that-day-on-the-farm tomatoes; herbs grown in my own herb garden and preserved in the freezer, and meatballs prepared from ground beef bought from our locally-raised-meat market.

Homesteading takes some time, there is no doubt about it.  But the efforts are so worth it when you benefit from the quality of your food--quality in nutrition, and quality in taste.

Bon appetit!