If you’ve not ever seen them, then you are missing out! Storey Country Wisdom Bulletins can be spotted on free standing racks in all sorts of country and farm stores. I remember the first time I ever saw them was at Lehmans in Kidron, Ohio, and I was immediately hooked! These topic-specific, easy to handle and read 32-page booklets were so interesting to me as a homesteader and lover of all things arts, crafts and country life skills. And as of this post they are just $3.99 on Amazon! So needless to say I am THRILLED to be partnering with Storey Publishing to be able to share my thoughts (and the place to purchase) these bulletins.
Even though I’ve enjoyed the bulletins over the years, right now I am devouring the information in seven specific publications. (By the way- Storey currently has more than 100 Country Wisdom Bulletins in print- and have all that information available to us as readers!). So I am focused right now on some things to enjoy during the hibernation months, and to help me prepare for spring. I’m reading Quilting Basics, Baking with Sourdough, Homemade Treats for Happy, Healthy Dogs, Pruning Trees, Shrubs & Vines, 10 Essential Herbs for Lifelong Health, Making European Breads, and Weaving Country Baskets.
Here’s a brief synopsis of each-
Quilting Basics– I am fortunate that my MiMi taught me to quilt many years ago, but as the years went by I didn’t keep up with what I had learned. This bulletin provides simple steps and concepts for everything from the history of quilting, to picking out the fabric, how to construct and care for a quilt, and even several quilt piece patterns. I’m currently going through my fabric stash to determine what fabrics will make a new quilt for our home.
Baking with Sourdough– okay, after 2020 I think we’ve probably all at least attempted sourdough. But did you know you can make so much more than just bread? This bulletin gives you all the basics for getting your starter going, and keeping it going. And it also includes some amazing sounding recipes! From the most basic bread to pretzels, crackers, chocolate cake and even cherry cobbler! I’m inspired to get a starter going again after reading this!
Homemade Treats for Happy, Healthy Dogs– yes, I have a couple of very spoiled poodles and an equally spoiled German Shepherd. And they love their treats and I’ve often made homemade treats for them. But there is always something new to learn and this bulletin has the best recipes! I’ve tried the Peanut Butter biscuits for them, and I can’t wait to treat my canines with things like Apple and Honey Delight, Cream Cheese-Apple Surprise, and HoneyDew Ice. They sound so good I may have to try them too!
Pruning Trees, Shrubs & Vines– last year we put in a new fruit orchard and all the trees and bushes seem to be doing pretty good. But we knew they would need some pruning. The wisdom from this bulletin is exactly what we needed! One of the things I love about this information is that the “whys” are explained. Knowing why helps me to understand the concept and helps me retain the information for the future. Now to get outside and prune those trees and bushes!
10 Essential Herbs for Lifelong Health– maybe it’s just me as I age, but information like this always draws my attention. I was familiar with the benefits and uses of some of these herbs, but definitely gathered some new knowledge about others. I was even able to learn about the history and some new facts about my favorite Lemon Balm! This is a well put together source of information with concise easy to learn from paragraphs.
Making European Breads– it’s probably no secret, but I really like to bake bread. I’m not afraid to try something new, and you will often find me improvising and “tweaking” a recipe. But this? It is wonderful! I think there’s a recipe on nearly every page that I want to try. So far the Focaccia is YUM! There’s also a simple chart for converting recipe measurements to metric, which can be a challenge with recipes from outside the United States.
Weaving Country Baskets– I can remember when it was joke that you were studying basket weaving, but I secretly always thought that sounded like a lot of fun! I’ve puttered around with making grapevine wreaths (yes, Storey has a bulletin for that too!) and always wondered how to go about starting a basket. Now I have great detailed direction on how to make either a flower gathering or herb basket. I just need to decide which one to start with, but I am definitely going to be making at least one.
So there you have it- my thoughts on the Storey Country Wisdom Bulletins. You really should check these out- I think there’s something for everyone. Whether you live in the city or country these bulletins will inspire you to cultivate personal independence in everyday life. I just can’t get enough of them!
You can find the bulletins in our Resource store on Amazon– click any of the links in the post above, or click HERE!
And did you know Storey also publishes incredible full size books? We have had the Storey’s Guide To Raising Sheep and Country Wisdom & Know-How: Everything You Need To Know to Live off the Land for many years! I’ll be reviewing the February 2024 release The Backyard Homestead Guide to Growing Organic Food in the near future, so look for that post!
~many, many thanks to Storey Publishing for their partnership. I am thankful to have received these publications in exchange for my honest reviews.
~this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. it costs you nothing to go to Amazon through these links, and we might earn a small commission from any purchases. and that’s how we fund the expenses for this blog, so we thank you!
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