I have an addiction

I am addicted to information.  I love reading.  The Bible, online articles, blogs, self help books, magazines, brochures, textbooks.  You name it.  I absolutely ABHOR going anywhere without something to read.  Just ask my kids, they do not bet my obsession for reading and for "knowing".   One of my mottoes are "you can never have too many books".  I don't care what anyone says, it just isn't possible.  I always aspire to more.  It is always possible to squeeze one more book into the house (even if your house is 360 sq feet). 

Anytime, I see someone recommending a book that will help with being self sufficient, homesteading, herbal medicine and related topics, I need that book.  Sometimes, I am frugal enough to check it out of the library to read first.  Then if I like it I will buy it.  A few times, I have been lucky enough to find them FREE at the local library.  I love our library.  They have this area in their foyer that has all kinds of free things.  Books, magazines, videos, books on tape, color sheets for the kids.  Granted some of these books are free for a reason.  While I cringe at the thought of burning a book, a few of these are only bonfire fodder.  If I had thought of it, I would have brought it home and thrown it in the wood stove, but I was so weirded out by it, I could only shake my head and move on.

We did manage to get several Veggie Tale VHS tapes for free.  Most people nowadays have DVD players.  Our van has a VCR and DVD player, and the VCR gets used the most.  PS2 LOVES Veggie Tales. 

The library also had a Book Sale a year ago.  I really wish they would have another one.  I managed to get a TON of really great reference books like How to Weave a Rug, How to Raise Livestock on a Small Scale, really useful information...to a would be homesteader type.

I don't have many magazine subscriptions.  I view most as a waste of time and money, but I do have one to Backwoods Home Magazine.  In my opinion, it is the BEST magazine.  I love their companion website too.  They are my main source of information these days, and "how tos".

Many of these helpful books also have a list of their own recommended books/magazines that should be read, in order to give you a well rounded view and perspective on homesteading.  I'd hate to duplicate that, but I can give you a list of the ones I have found useful. 

Storey's Guide to Country Skills
The Encyclopedia of Country Living
Five Acres and Independence
Ten Acres Enough
The Self Sufficient Life and How to Live it
Stocking Up
Any Herbal book by Penelope Ody
Where there is no Doctor, and Where there is no Dentist
Cooking with home storage by Peggy Layton
All the resouce books from Backwoods Home (especially Jackie Clay's book and the Emergency Preparedness Book)

These books have saved me many a time.  If I didn't know how to do something, I looked it up.  Then I write notes in the margin of what really worked and what didn't. 

So get to reading, try all your resources from FREE to Amazon.  But stay away from those big bookstores, they often don't have the books you need, and give you "the look" when you ask.