Re: rebecca Laughton's book - get it from your local library before you buy. Good read, but much more geared to living in a commune(ity) rather than doing your own thing.
Re.: making money from your smalholding - if you would do everything in life just for a profit you would be quite poor except for money. I mean money can buy things (to quote the Beatles), but wouldn't it be just boring? We have 9 acres and rent another 6 for grazing. After three years (our plot was bare and we built the house before starting the holding as such) we are now self sufficient in meat (pork, lamb, chicken and soon goat), eggs (sell half a dozen for 1.80 and make a small profit), milk (and hopefully will be able to make some cheeses, yoghurt and soap soon) and veg (excet tatties and onions, we always run out some time after Xmas, but its not worth planting even more because of blight etc etc), have a large polytunnel for anything that doesn't really like growing in the windy Scottish Borders. Also keep bees and have own honey. Still working on more fencing and further deep beds in garden, but generally being there.
OH works full time and commutes to Edinburgh, loves his job but is happy to work here in the evening and weekends. Gave up career after I realised that I really hated to commute and still had no money after paying for childcare, cleaner, commute etc etc. And was out of the house 6am to 6.30pm. Much happier now, but not been on a holiday for 4 years (not even away from the holding except for a lambing course in wales last year), don't buy new clothes (except wellies and waterproof trousers), have an 8 year old Skoda that will have to last another 5 at least and don't have TV or DVD's. Kids love getting secondhand clothes and I can pay for them with goodies from the holding - no VAT or other tax necessary.
Getting down to the goatshed for milking just after 6 with the sun coming up makes me realise how lucky we are to be here (but if you asked me in January the answer might well have been different!)
So no money but a great life, who wants more!
We make a small profit out of lambs, but spend it on fencing, also selling some pork reduces the costs for our meat, and save loads on veg/fruit. Hopefully goats will become cost neutral in due course - with selling kids and having our own milk.