Book review: "Backyard Self-Sufficiency" by Jackie French

I love my local library. It is such a wonderful resource, not only for the great range of books and cds, etc that you can borrow from it, but it has a toy library and runs lots of general interest activities as well as programs for kids. But enough of that...here's a little gem I borrowed from my library last week, and will be reluctant to return it when it is due.
"Backyard Self-sufficiency" by Jackie French is inspiring right from the first few pages. Lately I've been reading quite a few books and magazines about self-sufficiency, permaculture and other related topics and the thing that impresses me the most about this book it that it's realistic. Many people wanting to aim for a more frugal and/or self sufficient lifestyle want to take small or realistic steps in achieving that goal, unfortunately many books and magazines can frighten you off by demonstrating models of total self sufficiency. Jackie mentions having to make her own soap, toothpaste and other products when she didn't have much money but says if you don't need to make them then why would you? Having looked at quite a few methods for making soap with the notion of making my own, but being dismayed that all soap making methods require wearing a mask and gloves at some stage in production, I decided it was best left to the soap makers.
It is such a delight to read that within the first few pages it had me wanting to rip out large sections of my lawn in the back yard and planting more "stuff". Reading what she does with her vegies and fruit has filled my head with ideas.

I also love her 'no-dig' method of gardening. It certainly fits in with my 'lazy' attitude to gardening. I have already been out in the yard and spread sheets of newspaper covered with glass clippings. As her book is Australian, the information in it is certainly relevant to our conditions. Often books are written overseas where the conditions and climate are different, and plants behave differently.

There is so much more I could say about this book, but do yourself a favour, and pop down to your local library and have a read yourself!