Why did the chicken cross the road?
Why not?
Seriously (but not too seriously), the idea of raising chickens for eggs or meat has always fascinated me. I don't think I could ever do it but the thought of having fresh eggs and not worrying about meat pedigree and packaging is very appealing.
When the idea first struck me, I read a neat book called Backyard Homestead which is a fantastic resource about using even your own tiny backyard to live off the land to whatever degree you want (it even specifies what kinds of things you can do with the acreage you have, no matter how small). And when it came to the section about raising animals for food, it started with some of the best advice: decide who's going to do the killing and it should probably not be the same person who does the caring, otherwise you'll end up with a lovely pet flock of birds.
As I was examining our library collection, I noticed that I am not the only one with fowl interests, the books we have on raising chickens circulate quite heavily. Along with that, I saw that we could use some more updated resources, so I got to find new books on raising chickens! I have to admit, at least one (I'm sure you can guess which) I chose mostly based on the title but it turned out to be a good guide and includes recipes.
Now, if you're not interested in chickens you can look into raising honeybees, making your own cheese, or growing your own vegetables. "But", I can hear you say "What if I don't want to buy a bunch of books on this stuff if I decide I don't want to do it?"
You're in luck! Because the best place to go is your local Library!!!! The Alamogordo Public Library has books on beekeeping, raising goats, backyard farming, soap and cheese making and even survival guides; you will be well-equipped to be self-sufficient.
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