Greenhouse Gardening by Miranda Smith
Carrots Love tomatoes by Louise Riotte
The Encyclopedia of Gardening by Deena Beverly and Barty Phillips
Buildings for Small Acreages by James S. Boyd
The Woodlot Management Handbook by Stewart Hilts and Peter Mitchell
The Home & Farm Manual Classic Edition by Jonathan Periam
(this last one is a reprint from the 1884 edition - so much to be learned in this hunk of paper!)
Today I will give my two cents worth on Buildings for Small Acreages.
This particular version is a revision by Carl L. Reynolds in 1996 of James S. Boyd's original 1978 work. (Most source information provided within its pages that has changed is available on the internet.)
As I have always been drawn in by architecture, blueprints and building plans of any sort this book appealed to me visually first of all. It was originally included in my library tote as eye candy! When I took a closer look, though I found that these were expertly drafted plans, many with materials lists included. I really liked the inclusion of the Title Blocks. (Here is a link for blueprint terminology and reading basics.)
Many times when I have hunted for informal builidng plans in the libraries I frequent there are just some simple diagrams and crude blue prints. The Title Blocks in this instruction manual really give you some added insight to how useful these are.
Some of the plans are from the 1940's when there was a push to bring farming and rural living into a more organized business structure.
Some of those efforts were good, and some were not so much. But that is for another post.
Many universities and U.S. Dept of Agriculture programs were used to research planning and design books for the most useful and well used plans and projects at the time. Most of these building, structures and gadgets I have seen all over the United States as I have driven on my numerous cross country trips through the rural landscapes. I have seen many of these projects in use and attest to their qualities.
In the appendices are listed plans and ordering information from the U.S. Dept. of Ag. and The American Plywood Association.
Also listed is the State Cooperative Extension Services Offices that provide plans. Now, THAT is helpful!
Growing up in Indiana of course Purdue Extension and Ball Canning Company were all I thought existed until at the age of 19 I moved to Colorado!
Even if you have no intention of EVER constructing more than a discarded pile of garbage in the compost heap outside you will find something interesting in this book. It has that quality of inspiring other ideas. I like that. Not only are there plans for barns, gates, homes and cottages, but there are plans for tennis tables, how to set up regulation horseshoe pits, croquet courts, diving rafts, boat docks, how to make forms for poured concrete projects, etc.
Now, I borrowed this particular book from the Cambridge City Public Library in Western Wayne County. They are part of the Evergreen Interlibrary Loan System so you can order this through any library that participates in that. There are also other area libraries that have cooperative lending policies with CCPL and others too. Check with you local librarian to see if your branch has a copy or if it can be ordered for you to borrow.
Of course, I found it on Amazon.com and it can be purchased for under $10 + shipping if you would like to add it to your collection. Although I would not recommend reading this book on an electronic reader, there is an option on Amazon to request that it be made available in that format too.
For any book I suggest using your local public library first to see how you really like it.
This book I personally will not be purchasing because it provided plenty of information on how to get these possibly free or a low cost. I am a tight wad so that is how I roll! But I can see how someone would love to add this to their workshop collection.
I think the next book I will review here will be The Woodlot Management Handbook by Hilts and Mitchell.
Please comment on this review.
-Suzanna
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