Northwest Edible Life

urban homesteading in the pacific northwest

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Giveaway: 6 Of My Favorite Homesteading Books

Earlier this week the Facebook page for this blog hit 20,000 followers. I remember when my Facebook page hit 1,000 followers and I was blown away. We had a giveaway to celebrate!

Now, at 20,000, I have to admit the feeling is a bit different. I’m thrilled and humbled and flattered by the milestone, but it’s not just my page anymore. This group that’s grown up – of gardeners, cooks, homesteaders, thoughtful spenders, green-living advocates – it’s a critical mass of people who give and take with each other and with me. It’s community.

I’m honored to step back and see how this community has grown in the just-under-three years since I started this blog. Back then I thought maybe people in my hometown would like to know when to plant their fall cabbages (hint: July). Now, people on my Facebook page answer other people’s gardening questions. Everyone is just happy to pitch in with what knowledge they have. It’s kinda amazing to be a part of, honestly.

I try not to let this blog become a shrine to self indulgent navel-gazing, but regular readers may have gathered that 2012 was a rough damn year for me personally and 2013 has mostly been about recovering from 2012. Through up moments and down, writing here – about my garden and my homekeeping and the constant exuberant cycles of life and growth and rest – has been a comfort and a challenge and a joy.

Periodically, readers email me, or comment that my posts have inspired them or motivated them or taught them a new skill. But I know that sharing what little I’ve learned in the many years I’ve gardened inspires me, and teaches me, and encourages my own habit of continued (some might say compulsive) learning. And as often as I teach, I am the student, learning from our community and being inspired by it. So it is a two way street, and I thank you so much for being part of it.

Thank you for reading, for taking the time to like and share, and for commenting. Thank you for being a member of this community.

The Giveaway!

Just over two years ago, I hosted a giveaway for hitting those first 1,000 Facebook likes. Now I think it’s time to do it again.

So, here’s the deal: I’m feeling mellow, I’m feeling contemplative, I’m feeling winter coming on. I would love to give someone a suite of my favorite kitchen, home and garden books to get them through the off season. Just add coffee, and you’ll have my favorite way to spend a quiet afternoon.

And so I’m giving away a collection of a few of my favorite books. These are reads I simply adore, books that cycle onto my bedside table frequently:

  1. An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace by Tamar Adler. A beautiful ode to simple and frugal cooking as a way of life.
  2. Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz. Last time I had a Facebook page celebration I gave away Sandor Katz’s first book, Wild Fermentation. Giving away his follow-up work, an even more comprehensive look at fermentation of all kinds, just seems appropriate for this follow-up Facebook milestone giveaway.
  3. Vegetable Gardener’s Bible by Ed Smith. This is my favorite beginner’s gardening book. It has all the basics of vegetable gardening explained in an accessible way and is useful to gardeners in nearly every climate.
  4. All About Braising by Molly Stevens. This is possibly (probably) the best cookbook in the entire world. Stevens is a gifted cookbook author, and inspires and educates through her writing. Every recipe can be counted on to turn out deliciously.
  5. Free-Range Chicken Gardens by Jessi Bloom. This book is the best source for know-how for people who want both happy hens and thriving gardens.
  6. The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery. This book is a tome, a legend, a doorstop sized work that manages to be as engaging and funny as it is comprehensive. No small feat. A deserved classic.

In celebration of the 20,000 Facebook Like milestone, one lucky winner will receive one shiny new copy of each of these books – essentially a productive homekeeping mini-library delivered right to your door. I’m self-sponsoring this giveaway just to say thank you, so this is just between me and y’all.

To enter to win this collection of books:

If you haven’t already, like the NWEdible Facebook page and leave a comment here on this blog post letting me know you’ve done so. If you already follow NWEdible on Facebook, just tell me that. If you have a conscientious objection to Facebook, let me know what it is and we’ll call that good enough. I hate giveaways that exclude people because they aren’t into whatever social media thing is being pushed.

It’s not a condition of entry or anything, but I would sure love it if you guys would remember that my bread and butter is the sharing you do of my blog posts and Facebook page. Please – like, share, comment and let your friends know about about my blog and my Facebook page.

So, one comment and you’re entered. One entry per person, US residents only please. Any funny business with multiple entries and I disqualify ya. Sorry to my international readers; it’s not you, it’s shipping rates. Contest open until Thursday, October 3rd, 8 PM PDT. Winner will be drawn randomly and contacted via email to coordinate delivery of prize. Good luck and thank you all for reading!

This contest is now closed. Thank you so much to everyone who entered!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. What great resource you have going for us here in the nw. Glad I discovered you. Added yiu to my FB collection 🙂

  4. I love following your blog, I always get excited when I see a new blog post on my reader.

    I have “liked” you on facebook!

  6. I have now liked your Facebook page;-) I thought I had already “liked” it, but somehow I missed it. I’m a new fan – love your writing and your ideas.

  7. The Northwest holds a special place in my heart. Lived there right after college, am now back in beautiful central Montana, but the growing season is, shall I say, a bit limiting. The chickens, the parties, the many diverse homesteading posts travel across the continental divide quite nicely, tho! Thanks.

  9. Liked your facebook page ages ago! Just shared your blog post on figs with the Snohomish County Facebook page. Would love to be included in the drawing.

  10. I’ve liked you for a long time on Facebook but I just went back and re-liked you so please enter me in the contest. As I’ve said before “you’re great”. Thanks.

  11. I’m not on facebook because I’m an internet addict and if I joined facebook it would literally be the only thing I ever did with my life. But thanks for letting me play along anyway! This book stack looks cool. If I don’t win, they’re all going on my wish list….

  16. I guess my non-participation in FB makes me a de facto conscientious objector, reason being not for public disclosure….but you realize, this is gonna be BIG! I bet > 2000 comments even if you pull the trigger way earlier than planned. Congratulations to you and HBH (oh, try sounding that out loud!)! Yes, I’d love to read those books!

  17. I just liked your page! I don’t know how I didn’t realize it existed before now. Keep up all your wonderful posts! (P.S. I just made a batch of your pectin free (peach) jam to stock up before they’re out of season here and it was FABULOUS! Thank you!)

  18. Liked your page! I love your blog and didn’t know you had a Facebook page! Your pectin free jam tutorial with flavor ideas was simply amazing, and I’ve been sharing with all of my friends. It’s the only way I’ll make jam from now on. Thank you for all of your wonderful ideas!

  20. Thank you for being awesome. It says something about your site that I religiously follow a gardening blog for the pacific northwest considering that I’m in almost the opposite climate all the way in Jacksonville, Florida. But I deeply appreciate your enthusiastic yet pragmatic, thoughtful and insightful writing. Writing and viewpoints like yours restore my faith and hope for the world after I’ve stumbled into reading a news article’s comments section or a Yahoo Answers page or some other terrible idea like that. I like your page on FB and have shared some of your articles; if I were less lazy and more social (even more web social) I would probably be posting and sharing your articles all the time. Thank you again for, well, being awesome. We can’t all be amazing writers. 🙂

  21. I liked your Facebook page back when I stumbled upon your blog (doing some google search for something garden-ey); that night I kept giggling at my computer screen making my husband suspicious of what I was looking at. . .he was not at all surprised to find out that I was reading nothing more risque than a gardening blog. . .he knows me so well. He even said he was “happy for me” to have found your blog, hahahahaha, I love him.

  25. I definitely LOVE you on Facebook!! 🙂 Love your posts and information – always so inspiring and provides great ideas and motivation!

  26. Well, this is a popular one, but I might as well enter! I love your site, and liked your facebook page quite awhile ago. Thanks for all of the info you share so freely.

  27. I’m following you on facebook. Since I live in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, I find your info very useful. Thank you!

  28. Congrats! Love the NW Edible community you have created! I figured out where you were on Pinterest before FB. 🙂 have them all covered now.

  30. I’ve been reading your blog for a while, didn’t realize there was a fb page until today. Now I’ve started following you on there, too!

  31. Thank you for your wonderful, informative blog that I’ve read now for years even though I’m doing the urban homesteading in a completely different climate–Austin, TX! I just “liked” you on Facebook–here’s to more fermenting of your blog!

  33. I liked your Facebook page. I have shared your posts on my Facebook page as well as on our local farmers’ market page. I so enjoy your blog posts! I hope I am randomly picked!

  34. Hi Erica,
    I remember when you got 1000 Facebook followers too…and I didn’t do Facebook at the time and wasn’t one of them, though I’ve been avidly reading your blog since shortly after the very beginning. I just started using Facebook so am liking you now.
    Congratulations on making it to 20,000! And feel free to navel-gaze. You had a bad year. Hope this one’s better!
    Robin

  38. “Sorry to my international readers”

    Well, that’s no good. Boo. And here I thought you could stand on the south side of Zero Ave and I could stand on the north side and we could at least yell hello across the imaginary border somewhere’s in the middle of the road. 🙂

  39. I just liked your page on Facebook. I also want to take the opportunity to let you know how much I love your blog!

  40. I just discovered your blog/FB page and I’m super excited to start learning about how to garden in my little backyard. So far I have one terraced raised bed with mainly flowers but next year I’d like to build another three, put in a compost and get some mason bees!

  41. I’m now a Facebook follower! I found your site through queenbeecoupons when she linked to your chicken coop. Love it and love the site!

  42. Liked you on facebook!

    Already own (and love) The Art of Fermentation, but would love to check out the rest of the collection.

  43. I’ve FB liked you for some time now. If I win, please come deliver the books and help me finish up my half-built hugelkultur bed–you sitting with a latte and ordering me around, no manual labor involved unless you want to–and I’ll take you to lunch!

  44. I’m so thankful that you honor those of us who have a contentious objection to Facebook, like me! 🙂 Thank you!!! I have really enjoyed your blog. I first found out about you when I was looking to make a garden planner. Your Garden Planner and Journal is awesome!!! And I continue to recommend your planner and blog. Thank you for keeping it real and inspiring me. You are wonderful. Xoxo

  46. Hi Erica,
    Congratulations on such a great milestone! I already follow you on FB and have your blog shortcutted on my desktop so when I need to procrastinate from studying, yours is the one I go to and peruse.
    Have a fabulous Fall and here’s to the next 20,000!
    Cheers!

  47. I have a US address, if you pick me. I’ve entered even though I’m in Canada. I ‘liked’ you after finding you through a google search about pectin-less grape jelly. Your exclamation of “Sweet baby Jesus!” after you tasted the apricot jam you made convinced me that I need to read your blog! Then you showed up on my fb page and I read about the generous give-away. If I win, I will give these books to my daughter who is about to start her homesteading/sustainable life. When she finishes a book, she can lend it to me. Fingers crossed!!

  50. I already follow you on Facebook. I love this site and it’s helped me a great deal with planning my own garden (since we’re in the same climate zone). Now if I can only figure out what the heck to do with all the grapes I just harvested…