Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills (Back to Basics Guides)

Back to Basics is a fully updated guide to traditional living skills adapted for modern life. The book contains hundreds of projects with step-by-step instructions, photographs, charts, and illustrations covering topics such as dyeing wool with plant pigments, grafting trees, raising chickens, making cheese and jam, building log cabins, and crafting furniture with hand tools. The guide appeals to both practical learners and those seeking inspiration for a more self-sufficient lifestyle. It includes instructions for activities ranging from simple projects like weaving rag rugs to ambitious undertakings such as constructing an adobe brick homestead. The book also features old-fashioned recreational activities including square dancing calls, homemade toy instructions, and kayaking tips. Whether you live in a city apartment or rural setting, the guide offers projects and ideas for learning traditional skills and exploring voluntary simplicity.