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. I love your pages. I am fairly new to gardening and I love that you are from the PNW so almost everything applies to my area too. I have liked both your blog and Facebook pages. Thank you for your knowledge and support.
    Congratulations on 20,000 likes!

  3. Wow! Half of those books are on my wishlist. I’ve been following you on facebook for a while now. I love your recipes, ideas, rants and raves. Thanks for sharing!

  5. Congratulations, Erica, on a phenomenal milestone. Thank you for taking the time to create this blog and the community that has ensued. Already follow your FB page and am psyched about the book giveaway – what awesome titles!

  9. I already liked your Facebook page and I love all the posts! I would love to have all those books too!!!

  10. I’ve “liked” your Facebook page for a while, and loved your blog since I started reading. Thank YOU so much for all the inspiration and honesty (even though I garden in the Midwest in zone 4 ;)).

  11. I’m self-disqualified, since I am proud to be Erica’s dad. But it sure makes me happy that your writing inspires so many readers. Well done, sweetie!

    GAD

  12. Hi there! I’ve been following you on FB for a while and would be thrilled to win these books!! I’m always inspired and a bit jealous of your posts. I own/operate a tiny, insanely urban farm (Nightlight Farm) in St Johns, Portland. If you’re ever in the neighborhood you should come check it out!

  14. Done! I’m planning on doubling the size of our garden next year (in Redmond, WA), so I need all the planning tools and inspiration I can get.

  15. Love your blog. Hate Facebook. Gardening in Santa Fe now (horrible) but previous (and soon future, too!) in the Pacific Northwest.

  16. I follow you on facebook. I love that you are from the Pacific Northwest as I am also. It is nice to see information that is for our area. Would love to win the set of books! Congratulations on this milestone!!

  19. Congratulations! I just found your blog a few days ago, and I’m hooked. I love your writing, the content is exactly what I was looking for, and you’re local.

    I’m new to canning, and feel much more confident after reading all about it on your blog and the links to other pages. The botulism poster was my fave.

    I like your page on Facebook, and I email my sisters posts from your blog all the time.

  20. I’ve been following for over a year and saying like crazy! You have helped take my garden and canning from good to insane lol… just made 100 jars of your tomato sauce from the skins 😉 I would have thrown all that out like every year before! Dying to get into fermentation but a bit scared. Thank you for such an awesome givaway!

  21. I’m glad that you’re part of my facebook feed because it reminds me to occasionally dig around your blog (really bad about remembering the location of cool things I find online).

  22. I have been enjoying and sharing your blog on FB for awhile now. I love having the NW perspective represented through your resourceful and helpful posts. Yes, I liked you on FB several months ago. ☺

  24. Hi, I am a relatively new fan. I liked you on Facebook today . Thanks for all the great info on your blog. I would love to win the books. Thanks for the opportunity!

  25. I’ve “liked” you on Facebook and have been following you since my trip to the Northwest. I love the area and live vicariously through you while being in the Midwest.

  26. Your comments, suggestions, and ideas are always interesting and practical – thank you for taking the time to share.

  29. I liked you ages ago and although I’ve given up FB as the insatiable time sucker that it is, your blog is on my Feedly feed. Thanks for everything you do.

  32. I already follow NWEdible on Facebook and Love your posts and your blog! Thanks for the chance to win books that are on my wish list!!!

  34. I enjoy your blog and your Facebook page very much. I would love the opportunity to win these precious books!

  36. Thank you for your great blog and for fostering such great community! That’s a great collection of books you are offering.
    I live in BC, but I’ll be visiting my cousin near Seattle soon… can we pretend that he is entering?! 🙂

  39. I follow you on facebook, and your blog looks amazing! And I love gardening books and anything similar in topic! Thanks!

  42. congratulations! I’m in michigan but find a lot of your information very useful. I would especially like to read about keeping chickens and a garden since I had some problems when I tried to do this.

  43. Congrats on 20K! I’ve followed your blog and your FB for almost a year now. Even though my climate is completely different (I’m in the Central Valley of California), I’ve enjoyed reading your articles as well as the things you’ve shared on FB. This giveaway looks amazing!

    THANKS!

  46. I follow you on facebook, still dreaming of my own urban garden. The books look awesome! I am living abroad, but if I were to win they could be shipped to my sister in the US… I hope that is ok.

  47. Congratulations on an amazing milestone! And thanks for the wonderful blog. I don’t have time to read it as often as I’d like.

    I like you on Facebook. This is a very generous giveaway. If I am lucky enough to be chosen, I will re-gift The Art of Fermentation since I already have a copy. Thanks!

  48. Thanks for all your post on Facebook, your Facebook post are some of my favorites. Just found your blog. Thanks for running this give away. 🙂

  49. I saw your blog and immediately started following you on Facebook. I live remote in southeast Alaska and garden on a float which has it’s challenges, I feel with similar weather I will certainly learn many practices I can incorporate into my gardens here.
    Really enjoy your personality ! Thank you!

  50. I “liked” your FB site a while ago….I “love” your site and posts….keep it up! Cheers!