Issue #71 September/October, 2001

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DEPARTMENTS

6  Publisher’s Note 7  Editorial: Freedom, guns, & boycotts 57  Ask Jackie: Dealing with wild bears and moose, canning cabbage, old butter churns, and more 22  Think of it this way:The coming American dictatorship, Part VI 18  Ayoob on Firearms:       Sight and sound enhancement 62  Irreverent joke page 77  Book Review: Achieving Energy Independence—One Step at a Time 78  Small Business Profile 79  Letters 90   Advertiser Index 86  Classified ads (pdf) 86  Classified ad form 91   BHM books 94-95  Subscription Info 97  The last word:       Man vs. the machine Order form or call Toll Free 1-800--835-2418

ABOUT THE COVER       The cover for this issue is a painting by the artist Don Childers. It’s a buck under the autumn foliage as he’s about to cross a small stream. We thought we’d be able to think of something interesting to say about the picture, but after Dave and I sat around the office for awhile trying to think of something snazzy to say, we finally admitted we couldn’t come up with anything.       Finally, Dave said, “Why don’t we just tell people we liked it?       And that’s really the reason we chose it as this issue’s cover.”       Live with it.

FEATURES

Independent energy 8  Water: a safe supply when you’re off the grid   By Jeffrey Yago       Securing a safe supply of potable water can be one of the things that confounds a move to the country. This is all the more difficult when you live off the grid. Jeffrey Yago explains how he designed and installed a water system in the remote mountains of Idaho to efficiently and effectively provide safe water. Self-sufficiency 14  Living the outlaw life: Beware the Great Guru of Freedom   By Claire Wolfe       Freedom lovers, like the rest of overburdened humanity, often look for simple solutions to complex problems. Claire Wolfe tells us there are steps we can take, but warns against succumbing to the ubiquitous self-styled gurus who dispense bad advice, take our money, and can even land us in jail. 42  Tips and handy hints for 4X4 living   By Jackie Clay       There are several things you should consider when selecting a 4X4 for backwoods living, and Jackie Clay guides us through the options. Farm and garden 35  The good life starts with your garden   By Alice Yeager       If you are looking to move to the backwoods for a life of self-sufficiency, the search should start with an eye as to what kind of ground you’re moving onto. Alice Yeager lets us in on a little secret on what to look for — garden strips. Building and tools 27  Build your own log home in the woods: part 2   By Jackie Clay       In this, the second installment of Jackie Clay’s three-part series on building your own log home, she tells us how to put in the footings and floor, how to make provisions for electricity and water, how to “lay up the logs” while making room for windows, doors, fireplaces, and chimneys, how to plan for a loft or a second floor, and how to begin your roof. 39  This coop is for the birds: Mattie Sue, Splatty-Goo, and Fu-man-choo   By Dorothy Ainsworth       Chickens are low-maintenance pets, inexpensive to feed, and they give back that little prize every day. All they ask for in return is a light and airy shelter, kept clean and dry and safe, and Dorothy Ainsworth tells you how to build them one. 70  Earth-sheltered homes and structures   By Ruthanne and Marty Davis       Imagine a home where heating and cooling bills are low and changes in the outdoor temperature do not alter indoor temperatures by more than a few degrees, even in the coldest environments. These are just a few of the advantages you have when you live in an earth-sheltered home. Country Living 66  Storm Survivors   By Anita Evangelista Recipes 46  Caribbean cooking   By Richard Blunt