Discover the benefits and joys of simple living in this coffee-table book that presents the homestead of Lloyd Khan and Lesley Creed.
If you’ve ever researched a DIY home-building project, then you’ve probably come across the books of Lloyd Kahn. If you’ve ever been curious about self-sufficient living, The Half-Acre Homestead is for you. Lloyd, the former shelter editor of the Whole Earth Catalog, has published several books—including some of the most definitive titles on owner building, such as Shelter and Tiny Homes. Lloyd has showcased hundreds of builders in his books. Now, for the first time ever, he spotlights the work of himself and his wife, Lesley Creed.
Starting with a vacant half-acre piece of land, back in the 1970s, the couple built their own home, created a garden with vegetables and fruit, and began raising chickens, bees, and goats. This book presents every aspect of their homestead, from the kitchen and dining area to the shed and workshop. It also introduces several fascinating aspects of their lifestyle, such as crafting and small-scale farming. It goes on to cover cooking, foraging, fishing, birds, butterflies, and tools.
Book Features
- Detailed look at a homestead built entirely by hand
- More than 500 full-color photos, illustrating every facet of home life
- Tips about building skylights, greenhouses, living roofs, and more
- Section on unique kitchen tools, as well as useful tools for construction
Lloyd and Lesley have never paid rent and never had a mortgage. This coffee-table book is their story of building and maintaining their own home, over a 46-year period, on a small piece of land in Northern California.
In 1974, Lloyd and Lesley started building a home and establishing a garden on a half-acre piece of land in a small town on the northern California coast. Here is their story, along with over 500 photos of their home, the garden, pantry, kitchen, greenhouses, chicken coop, and animal visitors.
The book also covers cooking, foraging, fishing, crafts, birds, butterflies, and tools. Their main theme is that this was all done by hand.
“We both wanted to create a home and grow our own food. I’d been working as a carpenter for about 10 years and had built a homestead in Big Sur in the ’60s. Lesley had been gardening, sewing, and practicing crafts most of her life.
“We wanted to do as much for ourselves as possible, and we wanted to avoid paying rent or getting a mortgage. And we both wanted to have a home built of natural materials, that was functional, practical, and good-feeling.”
