Homestead Book Company
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA Seattle-based publisher and wholesale distributor known for countercultural books, underground comix, magazines, mushroom-growing kits, and related mail-order products.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Homestead Book Company was an American publisher and wholesale distributor based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1972 by David Tatelman, it began by distributing underground comix for Rip Off Press. Tatelman initially handled deliveries personally, serving accounts along a corridor between Olympia and Bellingham in Washington State. The business expanded from comics into books, magazines, videos, games, novelty goods, and other specialized products associated with alternative culture and independent retail. The company developed a particular reputation for countercultural and practical titles that were difficult to obtain through conventional book-distribution channels. One of its early book-distribution products was The Complete Guide to Growing Marijuana by David Fleming. Homestead also became one of the early distributors of High Times Magazine, strengthening its position within the cannabis, psychedelic, and alternative-lifestyle publishing markets. Its catalog ultimately exceeded 3,000 titles, which it supplied to retailers and sold directly through a mail-order operation. A major development came from the company’s involvement with mushroom cultivation. At the Teonanácatl Mushroom Conference in 1977, Tatelman met author Bob Harris. Their discussions led to Homestead’s decision to offer home-growing kits for Psilocybe mushrooms, using cultivation methods described in Harris’s book Growing Wild Mushrooms. The first kits were introduced in 1978 and promoted through advertisements in High Times Magazine. The product line later became known as EZ-Gro Mushroom Kits and remained associated with the company’s legacy of niche publishing and specialized mail-order commerce. Homestead also published books of its own. Its list included works on mushroom identification and cultivation, regional food and drink, Pacific Northwest restaurants, and Seattle humor and culture. Notable titles included Magical Mushroom Handbook, Psilocybe Mushrooms and Their Allies, Good Beer Guide: Breweries and Pubs of the Pacific Northwest, Poor Man’s Gourmet Guide to Seattle Restaurants, and Seattle Laughs: Comic Stories About Seattle. These publications reflected the company’s regional identity as well as its broader interest in practical, recreational, and countercultural subjects. Beyond publishing and distribution, Homestead participated in Seattle community activities. It was identified as a co-sponsor of the city’s Fourth of July fireworks and Seattle Hempfest. The company closed in 2017. Its historical importance lies less in scale than in its role as an early specialist distributor: it connected independent retailers and mail-order customers with underground comics, alternative magazines, unconventional reference books, and emerging cultivation products that were not central to mainstream publishing.
History
Homestead Book Company was established in Seattle in 1972 by David Tatelman. Its first business was distribution rather than conventional publishing: Tatelman carried underground comix for Rip Off Press to retail accounts in western Washington, initially traveling between Olympia and Bellingham. This origin placed Homestead within the network of independent and alternative distributors that supplied material outside the mainstream book trade. The company soon broadened its catalog to include books. An early title handled by Homestead was David Fleming’s The Complete Guide to Growing Marijuana. The organization also became an early distributor of High Times Magazine, linking it to the developing cannabis and countercultural press. Over time, Homestead expanded into magazines, videos, games, novelty goods, and other products. Its catalog grew to more than 3,000 titles, sold both to retailers and directly to consumers through mail order. Mushroom cultivation became one of the company’s most distinctive areas. At the Teonanácatl Mushroom Conference in 1977, Tatelman met Bob Harris, author of Growing Wild Mushrooms. Their collaboration resulted in the development of home-growing kits based on cultivation methods associated with Harris’s work. Homestead introduced the first kits in 1978 and advertised them in High Times Magazine. The line later became known as EZ-Gro Mushroom Kits and was one of the clearest examples of the company combining specialized publishing with a related physical product. Homestead’s publishing program covered both specialist and regional subjects. Its books included Richard Miller and David Tatelman’s Magical Mushroom Handbook, Paul Stamets’s Psilocybe Mushrooms and Their Allies, and titles concerning Pacific Northwest beer, Seattle restaurants, and local humor. The list combined practical guides with books that documented the culture and leisure interests of the region. This publishing activity complemented Homestead’s wholesale and mail-order operations rather than replacing them. The company also took part in Seattle civic and cultural events. It was a co-sponsor of the city’s Fourth of July fireworks and Seattle Hempfest, reflecting its connection to local community activity and cannabis-related culture. Homestead Book Company ultimately ceased operations in 2017. Its history illustrates the role of small specialist distributors in developing markets for underground comics, alternative magazines, independent reference books, and nontraditional mail-order goods.
- 2017
Company closes
[1]Homestead Book Company ceased operations after a publishing and distribution history spanning approximately four and a half decades.
- 1994
Seattle regional publishing continues
[1]The company published Seattle Laughs: Comic Stories About Seattle by Shary Flenniken.
- 1986
Pacific Northwest food and drink titles are published
[1]Homestead published Good Beer Guide: Breweries and Pubs of the Pacific Northwest and Poor Man’s Gourmet Guide to Seattle Restaurants.
- 1978
Home-growing kits are introduced
[1]Homestead introduced mushroom-growing kits promoted through High Times Magazine advertisements. The line later became known as EZ-Gro Mushroom Kits.
- 1977
Mushroom-kit concept is developed
[1]David Tatelman met author Bob Harris at the Teonanácatl Mushroom Conference, leading to plans for home mushroom-growing kits.
- 1972
Homestead Book Company is founded
[1]David Tatelman founded Homestead Book Company in Seattle, initially operating as a distributor of underground comix for Rip Off Press.
- 1972
Distribution expands beyond underground comix
[1]The company began distributing books, including David Fleming’s The Complete Guide to Growing Marijuana, and developed a broader alternative-publishing catalog.
- 1970
Early distribution of High Times Magazine
[1]Homestead became one of the early distributors of High Times Magazine, supporting its reach among independent retailers and mail-order customers.
Products and positioning
A specialist publisher and wholesale distributor serving countercultural, alternative-lifestyle, regional, and independent-retail markets through trade distribution and mail order.
Comics distribution · 1972
Underground comix distribution
Homestead’s earliest activity involved distributing underground comix for Rip Off Press. This business established the company’s connection to independent publishing networks and helped define its role as a specialist intermediary between alternative publishers and retail accounts in the Pacific Northwest.
Publishing and distribution
Alternative books and magazines
The company distributed a broad range of books and magazines, including countercultural, cannabis-related, cultivation, regional, and practical titles. Its catalog eventually exceeded 3,000 titles and was supplied to retailers as well as consumers through mail order.
Magazine distribution
High Times Magazine distribution
Homestead was among the early distributors of High Times Magazine. The relationship gave the company access to an audience interested in cannabis, psychedelia, alternative politics, and associated books and products.
Cultivation kits · 1978
EZ-Gro Mushroom Kits
Originally introduced in 1978 as home-grown Psilocybe mushroom kits, these products were based on cultivation methods described in Bob Harris’s Growing Wild Mushrooms. They were promoted through High Times Magazine and later became known as EZ-Gro Mushroom Kits.
Books · 1977
Homestead-published specialist books
Homestead published specialist and regional works including Magical Mushroom Handbook, Psilocybe Mushrooms and Their Allies, Good Beer Guide: Breweries and Pubs of the Pacific Northwest, Poor Man’s Gourmet Guide to Seattle Restaurants, and Seattle Laughs: Comic Stories About Seattle.
Marketing campaigns
- Seattle Fourth of July fireworks sponsorship
Seattle
Homestead was identified as a co-sponsor of Seattle’s Fourth of July fireworks, extending its community presence beyond publishing and distribution.
- Seattle Hempfest sponsorship
Seattle
The company was a co-sponsor of Seattle Hempfest, an association consistent with its cannabis-related publishing and alternative-culture catalog.
Brand decisions
1978
Launch of home mushroom-growing kitsProduct launchBackground
Following David Tatelman’s meeting with Bob Harris at the 1977 Teonanácatl Mushroom Conference, Homestead pursued a product that combined specialist cultivation knowledge with its mail-order and alternative-publishing audience.
Action taken
The company introduced mushroom-growing kits and advertised them in High Times Magazine. The line was later referred to as EZ-Gro Mushroom Kits.
Aftermath
The kits became one of Homestead’s most distinctive commercial offerings and an enduring part of its historical identity.
- Expansion into direct mail orderStrategy
Background
Homestead operated in specialist markets where many titles and products were not widely carried by mainstream retailers.
Action taken
In addition to wholesale distribution, the company sold books, magazines, and related goods directly through its own mail-order business.
Aftermath
The dual wholesale and direct-sales model allowed Homestead to reach both independent retailers and niche consumers across the United States.
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