Living the Country Lifestyle All-In-One For Dummies E-Book

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 992

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2009

Beschreibung

Living the Country Lifestyle All-in-One For Dummies features six books in one, including: * Country Cooking (cast-iron cooking, canning, pickling, and outdoor cooking, among other topics) * Traditional Crafts (sheering animals and producing wool, knitting, hand sewing, patchwork and quilting, candle making) * Kitchen Gardening (growing and caring for vegetables, herbs, and fruit) * Outdoor Skills (camp skills, fishing, navigation, outdoor family fun) * Raising Farm Animals (buying, housing, and raising animals, beekeeping) * Natural Health (herbal remedies, an encyclopedia of herbs, and healing foods)

Leseprobe

Living the Country Lifestyle All-in-One For Dummies®

Table of Contents

Introduction

About This Book

Conventions Used in This Book

What You’re Not to Read

Foolish Assumptions

How This Book Is Organized

Book I: Country Kitchen Skills

Book II: Traditional Crafts

Book III: Edible Gardening

Book IV: Getting Outdoors

Book V: Raising Farm Animals

Book VI: Natural Health

Icons Used in This Book

Where to Go from Here

Book I: Country Kitchen Skills

Chapter 1: Cast-Iron Cooking

Selecting Cast-Iron Cookware

Identifying the cast of characters

Evaluating quality

Prepping Your Cast Iron for Use

Seasoning your cast iron

Protecting your seasoning

Cleaning and Storing Cast Iron

Rub-a-dub-dub, removing the grub

Storing your cast iron

Getting Familiar with Cast-Iron Cooking Techniques

Out of the frying pan and into the fire: Heat and temperature control

Ending the exile of your metal utensils

Other tips for successful cast-iron cooking

Cooking Up Cast-Iron Classics

Main dishes and sides

Cornbread and biscuits

Chapter 2: Canning and Preserving

Before You Begin

Knowing the acidity levels in foods

Eyeing the all-important headspace

Canning Fruits via the Water-Bath Method

Your water-bath canning equipment list

Preparing your fruit, glorious fruit

Canning fruit, step by step

Fresh fruit canning recipes

Pressure Canning Your Veggies

The lowdown on pressure canners

Picking and preparing your vegetables

Pressure-canning instructions

Vegetable canning recipes

Making Sure Your Food Is Still Good to Eat

Ensuring food safety

Identifying food gone bad

Disposing of spoiled food safely

Chapter 3: Preserving by Way of Pickling

The Art of Pickling

The ingredients

The equipment and the utensils

Getting an Education in Brining

Packing and Filling Your Jars

Making a Pickled Topper

Pickled Cucumbers Are Just Pickles

Pickling Veggies

Chapter 4: Drying Fruits and Other Foods

Drying Fruit

Pre-treating fruit

Evaluating dryness

Oven-drying fruit

Sun-drying fruit

Drying recipes, fruit by fruit

Recipes to get you started

Drying Herbs

Presenting your step-by-step guide

Using your dried herbs

Making Jerky

Chapter 5: Outdoor Cooking

Outdoor Cooking Techniques

Rounding Up the Hardware

A camp oven

A skillet with legs and a lid

Going for convenience and comfort

Temperature Control

Number and placement of coals

Making adjustments for weather conditions

More Tips for the Outdoor Cook

Experimenting with Some Favorite Recipes

Book II: Traditional Crafts

Chapter 1: Making Fabrics from Animal Fibers

Shear Brilliance: Collecting and Processing Fiber

Shave and a haircut: Getting the fiber off your critters

Processing the fiber

Dyeing in the Wool

Spinning and Using Yarn

Taking the wheel: Spinning implements

Joining classes and clubs to develop your spinning technique

Locking the Fibers with Felting

Creating pieces of felt: Wet felting by hand

Felting knitted or crocheted projects: Wet felting in the washing machine

Entering the art gallery: Needle felting

Using Up All the Fiber Leftovers

Chapter 2: Knitting Basics

Yarn: The (Quick) Consumer’s Guide

Weighing yarn for project purposes

Identifying fiber fundamentals

Eyeing standard yarn packaging

Getting to the Point with Knitting Needles

Casting On

Two-strand (or long-tail) cast-on

Cable cast-on (cable co)

Now You’re Knitting and Purling

Knitting know-how

Perfect purling

Stitches Every Knitter Should Know

Garter stitch

Stockinette stitch

Binding (Or Casting) Off

Practice Projects

Everywhere Bag in Garter Stitch

Garter Ridge Scarf

Two-Way Hat

Chapter 3: Hand-Sewing Basics

Assembling Your Sewing Kit

Common hand-sewing tools

Threads and notions

Choosing the Right Fabric

Becoming familiar with fabric types

Reading fabric labels

Getting to know your fabric

Fundamentals of Hand-Sewing

Threading a needle

Tying the knot

Common hand-sewn stitches

Working with Patterns

Understanding the pattern and its parts

Decoding the pattern pieces

Preparing your fabric

Laying out the pattern

Pinning and cutting out your pieces

Making marks that matter

Projects You Can Sew by Hand

One-piece fringed envelope pillow

Trimming sheets and towels

Reversible table runner

Chapter 4: Patchwork and Quilting Basics

Patchwork and Quilting Lingo

Fabric (And Other Stuff) You Need

Basic Know-How for Patchwork and Quilting

Estimating fabric yardage

Making and assembling your patchwork pieces

Piecing the backing

Transferring designs

Making a template

Quilting your patchwork: Hand quilting 101

Country Potholders

Tools and materials

Crafting the potholders

Finishing the potholders

Patchwork Pillow

Tools and materials

Crafting the pillow

Stuffed Patchwork Cat

Tools and materials

Crafting the cat

Pinwheel Baby Quilt

Tools and materials

Crafting the quilt

Chapter 5: Making Candles

Equipment and Supplies

Basic equipment

Wax

Wicks

Additives

Candle-Making Know-How

Prepping your workspace and yourself

Getting your wick ready

Working with wax

Playing it safe

Candle Projects

The basic molded candle

The basic taper candle

The rolled beeswax candle

The container candle

Book III: Edible Gardening

Chapter 1: Planning Your Edible Garden

Planting Plots with Personality

Ornamental edible gardens

Themed edible gardens

Mapping Out Your Garden

Deciding on rows, hills, or raised beds

Planning your planting

Penciling it in

Frost Dates and the Length of the Growing Season

Chapter 2: Vegetables, Glorious Vegetables

Vegetable Basics: Hybrids, Heirlooms, and Growing Seasons

Factoring in growing season and days to maturity

Defining hybrids

Appreciating heirlooms

Getting Your Vegetable Garden Ready

Sketching out your plan

Working with the sun: Where to plant vegetables

Making your bed

Prepping your soil

Choosing among Seeds, Seedlings, and Transplants

Buying seeds

Buying nursery transplants

Starting your own seeds indoors

Getting Your Veggies into Your Garden: Planting and Sowing

Planting transplants and seedlings

Sowing seeds directly

Caring for Your Growing Veggie Garden

Watering your vegetable plants

Fertilizing your vegetable garden

Using frames and supports for veggies

Adding covers

Dealing with vegetable pests

Composting for Vegetable Gardens

Chapter 3: Spicing Things Up with Herbs

Planting Herbs: A Lesson in Adaptation

Getting the timing right

Determining the best place to plant

Putting herbs in their place: How to plant

Taking Care of Your Herbs

Providing an herb’s basic needs

Dealing with herb pests

Chapter 4: Adding Fruits, Berries, and Nuts

Fruit Basics: Choosing the Right Fruits for Your Garden

Figuring the wait time from planting to harvest

Getting the lowdown on chill factors

Studying your size accommodations

Easy access, baby

Going solo or in pairs: Looking at pollination

Getting Your Soil Ready for Fruits

Attending to soil quality

Digging the right-sized hole

Buying Your Fruit Bearers

Planting Fruits

Choosing the best time to plant fruits

Deciding where to plant your fruits

Getting your fruit in the ground

Taking Care of Fruit-Producing Plants

Watering

Fertilizing

Cutting back on mulch

Supporting and training your fruit

Pruning

Dealing with fruit pests

Chapter 5: Maintaining Your Edible Garden

Watering Basics

The tell-tale signs of water woes

Determining which watering system to use

Mulching Magic

Knowing your mulches

How to apply mulch — and how much

Using Fertilizer in Your Edible Garden

Determining your soil’s nutrient needs

Choosing a fertilizer: Chemical or organic

Understanding a fertilizer label

Side-dressing

Waging War on Weeds

Battling weeds before planting

Battling weeds after planting

Air! Air! Plants Need Air!

Book IV: Getting Outdoors

Chapter 1: Basic Camp Skills

Tying Basic Knots

Bowline

Clove hitch

Fisherman’s knot

Figure eight

Figure eight threaded

Two half hitches and two half hitches slipped

Round turn and two half hitches

Constrictor knot

Taut line hitch

Trucker’s hitch

Knife Sharpening 101

Using a sharpening stone

Getting a good angle

Building a Campfire Safely and Responsibly

Choosing a site for the fire

Selecting firewood

Gathering firewood responsibly

Constructing the fire

Cleaning up your fire

Basic Survival Skills

Examining the art of staying found

Seeking shelter

Finding water

Chapter 2: Map and Navigation Basics

Reading a Map

Familiarizing yourself with standard map colors and symbols

Seeing in 3-D when looking at a map

Ensuring you have the right map

Grasping a map’s scale

Determining latitude and longitude

Folding a map

Compasses: A Primer

Buying a compass

Defining declination

Understanding compass parts

Caring for your compass

Navigation Basics: Using Your Tools

Orienting your map

Establishing a bearing in the field to stay on course

Taking a map bearing

You see your destination on the map but not in person

You see a landmark but can’t place it on the map

Working your way around obstacles

Making sense of trail markers

Chapter 3: Weathering the Outdoors

Predicting Weather Changes by Reading Clouds

Types of cloud formations

Messages in cloud movements

Geographic Weather Variations

Mountains and valleys

Snowfields, glaciers, and wintry environments

Oceans and lakes

Deserts

Portents and Omens from Mother Nature Herself

Morning or evening sky

Geese and seagulls

Mosquitoes and black flies

Frogs

Halo around the sun and moon

Frost and dew

Wind

Campfire smoke

Crickets

Deer, bighorn sheep, and elk

Surviving Weather Emergencies in the Great Outdoors

Thunderstorms and lightning

Tornadoes

Chapter 4: Field Guide to Freshwater Fish (And How to Clean Them)

Trout

The champ: Brown trout

High jumpers: Rainbow trout

Colorful favorites: Brookies

A native cousin: Cutthroats

Big macks: Lakers

The Basses

Largemouth: A real catch

Smallmouth: The gamest fish

Good Eats: Walleye

Pike and Its Cousins

Northern pike

Muskellunge

Pickerel

Pacific Salmon

Panfish

Catfish

Shad

Atlantic Salmon

Cleaning and Storing Your Catch

Storing fish for transport

Cleaning, or Why God made day-old newspapers

Freezing for freshest taste

Chapter 5: Outdoor Fun for Adults and Kids

Fun and Games

Fox and hare

Blind trust

Snapshot

Stalking

Sledding

Campfire songs

Nature Activities

Hanging out in a hammock

Playing world above/world below

Practicing a night-world vigil

Hugging a tree

Going for a stream walk

Mucking around in a swamp

Walking barefoot

Checking out tide pools

Gazing at the stars

Taking a sunrise hike

Capturing Moments in Freeze Frame

Making shots worth showing

Keeping the camera handy

Star Maps

Book V: Raising Farm Animals

Chapter 1: Selecting Farm Animals

Meeting the Common Farm Animals

Cattle

Horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules

Swine

Sheep

Goats

Rabbits

Small and Medium Birds: Fancying Fine, Feathered Farm Friends

Chickens

Turkeys

Ducks and geese

Game birds

Llamas and Alpacas: Spinning Out Info on Camelids

Deciding between llamas and alpacas

Working around camelid temperament

Raising Creatures that Buzz, Swim, and Squirm

Getting the buzz on honeybees

Testing the waters with fish

Breaking ground with earthworms

Clarifying What You Want

Choosing a breed

Considering age

Looking at gender and fertility

Determining how many you desire

Chapter 2: Acquiring Animals

Factoring in Time and Distance

Knowing when to buy

Going local or out of state

Evaluating Sellers and Animals

Looking for credible sellers

Judging individual animals

Finding the Best Source of Animals

Consulting your friends and neighbors

Seeking out reputable breeders

Finding animals in the classifieds

Visiting county and state fairs

Adopting from a rescue group

Bidding on animals at auctions

Chapter 3: Caring for and Feeding Your Animals

Taking Care of Basic Hygiene

Cleaning house: Maintaining the living area

The beastly barber shop: Bathing and grooming

Feeding Your Animals Right

Storing feed properly

Finding the right diet

Providing a Continuous Source of Clean Water

Estimating water needs

Considering common water sources

Preventing freezes

Letting Your Animals Romp

Protecting Your Precious Critters

Handling Disconcerting Behavior

Keeping your critters from thinking you’re one of them

Managing social problems

Training animals for human interaction

Chapter 4: Providing Medical Attention

Putting Together Your Animal First-Aid Kit

Including creams, antiseptics, sprays, and meds

Gathering basic equipment

An Ounce of Prevention: Scheduling Vaccinations

Knowing the basic vaccines

Consulting your vet for immunizations

Administering the vaccinations yourself

Caring for Sick or Hurt Animals

Watching for signs of sickness

Wearing the doctor’s cap: What you can do

Determining when you need a vet

Bracing Yourself for Birthing Season

Predicting due dates

Preparing for a birth

Following up on a normal birth

Handling difficulties during and after birth

Deciding to give a newborn up

Chapter 5: Beginning Beekeeping

Evaluating Your Beekeeping Potential

Bee Basics

The three bee castes

The honeybee life cycle

Basic Equipment for Beekeepers

The hive and its parts

An assortment of beekeeping tools

Getting Your Initial Bee Colony

Ordering package bees

Buying a “nuc” colony

Welcoming Your Bees to Their New Home

Bringing home your bees

Putting your bees into the hive

Your new colony’s first eight weeks

Inspecting Your Hive

Removing the first frame

Working your way through the hive

Holding up frames for inspection

Replacing frames

Closing the hive

Chores throughout the Year

Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

Falling leaves point to autumn chores

Clustering in a winter wonderland

Spring is in the air: Starting your second season

Recipes for Sugar Syrups

Book VI: Natural Health

Chapter 1: Healing Foods for Women and Men

Healing Foods for Women

PMS-friendly foods

Treating menstrual problems with food

Eating for two

Munching your way through menopause

Healing Foods for Men

Prostate problems

Nourishing your sexuality

Chapter 2: Making Your Own Herbal Teas, Tinctures, Oils, and Elixirs

Getting the Gist of the Jargon

Looking at Tools of the Trade

Blender or grinder

Pots and pans

Jars and containers

A food dehydrator

Miscellaneous tools

Stocking Your Pantry

Oils

Grain alcohol

Glycerin

Beeswax

Essential oils

Miscellaneous ingredients

Making Teas

Infusions

Decoctions

Light decoctions

Mastering the Art of Tincture-Making

Preparing Herbal Cough Syrup

Producing Elixirs

Concocting Creams

Creating Infused Herbal Oils for the Skin

Making Massage Oils

Aromatherapy Baths: A Stirring Experience

Formulating a Hair Rinse

Savoring Sprays and Mists

Producing Potpourris

Making a Compress

Simmering Your Own Salves

Preparing Liniments

Chapter 3: A to Z Guide to Common Herbs

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Aloe Vera (Aloe spp.)

Angelica (Angelica archangelica L.)

Arnica (Arnica montana L.)

Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.)

Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus Bunge)

Bilberry (Vaccinum myrtillus L.)

Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa [L.] Nutt.)

Black Walnut (Juglans nigra L.)

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis L.)

Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides L.)

Burdock (Arctium lappa L.)

Butcher’s Broom (Ruscus aculeatus L.)

Calendula (Calendula officinalis L.)

California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica Cham.)

Caraway (Carum carvi L.)

Cascara Sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana DC.)

Castor Oil (Riccinus communis L.)

Catnip (Nepeta cataria L.)

Cayenne (Capsicum annum var. annum.)

Chamomile, German (Matricaria recutita L.)

Chaparral (Larrea tridentata [DC] Cov.)

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume)

Cleavers (Galium aparine L.)

Codonopsis (Codonopsis pilosula [Franch.] Nannf.)

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale L.)

Cramp Bark (Viburnum opulus L.)

Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton.)

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale Wiggers.)

Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis [Oliv.] Diels.)

Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea)

Elder (Sambucus spp.)

Eleuthero (Siberian Ginseng) (Eleutherococcus senticosus [Rupr. ex Maxim.] Maxim.)

Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis L.)

Eyebright (Euphrasia spp.)

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.)

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium [L.] Schulz-Bip.)

Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Garlic (Allium sativum L.)

Gentian (Gentiana lutea L.)

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe.)

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.)

Ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Mey.)

Ginseng, American (Panax quinquefolius Meyer.)

Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis L.)

Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica [L.] Urban.)

Grapeseed (Vitis vinifera L.)

Green Tea (Camellia sinensis [L.] Kuntze.)

Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata [Poir] DC.)

Hops (Humulus lupulus L.)

Horehound (Marrubium vulgare L.)

Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastunum L.)

Horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.)

Juniper (Juniperus communis L.)

Kava (Piper methysticum G. Forster.)

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.)

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis L.)

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.)

Ligustrum (Ligustrum lucidum Ait.)

Linden (Tilia x europaea L.)

Ma Huang (Ephedra spp.)

Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis L.)

Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria [L.] Maxim.)

Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum [L.] Gaertner.)

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca L.)

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus L.)

Nettle (Urtica dioica L.)

Orange Peel (Citrus aurantium L.)

Oregon Grape Root (Mahonia aquifolium [Pursh] Nutt.)

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum [Mill.) Nym. Ex A.W. Hill.)

Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata L.)

Pau d’Arco (Passiflora incarnata L.)

Peppermint (Mentha x piperita L.)

Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata Nutt)

Plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.)

Psyllium (Plantago spp.)

Raspberry (Rubus idaeus L)

Red Clover (Trifolium pratense L.)

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum [Leyss. Ex Fr.) P. Karst.)

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.)

Sage (Salvia officinalis L.)

St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.)

Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens [ Bart.] Small.)

Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis [Turcz.] Baill.)

Shiitake (Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Singer.)

Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora L.)

Slippery Elm (Ulmus fulva Michx.)

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.)

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.)

Usnea Thallus (Usnea barbata [L.] Wigg.)

Uva Ursi (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi [L.] Spreng.)

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis L.)

Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus L.)

White Willow (Salix spp.)

Wild Oats (Avena fatua L.)

Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa L.)

Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana L.)

Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.)

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.)

Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus L.)

Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon californicum [Hook. Et Arn.] Torr.)

Living the Country Lifestyle All-in-One For Dummies®

Tracy L. Barr, Compilation Editor

Living the Country Lifestyle All-in-One For Dummies®

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

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About the Author(s)

Pam Allen, coauthor of Knitting For Dummies, 2nd Edition, is creative director at Classic Elite Yarns. She’s also the author of Scarf Style and co-author of Wrap Style, Lace Style, Bag Style, and Color Style (all published by Interweave Press). Her work has appeared in Knitting in America (published by Artisan) and numerous magazines and knitting books.

Tracy L. Barr, author of Cast-Iron Cooking For Dummies, has been part of the For Dummies phenomenon for almost a decade. An avid cook, she was introduced to cast iron as a young girl when her mother inherited a few pieces, and she has since made cast iron the workhorse of her own kitchen.

Howland Blackiston, author of Beekeeping For Dummies, has been a backyard beekeeper for nearly 20 years. He’s written many articles on beekeeping and appeared on dozens of television and radio programs. He has been a keynote speaker at conferences in more than 40 countries. Howland is cofounder and president of bee-commerce.com, an online superstore offering supplies and equipment for the hobbyist beekeeper.

Kelly Ewing, author of Making Candles & Soaps For Dummies, is a writer and editor. She has coauthored, ghostwritten, and edited more than 75 books on a variety of topics. In her spare time (when she can find it), she enjoys spending time with her kids, reading, walking, writing, scrapbooking, cooking, and doing crafts.

Steven A. Frowine, author of Gardening Basics For Dummies, has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in horticulture from Ohio State University and Cornell, respectively. He has served on boards of various professional organizations, including the National Gardening Association. He is now president of his own horticultural consulting firm, where he works with various companies in the green industry on writing, photography, marketing, and public relations issues.

Christopher Hobbs, L.Ac., author of Herbal Remedies For Dummies, is a fourth-generation herbalist and botanist — his grandmother and great-grandmother were professional herbalists, and his father and great-uncle were botany professors — with over thirty years experience with herbs. In 1985, he cofounded the American Herbalists Guild, the only national U.S. organization for professional herbalists.

Michael Hodgson, author of Camping For Dummies, works as a content editor for Planet Outdoors and is a founding partner in GearTrends, LLC (www.GearTrends.com). Michael’s articles have appeared in Backpacker, Outside, Men’s Journal, Adventure Journal, Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, and The Christian Science Monitor, among other periodicals. He has published 18 books on the outdoors.

Theresa A. Husarik, author of Hobby Farming For Dummies, is a writer, photographer, crafter, fiber person, and animal lover who lives on a small plot far away from the heart of the city. When she is not tending to her brood, (which includes llamas, alpacas, angora goats, cats, dogs, peacocks, and chickens), she can usually be found either behind the computer writing something or in the craft room making something.

Peter Kaminsky, author of Fishing For Dummies, caught his first fish, a 30-pound grouper, on a party boat in the Florida Keys. It was the first time he went fishing, and that grouper won him $45 for the big fish of the day. Kaminsky was hooked. He was Managing Editor of National Lampoon at the time. Soon after, he began to write for Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, and Sports Afield. In 1985, he began his regular contributions to The New York Times “Outdoors” column.

Leslie Linsley, author of Crafts For Dummies, is the author of more than 50 books on crafts, decorating, and home style. Her work has appeared regularly in national magazines and in newspapers throughout the country.

Jan Saunders Maresh, author of Sewing For Dummies, 2nd Edition, is a nationally known sewing and serging journalist and home economist. After graduating from Adrian College in Michigan, she became the education director of one of the largest sewing machine companies in the country, and then the director of consumer education for the largest fabric chain in the country. Both professional experiences gave her a solid foundation in the home sewing industry, which she continues to serve with her many writing, marketing, and industry consulting projects.

Charlie Nardozzi, author of Vegetable Gardening For Dummies, graduated from the University of Vermont in 1981 with a degree in plant and soil science. Charlie then spent three years in the Peace Corps in Thailand, helping farmers. He returned to the United States and received a master’s degree in education. After working as a landscaper, he served as a horticulturist at the National Gardening Association for more than 10 years.

Shannon Okey, coauthor of Knitting For Dummies, 2nd Edition, is the author of nearly a dozen books on knitting and other fiber arts, a columnist for knit.1 magazine, and a frequent contributor to other craft magazines. She hosts a call-in podcast about knitting and has appeared on many television shows, including Knitty Gritty, Uncommon Threads, and Crafters Coast to Coast. You can find her online at www.knitgrrl.com.

Molly Siple, author of Healing Foods For Dummies, has a Master of Science in Nutritional Science and is also a registered dietician. Her other books include two on female health, coauthored with Lissa DeAngelis, SOS for PMS and Recipes for Change: Gourmet Wholefood Cooking for Health and Vitality at Menopause, a Julia Child Cookbook Awards nominee. She also lectures on nutrition and is a nutrition consultant to food companies.

Karen Ward, author of Canning & Preserving For Dummies, is a life-long home canner, as well as a cookbook author, culinary teacher, and home economist. In addition to judging preserved food at the San Diego County Fair each year, Karen teaches canning and preserving to men and women of all ages to foster the knowledge, skill, and techniques of these ancient and modern-day arts.

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

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Introduction

Modern technology and technological processes are great. Take, for example, the sewing machine. Before its invention, people made clothing by hand. After its invention, the sewing machine enabled women everywhere to make a garment in a fraction of the time it took previously. Now consider the additional advancement of the assembly line and the precision and speed with which thousands of garments can be made in a single day.

What was gained? Speed, efficiency, consistency of outcome. And what was lost? Tedious, eye-straining, finger-pricking labor. And a connection to a traditional, and in many ways, simpler and more meaningful way of doing things. The pricked fingers are gone, but so is the feeling of satisfaction that comes with self-sufficiency and accomplishment. This is just one example, but the lesson — that traditional ways of doing things have value, even if it can’t be tallied on a ledger or articulated as time saved — is applicable to many other areas as well.