The Self-Sufficient Backyard

A how-to book about food, water, and power on a small plot.

★★★★☆ 4.2 · 500 notes
Our score

Ron and Johanna write from decades on a modest piece of land. The book is about water, food, a little power, and a yard that feeds a household without needing a ranch.

What you actually get

A printed book. You order it on the official site. gold.wf does not print or post it.

Who this is for

• People with a yard, not a hundred acres
• Readers starting from ordinary suburban ground
• Anyone already looking at Joseph's Well or the garden kit

A closer look

The book walks through water collection, a small medicinal bed, a modest power setup, a root cellar, and gardening that does not wreck a sore back. You will not need a quarter section of prairie to try the parts that fit your yard.

Their own examples come from a cold, remote plot. If you live in a suburb with a fence and a tap, take the methods and leave the wilderness talk. The useful question is: what can this lot do without pretending it is a farm.

Joseph's Well covers water in more detail. The garden kit covers the herb bed. This book is the wider map.

What this page will not do

A book will not take a house off the grid by Friday. Local building and water rules still apply.

Where it is aimed

Examples lean toward colder North American weather. The ideas still travel.

Read the official page