Book recommendations

This Tea book is a GREAT book for those new to herbs, or those doing them for a long time. Easy to use format, great information written in layman's terms. I always refer this to others for their first book on herbs. I still refer to this one often.

Back to Eden is a classic. Written about 1939, the information is still very useful today. A few things in there are outdated, but not much! This is a wonderful reference herbal.

Health through God's Pharmacy, by Maria Treben is a well known German herbalist, still in Germany. This is her work, translated to English. Though not a big herbal, it gives thorough and good advice on a number of herbs you may even find in your yard.

Dorling Kindersley books have to rate among my very favorites and Andrew's book on Medicinal herbals is no exception. Well done with good photos for id and a section on how to make herbal preparations youself. A good primer.

Medicinal Herbs by Penelopy Ody, another DK book, is bound to be a classic. Always good photos, great information, and easy to use. This one is WORTH the investment price and can become one of those heirloom quality books to be passed down. This is a book for the serious herbalist.

William Fischer's book is similar in format to Maria Treben's God's Pharmacy book, but covering other herbs. Like Marias, there are also well done plant id color drawings in the back. Another herbal where you may find many right in your yard or pasture.

Rosemary Gladstar, in Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health, has written what I believe will become a classic. For anyone who likes to dabble with herbs, herbal recipes, herbal skin care, and more, this is a FUN yet informative book and I believe will become very tattered from use living here.

The Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable IS a classic and ought to be in the library, tattered and well worn, of every farm creature owner that likes using herbs.

Whenever I get asked which book would be best for someone starting out in goats- dairy, draft, meat, or fiber (they are all covered), this IS the book I send them too. Takes the beginner by the hand and gives them basics in feeding, housing, breed and type basics and more. Written so children can follow it. Room to take notes on the side margins as well.

Peter Dunn's Goatkeepers Veterinary Handbook is EXCELLENT. He helps you to understand what CAUSES the problem, so that you can understand it better to choose your treatment protocol. Of course advice in medicine is offered, but the cause and symptom information makes this book very worth owning for those that want to then go alternative.

Goat Medicine is a university text book on, well, goat medicine. Written in medical terms, but the average layman can follow enough of it to understand the symptoms in conditions, some causes, etc. This is a book I pack with me to my vet when I have a question about something. Again, once I understand the condition, then I approach it herbally, but this book is a wealth of information for the serious goat owner.

When I owned horses (I had them for 30 years), I found this book INVALUABLE in helping me to understand conditions and do many things on my own. I have kept some tack, so who knows, horses may be in the future again... maybe some Norwegian Fjords....

Storey's Guide to Raising Poultry happens to be another book from another one of my very favorite publishers. Covers Poultry including waterfowl, with basics from raising the babies, to adult bird care, housing, health, feed, and more.

No Poulty library is complete without this fun book featuring breeds from all over... This book makes a great gift for the poultry lover.

Storey always does nice organized presentations of basic care and knowledge on creatures to give the llama owner a good start on care and housing of llamas.

This Storey publishing books on pigs is a good one. I've got the older edition that has served us well when we have raised pigs (on our excess dairy goat milk to sell for hay money). Again, all the basics are covered, with the new edition containing even more information.

Raising Rabbits by Storey publishing is a well done book on housing, care, breeds, breeding and more on rabbits. A good starting book, or even a good book to add to the collection of one that's had rabbits for a long time.

Farm Animals is a great primer for someone who enjoys all the creatures a farm works with. Includes basics on all of them.

Another Storey book. If you like herbs and you like gardening, you can see why I enjoy this book. Lots of tips that normally you only learn by experience, now you can get those tips the easy way.

A Country Gardener's Almanac is a homesteader's find. Each month comes complete with gardening chores and projects of all kinds from the 1800's. Old lithographs (pictures) and illustrations. Whether you are new to the country, long for the country, or have spent your entire life here, this book will have something new you for- like how to build a home made mole trap, a gate you can work in the snow, etc. A NEAT gift for your homestead friend, and for your Amish friends. I love this book (can you tell?).

The Encyclopedia of Country Living is just that- it covers just about everything imaginable a homesteader could need to know. Stock, gardening, preserving food, recipes, building, tanning hides and forever much more. I had the priviledge of meeting Carla Emery, a very delightful lady, in 2004 at a dairy goat convention.

Vaccinations.... to or not to? This question OFTEN comes up 2 when I'm talking with parents and parents to be. Here is a very affordable, very well done book addressing the issue. What I like best about this book, is the very well documented referencing (over 900!) of all the data in this book- from places like the: CDC, WHO, governmental agencies, studies, etc. Very imformative, very easy to read format, complete with diseases and their symptoms. A must have for every parent or anyone faced with making vaccination decisions for them or loved ones, including yourself. Has a great section covering flu shots as well.

Another Neil Miller book on Vaccinations. I haven't read this one yet, but I expect it to be well done, balanced, with plenty of referencing behind it. Another book to be well informed with before making vaccination decisions.

How to Raise a Healthy Child... In Spite of your Doctor- written by a doctor! Dr. Mendelsohn covers all aspects of raising your children, in ways that won't interfere with their health. This is the perfect book to give to a new mom, or those with youngsters, so that they will gain some confidence in and control in their child's health decisions.

Eat to Live is an excellent book written by a heart specialist MD who found his parents were not thriving under standard medical care. If you are SERIOUS about regaining your health- not just heart but any health, this book will give you a good start on the food end of things. It doesn't cover herbs, or cleansing of toxins, but is good, complete with many statistics and what is dangerous about the most popular fad diets/eating plans that are out there. I highly recommend this book.

Reflexology... another DK book, that gives you very well done charts, very well done step by step photos, in how to do reflexogy with your friends and family. Reflexology has been traditionally used to diagnose and work on health issues of all different kinds, via the nerve endings in the feet and hands that link to differing parts of the body. This is a good, easy to follow book.

Milk Based soapmaking. This is just a fun book, another by Storey publishing, which covers the topic well and gives lots of ideas. Pamper yourself twice, first with the book, then with the creations you make from it.