Books The Backyard Homestead Book of Building Projects

Homesteaders, gardeners, small farmers and outdoor-living enthusiasts will love these 76 DIY projects designed to help you live more sustainably and independently. Expert woodworker Spike Carlsen offers clear, simple, fully illustrated instructions for everything from plant supports and a clothesline to a potting bench, a chicken coop, a hoop greenhouse, a cold frame, a beehive, a root cellar and an outdoor shower. Most of the projects are suitable for complete novices, and all use just basic tools and standard building materials.

Build-it-yourself equipment, shelters, workspaces, and storage structures are just what you need to make your backyard more productive and better organized. Cold frames, compost bins, hose guides, raised-bed gardens, and potting benches make your vegetable gardening more pleasurable and your yields more plentiful. Rabbit hutches, bat houses, and chicken coops protect the useful animals in your yard. Drying racks, outdoor cookers, and root-cellar storage help you prepare and preserve fresh food. Tool sheds, chests, and storage racks provide tidy homes for everything you use in your backyard.               

Whether you're a new woodworker or a seasoned expert with power tools, you'll find projects you can put together in just a day or a weekend. Clear instructions guide you through every step required to build 76 useful items that will support and expand your active outdoor lifestyle.

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