Win All of Ashley English’s “Homemade Living” Books In This Giveaway!

Do you know my friend Ashley English? She of the Small Measure blog, author of five (soon to be seven!) books, forest dweller, beekeeper, chicken mama, and hippie homemaker after my own heart. If there ever was a face for the homemade movement, Ashley English should be it. After all, she churned out a stack…

Linda Ly

Written by Linda Ly

Homemade Living book series

Do you know my friend Ashley English? She of the Small Measure blog, author of five (soon to be seven!) books, forest dweller, beekeeper, chicken mama, and hippie homemaker after my own heart. If there ever was a face for the homemade movement, Ashley English should be it. After all, she churned out a stack of some of the best beginner books on the subject: Canning & Preserving, Home Dairy, Keeping Chickens, and Keeping Bees, all of which are part of the “Homemade Living” series by Lark Books.

I finally had a chance to thumb through her books a couple weeks ago and found them full of useful info for anyone aspiring to a more self-sufficient life, indoors or out. If that “anyone” might be you, here’s your chance to win the whole series!

Ashley’s books serve as great getting-started guides, interspersing how-to sections with simple recipes and profiles of local homesteaders. She shares a lot of her own personal experiences in each of these subjects, and writes in a tone that’s personable and easy to read.

Local profile

Hive maintenance

Even if you don’t know the first thing about honey-harvesting (or cheese-making or chicken-feeding), you’ll be led through the process painlessly with plenty of pictures and instructions to reference. I don’t keep bees or make dairy at home (yet), but reading about them makes me want to add to my own homesteading skills. Who knows, maybe next year?!

A few of my favorite things from her books: seasonal checklist for maintaining your beehive, complete plans for building a chicken tractor, step-by-step instructions for both beginner cheeses and advanced cheeses (homemade gorgonzola aged for four months? … one can only dream!), and all the luscious photographs of vegetables and fruits, jellies and pickles (home-canned goods are eye candy to me).

Chicken tractor plans

Jams and jellies

Just in time for Christmas, I have all four books boxed up and ready for shipment to one lucky reader! And, they are all signed by Ashley herself! Whether you want to give them as gifts or keep them for yourself, they’re a thoughtful addition to any bookshelf. One winner will receive the complete “Homemade Living” series, with each book signed by the author (a $70 total value).

How to enter: Leave a comment below and tell me which of the homemade crafts (chicken-keeping, beekeeping, canning, or dairy-making) you’re most interested in learning or improving in the new year. To receive an additional entry, follow @theGardenBetty on Twitter, and leave a second comment below indicating your Twitter username. You have two chances to win!

The giveaway will end at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time on Friday, December 13, 2013. Winner will be drawn at random and announced the following week. Good luck!

Giveaway Rules

  1. Giveaway begins December 9, 2013 and ends December 13, 2013.
  2. No purchase is necessary. To enter, leave a comment on this blog post.
  3. Only US residents ages 18 and older are eligible to enter.
  4. Two entries allowed per person.
  5. Odds of winning are based on number of entries received.
  6. Winner will be drawn at random.
  7. If winner does not respond within 48 hours after time of contact, that entry will be forfeited and a new winner will be drawn.

Lark Books is providing the books for this giveaway. No compensation was received for this post.

Update: A big thanks to everyone who entered!
This giveaway is now closed. The winner is Laurie from Texas.

Linda Ly

I'm a plant lover, passionate road-tripper, and cookbook author whose expert advice and bestselling books have been featured in Time, Outside, HGTV, and Food & Wine. The National Parks Cookbook is my latest book. Garden Betty is where I write about modern homesteading, farm-to-table cooking, and outdoor adventuring—all that encompass a life well-lived outdoors. After all, the secret to a good life is... Read more »

117 Comments

  4. All the books look so interesting. Given where I live and all the rules, I’d better stick to learning more about preserving and the recipes from the home dairy. Thanks for offering the books.

  8. I hope I’m still int time to enter. I’ve been wanting these books for years. Thanks for the chance.

  11. I would love to win these books. I have chickens and I am always looking for information to make my flock happy and healthy. I am also very interested in beekeeping. My dad used to be a beekeeper when I was young. Would love to start a hive, but not sure if I’m allowed where I live. Excited about the giveaway!!!

  12. I have looked at those books and would love to own them! I especially like the beekeeping one–we hope to start hives next spring. I already have chickens but there’s always more information to learn!

  15. I am most interested in keeping chickens. We have to wait a little longer, until my hubby is out of navy next year. A garden is on top of the list too & canning to preseve it all. After we settle down I would love to add a cow to for milk, cheese and butter.

  17. Hi Linda – I love your blog! We have happy chickens thanks to your chicken feed recipe, so I’d have to say I’m most interested in learning more about bees and home dairy.

  21. The husband and I are getting geared up for keeping bees! Our hives are in place and our bees are ordered!

  23. I love the thought of keeping bees as much as the next gal, but it’s just not feasible for me right now. I would love love love to learn more about cheese-making though!

  24. I am a retired art teacher. A year after I retired (I’m 64 years old) I decided to start raising backyard chickens. I started out with two free elderly Rhode Island Reds. Then I bought some Cuckoo Marans chicks. The redcoats laid eggs all summer and into the fall. Sadly one of them passed on to the giant chicken yard in the sky about a month ago. The other old gal has continued to lay several eggs a week even in sub-zero temperatures. She’s a real trooper. Needless to say I want to learn as much as I can about raising the French hens to be healthy, happy chickens (and spoiling them rotten in the process). Their names are Babette, Celeste, Colette, Monique, and Simone. The problem is I can’t tell which is which.

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