An experienced homesteader of 60 years and a prolific writer on the topic, Belanger is clearly very knowledgeable, but also very obviously constrained by the strict "Idiot's Guide" format. He discusses this in his introduction and elegantly explains that he took such restrictions as a challenge to rethink what self-sufficiency means. The result feels like a conversation you might have with one of the old timers at the coffee shop or farm supply store. You won't get detailed instructions on how to can tomatoes, but you'll get some ideas about why canning tomatoes is important. You won't learn the ins and outs of animal husbandry, but you'll hear suggestions for keeping animals that you never thought of before. Like so many other self-sufficiency titles, this is a good place to start as you work out your goals and decide where you want to focus your efforts. What makes this book unique is Belanger's voice. He brings passion, conviction, and urgency to the table. He believes that nothing short of the future of the planet is at stake here, and he makes you believe it, too.
"A sinister cabal of superior writers."
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