Domestic nerdvana

Since we have a wonderful library system here and my house is small, I rarely buy books, and the ones I do buy tend to be reference books, like cookbooks, books on gardening, etc. But since I was placing an xmas order on Amazon anyway, I decided to treat myself to a few "hobby" books. (I am an Amazon "associate" but since I have earned a total of $0.17 for my efforts AND they complicated the linking process, I won't bother with that part.)

Hobby: Gardening
Book: Grow Fruit Naturally, by Lee Reich
I probably read about this book on a blog. After borrowing it from the library, I decided I wanted a copy of my own, as I hope to plant a few fruit trees in the back yard. My son expressed an interest in creating an orchard, has one tree so far, so he is getting a copy, too.

Hobby: Cooking
Book: Food in Jars, Melissa McClellan
There is actually a blog called Food in Jars which I read about on another blog. I also borrowed this book from the library before succumbing to its siren call.

Hobby: Baking
Book: The Bread Baker's Apprentice, by Peter Reinhart (Ron Manville photographer)
I forget how I found out about this book, but I downloaded a sample to my Nook, back when I was thinking the Nook would be one way to buy books without filling up my little house (and that would be a good idea if my eyesight were better). The recipes make me swoon.

Hobby: Making cheese
Book: Artisan Cheese Making at Home, by Mary Karlin and Ed Anderson
My interest in making cheese stems from the abundance of raw milk that finds its way into my house - the herd is producing so well, they distributed extra milk at the last delivery. This is the first cheese making book I have found that specifically addresses the differences in using raw vs. pasteurized milk.

(Unfortunately, the Indiana BOAH may bring my raw milk days to an end. After inviting input from the public, they released a report recommending either raw milk not be distributed to off-farm consumers at all or that dairies that do so fall under their jurisdiction for inspections, etc. I think the report is balanced, but I am wary of too much government interference in what is basically a direct transaction between the farmer and the consumer. Where I differ from most raw milk advocates is that I am against selling raw milk in stores, as the introduction of "middlemen" will leave the product vulnerable to mishandling and contamination, plus it would separate the consumer from the producer.)