Milkwood - Kirsten Bradley and Nick Ritar

Milkwood: Real skills for down-to-earth living
by Kirsten Bradley and Nick Ritar

Published by Murdock Books - August 2018 - Paperback - 304 pp - 26cm x 21cm

The skills that we learn bind our lives together. Do you want to know how to grow your own food? Or how to keep bees? How to forage for edible seaweed along the shoreline, or wild greens down by the stream? Maybe you're curious about growing mushrooms or how to grow the perfect tomato.

You're invited to make these skills your own. Designed to be read with a pot of tea by your elbow and a notebook beside you, Milkwood is all you need to start living a more home-grown life. From DIY projects to wild fermented recipes, the in-depth knowledge and hands-on instruction contained in these pages will have your whole family fascinated and inspired to get growing, keeping, cooking and making.

Milkwood is the name of Kirsten Bradley and Nick Ritar's first farm as well as their school where anyone can learn skills for down-to-earth living. Kirsten, Nick and a team of educators offer courses on topics contained in this book as well as permaculture design, natural building and much more. Kirsten and Nick live on a small regenerative farm near Daylesford, where many things from the sprouted grain they feed their chickens to ingredients that make up dinner is homegrown.

'From two of Australia's most energetic and capable permaculture communicators, this beautifully presented book gives readers the nitty gritty guide for five diverse ways to nourish ourselves from stewarding nature's abundance.

A book that draws on more than a decade of passion and experience both learning and communicating practical skills powered by permaculture ethics and principles. Beautifully presented, inspiring with hands-on processes for nourishing ourselves from nature.' — David Holmgren - co-originator of Permaculture

'This book may change your life and your community. Pick a chapter and start to grow a new skill. Enjoy the ride!' — Costa Georgiadis

'Finally, the ultimate self-reliance manual from premier educational facilitator, Milkwood. No start button, no interrupted streaming, no electronic subscription necessary. Just curl up with delicious information and begin turning pages.' — Joel Salatin, Polyface Farm

'The antidote to what ails us lies within these pages; a joyful guide to how to grow, eat and live in harmony with nature.' — Indira Naidoo

'This book is an expressive roadmap to a chosen life. It is filled with fascinating and inspiring detail so that you too can choose and develop the simple or more complex skills you seek; to nurture and make connections in your world, a world to love more fully.' — Holly Davis

'At last! The book we've all been waiting for! Milkwood Permaculture has been at the intellectual and practical forefront of all things growing, living and sharing for as long as I can remember. They have now blessed us with this stunning and knowledge laden book that will doubtlessly become a dog-eared touchstone for anyone who enjoys getting their hands dirty and their bellies filled.' — Paul West, River Cottage Australia

Kirsten Bradley and Nick Ritar left the city to start a small permaculture farm called Milkwood ten years ago, with a dream of living simply and within their means. Since then, they've been growing food and sharing skills wherever they've lived or travelled - from building biochar stoves to creating rooftop community gardens to teaching permaculture design. They currently live, grow, forage, keep bees and so much more on Melukerdee country, in South East Tasmania.

Kirsten Bradley is also the author of The Milkwood Permaculture Living Handbook: Habits for Hope in a Changing World.