The Self-Sufficient Backyard by Ron and Johanna Melchiore is one of the best Books on Self Sufficient Living,It is a detailed and comprehensive guidebook that takes you on an inspiring and practical journey toward sustainable living. You get invaluable knowledge and skills on medicinal herbs, electricity production, water collection system, backyard Hybrid Electricity Systems, self-sustaining greenhouses, and actionable tips for sufficient living.
Highlights
- The Authors Ron and Johanna Melchiore have lived off the grid for 40+ years
- Produce all electricity you need without paying bills
- Features a small medicinal garden
- You only need 1,020 square feet of land per person
- Simple water collection system
- Discover 7 medicinal herbs for your garden
- A step-by-step and detailed process on how to set up a backyard Hybrid Electricity System
- Bio-insect control system eliminating the need for pesticides
- How to make a root cellar
- Setting up a water source and how to get pressurized hot water
- How to set up bee hives for honey and plants pollination
- How to make an all-year-round self-sustaining greenhouse
- Indoor and Winter gardening tips and Secrets
- How to collect and preserve seeds
About Ron and Johanna Melchiore
Ron and Johanna proudly belong to the “Back to the land people” movement from the late 1970s. For the past 40 years, the couple has been living off the grid, enjoying every aspect of this lifestyle.
Now with old age catching up, they have decided to downsize and apply all the knowledge gained over the past few decades to create the ideal retreat and a self-sustaining homestead with minimal maintenance and expenses.
Currently, Ron and Johanna reside in the Canadian wilderness where getting to their location involves using a float plane typically only encountering other people twice a year during resupply trips. To stay connected with the outside world, they rely on a computer and satellite link.
Living off the grid since 1980, the couple has embraced an “unplugged” lifestyle dedicating their adult lives to realize the dream of homesteading.
During our time in Maine, which spanned 20 years, Ron focused on mastering various aspects of homesteading, including gardening, food preservation, animal care, and construction, among others. Recognizing the need for financial stability, he expanded his endeavors to include logging, tree farming, and milling lumber as small-scale businesses. This diversified approach not only fulfilled their monetary needs but also earned them accolades as Outstanding Tree Farmers.
Through their journey, Ron and Johanna have accumulated valuable experience and insights, and are thrilled to share their expertise with others who seek a self-sufficient lifestyle through this Self Sufficient Backyard Book.
Recommended read: 4 Best Books on Self-Sufficient Living
What Size Is a Self-Sufficient Backyard?
From reading this book, you will discover that you don’t need a big piece of land for self-sufficient living, according to the authors, achieving self-sufficiency in food requires only 1,020 square feet of land per person.
Water Collection
In the book, you will also learn how a simple water collection system works and provide guidance on implementing it within your own homestead with ease.
By utilizing affordable tanks, the system eliminates the need to pay for irrigation water. Water is collected and stored for all the needs of the homestead. The water is also filtered for consumption.
7 Herbs for Your Medicinal Garden
You will also uncover the essential 7 plants that are crucial to have in a medicinal garden. Not only will you learn how to nurture these plants, but you will also discover how to transform them into tinctures and other effective remedies.
These are real plants that after extensive research have been found to be highly effective over the course of four decades.
Backyard Hybrid Electricity System
You will also gain comprehensive insights into the low-cost and reliable hybrid electricity systems for your household. The book provides you with detailed guidance on selecting the appropriate batteries for storage, the ideal type of controller, cables, inverters, and everything else necessary for optimal efficiency.
This system ensures you can enjoy an ultra-reliable power source without concerns about future price hikes, power outages resulting from damaged wires, or intentional attacks on the grid.
24-hour BIO Insect Control System
This system will ensure there are no pesticides in your backyard.
The system involves constructing a modest swallow or bluebird house along with a bat shelter and cultivating your produce using organic methods without the need for pesticides. These beneficial creatures will take turns in assisting you by eliminating pests.
Remarkably, a single bat can consume up to 4,000 insects in a single night, while a bluebird can devour approximately 1,000 bugs each day. These insects include cabbage worms, whiteflies, aphids, earwigs, grasshoppers, various beetles, and grubs. Moreover, their appetite for mosquitoes contributes to creating a more pleasant backyard environment.
Other Topics
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How to make a Root Cellar
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How to get an independent water source
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How to get pressurized hot water
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How to set up beehives
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How to make an all-year self-sustaining greenhouse
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How to grow crops indoors
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Back gardening techniques
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75+ DIY Projects For a Self Sustaining Backyard
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Seed Collection and preservation
60 Days Money Back Guarantee
You have 60 full days to go through the book and if there’s anything you don’t like about it, the purchase is refundable in full.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Self Sufficient Backyard book offers invaluable insights and practical guidance for anyone seeking to achieve self-sufficiency in their own backyard. The book provides detailed plans and methods developed over decades of experience, showcasing how minimal land space and careful planning can lead to remarkable results.
Whether it’s growing organic produce, creating a reliable hybrid electricity system, or establishing a medicinal garden, this book covers a wide range of topics and empowers readers to take control of their own sustainable lifestyle.
With its emphasis on practicality, affordability, and real-life examples, the Self Sufficient Backyard book is a valuable resource that inspires individuals to cultivate a self-sustaining and fulfilling lifestyle.