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

Price: $18.69 as of Aug 25, 2023 15:01:49 UTC – Details

This product has a 4.5 out of 5 rating as of Aug 25, 2023 15:01:49 UTC

A Journey into Yesteryears’ Wisdom

Ah, the allure of simplicity! In an age dominated by digital dominance and endless notifications, Back to Basics by Abigail R. Gehring feels like a breath of fresh, rustic air. Forget fleeting trends; here’s your passport to timeless traditions and enduring skills.

Over 200,000 copies sold—fully updated! Dye your own wool, raise chickens, make your own cheddar cheese, build a log cabin, and much much more.

Anyone who wants to learn basic living skills—the kind employed by our forefathers—and adapt them for a better life in the twenty-first century need look no further than this eminently useful, full-color guide.

Countless readers have turned to Back to Basics for inspiration and instruction, escaping to an era before power saws and fast-food restaurants and rediscovering the pleasures and challenges of a healthier, greener, and more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Now newly updated, the hundreds of projects, step-by-step sequences, photographs, charts, and illustrations in Back to Basics will help you dye your own wool with plant pigments, graft trees, raise chickens, craft a hutch table with hand tools, and make treats such as blueberry peach jam and cheddar cheese. The truly ambitious will find instructions on how to build a log cabin or an adobe brick homestead.

More than just practical advice, this is also a book for dreamers—even if you live in a city apartment, you will find your imagination sparked, and there’s no reason why you can’t, for example, make a loom and weave a rag rug. Complete with tips for old-fashioned fun (square dancing calls, homemade toys, and kayaking tips), this may be the most thorough book on voluntary simplicity available.

Why Gehring’s Guide Glitters

What makes Gehring’s narrative resonate amid a plethora of DIY literature? Here’s a hint: it’s more heart than handbook.

  • Rooted in Reverence: Gehring doesn’t just teach. She pays homage to time-honored traditions, painting a tapestry of tales as she unravels each skill.

  • Holistic Harmony: The guide isn’t about juxtaposing the old with the new but showcasing how they can coexist, complementing each other.

  • Accessible Authenticity: Forget intimidating jargon! Gehring’s warm, inviting prose feels like a friend guiding you through the annals of ancestral wisdom.

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Skills, Stories, and So Much More!

Within these pages, await myriad mysteries:

  • Craftsmanship Chronicles: Dive into the delicate dance of hands and materials, be it woodworking or weaving.

  • From Seed to Supper: Understand the ethos of true farming, where nature isn’t exploited but embraced.

  • Elixirs of Old: Discover remedies rooted in nature, where healing intertwines with harmony.

The Philosophy Behind the Practice

Gehring’s guide isn’t just about doing—it’s about being. It’s a mindset, a way of life anchored in appreciation and awareness.

Specifics of planting strawberries, grapes, and other edible items

Who’s This Gem For?

Wondering if this guide’s for you? Here’s a glimpse:

  • Nostalgia Nurturers: Those yearning for a touch of tradition in the tech age.

  • Green Souls: Individuals looking to tread lightly on Earth, embracing sustainable practices.

  • Curiosity Carriers: Simply put, anyone with a thirst for knowledge and an appreciation for authenticity.

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Key Takeaway

Back to Basics isn’t a retreat into the past; it’s a resurgence of values and virtues that stand the test of time.

The Verdict

Abigail R. Gehring’s Back to Basics is more than a guide—it’s a gentle nudge, reminding us that in the cacophony of contemporary life, there’s solace in simplicity. It’s not about renouncing modernity but about enriching it with wisdom that’s withstood the sands of time.

Quoted to Perfection

“In traditions, we don’t just find tasks but tales; not just chores, but cherished legacies.”

Here’s to the dance of days gone by and the melodies of the morrow! Ready to waltz with wisdom?