In my researching for Windygates and helping Ceri Daniels with her zombie project, I’ve come across some titles that I’d definitely recommend for folks that are looking to either make a step toward a more self-sustained and frugal lifestyle, or those that are prepping to bug-out when the inevitable disaster happens.

Most of the stuff I’ve read is – to me – just plain common sense. Raised rural, remember? Making do and putting up were phrases I heard a lot. Nevertheless, this first book is going to come in handy if our dream of a homestead ever becomes a reality.

Recently, my daughter was given three books that interest us greatly, as explained above. The first three editions of the Foxfire books settled into her hands, and will be part of our summer reading material.

In the late 1960s, Eliot Wigginton and his students from grades nine and ten created the magazine Foxfire. Through this endeavor, they’ve preserved the traditional folk culture of the Southern Appalachians. Foxfire Magazine is still available today, and though I only link the first three books here, there are 12 in the series.

Creating the Low-Budget Homestead: Steven Gregerson – If you’ve ever thought about pursuing a self-sufficient lifestyle on your own rural homestead or survival retreat but feared you didn’t have the money or skills to do it, you simply must read this book. It is a goldmine of practical steps and instructions to take you from dreaming about an off-grid, independent lifestyle to living one!

 

---

 

The Foxfire Book: ed. Eliot Wigginton – This is the original book compilation of Foxfire material which introduces Aunt Arie and her contemporaries and includes log cabin building, hog dressing, snake lore, mountain crafts and food, and “other affairs of plain living.”

 

---

 

 

Foxfire 2: ed. Eliot Wigginton – This second Foxfire volume includes topics such as ghost stories, spinning and weaving, wagon making, midwifing, corn shuckin’, and more.

 

---

 

 

Foxfire 3: ed. Eliot Wigginton – Volume 3 of this series covers animal care, banjos and dulcimers, wild plant foods, butter churns, ginseng and more.

 

 

---

Foxfire – Starring Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy & John Denver

Annie Nations (Jessica Tandy) has spent her whole life in the Blue Ridge mountains, most of it with her husband, Hector (Hume Cronyn). He’s gone five years now, buried back in the orchard, but he’s never far away… slipping into her thoughts, watching her do chores…still thinking he knows best even now when her country singer son (John Denver) is pressuring her to sell the farm. But in the autumn of her life, Annie Nations will decide for herself whether to hold on to what she’s always known or follow her heart to the other side of the mountain.

---

 

Until next week… if you’ve got something you’d like to promote, contact me with the info and I’ll get it posted!
<3 JL