Best Sustainable Agriculture Books of 2025

Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre is a comprehensive guide that covers everything you need to know about small-area farming. It offers a holistic approach to producing 85% of an average family's food on just a quarter acre while earning $10,000 in cash annually. The book includes topics such as composting, raising chickens, water and irrigation, dealing with pests, and much more. Brett L. Markham, the author of the bestselling Mini Farming series, provides detailed materials, tools, and techniques with photographs, tables, diagrams, and illustrations. This book is a must-have for anyone interested in self-sufficiency and small-scale farming.

This book, titled "40 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead: A Hands-on, Step-by-Step Sustainable-Living Guide" by Creative Homeowner, is a comprehensive guide to building backyard structures that enhance sustainable living. From garden structures to chicken coops, sheds, fences, and more, this book provides step-by-step instructions, tools, materials lists, and easy-to-understand techniques to build over 40 projects. The book is designed with simplicity, convenience, and budget in mind, making it accessible to even moderately handy individuals. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for those looking to become self-sufficient and save money by doing it themselves.

The Backyard Homestead is a comprehensive guide to homesteading that covers everything from growing and preserving a sustainable harvest of grains and vegetables to raising animals for meat, eggs, and dairy. With easy-to-follow instructions on canning, drying, and pickling, this book provides all the necessary information to enjoy your backyard bounty all year long. Even if you're not ready for complete self-sufficiency, this book is a great way to get started. The well-organized chapters cover all the bases, and the tone is sweet and accessible. Overall, The Backyard Homestead is a must-have for homestead enthusiasts and those looking to produce some of their own food.

Polyface Designs is a comprehensive guide for building scalable farming infrastructure, featuring tips and tricks from Polyface Farm's half-century of trial and error. Written by Joel Salatin and illustrated by former Polyface apprentice Chris Slattery, this book offers detailed diagrams and building specifications for constructing everything from broiler shelters to corral gates. The 568-page book is in full color and is a beautiful addition to any coffee table. Despite its cover price, the cost is easily justified by the many money-saving building tips included. Overall, this book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in sustainable farming practices.

The Chicken Health Handbook, 2nd Edition is a comprehensive guide for all chicken owners who want to keep their flock healthy and happy. The book covers common health problems that plague chickens, with practical remedies and preventative care measures that will help your beloved flock stay safe. The book also includes detailed descriptions of troublesome ailments of all types, from poor egg production to crooked toe syndrome. This book is a must-have for all chicken lovers, especially for beginners and experienced flock owners. The extensive pictures, illustrations, and explanations in the new edition make it required reading for anyone interested in keeping a strong flock.

The Sustainable Homestead is a comprehensive guide for homesteaders looking to create a thriving permaculture ecosystem with their garden, animals, and land. Author Angela Ferraro-Fanning brings over a decade of experience to the table, offering tips and techniques for everything from soil regeneration to holistic pest management. This book is an excellent resource for both new and seasoned homesteaders, offering detailed information on site selection, soil health, growing techniques, pasture design, animal husbandry, composting, and more. Overall, The Sustainable Homestead is an informative and practical guide that will help homesteaders achieve their dreams of working with the land in a sustainable way.

Stress-Free Chicken Tractor Plans is a comprehensive guide for building a mobile broiler chicken shelter for pastured poultry. The book provides step-by-step instructions, including plans and a supply list, to create a structure that is easy to move and provides a healthy lifestyle for chickens. The author, John Suscovich, has raised thousands of chickens using these mobile shelters, making this an excellent resource for farmers and homesteaders. The book also includes light carpentry skills and commonly used knots on a farm. Overall, this book is an excellent addition to any agriculture industry book collection and a must-read for anyone interested in raising chickens on grass.

Regrow Your Veggies by CompanionHouse Books is an insightful guide that teaches readers how to grow over 20 popular vegetables, herbs, and fruits right at home using scraps. With step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting advice, including tips on dealing with pests and pathogens, this book helps reduce waste, save money, and provide a source of fresh and healthy produce. From scallions and lettuce to galangal, Jerusalem artichoke, and mango, readers can learn how to regrow their favorite foods and produce them sustainably. Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone looking to take sustainability to the next level and produce their own food with ease.

The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner is a comprehensive guide for farmers and gardeners, written by Ann Larkin Hansen. The book provides expert advice on what tasks to do around your farm and when to do them, no matter where you live. For each area of the farm, including the barn, garden, orchard, field, pasture, and woodlot, Hansen sets the priorities and provides an at-a-glance to-do list for every critical turn of the year. The book also includes easy-reference charts, checklists, and record-keeping sections to help you keep track of everything. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for anyone looking to manage their farm or garden efficiently.

The Beginner's Guide to Raising Chickens is a comprehensive and user-friendly guide for anyone interested in keeping chickens in their backyard. Anne Kuo covers everything from selecting the right breed, constructing a coop, caring for chicks, and identifying and addressing potential issues. The book is written in a fun and engaging style, making it a pleasure to read even for those with no prior experience. The book is a must-have for anyone looking to start raising chickens or improve their current practices. Its unique approach to chicken keeping sets it apart from other books in the animal husbandry category.