Prepper power! Part 2
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #137 • September/October, 2012
I discussed in Part 1 the many reasons why preppers need to think more long-term about providing reliable electric power. I also mentioned that while it's...
Dorothy Ainsworth update: Out of the ashes
By Dorothy Ainsworth
Issue #38 • March/April, 1996
I got the dreadful call from my son Eric at 2 p.m. on June 29th, 1995, an hour after I'd gone to work at the restaurant. "Your house...
Graft Your Own Designer Fruit Trees
By Jackie Clay
Issue #121 • January/February, 2010
Although I've been homesteading for more than forty years, there's always something new to learn. (I figure that if I don't learn at least one thing every day,...
Lenie in the kitchen: Hamburger and potato casserole
By Ilene Duffy
Issue #140 • March/April, 2013
One last outing before heading back to college is to take
Damon for his first trip to the beach. L-R: Rob, Jacob, Sam
Our oldest sons, Jacob and Robby, are...
Build your own repeating mouse trap
By Allen Easterly
Issue #110 • March/April, 2008
Safety note: Because of drowning danger, 5-gallon buckets with any amount of water in them should never be placed where children under the age of 5 will be...
Mountain lions — Attacks are still rare, but just in case…
By Gene Sheley
Issue #50 • March/April, 1998
Near the top of North America's wildlife food chain is the mountain lion, a close second to bears in various forms in ferocity, strength, and killing ability. In...
Cash in on your household junk
By Linda Gabris
Issue #120 • November/December, 2009
If you think "Howdy Doody" has been holing up in your attic for too many years, maybe it's time you turned the dummy in for some cold hard...
Choosing a chain saw
By Steven Gregersen
Issue #119 •September/October, 2009
Winter will be here soon and along with winter comes cold weather and high heating bills. Obviously there's nothing new about any of this but with the current economic...
Powering medical equipment during a utility blackout
By Michael Hackleman
Issue #70 • July/August, 2001
Most people consider blackouts a nuisance. However, for some folks, a blackout can be paralyzing or even deadly, particularly if a critical piece of medical equipment lacks electricity....
Defeating debt
By Don Chance
Issue #82 • July/August, 2003
"Money does not solve money problems." — Dr. Phil McGraw
For many, if not most, people yearning for the self-reliant life, a heavy personal debt load is the single...
Build an all-purpose ladder
By Robert L. Williams
Issue #45 • May/June, 1997
Figure 1
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Figure 3
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Figure 8
The story never varies. If I am doing outside work and need a ladder, I spend nearly as much...
Elegant desserts for entertaining
By Jennifer Stein Barker
Issue #48 • November/December, 1997
Early winter is my favorite time of the year to bake up a storm. Days are short, the weather is either rainy or cold, and it feels...
Bugging out in place
By Jackie Clay-Atkinson
Issue #163 • January/February, 2017
Some emergency situations require quick evacuation. You barely have time to grab your bug-out bag, gather the family, and run out the door. Most of us are ready...
Tortellini Soup
Recipe of the Week
Tortellini Soup
Courtesy of
Martha Desimone
Ingredients
6 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrot, diced fine
4 to 6 green chiles, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon olive oil
10 to 12 ouces...
Preparing for winter
By Jackie Clay-Atkinson
Issue #161 • September/October, 2016
In some climates, winter's no big deal — just a little rain and cooler weather. But for the rest of us, winter is something to be prepared for....
Salmon candy and pickles — Two unique ways to enjoy your next catch
By Linda Gabris
Issue #93 • May/June, 2005
Salmon is always a treat, but if you want to try something different, how about making pickles and candy out of the next fish that lands in your...
