Made from Scratch

Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life
By Jenna Woginrich
Storey Publishing, 2009. 184 pgs. Nonfiction

Woginrich describes how she decided to get involved with homesteading and learning skills that our ancestors used to possess in abundance but that have fallen by the wayside with modernization. She recounts her experiences--both successes and failures--with raising chickens and rabbits, beekeeping, cooking, making her own clothes, and more. She also includes tips and advice for those who might want to try those skills as well.

While the book include some topics I'd never really thought about in regards to self-sufficiency (like sled dogs and fiddle playing), I think the wide variety of topics could make it appeal to a broader audience. I liked the fact that we didn't just hear about how great she was at learning all these new skills; it was definitely a process of trial and error for her, and readers who have had their own failures when trying to learn these new skills will be comforted by the fact that they aren't alone.

AE