DH need Christmas ideas...help!

Ohio dreamer · #1 11/26/06, 04:08 PM

Long story short, we are getting ready to move to Hungary for 2 years for my husbands job. When we come back we want to buy our land. We are looking to start homesteading, not off grid, more of a veggie and then maybe a meat thing. With this in mind he's looking for some Christmas present ideas for me. I thought maybe you all here could think of some "must have" books. We have one or two, but most of our homesteading books come from the library (of which I have purchased they one we really liked- Square Foot Gardening). I really don't want to blindly buy books (some look good but once in hand are a waste of $).

These will be books that we will study for the next two years as we live in Budapest. I have already purchased DH a book on Earth Shelterd Homes...something he's very interested in. So, if we were to only own 4-6 more books, what should they be?

#2 11/26/06, 04:11 PM

THE Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery
The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn
The REader's Digest Back to Basics.

donsgal · #3 11/26/06, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ohio dreamer

Long story short, we are getting ready to move to Hungary for 2 years for my husbands job. When we come back we want to buy our land. We are looking to start homesteading, not off grid, more of a veggie and then maybe a meat thing. With this in mind he's looking for some Christmas present ideas for me. I thought maybe you all here could think of some "must have" books. We have one or two, but most of our homesteading books come from the library (of which I have purchased they one we really liked- Square Foot Gardening). I really don't want to blindly buy books (some look good but once in hand are a waste of $).

These will be books that we will study for the next two years as we live in Budapest. I have already purchased DH a book on Earth Shelterd Homes...something he's very interested in. So, if we were to only own 4-6 more books, what should they be?

I would think that some Berlitz tapes to learn Hungarian would be the most practical gift for THIS Christmas. Good luck. Hungarian is a really, really difficult language to learn as it does not have any roots in Roman or Germanic language. But it would be a fun challenge.

Another idea might be a book on Hungarian culture, so you will learn why people do what they do there.

Boy I envy you being able to live in another country. I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity and live "in the culture" as much as you possibly can. So much to learn and experience. Have fun.

Donsgal

Ohio dreamer · #4 11/26/06, 05:32 PM

Berlitz tapes and culture stuff is covered. DH's company is paying for us to take Berlitz classes when we get there! They say 10 weeks and we should speak on a professional level...that I've got to see.

I forgot I owned the Tighwad Gazette's...hummm. I'll have to find and pack those!

Ralph in N.E.Oh · #5 11/26/06, 05:44 PM

Any book by Gene logsdon
(Small scale grain raising ... By Logsdon)
(All Flesh is Grass ,,, By Logsdon)
5 acres and independance
4 season grower by Elliott Coleman

Cara · #6 11/26/06, 06:57 PM

Garden....Four Season Harvest (Coleman) and Victory Garden (can't remember, and it's loaned out.)

Misc...The Self Sufficient Life and How to Live It(it's a DK with nice illustrations on how to do almost evrything.)

DenverGirlie · #7 11/27/06, 06:35 AM

I second the books mentioned above:
The self sufficnet life and how to live it - John Seymour
THE Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery
The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn

Pony · #8 11/27/06, 07:49 AM

Carla's book, The Encyclopedia of Country Living, as Numero Uno!

Five Acres and Independence

The Reader's Digest Back to Basics

Seymour's Forgotten Household Crafts

and just for fun

50 Acres and a Poodle.

Pony!

Deb862 · #9 11/27/06, 08:00 AM

Without a doubt, The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery. I recently loaned this from our library to check it out and DH was so impressed with all the information in it that he went out and bought it for me and it is highly unusual for him to spend $30 on a book!

I also second any book by Gene Logsdon. Also, if you plan on building your own home, a book called The DoItYourself homebuilder (or something like that; can't remember exactly and it is packed away right now). This one is alittle more expensive but completely all-encompassing knowledge on every single aspect of building your own home to code. We couldn't have built our home without reading and referencing it.

Good luck on your journey. Living in a foreign country for 2 years! What an adventure and a chance to really learn about another culture.

Ohio dreamer · #10 11/27/06, 08:20 AM

Thank you all for your replys. I have passed these along to my husband, who I forgot to mention is trying to Christmas shop from Hungary. Amazon may be tired of us by the end of this season!