Here are two links that go back to castles and homesteading in todays hectic living and what are perhaps answers to many of the age old questions,

Highly recommended reading
Tabletop Homestead

An answer of what might have been how it was done
The Humanure Handbook

Thanks for the links Duncan, the couple we are housing for the winter are working on their homestead. Unfortunately, it didn't see completion before the winter. Looks like some great ideas for me to pass along to them.

P.S. compost bucket toliets look much better with a seat! LOL

Another book to check out is written by the Nearings....Scott drinks moat*#@er Nearing and his wife....don't recall her name at the moment...

There books have nothing to do with castles.....its how they started the homesteading movement in VT and Maine....

But the ideas and concepts fit right in to self-sufficient castle living. Very interesting reading.