This is the story of Lloyd and Lesley building a home and establishing a garden on a small piece of land on the Northern California Coast over a 46-year period.

In 1974, Lloyd and Lesley started building a home and establishing a garden on a half-acre piece of land in a small town on the northern California coast. Here is their story, along with over 500 photos of their home, the garden, pantry, kitchen, greenhouses, chicken coop, and animal visitors.

The book also covers cooking, foraging, fishing, crafts, birds, butterflies, and tools.

Their main theme is that this was all done by hand.

They have never paid rent nor have they ever had a mortgage.

There are over 500 photos illustrating all the above facets of their lives and clear explanations of building skylights, maintaining a septic system, building greenhouses and raised vegetable beds. There is a section on unique kitchen tools, as well as advice on useful tools used in construction.

Lloyd, the former shelter editor of the Whole Earth Catalog, has published seven books on owner building, showcasing hundreds of builders, and this is his first book on his own work.