Backyard Farming Homesteading: A Complete Guide to Self-Sufficiency (Book Series Introduction)
So you want to grow your own food. Maybe you are tired of reading ingredient labels that look like a chemistry exam. Maybe you want to save money on groceries. Or maybe you just want to know exactly where your tomatoes came from. Whatever your reason, you are not alone.
More and more people are getting back to basics. Growing vegetables in their backyards. Raising a few chickens. Canning their own salsa. It is a whole movement, and it has been building for years.
That is why I picked up Backyard Farming: Homesteading by Kim Pezza (Hatherleigh Press, 2015, ISBN: 978-1-57826-598-5). And honestly, it is one of the most beginner-friendly homesteading books I have read.
Who Is Kim Pezza?
Kim Pezza grew up on farms in New York’s Finger Lakes region. So she is not some lifestyle blogger who bought a chicken coop last week and suddenly became an expert. She actually lived this stuff. She grew up surrounded by crops, livestock, and the daily grind of farm life.
That real-world experience shows in the writing. The book is practical. It does not romanticize homesteading. It tells you what to expect, including the hard parts.
What the Book Covers
This book is basically a start-to-finish guide for anyone thinking about homesteading. It covers:
- The history of homesteading in America (and why it matters today)
- How to pick the right location for your homestead
- What to grow and what to raise
- How to preserve your harvest through canning, freezing, and drying
- How to sell your produce if you want to go that route
- The lifestyle side of things, like what it actually feels like day to day
It is not a 500-page textbook. It is a clear, digestible guide that respects your time.
Why This Series Exists
Here is the thing. Not everyone has time to read a full book cover to cover. And some people want to know what is in a book before they buy it.
So I am doing a 12-part series where I retell and review each chapter of this book. Think of it as a guided tour. I will break down the key ideas, share what stood out, and give you my honest take on the advice.
This series is a review and retelling, not a replacement for the book. If the topics resonate with you, I highly recommend picking up a copy and reading it yourself.
Why Homesteading Matters Right Now
People are returning to growing their own food for three big reasons:
Health. When you grow your own vegetables, you control what goes into the soil and onto the plants. No mystery pesticides. No wax coatings on your cucumbers.
Economics. Food prices keep going up. A packet of seeds costs a couple bucks and can produce pounds of food. The math is pretty straightforward.
Knowing where your food comes from. There is something powerful about eating a salad you grew yourself. You know exactly what went into it. Zero supply chain drama.
What Is Coming Next
Here is the full lineup for this series:
- Series Introduction (you are here)
- The History of Homesteading in America
- Homestead Basics: Getting Started
- Homesteading: A Job or Lifestyle?
- Location, Location, Location
- What to Grow
- What to Raise
- Preserving the Harvest
- Equipment and Tools
- Planning Your Homestead
- Selling Your Produce
- The Homesteading Community
Each post builds on the last. But you can also jump to whatever chapter interests you most.
Let Us Get Started
Whether you have a full acre or just a balcony with some pots, there is something in this series for you. Homesteading is not about being perfect. It is about taking small steps toward knowing where your food comes from and being a little more self-sufficient.
So stick around. The next post covers the surprisingly fascinating history of homesteading in America, from colonial dirt-floor farmhouses to Lincoln’s Homestead Act.
Next in the series: The History of Homesteading in America
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).