We’ve put together a list of trusted resources, tools, and recommended reading for homesteaders at every level. These are the books, websites, and tools we actually use and trust.
🌐 Essential Homesteading Websites
- National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) — The gold standard for safe home canning guidance
- USDA Agricultural Marketing Service — Market news, farming resources
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service — Soil health, conservation programs
- eXtension.org — University cooperative extension resources for farmers and homesteaders
- The Old Farmer’s Almanac — Planting calendars, frost dates, weather
📚 Recommended Books
- The Backyard Homestead by Carleen Madigan — An essential beginner guide to homesteading on 1/4 acre or more
- Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving — The definitive canning reference with over 400 tested recipes
- Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens by Gail Damerow — The most thorough poultry reference available
- The Market Gardener by Jean-Martin Fortier — Intensive vegetable growing methods for small plots
- Raising Goats Naturally by Deborah Niemann — A comprehensive natural approach to goat care
🛠️ Tools & Supplies
- Canning Supplies: Ball, Kerr, and Presto are trusted brands for jars, lids, and pressure canners
- Seeds: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Seed Savers Exchange, Johnny’s Selected Seeds
- Chicken Supplies: Premier 1 Supplies, Hentastic
- Garden Tools: Hoss Tools, Johnny’s Selected Seeds tools
📋 Free Printables & Planning Tools
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — Find your zone
- Frost Date Calculator — The Old Farmer’s Almanac
Note: Some links on this page may be affiliate links. See our Affiliate Disclosure for details.