The homestead cat

By Jackie Clay-Atkinson We have had at least one cat in our home ever since I was a young child. So it’s no wonder we truly value our feline friends. Not only do they provide...

A recycled dresser makes a useful bathroom vanity

By Jackie Clay-Atkinson Issue #152 • March/April, 2015 Here's the finished vanity with our unfinished dresser that will store our extra towels and linens. We've had our log home built for more than eight years now, but until...

Homestead burnout — What it is and how to avoid it

By Jackie Clay-Atkinson Issue #134 • March/April, 2012 We've all been there: the roof is leaking on your temporary housing while you try to build a start on your new homestead. It's rained for a week...

Chilies rellenos

Recipe of the Week  Chilies rellenos  Courtesy of Jackie Clay   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 8 large Big Jim, Poblano, or Relleno chilies, green and roasted 1 16-oz. can tomatoes 1 small onion,...

Old-fashioned baked beans

Recipe of the Week  Old-fashioned baked beans  Courtesy of Jackie Clay   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 2 cups dry navy beans 1/4 cup ham or bacon 1/2 cup dehydrated chopped onions 8 Tbsp....

Tips and handy hints for 4X4 living

<!-- Tips and handy hints for 4X4 living By Jackie Clay --> By Jackie Clay Where Jackie lives, a 4x4 is essential Issue #71 • September/October, 2001 After spending more than 35 years living in homesteads that were so out of the...

Salsa

Jackie Clay  Ingredients 40 medium tomatoes 5 cups finely chopped onions 4 cups finely chopped celery 2 cups finely chopped jalapeños (may use other peppers, to taste) 1/2 cup lemon or lime juice 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro 5 Tbsp. salt Method To peel...

Put Your Garden to Bed for the Winter

By Jackie Clay Issue #95 • September/October, 2005 During the crispy fall afternoons, we listen often and intently to the weather forecasts. "It's going to be clear tonight," I'd tell my late husband, Bob, and my...

Ginger beer

Recipe of the Week  Ginger beer  Courtesy of Jackie Clay   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 4 oz. dried ginger root 1 gallon water juice from...

Plant Once Harvest for Years

By Jackie Clay-Atkinson Issue #140 • March/April, 2013 Year after year we start seeds, till the ground, plant, weed, harvest, then tear it all out at the end of the season. It's a lot of work,...

Avoiding common canning mistakes

By Jackie Clay-Atkinson Issue #142 • July/August, 2013 Canning has been an important part of my life since I was a young girl helping my mother and grandmother can in our Detroit basement. I loved the...

Canning 101 — Pickles, fruits, jams, jellies, etc.

By Jackie Clay Issue #53 • September/October, 1998 For some reason, (definitely unknown to me) canning, as a method of very long term food storage, fell into disuse. Maybe it's the hurry/rush syndrome many folks have...

How to Grow Great Carrots

By Jackie Clay-Atkinson Issue #153 • May/June, 2015 Carrots are an old-time homesteader favorite. They can be frozen, canned, dehydrated, or simply stored in a cool location. They are nutritious, too, being a great source of beta...

Corn and nopalito salsa

Recipe of the Week  Corn and nopalito salsa  Courtesy of Jackie Clay   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 1 1/2 cups cooked sweet corn 1/2 cup chopped nopalitos 2 Tbsp. chopped sweet red pepper 1/4...

Propagating Plants

By Jackie Clay Issue #128 • March/April, 2011 We all love the idea of having a big, productive garden, full of all the nutritious, tasty foods our hearts desire. But the prices in the nursery catalogs...

Española eggs

Recipe of the Week  Española eggs  Courtesy of Jackie Clay   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients Shortening to fry 1 medium onion, sliced 8 Anaheim, Big Jim, or Relleno peppers, green roasted If you want...