Product Review Monday

Possibly because of my background in biology, I have a keen interest in low-impact living. Lifestyles involving green living, zero-waste, frugality, low carbon footprint … they all fascinate me. It might seem counterintuitive to admit this while being a constitutional conservative, but there you go. I enjoy the challenge, I guess.

But when I read the book “No Impact Man,” I knew I’d met my match. As the title implies, the author (Colin Beavan) is a New York City man who did the unthinkable: He actually tried to practice what he preached.

According to the Amazon blurb: “In No Impact Man, a guilty liberal finally snaps, swears off plastic, goes organic, becomes a bicycle nut, turns off his power, and generally becomes a tree-hugging lunatic who tries to save the polar bears and the rest of the planet from environmental catastrophe while dragging his baby daughter and Prada-wearing, Four Seasons-loving wife along for the ride. And that’s just the beginning. In other words, no trash, no toxins in the water, no elevators, no subway, no products in packaging, no air-conditioning, no television…”

Honestly, it’s a great read. Truthful, painful, funny, insightful. “No Impact Man” is admirable if for no other reason than it shows just how rough life can be without the conveniences we take for granted.

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Don’s book recommendation this week is a volume entitled “Barns, Sheds and Outbuildings.” He writes:

I have a lot of building projects ahead of me for the next year (or two, or three).

I plan to build an awning across the back of the barn to provide more shelter for the cows, as well as to cut down on the muck. I will also be building a tractor and implement shed, a guest house, a garden shed, and a milk kitchen.

Whenever I do these kinds of buildings, I consult a number of farm and homestead construction books, mostly for ideas or factors I haven’t thought of. “Barns, Sheds and Outbuildings” is one of those references.

I have a hard copy, a reprint of the original volume which was first published in 1881. It’s an “ideas” book. It’s not as detailed as some, probably because it was written for people who already knew how to build things that won’t fall down. It’s packed full of 250-plus illustrations from dairy barns to dog houses.

“Barns, Sheds and Outbuildings” is a great reference source, and I highly recommend it.

(Obligatory disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate, if you purchase through those links, we earn a small commission.)

(Don’t forget: A complete list of all our book and product recommendations are linked here and at the upper-right column of the blog.)

Source: http://www.rural-revolution.com/2025/10/product-review-monday_19.html