Ashley English is one of the hardest working women in the homemade movement that I know. In the last two years, she had published a series of four books (having only managed to write one in the same period of time, I am entirely gobsmacked by this accomplishment) with another one in the works. She also maintains her blog and contributes to Design*Sponge. And did I mention that she also had a baby during that same period. Truly, she is a marvel.
More than a month ago now, Ashley sent me an email to ask if I’d be interested in giving away a collection of her four Homemade Living books, Canning & Preserving
I’ve used recipes from both Canning & Preserving and Home Dairy to really good result. The writing is appealing and approachable and the recipes just work. And while I don’t have the ability to keep either chickens or bees, I must confess to occasionally flipping through those books. Aspirational reading, if you will.
Now, to the giveaway. Here are the details…
- To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post and share which book you’re most excited about.
- Comments will close at 11:59 pm eastern time on Wednesday, September 7, 2011.
- Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only (apologies to my more far-flung readers).
- One entry/comment per person, please.
Disclosure: Ashley’s publisher sent me copies of three of these books (I already owned the canning & preserving book having bought it when it first came out) and are provided the set of four for the giveaway. However, despite the books and my unconcealed admiration for Ashley and her homemade living empire, my opinions are still all my own.
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Hi, thanks for the opportunity! Since I have to choose, the Keeping Chickens book excites me the most right now. I want my family to be more self-sufficient, and would love to put in a coop.
Keeping chickens!
Thank you for introducing me to this series! I am most excited about the preserving book and am curious to read the one on keeping chickens.
They all sound awesome, but I think the dairy one would be my pick.
My husband and I are rehabbing our first house into a small urban homestead. This morning I plotted with my neighbor about the location of our future chicken coop and which way my salvaged old chicken coop windows will face. Later this afternoon I’m canning some lemon basil jelly…desperately trying to keep the basil jungle at bay in my front yard. As I write this, I am suddenly reminded that keeping bees should be at the top of my list for next year, so I can’t wait to have a copy of Keeping Bees to get the plans rolling. As for tonight? I suppose I’ll struggle of into slumber day dreaming about how I can find a way to buy the adjacent vacant property, tear down the house, and extend our property so maybe just maybe I can have a goat or two. Homemade goat cheese should really be added to my cheese making repertoire. Which reminds me maybe tomorrow will be a mozzarella day.
Whoa! That’s a lot of comments. But I still want those books! I’m most interested in the canning book, but also think the beekeeping edition would be a nice introduction to something I’d like to know more about.
I’m most excited about the bee book–my wife is gaga for bees and I’d love to know more about keeping them! We have dreams of chickens and goats for milking, too, though, and of course I can, so the whole fleet would be amazing.
I am most interested in Keeping Chickens – I really want to have chickens in my large backyard.
I am new to canning and have a secret desire to raise chickens!! If life afforded me I am sure I would have my own small farm!
I am most interested in Keeping Bees. I would also love the canning book and I would love the keeping chickens–but my husband has vetoed it… I would love the books.
I would love the dairy book, and would give the chicken book to my gfriend. She is getting her chicks delivered tomorrow!!
Would love the canning book and thanks for introducing me to her work. Am new to the canning world…
Seriously excited about ALL the books! I am a pastry chef and am very interested in the locovore movement. This year my family is doing a CSA share in addition to keeping our own backyard chickens. I have recently gotten into canning and preserving and LOVE creating my own recipes. Would LOVE to have the books.
My current motto: eat, sleep, preserve! Canning/Preserving is at the top of my list but I would devour them all!
It’s a toss up between the canning and preserving book and the home dairy book. I think any of those books would likely inspire me to start new projects though!
All the books look awesome!
I would love the Canning & Preserving Book. I am learning to can more items, other than just plain vegetables. I would love some new recipes to try.
Ooh, I know I’d use the canning book, but I think I’m most excited about the book on chickens. Word is, the zoning in my neighborhood may be changing soon to allow chickens!
Canning and Preserving FTW!!!
I am just new to canning. I am looking for all the help and suggestions I can get. We also own 4 chickens. I need help with them too. Who knew Chickens could be so fickle. I need to know why mine are. Your blog is great I would love to try some of these recipes. Where do you get all the produce to can. Is it mostly purchased or do you grow it. I’m not sure if purchasing fruit and veggie’s to can is economical. I can totally see it being worth it if I have grown the food myself.
I dream of becoming a homesteader and the chicken and bee books would be an awesome addition to my growing collection of planning to live the dream books.
Gahh!! So many blogs I follow site Ashley’s books and it’s hard to say which I would be most excited to pour over- I think the canning book for now and the bees and chickens for some day soon when I am done with residency, out of the city, and hopefully living on the land somewhere. Thanks for the give away!!
I am most excited about the “Home Dairy” book. I’ve never tried to make my own cheese or yogurt, but I fantasize about it! I need to take the plunge…
Canning and Perserving for sure. I love her website and yours. Thanks for keeping up the hard work so we can all be inspired
ooooo, great give-away! most excited about backyard chickens as we have plans in the works for this! already have home dairy and love love love it. thanks for the great offer!
I think that the book that most intrigues me is the one about keeping bees. We bought forty acres of ranch land this year and plan to move, build, and live off the grid in the next five years. There will be plenty of room for bees!
Chickens! I so want to start keeping chickens next year!
i’m sure i’d pore over them all with a fine-toothed comb time and time again, however my hubby and i are curious about keeping bees–that would be the one he’d be most excited about! me? love to see what other dairy peeps are up to.
They all sound interesting, but maybe the beekeeping book. My sister and niece are interested in both beekeeping, and raising chickens in an urban setting.
All of these books look thoroughly appealing to me, but the one at the top of my list would have to be Canning & Preserving, with the Dairy book taking a close second
I’m interested in the canning book as I have only canned once with a friend, but would love to know how so I can build a more comprehensive pantry and create fun food gifts as well.
My canning references(Ball blue book and Bernardin canning book) are from my mother (25 years ago) so I like reading newer publications. Your blog is so fun for me! So the book in this set that I would use first would be canning and preserving. Keeping chickens and bees rates up there too…hoping to get a small farm in the next few years!
I REALLY want to have chickens someday… but for the present time I’m most excited about the canning & preserving book! Thanks for the great giveaway!
I just started making jams and jellies, I had thought about it before, but it wasn’t until I started making baby food from the farmers market produce for my son that i actually tried to make anything. I’m really interested in the canning and preserving book. I think I’d like to go beyond baby food inspired jams.
How wonderful they look beautiful! The chicken book is the one I am most excited about as we are in the process of building our own chicken coop.
This is a truly great giveaway, I hope I win! I’m most excited about the canning and preserving book, although all look incredibly useful!
I just got her Home Dairy book from the library! The recipe look fabulous, but I haven’t had a chance to make anything yet. I would LOVE to have the set!
I want to become as self-sufficient as possible and would love all of these books!
[...] are truly excellent resources. Sadly, I have but one set to give away and random.org has selected #927. That’s the comment left by Shelagh, who [...]