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There are around 16,000 species of bee. Only seven of these are responsible for creating the world's sweetest treat -- honey. Combining Ilona's gorgeous photography and E. Readicker-Henderson's engaging text, A Short History of the Honey Bee follows the journey from flower to hive to honey throughout history.

A Short History of the Honey Bee starts with the story of the honey bee -- why it is named Apis mellifera, how it has evolved from a solitary creature to one that travels in groups, why it stings, and how pollination really works. Readicker-Henderson then moves on to the honey, detailing its history from a wild food foraged for on cliffs to the many varieties available for purchase today. But it is the everyday importance of the bee that remains the central message. Forty percent of the world's food supply -- including apples, tomatoes, and strawberries -- is dependent on pollination by honeybees. Colony collapse, when the worker bees suddenly disappear and leave behind the queen and the hive, is an ecological and agricultural crisis. For this reason alone we need to be more aware of the significance of bees.

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William Cobbett wrote Cottage Economy, published in 1821, with a twofold aim. First, to promote his personal philosophy of self-sufficiency, which he viewed as the foundation of family happiness. And second, to "instruct country laborers in the arts of brewing beer, making bread, keeping cows, pigs, bees, ewes, poultry, rabbits, and other matters." The book has enjoyed classic status ever since.

Though more than 180 years old, Cottage Economy has lost none of its relevance or inspiration for anyone in search of what Cobbett called "a good living." Written with Cobbett's typical wit - and bulldog curmudgeonliness - it deserves its reputation as the founding bible of self-sufficiency and one of the greatest rural reads in the English language.

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People have always grown food in urban spaces—on windowsills and sidewalks, and in backyards and neighborhood parks—but today, urban farmers are leading an environmental and social movement that transforms our national food system. To explore this agricultural renaissance, brothers David and Michael Hanson and urban farmer Edwin Marty document 12 successful urban farm programs, including an alternative school for girls in Detroit, a backyard food swap in New Orleans and a restaurant supply garden on a rooftop in Brooklyn. Each beautifully illustrated essay offers practical advice for budding farmers, such as guidance on composting and keeping livestock in the city, decontaminating toxic soil, and even changing zoning laws.

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First published in 1937, this woodworking classic reveals a fascinating look into the social structure of a 19th-century English town and a carpenter's place in it. Encapsulating a time before power tools and mass production, when woodworkers made virtually everything, Walter Rose writes eloquently on a number of topics, including running a country business; the carpenter's shop; working on a farm, new home and windmill; undertaking; and furniture repairs. Manifesting the importance of skill and the attitudes of the craftsman to his tools and work, this book will be of great interest to any carpenter or woodworker with an appreciation for the history of their craft.

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The tools for a sustainable future continue to grow! In this book, Max and Eva Edleson offer a comprehensive guide for planning and building a practical, efficient and affordable wood-fired oven. The barrel oven offers surprising convenience: It's hot and ready to bake in within 15-20 minutes, and maintaining it at a constant temperature is easy.

The barrel oven can be the seed for a small-scale baking enterprise or the heart of a community's wood-fired cuisine. All kinds of food can be baked in it, including bread, roasts, pizza, cookies, cakes, pies, casseroles and stews. Follow this step-by-step guide to transform local, low-cost materials and the sun's energy into good food.

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Build a honey extractor. Use top-bar hives. Bake with honey. Find your favorite honeybee. Read about all this and more with GRIT's Guide to Backyard Bees and Honey, 3rd Edition. This treasure-trove of bee knowledge has more than 75 ways to get more from your bees. Cover-to-cover, this 100-page guide includes great advice, tips, techniques, instructions, recipes and more to help you get started with beekeeping … or, if you are a seasoned beekeeper, to help you learn new tricks of the trade.

Save money while building your own beehive or honey extractor with simple materials available at your local hardware store. Read how to use a top-bar hive, a less expensive method to raising bees that will pollinate your crops and provide tasty honey fresh from the comb. Honey adds something natural, healthy and sweet to any recipe, whether it's appetizers or main dishes.

More articles include:

• Top Tips for Happy Bees: Expert advice for novice urban beekeepers.
• Bee Byproducts: Honey is but one of the items created by ever-industrious honeybees.
• Go Native with Wild Bees: The humble little orchard mason bee is the best-kept (pollinator) secret.
• The Case of the Disappearing Honeybees: What is colony collapse disorder, and what can be done?
• Winterizing Your Bees … Naturally: There may be snow on the ground and ice on the trees, but your bees are a balmy 96 degrees Fahrenheit inside their hive.
• And more!

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Beds, organizers, Adirondack chairs, a play table, and more! It's easy to build inexpensive, quality furnishings with this indispensible collection of woodworking projects from Ana White, the popular blogger who has inspired millions of homemakers with her stylish furniture plans and DIY spirit. As a young mom on a tight budget, White learned to make her own well-designed pieces inspired by the styles in her favorite stores ... saving thousands of dollars in the process. Now, in this reference for woodworkers of all skill levels, Ana shares everything she has learned along the way. Inside The Handbuilt Home you'll find:

• Plans for 34 versatile furniture projects for every room in your house ... from beginner-friendly home accessories to sturdy tables, a media center, kids' items and storage solutions
• Comprehensive information on using off-the-shelf lumber and basic equipment ... almost every project can be made with a drill, a saw and some hand tools
• Easy-to-follow instructions, costs and time estimates to guide even the most amateur of carpenters through any project

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MOTHER EARTH NEWS and GRIT come together to bring you 600 pages of expert advice, recipes, do-it-yourself projects and more information on living a self-sufficient life. This set covers everything from organic gardening to bees and honey, from backyard rabbits to self-reliance and country skills. The do-it-yourself projects include energy-saving household updates as well as instructions for constructing chicken coops, outdoor bread ovens and permanent garden beds. Follow recipes for baking sourdough bread, preparing rabbit meat, fixing delicious egg dishes, and cooking with honey. Discover how to save money with energy-saving tips for your home, and how to cut your food bills in half by growing your own food right in your own backyard.

This set includes:
MOTHER EARTH NEWS Guide to Organic Gardening, 4th Edition
This glossy-paged guide is perfect for beginners or expert gardeners. It covers everything from perennial vegetables to choosing a greenhouse, from organic pest control to making compost. Read how poultry is the secret weapon for organic pest control. Learn how to make the best homemade tomato cages. Or plan out your kitchen garden with four delightful herb gardens plans.

MOTHER EARTH NEWS Guide to Self-Reliance and Country Skills, 2nd Edition
With more than 20 articles, this guide has hundreds of great ideas for self-reliant living. From preserving food to small-space gardening, from backyard chickens to making your own yogurt and cheese, this special guide has a wide variety of information that will help you lead a sustainable life.

GRIT Guide to Homemade Bread, 3rd Edition
Bread, bagels, pretzels, pizza crust, cookies and more! All of these delicious homemade creations can be found in this Guide to Homemade Bread. This guide includes more than 53 keys to successful bread making, outdoor bread oven plans, fail-proof no-knead breads, top bread machines tips and more.

GRIT Guide to Backyard Rabbits, 2nd Edition
You'll find more than 25 keys to a successful rabbit-raising enterprise in this special Barnyard Series guide. Learn about raising rabbits for meat and breeding stock. Build rabbit homes and learn what equipment you'll need. Read about a basic bunny diet that will keep them happy and healthy, and also discover so much more.

GRIT Guide to Backyard Chickens, 4th Edition
Calling all chicken enthusiasts! The fourth edition of this popular guide is overflowing with expert advice, key facts and easy chicken coop plans that will have both beginner and seasoned chicken owners crowing for joy! Read how to build a broiler coop on a shoestring budget. Build the perfect chicken tractor. Learn which heritage hens are the best for laying eggs. Follow the wide variety of delicious chicken recipes this book has to offer.

GRIT Guide to Backyard Bees and Honey, 3rd Edition
This treasure-trove of bee knowledge has more than 75 ways to get more from your bees. Cover-to-cover, this guide includes tips on saving money while building your own beehive or honey extractor with simple materials available at your local hardware store. Read how to use a top-bar hive, a less expensive method to raising bees that will pollinate your crops and provide tasty honey fresh from the comb.

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Are you looking for creative ways to lower your energy costs, generate more of your own power, or become less reliant on the grid? Energy expert Paul Scheckel offers practical advice for taking matters into your own hands. Understand the fundamentals of solar, wind, water and biofuel energy production as you make your home ready for renewables. Each chapter of The Homeowner's Energy Handbook provides a comprehensive discussion of renewable energy sources, along with "green guides" for building your own energy-saving (and energy-producing) equipment. Step-by-step instructions show you how to build a bicycle-powered generator, biodiesel processor, thermosiphon solar hot-water collector, biogas generator, smokeless wood-gas camp stove, and more. Whether you want to button up your house to be more energy-efficient, find deep energy savings or take your home entirely off the grid, this guide has the knowledge and skills you need to reduce your use, then produce!