{"product_id":"the-half-acre-homestead-46-years-of-building-gardening","title":"The Half-Acre Homestead: 46 Years of Building \u0026 Gardening","description":"\u003ctable align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"2\" cellspacing=\"0\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"productDetailSmallElements\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDescription for Sales People\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLloyd and Lesley's home and garden on the Northern California coast, built over a 46-year period, with over 500 photos\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLloyd's first book on his own work, after showcasing hundreds of other builders in 7 books on building.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLloyd was the Shelter editor of \u003ci\u003eThe Whole Earth Catalog\u003c\/i\u003e and went on to produce \u003ci\u003eShelter\u003c\/i\u003e (over 250,000 copies sold) and \u003ci\u003eTiny Homes\u003c\/i\u003e (110,000 copies)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuilding, gardening, cooking, preserving, foraging, fishing, quilting, weaving\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBeautiful photos of flowers, garden, animal visitors, quilts, shawls, and handmade tables\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRecipes and cookbooks, kitchen and shop tools\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGreenhouses, chicken coop, pond, and raised beds\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLiving roof, well, greywater, rainwater catchment, and compost piles\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTheir home has a warm, comfortable, bohemian atmosphere that is completely different from the cool minimalism of \u003ci\u003eDwell\u003c\/i\u003e magazine\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBrief Description\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"This is the story of Lloyd and Lesley building a home and establishing a garden on a small piece of land on the Northern California Coast over a 46-year period. Lloyd, the former shelter editor of the Whole Earth Catalog, has published seven books on owner building, showcasing hundreds of builders, and this is his first book on his own work. Starting with a vacant half-acre piece of land, they built their own home, created a garden with vegetables and fruit, and describe raising chickens, bees, and goats. The book also covers cooking, foraging, fishing, crafts, birds, butterflies, and tools. Their main theme is that this was all done by hand. They have never paid rent nor have they ever had a mortgage. There are over 500 photos illustrating all the above facets of their lives and clear explanations of building skylights, maintaining a septic system, building greenhouses and raised vegetable beds. There is a section on unique kitchen tools, as well as advice on useful tools used in construction\"--\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBiographical Note\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLloyd Kahn\u003c\/b\u003e started building more than 50 years ago and has lived in a self-built home ever since. If he'd been able to buy a wonderful, old, good-feeling house, he might have never started building. But it was always cheaper to build than to buy, and by building himself, he could design what he wanted and use materials that he wanted to live with.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLloyd set off to learn the art of building in 1960. He liked the whole process immensely. Ideally he'd have worked with a master carpenter long enough to learn the basics, but there was never time. He learned from friends and books and by blundering his way into a process that required a certain amount of competence. His perspective was that of a novice, a homeowner, rather than a pro. As he learned, he felt that he could tell others how to build--or at least get them started on the path to creating their own homes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough the years, he's personally gone from post and beam to geodesic domes to stud-frame construction. It's been a constant learning process, and this has led him into investigating many methods of construction. For five years in the late '60s to early '70s, he built geodesic domes. He got into book publishing by producing \u003ci\u003eDomebook One\u003c\/i\u003e in 1970 and \u003ci\u003eDomebook 2\u003c\/i\u003e in 1971.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe gave up on domes (as homes) and published his company's namesake \u003ci\u003eShelter\u003c\/i\u003e in 1973. Since then, Shelter Publications has produced books on a variety of subjects and returned to its roots with \u003ci\u003eHome Work\u003c\/i\u003e in 2004, \u003ci\u003eThe Barefoot Architect\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eBuilders of the Pacific Coast\u003c\/i\u003e in 2008, \u003ci\u003eTiny Homes\u003c\/i\u003e in 2012, and more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuilding is Lloyd's favorite subject. Even in this day and age, building a house with one's own hands can save a ton of money and--if you follow it through--you can get what you want in a home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLesley Creed\u003c\/b\u003e (1947-2023) moved out of San Francisco in the early '70s, intent upon a back to-the-land lifestyle. She worked with Shelter Publications as a consulting editor, while maintaining a vegetable and flower garden and pursuing an interest in how things are made. She lived with her husband and co-author, Lloyd Kahn, in West Marin County, California, until her death in 2023.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eJacket Description\/Back\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1974, Lloyd and Lesley started building a home and establishing a garden on a half-acre piece of land in a small town on the northern California coast. Here is their story, along with over 500 photos of their home, the garden, pantry, kitchen, greenhouses, chicken coop, and animal visitors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book also covers cooking, foraging, fishing, crafts, birds, butterflies, and tools. Their main theme is that this was all done by hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"We both wanted to create a home and grow our own food. I'd been working as a carpenter for about 10 years and had built a homestead in Big Sur in the '60s. Lesley had been gardening, sewing, and practicing crafts most of her life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"We wanted to do as much for ourselves as possible, and we wanted to avoid paying rent or getting a mortgage. And we both wanted to have a home built of natural materials, that was functional, practical, and good-feeling.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTable of Contents\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIntroduction\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe House\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDining Area\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCurved-Roof Shed\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Kitchen\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCooking\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eForaging, Fishing\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Production Studio\/Office\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCrafts\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSmall-Scale Farming in the '70s\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGardening for Two People\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePond\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLiving Roof\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFlowers\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGeometry from the Garden\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGreenhouses\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGarden Tools\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChickens\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBirds in Our Lives\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnimal Visitors\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eButterflies, Caterpillars, Bees, and Other Insects in the Garden\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePests\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Shop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSkins and Bones\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAppendix: Building a Home\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEpilogue\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"I just inhaled your book, reading it cover to cover in one sitting. It's all that I hoped it would be. Now my favorite book of yours....\" \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e--\n\u003cb\u003eKevin Kelly\u003c\/b\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eWired\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Warning: Reading the book may lead to pulling up stakes and heading into the hills to claim your own half-acre homestead.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e--\n\u003cb\u003ePatrick Thomas\u003c\/b\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eSan Francisco Chronicle\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"The King of D.I.Y. Dwellings--Before cabin porn and van life were hashtags on Instagram, before tiny houses were a movement, Mr. Kahn, now 84, was the indefatigable champion of their funky, D.I.Y. antecedents.... A memoir of sorts of this hard-won idyll, \u003ci\u003e[The Half-Acre Homestead]\u003c\/i\u003e is also a love letter to Ms. Creed, a skilled artisan and gardener whose glorious handiwork is vividly portrayed.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e--\n\u003cb\u003ePenelope Green\u003c\/b\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"The book is absolutely \u003ci\u003ewonderful\u003c\/i\u003e... [a] magnificent one-of-a-kind gift to us all.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e--\n\u003cb\u003ePeter Nabokov\u003c\/b\u003e, professor at UCLA\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"The whole thing is about a harmony in life that few achieve but most desire....\" \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e--\n\u003cb\u003eJack Fulton\u003c\/b\u003e, photographer\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"I \u003ci\u003elove\u003c\/i\u003e the new book. It is beautiful and useful.... You've so well captured not only how your homestead looks but also its soul and spirit.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e--\n\u003cb\u003eCharlotte Mayerson\u003c\/b\u003e, former senior editor, Random House\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"It's great!\" \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e--\n\u003cb\u003eBill Steen\u003c\/b\u003e, co-author of \n\u003ci\u003eThe Strawbale House\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"What a treasure!\" \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e--\n\u003cb\u003eCharlie Winton\u003c\/b\u003e, musician\/publisher\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Excellent photos.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e--\n\u003cb\u003eDrew Langsner\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \n\u003ci\u003eCountry Woodcraft\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher Marketing\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDiscover the benefits and joys of simple living in this coffee-table book that presents the homestead of Lloyd Khan and Lesley Creed.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you've ever researched a DIY home-building project, then you've probably come across the books of Lloyd Kahn. If you've ever been curious about self-sufficient living, \u003ci\u003eThe Half-Acre Homestead\u003c\/i\u003e is for you. Lloyd, the former shelter editor of the \u003ci\u003eWhole Earth Catalog\u003c\/i\u003e, has published several books--including some of the most definitive titles on owner building, such as \u003ci\u003eShelter\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eTiny Homes\u003c\/i\u003e. Lloyd has showcased hundreds of builders in his books. Now, for the first time ever, he spotlights the work of himself and his wife, Lesley Creed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Starting with a vacant half-acre piece of land, back in the 1970s, the couple built their own home, created a garden with vegetables and fruit, and began raising chickens, bees, and goats. This book presents every aspect of their homestead, from the kitchen and dining area to the shed and workshop. It also introduces several fascinating aspects of their lifestyle, such as crafting and small-scale farming. It goes on to cover cooking, foraging, fishing, birds, butterflies, and tools.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBook Features\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDetailed look at a homestead built entirely by hand\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMore than 500 full-color photos, illustrating every facet of home life\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTips about building skylights, greenhouses, living roofs, and more\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSection on unique kitchen tools, as well as useful tools for construction\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLloyd and Lesley have never paid rent and never had a mortgage. This coffee-table book is their story of building and maintaining their own home, over a 46-year period, on a small piece of land in Northern California.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContributor Bio:\u003c\/strong\u003eKahn, Lloyd\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLloyd Kahn\u003c\/b\u003e started building his own home in the early '60s and went on to publish books showing homeowners how they could build their own homes with their own hands.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe got his start in publishing by working as the shelter editor of the \u003ci\u003eWhole Earth Catalog\u003c\/i\u003e with Stewart Brand in the late '60s. He has since authored six highly-graphic books on homemade building, all of which are interrelated. The books, \"The Shelter Library Of Building Books,\" include \u003ci\u003eShelter\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eShelter II\u003c\/i\u003e (1978), \u003ci\u003eHome Work\u003c\/i\u003e (2004), \u003ci\u003eBuilders of the Pacific Coast\u003c\/i\u003e (2008), \u003ci\u003eTiny Homes\u003c\/i\u003e (2012), and \u003ci\u003eTiny Homes on the Move\u003c\/i\u003e (2014).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLloyd operates from Northern California studio built of recycled lumber, set in the midst of a vegetable garden, and hooked into the world via five Mac computers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can check out videos (one with over 450,000 views) on Lloyd by doing a search on YouTube: http: \/\/www.youtube.com\/results?search_query=lloyd+kahn\u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Kahn, Lloyd\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Shelter Publications\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePub Date:\u003c\/b\u003e 2020-03-03\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBISAC:\u003c\/b\u003e House \u0026amp; Home \/ Do-It-Yourself \/ General|Gardening \/ Techniques \/ Organic|Cooking \/ Courses \u0026amp; Dishes \/ General|Crafts \u0026amp; Hobbies \/ Quilts \u0026amp; Quilting|Technology \u0026amp; Engineering \/ Construction \/ General|Self-Help \/ Green Lifestyle\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSubjects:\u003c\/b\u003e Dwellings|Design and construction|Owner-built houses|California|Gardening|House construction|Landscape architecture\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.2 lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780936070810\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eASIN:\u003c\/b\u003e -\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSKU:\u003c\/b\u003e SP-9780936070810\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shelter Publications","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52950161195289,"sku":"SP-9780936070810","price":29.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0913\/0380\/5209\/files\/9780936070810_spiral.png?v=1786072725","url":"https:\/\/westbindery.com\/products\/the-half-acre-homestead-46-years-of-building-gardening","provider":"West Bindery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}