As I write this, it is snowing sideways. The snowflakes are actually coming down horizontally. The Raising Chickens book is almost complete and I'm getting geared up to begin writing about Canning & Preserving. At present, I am flanked by 4 of my 5 cats. The wood stove is ablaze and these cats know a good thing when they feel it. I was wondering this morning, when all 5 cats were surrounding me, why it is that, when people go crazy in their homes, there is often an unusually large number of cats to be found in the vicinity. Why don't people loose touch with reality whilst in the company of numerous dogs, or rabbits, or parakeets? Why cats? Well, I have 5 and though the sanity level in my home can be questionable at times, I feel as though my bearings are on fairly tight. But I digress....The intention of this post is to conduct an unofficial poll. I'm looking ahead to the next two books in the series, and it was suggested by my editor's boss that I poll my readership, as well as the readers of several other blogs, to determine what book topics people are most interested in reading about. So far, potential future topics include, but are in no way limited to:
-bread-making
-bee-keeping
-cheese-making
-organic gardening/edible landscaping
-cordials, elixirs, and bitters
-salting, smoking, drying, and cellaring
-herbal products for baby, bath, pets, and home
-growing your own flowers
So, what strikes you as most intriguing? What seems most timely? What is missing? Those of you who might read blog this regularly (or sporadically!) and have not yet commented (or "de-lurked" as it is known in blog-speak), please feel free to do so. In fact, feel free to poll your own readers, if you are yourself a blogger. Thanks in advance for your feedback!
i would be interested in frugal living and prolonging the season's bounties... like with preserving and fermenting. simple frugal homemaking/foody things that an apartment dweller (with access to a good farmers market) could do..
ReplyDeleteThey loose their minds flanked by four goats though
ReplyDeletemoonshine...or maybe that should be my book.
ReplyDeletei'd like to see:
ReplyDelete-bread-making
-bee-keeping
-cordials, elixirs, and bitters
-herbal products for baby, bath, pets, and home
but of course... i am just one reader.
-bee-keeping for sure
ReplyDelete-love the edible garden, but i'm imagining edible flowers and maybe even edible "weeds"
-how about homebrewing? or is that illegal?
-functional/medicinal eating (like fermenting, bitters, diet alterations, tonics etc)
-homemade herbal stuff, like baths, facial stuff, etc. & stuff for us sensitive skinned folks!
I like them all and will read anything you write...But,thinking in terms of what I could possibly use (if I had time), I like 1. herbal products 2. edible landscaping 3. cordials, etc 4. cheese 5. slating, smoking, etc.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to do homebrewing (as Rachel suggested), Frank could really help you out. (and no it is not illegal unless you sell it!)
beekeeping + bread making + edible herbs & flowers
ReplyDeleteWell, they ALL sound so good.
ReplyDelete-bee-keeping
-cheese-making
-cordials, elixirs, and bitters
I'd buy Rachel's book on "functional/medicinal eating (like fermenting, bitters, diet alterations, tonics etc)"
Kombucha anyone?
Beekeeping because of the urgent ecological and food systems need for bees; salting, smoking, drying, and cellaring because there aren't good current/modern comprehensive resources and because of the inherently green (foodprint, powerdown) aspects are my 2 faves.
ReplyDeleteit all sounds good. my faves are cheese-making and beekeeping. anything "urban farming" related also piques my interest...ways to bring the farm life to your 500sqft apartment. :-)
ReplyDeletebee-keeping and cheese-making
ReplyDeleteHi! I found your blog through "BlogAsheville" and Wednesday's post introducing new bloggers. I really like your site ... you have such an interesting variety of posts.
ReplyDeleteI think any of your subjects would be interesting. I'm particularly interested in "green" living so ... anything on environment and saving the earth would definitely get my attention.
Take Care!
Small Footprints
http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com
I'd have to say bee-keeping (Fred's said since I met him he'd like to get into it), and herbal products for baby, bath and pets. There are likely more books on the market about the latter, but I have a feeling you could add a very unique, user-friendly, and refreshingly Ashley-esque perspective to the niche.
ReplyDeleteWe are making the dive into bees next year. So, I would put that one up there. My wife is French. So, I have to vote for cheese. And, I have taught myself how to make some mean charcuterie. So, I would also vote for meat curing.
ReplyDelete