Stephen Hren is a restoration carpenter, builder and teacher who specializes in sustainable design and solar heating technologies. He is the co-author of The Carbon-Free Home and A Solar Buyer's Guide for the Home and Office .Deborah Niemann is a homesteader, writer and self-sufficiency expert who presents extensively on topics including soapmaking, breadbaking, cheesemaking, composting and homeschooling. She and her family raise sheep, pigs, cattle, goats, chickens, and turkeys for meat, eggs and dairy products, while an organic garden and orchard provide fruit and vegetables.
Joel Salatin is a farmer at the forefront of the trend toward local food and grass-fed meat. His Polyface Farm has been featured in Smithsonian magazine, National Geographic, Gourmet, and countless other radio, television, and print outlets. When he was profiled on the "Lives of the 21st Century" series with Peter Jennings on ABC World News, his after-broadcast chat room fielded more hits than any other segment to date. Polyface Farm achieved iconic status when it was featured in theNew York Times bestseller The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan and the award-winning film documentary, Food, Inc. Salatin is also the author of eight books,… including Everything I Want to Do is Illegal, Holy Cows and Hog Heaven, and Folks, This Ain't Normal.