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BHM Newsletter
June 25, 2008
INSIDE BHMNew Issue
The July/August issue has been arriving in subscribers' mailboxes for almost two weeks now. If your copy has not yet arrived, or if you're one of the folks who buy it from the newsstand, here's some of what you'll find in the issue:
Selected articles will be posted online later this week. Watch the Backwoods Home Magazine home page for the update. Email changeBetween each issue, some readers change their email address or Internet providers. If you change your email address, you can update it quickly and easily through your Control Panel. At the bottom of every Newsletter Notice (check the one you just received) is a link that will look like this: http://www.backwoodshome.com/nl/cgi/ezmcontrol.pl?123456789012345. Just click on the link and you will be able to enter your new email address or remove yourself from the mailing list. Please remember that if you do not update your address, your Notice will go to your old address. If it is returned to us as undeliverable, it will be removed from the mailing list. Spam FiltersAnother issue that has caused some readers to be removed from the mailing list is spam filters. Even though we have a notice prominently displayed on the sign-up page, every month many new and long-time Newsletter subscribers never receive their Notice because it was blocked by their spam filter. If you are contemplating using one of the many services that "screen out" spam by generating a "test" email that requires the sender of the original email to respond to the "test" in a certain way, or to visit a website and type in a certain code in order to verify the email is not spam, or if you use or switch to one of the service providers, like Earthlink, that require senders to click a link and/or fill out a request form, we are sorry, but we are NOT able to comply with such requests. If you plan to use one of these services, or if your email program or ISP has built in spam screening, you MUST add the following addresses to your "allowed" or "permitted" or "white" list or you will no longer receive your Notice: webmaster@backwoodshome.com Thanks! 10% OFF FOOD PRODUCTION SPECIALWith the economy tightening and food costs rising, there has never been a better time to learn how to grow veggies, raise chickens or other meat animals, make cheese or sausage, preserve food for the future, etc.
The BHM Bookstore currently offers 30 titles related to food production. So, to encourage our Newsletter readers to more self-sufficiency, we're offering 10% off any two or more books from the Food Production category. You can learn to Keep Chickens, read about making cheese, investigate crayfish farming, and learn to raise dairy goats, ducks, pigs, rabbits, and much more. Even city dwellers will find titles they can use, like Carrots Love Tomatoes and The Busy Persons Guide to Preserving Food. To take advantage of this special, just visit our Bookstore and scroll down to the Food Production section. Look over the titles, click on the links to read descriptions and see the covers, and add to your shopping cart any that seem interesting. (You can always remove some or all when you are viewing your Cart.) When you are ready to check out and viewing your Cart, type this code — FPS806 — where it says "Enter Coupon Code # here" and the cart will deduct 10% from the total of your order. If you prefer to order by phone, you must mention the code and that you are a newsletter subscriber. Call 1-800-835-2418 any weekday from 8 AM to 4:45 PM Pacific Time. The catches:
SELF-RELIANCE TIPSThree Ways to Make Every Day Independence Day
In this section of the BHM newsletter, we usually offer a helpful how-to on some practical topic, from preventing back injury to harvesting rainwater. This month, in honor of American Independence Day, we thought we'd do something a little different. Most of us backwoods folk (or backwoods wannabes) cherish the idea of being independent -- doing things for ourselves, being off the commercial grid, not being constantly lured (or having our children lured) by ad pitches for every new "toy" that comes along. So we move to the wayback, build our own homes, cut our own firewood, raise our own food -- or whatever. But of course independence is more than what we do around Ye Olde Homestead. Independence is also what (and how) we think, believe and know about freedom. It's the things we do to preserve our lifestyle. Our small, private independence is linked to the state of the larger world in countless ways. What happens "out there" (for instance, in Washington, DC) affects us. But even if we seek an especially low profile, what we do may also affect what happens in the larger world. With that in mind, this month's tips involve building a solid foundation (both intellectual and practical) to preserve our everyday independence. The three points we'll be talking about are:
Knowing Our Rights We can't preserve our freedom (either national or personal) without understanding and exercising our rights. It can't happen. Ignorance of lawful rights makes us prey to people whose only motivation is power. Knowing our rights takes two forms. First, we should all know and understand two utterly remarkable documents: the U.S. Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. They're short and sweet, and despite the archaic language, they ring with conviction
Second, we should have the knowledge to defend those rights. Again, this can be divided into two forms. One is defending legal rights even when we aren't immediately threatened (e.g. by supporting the work of groups like the Institute for Justice, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, or Gun Owners of America). The other is to defend ourselves intelligently when we encounter the grinding wheels of power. We need not only to know our rights, theoretically, but to have the presence of mind to assert them. Many of us still think being a "law-abiding citizen" is all we need to protect us. But in an era when even a wealthy diva like Martha Stewart can go to prison not for the crime she was being investigated for (there wasn't enough evidence for that) but merely for speaking incautiously to investigators, we all need to be careful out there. Two excellent aids, both of which should be studied by everyone, are the DVD Busted: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters (which is also on YouTube and the online video by law professor James Duane explaining why it's dangerous -- especially for the innocent! -- ever to talk to the police. Yes, as "law-abiding citizens" we may see ourselves as allies of the police, with a downright patriotic need to be helpful to those who enforce the law. But sadly, that's not the kind of world we live in. We must remember that, increasingly, our governments and their enforcement agents see each and every one of us as a potential criminal and the "justice" system (particularly at the federal level) is set up to grind out convictions, not to establish truth or genuine justice. Preserve your rights at all times or lose them! Knowing Our History When we start to study our rights, the natural question arises: Where did these rights come from? After all, through most of history, power was all that mattered. The idea that one little person should have more authority over his own life than a government should have ... well, most people would have found it absurd. So we ask: Where did the concept of rights originate? Why did the framers feel such a strong need to enumerate specific rights of the people vs the government? What abuses of power led to the American Revolution and the founding of a new form of government? Are we threatened by similar abuses today? And so on. Understanding the history of rights can be confusing. It's so complex it could easily become a full-time profession. But recently, the historian David Hackett Fischer has made study of American liberty easier with a book called Liberty and Freedom: A Visual History of America's Founding Ideas. The book is basically a history of the U.S., from Colonial times to the George W. Bush era, with the emphasis on how people have regarded freedom and liberty (which Fischer says are two different concepts) and justice. It doesn't even try to trace rights to their ancient origins. But it gives a good picture of how we historically see them. Fighting NAIS Finally, for we rural folk, there is one huge, immediate area of concern -- one place where our freedoms and many of our rights (enumerated in the Bill of Rights and otherwise) are being directly threatened. We're talking of course about the USDA's outrageous National Animal Identification System. Bureaucrats developed NAIS for the benefit of large beef producers whose export business was threatened by fears of Mad Cow Disease. As you probably know, it aims to have us all register our "agricultural premises" with the federal government, tag every animal we possess with a number, then report each and every time we move an animal from our registered "premises." The program is so broadly (and badly) set up that it even demands that we report to the government if we take a horse out for a trail ride. The commercial meat producers who wanted the program are allowed to register entire lots of their animals en masse, while family farmers are expected to tag (and pay fees for ) each individual chicken, duck, goat, sheep, horse, cow, or pig they own.
For disease control, NAIS is equivalent to using a sledge hammer to swat a flea. (Livestock Week compared it to "a finely crafted blueprint for a concrete blimp".) So it's clear that the real aims of the program are: 1) central control the national food supply; 2) elimination of family farms; 3) creating a test system for eventual mass tracking of human "animals"; and 4) benefitting corporate meat producers, micro-chip manufacturers, and bureaucrats at our expense. So far, the USDA claims that the program is "voluntary." But in fact many small family farmers have discovered that their property has been registered with the system without their knowledge or consent, and some states have passed their own mandatory programs that are even more invasive than the federal one. Fortunately, despite the USDA's attempt to implement the program by stealth, opposition (though belated) has been strong. There have been preliminary victories against NAIS. But this program -- and the central surveillance it represents -- remains a key part of the federal government's long-term plan to control all agricultural and human activity. NAIS must die. Many organizations and individuals are working on just that. But "Opposition Central" for NAIS is NoNAIS.org by Walter Jeffries of Sugar Mountain Farm in Vermont. Go there to get news -- and get involved. RECIPESAll-American PicnicIndependence Day is on its way. The sun is finally shining (we hope!). So this month we present a selection of recipes in three related summertime categories: 1) Interesting twists on all-American foods like hot dogs and apple pie; 2) barbecue specials; and 3) chilled, easy-to-prepare take-along foods for picnics, block parties and other summer social events. So without further ado ... Cool Canteloupe Soup2 large cantaloupes, cut in bite-sized chunks
Place half of the cantaloupe in a blender and add orange juice, lime juice, mint and honey; process until smooth. Add remaining cantaloupe. In a large bowl, combine cantaloupe mixture with yogurt and mix well. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Garnish each serving with a mint sprig.(This makes a chunky soup. If you prefer a totally smooth soup, process all the canteloupe in the blender.) Serves 6. Tomatoes and Basil3 large fresh tomatoes, thickly sliced
Layer tomatoes in a shallow serving dish. Sprinkle with scallions and basil. Drizzle with oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and petter. You can serve immediately or let the flavors develop in the refrigerator overnight. Serves 6. Overnight Chill SaladHere's a quick, easy picnic salad, designed to be made up the night before. It can use whatever veggies you have on hand in whatever amounts you need, depending on the size of your picnic crowd. Broccoli, cut into florets
Purchased Italian salad dressing Place veggies in a sealable container. Pour dressing over them, making sure to coat them thoroughly. Refrigerate at least 24 hours, either stirring or simply turning the sealed container upside down periodically to continue the marinating. Serve chilled. Consider these variations or optional ingredients: Cauliflower, asparagus, radishes, red pepper, green pepper, cooked rotini pasta, pepperoni slices, black olives, zucchini. Crunchy Kraut DogDressing:
Other ingredients:
Prepare the dressing, combining the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed. (If you are pressed for time, you may use storebought thousand-island dressing instead). Heat the grill to high. In a medium bowl, mix the sauerkraut with the dressing. Grill the hot dogs for about 3 to 5 minutes deeply browned, rolling to cook all surfaces. If you wish, you can toast the buns on the edge of the grill at the same time. Toss the bacon with the sauerkraut mixture. Place the dogs on the buns and the sauerkraut over the dogs. Serve -- and enjoy. Serves 4 to 8. Salsa Dogs with Cheese1 pkg. hot dogs
Mix salsa and barbecue sauce in small saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Grill the hot dogs for about 3 to 5 minutes deeply browned, rolling to cook all surfaces. If you wish, you can toast the buns on the edge of the grill at the same time. Serve in buns. Top with salsa mixture and onion; sprinkle with cheese. Serves 4 to 8. Chinese BBQ Pork Chops6 boneless pork loin chops (1-1/2-inches thick)
Mix together all the marinade ingredients. Place the pork chops into a large zip-lock baggie. Pour the marinade over the chops, agitating to cover all surfaces. Seal and refrigerate 24 hours. Drain and discard marinade. Grill chips over medium-hot fire. Serves 6. Bourbon BBQ Steak4 steaks (10 ounce; T-bone or New York)
Mix the marinade ingredients. Place steaks in a single layer in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over them. Marinate in the refrigerator at least four hours (longer is better), drain, discard marinade, and grill. Serves 4. Bacon in the Burger4 slices bacon, cooked
Heat the grill to medium. Crumble the cooked and dried bacon into a large mixing bowl. Add ground beef, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix and form into six thick patties. Sprinkle the salt over both sides of each patty. Cook 3 to 4 minutes. Flip. Top each burger with shredded cheese. Cook another 3-4 minutes until burgers are done. Serve on toasted buns. Serves 6. Strawberry Shortcake (with cake from scratch)4 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
Cake
2 cups whipped cream Combine sliced strawberries and 1/4-cup sugar. Mix well and chill. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Combine flour, 1/3-cup sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Mix half-and-half (or milk) and egg. Add to flour mixture and stir until moistened. Spread the mixture in greased pan and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes. Remove cake from pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. To assemble: Cut the cake into six squares and cut each square in half horizontilly. Place bottom half of shortcake, cut side up, in a shallow bowl. Top with fruit and whipped cream, top with second half of cake, cut side down and additional fruit and whipped cream. Repeat for each square. Serves 6. Apple-Honey Pie1 uncooked pie shell (purchased or homemade)
Combine honey, sour cream, flour, salt, and cinnamon (and cardamon, if desired). Add apples and raisins. Toss to coat. Turn the mix into an unbaked pie shell. Bake at 425 degrees for approximately 45-55 minutes. Variation: top with traditional pastry crust or with a crumble of oatmeal and almonds mixed with butter and brown sugar. HUMOR
Three from Conan O'Brien: "Barack Obama said his differences with Hillary Clinton are, 'infinitesimal, tiny, minute, trivial and inconsequential.' That's what he said, yeah. When he heard this, President Bush said, 'That guy knows way too many words to be president.'" --Conan O'Brien "After dropping out of the race on Saturday, Hillary Clinton has been staying home and has canceled all of her public appearances. As a result, Bill Clinton has had to cancel all of his private appearances." --Conan O'Brien "A high school in Ohio passed out over 300 diplomas last week. And on the diploma, the word 'education' was spelled wrong. Yeah. Officials say the misprint should not harm the reputation of George W. Bush high school." --Conan O'Brien  "The trouble with practical jokes is that very often they get elected." - Will Rogers "In order to be a diplomat one must speak a number of languages, including double-talk." - Carey McWilliams "I used to say that politics was the second oldest profession, and I have come to know that it bears a gross similarity to the first." - Ronald Reagan "Diplomacy is letting someone else have your way." - Lester b. Pearson "An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile -- hoping it will eat him last." - Winston Churchill "If Patrick Henry thought that taxation without representation was bad he should see how bad it is with representation." - Old Farmer's Almanac "Men play at God, but lacking God's experience they wind up as politicians." - Harry William King "Public opinion is the last refuge of a politician without any opinion." - Mark Bonham Carter "There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it." - Lord Acton "The only thing that saves us from the bureaucracy is inefficiency. An efficient bureaucracy is the greatest threat to liberty." - Eugene J. McCarthy "The supply of government exceeds the demand." - Lewis H. Lapham  What do you call someone in the White House who is honest, ethical, intellectual, law abiding, and truthful? A tourist Reverend Ole was the pastor of the local Norwegian Lutheran Church, and Pastor Sven was the minister of the Swedish Covenant Church across the road. One day we were watching as they pounded a sign into the ground, that said: 'DA END ISS NEAR! TURN YERSELF AROUND NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE' No sooner thad they finished than a car sped past them. The driver leaned out his window and yelled, 'Leave us alone, you religious nuts!' Seconds later, from around the big the curve ahead, we heard screeching tires and a big splash. Rev. Ole turned to Pastor Sven and asks, "Do ya tink maybe da sign should yust say: 'Bridge Out'?"  A busload of politicians was driving down a country road when the bus suddenly ran off the road and crashed into an old farmer's field. The farmer heard the tragic crash so he rushed over to investigate. He then began digging a large grave to bury the politicians. A few hours later, the local sheriff drove past the farmer's field and noticed the bus wreck. He approached the farmer and asked where all the politicians had gone. The farmer explained that he'd gone ahead and buried all of them. "Were they ALL dead?" asked the puzzled sheriff. "Well, some of them said they weren't," mused the old farmer, "but you know how them politicians lie." OTHER STUFFDid a friend or relative tell you about this newsletter? The Backwoods Home Magazine newsletter is free and all you need is an email address so we can let you know when each issue is published and where it can be found. Even better, we sometimes have special offers and discounts that are available only to BHM Newsletter subscribers. Your email address will never be sold, rented, loaned, given, or otherwise provided to any third party. Just visit the BHM web site at www.backwoodshome.com and click on "Newsletter" in the navigation menu on the left side of any web page. Contact Info: Editor/Letters - Dave Duffy, editor@backwoodshome.com
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