Customer Reviews

The "Have-More" Plan

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

We have converted our large city lot to a mini Have More Plan ranchette. While funky for its dated artwork and nifty lingo, The Have More Plan is an invaluable resource for long-term do-it-yourselfers and country gentlemen. Everything from hacking up chickens to designing the perfect kitchen for home food processing. WE LOVE THIS BOOK!!

I have the great luck to have a copy of this book's first edition, 1947. It went through a major editing in 1970 by the Editors of Mother Earth News. It was edited again, very badly by the editors of Gardenway 1973. The original is very definitely a book, all 326 pages with index. A second edition came out in 1948/9 that added a reference for further reading at the end of each chapter. Most of these pamphlets and books referred to here were were printed by the Country Bookstore which latter became Gardenway and then Storey. Look for the original hardback ca 1947 or 1948 for the second edition. You will have much more satisfaction. There are so many places that ham handed editing have made this book a man's only book. It spends most of its time out side and leaves the kitchen/harvest room to be worked out by the wife and an architect. Giving you no idea what is needed in the way of space, layout or basic equipment.

Written in the forties, this book has a wealth of information for anyone looking to live a self-reliant lifestyle. Contains all the basic information you would need to get started. Extremely helpful in layout of property and farm building design, in order to maximize land and building space and more importantly time. A must have book for modern day homesteaders.

This is a great little book for what it is - an overview of things you can do. It's not in depth and can't be, really. There's entire books devoted to the homestead cow, goat, sheep, poultry etc. Still it's a great overview to get one thinking about how much they can do without a large farm if you manage well. Prices are obviously dated but there's some good diagrams for a raised turkey pen, pigeon loft and 16X20 barn that's worth the cost of the book. There's some discussion of why they did this and they write as absolute urbanized people who moved to the rural area long before the "back to the land" movement. The idea of mowing 3-4-5 acres of land was not even there - *use* it! The putting an orchard and integrating bees and a garden is almost early edible landscaping. It's a great book to sit down with a notebook and look at your land and what you can do with it. It's an idea starter and a basics of information to allow "that sounds great let's find out more" or "I don't think I'd like this one".

This small "book" gives you a good guideline how to start into the "have more" life but for details about i.e. raising chickens, rabbits and veggies you will need more specialised books.
This is more about the idea and how the Robinsons made it work for them.
Very inspiring and worth the money.

This book was written years ago but the authors provide wonderful information which still applies today. It's not only a great peek into the past but it provides relevant advice which everyone who's seeking to build their own independent homestead will find clever and useful. It's a must read.

Yes, this is outdated but full of wise advise. It has everything from cows, chickens, goats, field space, barn construction, pigs, fruit, veggies, hay and even the kitchen design and where to put the driveway. Everything you need to be self-sufficient. Definate must have for a homestead library.

Very happy with this book! Great information to help you become more self sufficient.

If you're into country living/gardening, this book is for you. Lots of good ideas I never would have thought of.

The Have More Plan is more of a long pamphlet than a book. Chatty prose and descriptions of the authors' life on their homestead. An excellent discussion and plan for a real WORKING kitchen. Nearly all of the information is sadly dated, but it does give an interesting look into the lives of early back to the land pioneers--without the political posturing that the Nearings (Helen and Scott) seem to be unable to avoid. Add it to your library of small farming books, but you may find the actual USEABLE information to be thin.