The Forgotten Skills of Self-Sufficiency Used by the Mormon Pioneers

I bought this book with some trepidation based on the less positive reviews saying that it was very basic information. But I was very pleasantly surprised when it arrived! I have been gardening for most of my 43 years [I had my own first plot as a small child]. I am aware of the controversy over Monsanto and hybrid and GMO seeds. I've raised my own chickens. So I already knew a lot before I began reading. That said, I learned quite a few very helpful things from this book. But, beyond the practical educational value, I thought this book was fascinating for the history it gives. I really enjoyed reading the excerps of the actual diaries of the pioneers and getting to see what they did. Is this all "forgotten" information? Well, yes, by most people. But if you are like me and already do a lot of self sufficient things in your garden, then it won't be "forgotten" for you. HOWEVER, you will still gain much by reading this book, not least of all enjoyment! This is a well written and interesting read. I'm very glad I purchased it.

What I appreciated most is that the book feels approachable rather than overwhelming. Self-sufficiency can sound intimidating, but this book presents the subject in a way that makes it feel possible, even for beginners. It’s the kind of guide that encourages you to start small (maybe with gardening, food storage, or basic repairs) and gradually build confidence. The book also has a nostalgic charm. It reminds readers that many “old-fashioned” skills are still incredibly valuable today, especially in a world where rising costs and supply issues make independence more appealing. Even if you don’t plan to live fully off-grid, there are plenty of useful ideas that can be applied to everyday life. My only minor critique is that some readers may want more step-by-step detail depending on their skill level. It works well as a broad introduction and inspiration guide, but absolute beginners may still need additional resources for certain projects.

I purchased this naively thinking I would get "forgotten" skills of self-sufficient farming. That was my mistake. Every "forgotten" skill listed I have seen in other books. It lists things you wouldn't know if you never had a garden, chickens, or tried to preserve food, but if you had any knowledge, first hand or research on a subject you wanted to know, this book is is of little help. This book is a decent 'beginner' book, but pretty much only that. The book covers topics such as raising chickens, creating a garden area, seed saving, fresh food storage, and very, very general ideas on plant types depending on what you are looking for. It covers several topics on a general scale, with only a hand full (and I mean only a hand full) or so of specific ideas or tips for each topic. The section on chickens is the largest as it is 40 out of the 130 pages. If you need or want direction on whether to garden, get chickens, or how to start thinking about tackling those tasks, this book is a good start with pros and cons listed on a few subjects for you to easily see what is involved. If you already have direction and are looking for new info, get a book on your topic of interest, as this will be likely a repeat of info you already have. Great beginner book worth 5 stars, misleading "forgotten skills" which aren't forgotten on the topics in other books (which have more info on the topic) gets 3 stars, average 4 in my mind.

Very informative. Easy read and easily understood.

This book is well written and has helped me to get started with growing my own vegetables year round. I've started placing my kitchen scraps back into the garden instead of throwing these nutrients into the garbage can and sending them to the land fill. It also gave a recipe for making bread using natural slow rising yeast. The recipe for making natural yeast starter was not included but gave a resource to obtain yeast starter. My first loaves of bread were just wonderful. Really enjoyed the whole book and loved his account of how to raise chickens. Highly recommend this book for anyone interested in returning to living naturally and saving money on food costs.

I actually returned this book because it was not at all what I expected. The book did a nice job explaining vegetable gardening and food related skills (canning, etc.) but I was looking for more self-reliance type skills as well. However, that being said, I gave it three stars because the information they did provide (on food) was very nicely done. Maybe a different title is in order.

I loved this book. It fed my insatiable interest in early and mid American history. There are many specifics and accounts form diaries that tell the story that must have been similar for those on the Oregon Trail and other pioneers. There was even a list of what each wagon in the wagon train had to have (minimums and maximums). From a gardening point of view, this was fascinating. Imagine having only a small number of seeds, no ability to order more from a catalog, and not knowing when the last frost is. There were many losses, and the community only pulled through by getting closer. Warnock balanced interesting but currently less critical skills with those that are very useful for a gardener of our time period.

This author brings you back to a time when our ancestors were in the fields/gathering crops/tending stock/fishing/hunting and in general more in tune with mother nature. Made me think that most of us today don't even know where our food comes from or what is in it. So different from not so long ago when our grandparents made a living from the land. His chapters on seed saving are eye opening. His knowledge of self-suffiency and how you can become more independant in how and what put on your table is a chapter everyone should read. There are also a few chapters on maintaining chickens and how to keep them healthy and egg producing. Now, I want chickens! He also includes a few pioneer recipes, nothing fancy just simple nourishing food. I would buy this book again! I ordered it from Amazon and it came promptly with no problems.

This was a very interesting book and taught me several things Not found in similar books. Awesome book. Definitely recommend

Great read, lots of good information.

Good gardening tips, recipes and historic info. References for more detailed info included. An interesting, easy read.

I learned lots from this book.

It’s a good book and an easy read. Lots of good info and lots of chicken info. Well worth it.