Backyard Farming Homesteading: Final Thoughts and Book Review
We made it. Twelve posts later, we have covered every chapter of Backyard Farming: Homesteading by Kim Pezza (Hatherleigh Press, 2015, ISBN: 978-1-57826-598-5). And I have to say, this book has a lot more in it than its slim size suggests.
So let me wrap things up with some final thoughts, a few fun extras from the book, and my overall take.
The Core Message
The central idea of this book is simple. Almost anyone who wants to grow something can. Regardless of where you live.
Got a big rural property? You can run a full homestead with livestock, gardens, and orchards.
Got a tiny apartment balcony? You can grow herbs and cherry tomatoes in containers.
The book never pretends that everyone can do everything. But it makes a convincing case that everyone can do something.
Small spaces can genuinely supplement your food supply. And if you are lucky enough to live in a year-round growing climate, you can do even more.
The Reality Check
But here is the thing the book does not sugarcoat. The work is real.
Gardens go dormant in winter (in most climates). That is a natural break. But livestock does not take breaks. Your chickens need feeding in a blizzard. Your goats need water when it is below freezing. Your bees need checking even when you would rather stay on the couch.
And vacations? You will need a garden sitter when you travel during growing season. You will need a livestock caretaker when you go anywhere, any time of year. Animals eat every single day whether you are home or not.
Homesteading is rewarding. But it is a commitment. The book is honest about that, and I appreciate it.
The Fun Bonus Content
The book includes some extras that are worth mentioning.
Historic Homesteading Facts
Did you know the White House used to have farm animals? President Lincoln had goats named Nanny and Nanko. He also had a turkey named Jack that his son Tad saved from being the Thanksgiving dinner.
Andrew Jackson built the first White House greenhouse in 1835. And John Adams planted the first White House vegetable garden way back in 1800.
These little historical tidbits are scattered through the book and honestly make it more fun to read.
Recipes
Pezza includes a collection of recipes using homestead ingredients:
- Egg Casserole
- Crock Pot Potato Soup
- Fruit Smoothie
- Succotash
- Basic Jam
- Rosemary Garlic Potatoes
- Dill Cucumber Salad
- Grilled Radicchio
- Tomato Onion Salad
- Tuscan Soup
- Tomatoes with Cheese Stuffing
Nothing complicated. All of them use the kinds of ingredients you would actually grow on a small homestead. That is a nice touch.
Resources
The book points readers to several useful resources:
- USDA for agricultural guidelines and programs
- Extension offices for local, hands-on support
- Seed catalogs including Baker Creek, Burpee, Seeds of Change, and Seed Savers Exchange
- Canning resources for food preservation guidance
These are solid starting points for anyone who finishes the book and wants to go deeper.
My Overall Take
This book is a solid starter guide. It covers a wide range of topics and does a good job of giving you enough information to decide if homesteading is for you.
It does not try to be everything. It is not a 400-page manual on raising goats. It is not a complete guide to canning. It is not a master class in soil science.
What it is, is a clear and practical overview written by someone with real experience. Kim Pezza grew up on farms. She knows what she is talking about. And she writes in a way that feels approachable without being condescending.
The book is part of a larger “Backyard Farming” series that goes much deeper on individual topics. There are dedicated books on chickens, goats, cattle, bees, preserving, and more. So if any chapter in this book grabs your attention, there is probably a whole book in the series that covers it in detail.
Who should read this book? Someone who is curious about homesteading but does not know where to start. Someone who wants to understand the big picture before committing to anything specific.
Who should skip it? Someone who already has a homestead running and wants deep expertise on a single topic. You have probably moved past what this book offers.
The Full Series
Here is every post in this 12-part series, in case you want to catch up or revisit anything:
- Series Introduction
- The History of Homesteading in America
- Homestead Basics: Getting Started
- Urban Farm vs. Rural Homestead Comparison
- Choosing Your Homestead Location
- Homesteading: Job or Lifestyle?
- Garden Types and Growing Methods
- Raising Chickens, Cattle, Goats, and Bees
- Preserving Your Harvest
- Selling Produce and Agritourism
- Homesteading With No Experience
- Final Thoughts (you are here)
One Last Thing
If the idea of growing food with your own hands excites you, the work will not feel like work. It will feel like purpose.
That is the best thing about homesteading. It turns effort into something tangible. You plant a seed, you tend it, and eventually you eat something that exists because of you. There is nothing quite like that feeling.
Thanks for following along with this series. Now go plant something.
Previous in the series: Homesteading With Absolutely No Experience
This post is part of a 12-part series reviewing “Backyard Farming: Homesteading” by Kim Pezza (Hatherleigh Press, 2015, ISBN: 978-1-57826-598-5).