The Good Life

Gillian Swinton

• Publisher: Allen & Unwin
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN: 9781761505935

Living self-sufficiently on a Central Otago homestead
Gillian Swinton is trying to live self-sufficiently: living off the land and adapting to the seasons. With her partner Hamish, their two dogs, a cat, a few sheep, some bees and a lot of chooks, they are also building community and remembering not to take it all too seriously.
On their 2.7-hectare property in Central Otago's heartland, Gillian and Hamish lead a lifestyle that harks back to a time when people led a simpler life.
In this gorgeously illustrated guide, Gillian shares all the tips and tricks she's learned about how to be a modern-day homesteader, and how you can be one too — whether you're looking after livestock on a lifestyle block or tending to an inner-city garden (or planter box).
Includes more than 25 recipes for pickling, preserving and delicious meals to help you get the most out of your kitchen, garden and paddock.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• How to use this book
• Spring
• Summer
• Autumn
• Winter
• Sustainable homesteading
• A final word
• Acknowledgements
• Index