You know a book is good when your daughter picks it up and reads it before you get a chance.
But when your husband takes the book to work and reads it as soon as your daughter finishes it, and comes home saying things like, "Let's make some butter tonight!", or, "Can you call the bee store and find out if they still have bees?", you know you better start reading.
And reading Home Dairy and Keeping Bees with Ashley English is time well spent, especially if you're ready to try your hand at some advanced homesteading skills. Reading Ashley's books is like chatting with a friend about starting a new hobby - she knows the history, the how-to, and uses words like heretofore. I love that word!
But Ashley goes beyond chatting about hobbies - her words and images inspire action. Not only have we been spreading homemade butter on our toast every morning, we also have a bee box sitting in the middle of the living room waiting for a coat of paint, and a date on the calendar to pick up bees at the end of next month!
Now if only we could make room in the backyard for a cow . . . (though I should add here that that's just my crazy talk - Ashley's book isn't about keeping cows, but all about making your own dairy products at home).
So if you're interested in becoming a bee keeper, or an artisan cheese maker, or even if you'd just like to make a batch of sour cream or honey ice cream, look no further than Ashley English's newest additions to her Homemade Living series - Keeping Bees and Home Dairy. She'll help you get started on your new homesteading hobby - or get your daughter and husband started so you can enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Interested in winning your own copy of Keeping Bees or Home Dairy? Sterling Publishing has kindly offered to host a giveaway to readers of my blog. Leave a comment and I'll announce two winners one week from today - March 28, 2011.
Stay tuned, as I'll be announcing two more giveaways this week. Are you feeling lucky? Well, me too - thanks for stopping by.
I'd love either one--but bees are more possibly in my future than dairy animals! Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteI've been fascinated with beekeeping ever since I saw the documentary film Queen of the Sun last October.
ReplyDeleteThese look like fantastic books - your resulting projects sound so exciting! I would love to own Keeping Bees.
Thanks so much for the giveaway opportunity!
gann.ke @ gmail.com
pick me, pick me! my vermont homestead will one day have bees and a cow, so help me goodness~
ReplyDeleteI would love these books! When I was a girl I loved to read the Foxfire books all about mountain living. I could read those books all day! My mom thought I was a little strange but I still love those books. Thanks for the awesome giveaway.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway!!! I'm interested in keeping bees, having a cow, and making dairy products very much these days!! These books sound like they would be wonderful bedtime reads.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much
Oh! My! Gosh!
ReplyDeleteI just got a Groupon for a beekeeping class! Even thought I had never considered it before ... I'm *obsessed*! I'm also ... completely and totally clueless :-)
My fingers are crossed that I win the beekeeping book (and trust me, it's v-e-r-y hard to type that way).
Thanks for the awesome giveaway :-)
I'd love either of these! I purchased "Keeping Chickens" last year because of your recommendation and read it cover to cover in almost one sitting. We don't have chickens yet, but if it were all up to me we would!
ReplyDeleteThese look interesting.
ReplyDeleteMy kids are so excited about the prospect of keeping bees. We've been looking into it over the last year or so. Less excited is my mother, she's allergic.
ReplyDeleteTim has been talking about beekeeping for years. I keep demurring, concerned about the kids who play in our backyard (more than our own). This book may push us over the edge! (The dairy one would be lovely, too.)
ReplyDeleteI am not a homesteader but I do the best I can in suburbia! These books look fascinating and the dairy book would keep me busy for awhile...
ReplyDeleteI would love to know how to make my own butter and sourcream, how fun! I tease my sister all the time because she eats margarine, and when I cook for her I tell her "This meal was brought to you by real butter, see what you're missing out on?" Haha. Thanks for the chance to win!!
ReplyDeleteYou know I'd love the bee book! The bee reference books I have heretofore are rather dorky. ;-) And since cheese is my favorite food, I'm guessing I'd like the other book just as much.
ReplyDeleteHooray for the bee box! If you're going to be a beekeeper, you must go read Sylvia Plath's poems about keeping bees...
I found your blog through One Pretty Thing (for the crochet stars) and I immediately put you in my favorites! I love your posts, they're very inspiring. Anyway, I also homeschool my children and we love all things hand and homemade. The Home Dairy book is right up our alley! Thanks so much for the opportunity :) -Lisa
ReplyDeleteThese books both look so fun!
ReplyDeletefun!
ReplyDeletethey look great!
ReplyDeleteSO fun! Little by little we are getting there, a simpler life with self sustaining goodness that is. Thanks for the opportunity to win these books, they sound fantastic!
ReplyDeleteBoth topics interest me! I love the design of these books.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if I can check these out of our library if I don't win? Thanks for the chance.
ReplyDeleteI've wanted to keep bees for a very long time and was so excited to hear about Ashley's new book! It's number one on my to-read list!
ReplyDeleteMercy me! I have been trying to read up on both of those things. Those books look lovely and I hope I win! (but you know...if not, I'll probably live.)
ReplyDeleteHomemade butter! Now that is something I haven't tried yet. What an exciting giveaway! Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeleteI'm less likely to keep bees in the near future than make cheese, but would love to be doing both. Thanks.
ReplyDeleterosesmama
Those books sound lovely! I'm going to have to see if our library has them. (:
ReplyDeleteI'd love to have a copy of either one...and my husband would probably read it first. Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to win! What a great giveaway!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great give-a-way!
ReplyDeleteI found your blog recently through rhythm of the home.
I've been enjoying following your recent adventures!
eek! she's an asheville girl (that's where i live)!! she is brilliant and i would love to get my hands on a copy of those books. how fun!
ReplyDeleteWhile I'd love to win either, living in an apartment in NYC makes me think a book about dairy would be better!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to have those books. Two great fun hobbies, as if I need more.
ReplyDeleteBees! I so want bees!
ReplyDeleteNow those must be some good books. We've made homemade butter a few times using marbles in a mason jar, but I would love to learn how to make cheese and ice cream!
ReplyDeleteI would love to do both. Thanks for the fun. I hope I win :)
ReplyDeleteThose look awesome! Would love a chance to win, thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to win these books. Bees fascinate me. When I was a kid I wasted an entire litre of milk trying to make butter. I even salted the milk. You know, for salted butter! It was 2% milk and we were poor. My mum was not amused!
ReplyDeleteBoth look fantastic. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteKaren :)
I've been dying to get my hands on AE's Keeping Bees! My husband just built me a couple of top bar hives and I have two packages of bees coming in two weeks! This giveaway is awesome! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love that your kids are reading the books...so fun. I've had my eye on both of these books.
ReplyDeleteMy husband gave me the Home Creamery for xmas. I love it. We get our milk from a friend with a real live cow. Each week we have butter, ice cream, buttermilk, and oh yeah, milk. Oh how I wished we lived in a place to have more of a homestead. Eventually.
ReplyDeletewe might actually finally be moving to the country, I'm totally going to be keeping bees!
ReplyDeleteHi, I would love to get a chance to win Home Diary. Bees are still not in my things to do list what with a naughty 2 year old romping around our house! But I would really love to learn how to make home made butter....yumm
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new hive! Would love to learn how to make more cheeses :).
ReplyDeleteThese sound AWESOME... especially the home dairy. We just discovered the joys of homemade butter not too long ago :). And are still waiting to see if our mason bees survived the winter...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance!
Oh yes please! What fun :)
ReplyDeleteI have been drooling over these books since I discovered them--would love to have either one!
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ReplyDeleteWhoops.... my first comment got eaten up....
ReplyDeleteBoth covers look enticing but I think perhaps the dairy book would find a welcome home here on our little Maine homestead.
OHhh I would love either book! I told my hubs that I wanted a cow to make our own cheese and he said, "We are gonna need a bigger pasture!" Woot!
ReplyDeleteThose books look wonderful! Im trying to as self sufficient as possible on my little 1/6 of an acre... And books are always where I turn!
ReplyDeleteIt would be great to win something so helpful!
Chrisi
I love her stuff - her articles in Design*Sponge and blog - I'd love to get my hands on her Dairy book and learn move about bees too (my dad used to keep them when I was growing up).
ReplyDeleteI'd love to win! I just started my beekeeping class!
ReplyDeleteOh I'd love to win either of these books!
ReplyDeleteThese books look awesome!
ReplyDeleteI love both these books and would love to have them in my collection. Just discovered your blog; it's beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely! I've always dreamed of keeping bees, and I just recently moved into a house with enough land to actually do that! I'd love either book though, they both look awesome :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Molly! I have been thinking about bees for awhile, but have done NOTHING about it. That's ok, life keeps me pretty darn busy, but if I were to happen to win a book on beekeeping, that might just push me over the edge. Ha! Happy Spring :)
ReplyDeleteOh Molly!! Love this!! enter me please,id love to make my own,,,butter,but with my owne garden herbs added too :D
ReplyDeletethey both look wonderful
Debbie
Oh gosh, I'd love the bee keeping one! My husband and I are finally on a small bit of land, and we're getting bees this year, so we're devouring every book on the subject. I've recently heard about her book, and would LOVE to get it!
ReplyDeleteI love a good book giveaway. I hope I win!
ReplyDeleteMy brother and I have been talking about keeping bees. This could be the perfect book to get us started! Thanks so much for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteA 12 year old girl here would surely snatch up the book and enjoy it :) Of course so would I! What a lovely giveaway :)
ReplyDeleteOh goodness, home dairy looks soooo incredibly interesting. I would actually use it too. I have given a shot or two at making my own yoghurt and such. But cheese..ooooo, cheese sounds like fun !
ReplyDeleteI'd love to win either of those! We've promised the kids to get going with bees so this might be the kick in the pants we need. I make my own yogurt and kefir, we've made mozz...would love to see what other goodness there is to make!
ReplyDeleteawesome! i am already dabbling a bit with making raw milk cheese and yogurt but mmm butter sounds like a great next step. i also am sooo into the idea of keeping bees. sounds like a great resource. thanks for hosting the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI would love to win these- so far my attempts at homemade cheese have failed and I could use some help!
ReplyDeleteOh boy! I'd love to win these books! Especially Home Dairy!! Even if I don't win, I think I may be getting myself a little birthday present.
ReplyDeleteI so would like to win either one of these. Very interested to learn more about bee keeping especially.
ReplyDeleteI love these books. We are already beekeepers here but I would love to make cheese!
ReplyDeleteI read Ashley's blog and have been wanting to get her books for a long time! We are getting a dairy cow this month, so the Home Dairy book would be wonderful to have in house. I adore everything she does. Thank you for hosting this giveaway!!
ReplyDeleteOh, please pick me!!! I promise to put either of these books to good use.
ReplyDeletehow fun.
ReplyDeletelove to win either - but I think I could make better use of the dairy book.
so great to see you back.
I would love these books. Always looking for ways to become a better homesteader.
ReplyDeleteBees are not my thing, but I would love to read about dairy at home! Thanks for the opportunity!
ReplyDeleteAwesome giveaway! We've been eyeing these books (and her others) - just moved to our property out of town and can finally tackle some more hobbies. I'll be interested to follow along with your beekeeping, despite our different climates!
ReplyDeleteI love the covers of those books, but I'm sure I will love what is inside even more! Both sound like something our family could use. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI would love these books, I have the keeping chickens book. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI would love the bees book. My daughter and I allergic to dairy, so we couldn't use the other one, much I really want to learn to make cheese.
ReplyDeleteI'd like the dairy one, but the bees one would be a great gift for my hub.
ReplyDeleteOh, I just looked up the rest of her books. So fun!
ReplyDeleteWould love either one, but especially the bee keeping volume!
ReplyDeletethrow my name in the hat for either one, though i've been thinking of adding bees to the "to do" list.
ReplyDeletewouldn't it be awesome if all of these folks kept bees?!
i want my husband to do that! <3
ReplyDeleteSo exciting - I'm in. I'm allergic to bees so I think I'd opt for Home Dairy - but they both look amazing!
ReplyDeleteWoohoo! Nice giveaway! I have not heard of either of these books, but they look very good. The dairy one, especially, just because I don't know about beekeeping at my city duplex (but do get raw milk regularly!).
ReplyDeleteI live near Sweet Grass Dairy (way down here in GA) and have missed all of their infrequent dairy workshops due to work obligations. :( The Home Dairy book would be a delight to have since it would allow me to explore my options on my own, and often limited, time. How lovely that would be...
ReplyDeleteJennifer
PS Love your blog...been following for over a year now and it has been such an inspiration! :)
The Dairy book sounds pretty useful to me, but I've recently discovered that my grandpa, who I never knew, used to keep bees!! Either one is calling my name!
ReplyDeleteYes, yes please. I love her other books and I have been looking forward to these as well. They both look wonderful!! Thank you!
ReplyDeletesara (at) gallaugher (dot) net
Home Dairy... btw, is there anything on goat cheese? I think I'm addicted.
ReplyDeleteOk, I've been reading about these books everywhere but an endorsement from children and husbands seals the deal: if I don't win these I'll be begging for the whole series for my birthday.
ReplyDeleteI've just discovered Ashley's books and have been drooling over them. Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteOh, count me in - how wonderful!! Bees would be a wonderful addition to our little homestead.
ReplyDeleteoh me oh me, i love bees!
ReplyDeleteeee!!! I would love to win! Either, really- have always wanted to keep bees and make some butter (and cheese, and milk and ice cream...)
ReplyDeleteOh! Me, me, me!!!
ReplyDeleteI would love to read either of these books!
Oh... love homemade butter. Would love to do more dairy at home. Thanks for the recommendations and giveaway!
ReplyDeletemeant to pick up cream at the store today, but we skipped the store and just hit the farmers market. after being swept away by the beautiful produce and bounty of kindness i forgot to make our way to the dairy stand. oops & thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeletenot necessarily feeling lucky, but most definitely hopeful :)
both books look awesome!
ReplyDeleteI'd LOVE either of those books. I sed to have bees in our backyard ntil our neighbour complained. I moved the hive to muy Dads place so am still involved in their care, but saadly it's not the same as having them here. I wonder if my grumpy neighbour would complain about a cow? LOL!
ReplyDeleteOh me please!! (If its open to us over here?) If not good luck to everyone else - I am very jealous :D
ReplyDeleteI wonder if our tiny little yard could take in some bees... or if the neighbors would complain? Thanks for introducing me to the books!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway.
ReplyDeleteYes! Bees!! Dairy!! Win or not I'm getting these books! Thank you so much for the post!
ReplyDeleteOhh, I'd love either one. I just bought some lure for a wild colony to *hopefully* inhabit our hive. We have wild ones that split several times a year and I sure would like to start keeping a couple hives.
ReplyDeleteI gave the "Keeping Chickens" book and the Canning and Jarring book to my friend who just moved to a farm, and she loved them. Would love to check out the bees and dairy one as well. Beautiful books!
ReplyDeleteI think everything should be done with style, that's why I like KEEPING CHICKENS and why I know I would like KEEPING BEES. I figure it will be a neighborhood public service to keep bees and make honey here in my front yard garden. (the chickens get the backyard)
ReplyDeletebees and butter - two things I've always wanted to try my hand at! thanks for introducing these books - the author's blog is pretty cool too.
ReplyDeleteWould love to be the happy owner of one of these books! We have given ourselves a year to research and prepare for some happy little bees!
ReplyDeleteI am too lazy to keep bees (though I would love to!), but making my own dairy products sounds right up my alley. What a great giveaway! Thank you for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this giveaway! I would be glad to win eather one of the books, they sound great!
ReplyDeleteViola
violaho(at)gmx.net
I picked up this book at Chapters and put it back down as an unnecessary expense, but I would love love love to win a copy!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win :)
ooh such goodies.
ReplyDeletei'd adore the home dairy book. i've always wanted to make my own honey butter and such goodies.
we tried yogurt making last year. fail. maybe this book has good tips on that...
Um. Hell yeah.
ReplyDeletePlease.
what a great giveaway! i've read her other books and they were full of useful tips. i'd love either book, but considering i live in an apartment and have no outdoor space to call my own, the dairy book seems more practical for me.
ReplyDeleteI want to put bees at the community garden, but have to go through a lot of red tape first. Thanks for thinking of us.
ReplyDeleterosesmama
Does this mean you are getting bees. Chris is forever trying to convince me. Thanks for the giveaway. Fun! I remember the other books - chickens and canning?
ReplyDeleteWONDERFUL giveaway from a WONDERFUL blog! We have such a small outdoor space but just enough room for a hive near our garden. Cheers!
ReplyDeletePerfect! I've been eyeing these books! We've just ripped out our entire yard to embark on the adventure toward self-sustainability (well at least partial). Either of these books would be put to good use!
ReplyDeleteYay! Count me in! What a marvelous give-a-way. My kids and I would definitely put this prize to good use. Thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeleteOh those would be a fantastic addition to my library.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
What neat books! We've been taking about raising bees recently and I've always wanted a milking goat. I guess when you grow up in the suburbs though you have to start with books like these to know what you are doing. I would love a copy of either!
ReplyDelete