Best recommendations for reference/resource books

Hello All!
I am trying to find resource books. We are moving to Helena this year, and are hoping to buy a farm and get started with some conservation flocks/herds. "Homesteading" is such a buzz word for the hipsters, and I do not want some Johnny-come-lately. We are not opposed to using advances and modern conveniences, we are just hoping for the middle of the road, through thick or thin, book.  I am wondering if anyone has a favorite "go to" book they would recommend for farming, animal husbandry...etc with the Permaculture mindset at 4000 feet There are a lot of online resources, but what we are hoping to collect is that set of useful resources when there is no more internet or electricity. I have Carla Emery and Stocking Up so far.
Ready, GO!

(and thank you for your wonderful advice to a newbie <3 )

Permaculture A Designers Manual by Bill Mollison

or

Gaia's Garden by Toby Hemenway

and

Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond Volume 2 by Brad Lancaster

Hi Sarah;

Welcome to Permies.com! One really useful place to look is our Book Review Grid. You can scroll through and find books on your topic, click on the title, and it will take you to a thread that has book review in it. This is a really great way to see what the book offers, and get other people's opinions on the book.

Good luck with your new ventures!

Cheers
Tracy

Tracy Wandling wrote:Hi Sarah;

Welcome to Permies.com! One really useful place to look is our Book Review Grid. You can scroll through and find books on your topic, click on the title, and it will take you to a thread that has book review in it. This is a really great way to see what the book offers, and get other people's opinions on the book.

Good luck with your new ventures!

Cheers
Tracy

Thank you so much, Tracy! I had searched all around the site looking for just that, but must have never typed it in just right! I appreciate it!

You're very welcome! I hope you find some good ones in there.

Since you seem to be asking about livestock in particular, I'll suggest The Complete Herbal Handbook For Farm And Stable by Juliette de Bairacli Levy as a great, all-around resource.  While it is primarily focused on herbal medicine (as the name suggests), there is enough general care and rearing information to make it well worth your while.

John Seymour's books are another good resource.  Maybe not "permie," but typically full of good, useful information.  (I particularly like "Farming for Self-Sufficiency.")  Ditto anything written by Gene Logsdon.

Beyond that, when you get into species-specific books it can be a crapshoot.  Newer, 'hipper' homesteading books aren't bad; they tend to mostly regurgitate old information.  I usually prefer older books, as they usually seem more practical and often contain useful nuggets that are typically overlooked.

Harvey Ussery's The Small-Scale Chicken Flock is a great resource that is more or less overtly permie, without being obnoxiously self-consciously so.

Thanks, Wes! I am looking forward to checking these out 😊

Livestock: a cyclopedia for the farmer and stock owner by A.H. Baker.....it may take a while to find a "book" but it can be downloaded from Biodiversitylibrary.org and printed out at home but it'll take a while!!

The owner built homestead by Ken and Barbara Kern.

Each of these has proven to be my go to for the "bigger picture" of my operation.
But remember, anything that is in the "book" may not specifically apply to YOUR purposes and work sites... so learn 100% of what the book says and reserve 15-20% for improvisation.

Personal case in point....
I'm 6 or so hours north and west of you. Off grid.  I had a second litter sow farrow unassisted in subzero temps and delivered 14 piglets January 11th this year.
No electric or propane heat as a supplement. All the books I've read say it can't be done. Shouldn't be tried. They're ten weeks today and staunchly vigorous.
Of course, you're 1500' higher in elevation but the same model would work for you. Of course, if you have nothing but rock, it may be moot....
So there you have it... My two prints hahahahaha!!!