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Building David’s Cabin, Part One

By Jackie Clay-Atkinson Issue #172 • July/August, 2018 Like most young folks today, our son David graduated high school, got a job, and went to college (accumulating student loans in the process). After that, he worked...

Air power superiority

When a well-placed shot is required, when stealth and quiet are called for, an air rifle may be the best option. By Gary Lewis Issue #151 • January/February, 2015 The peacock. Here in the states, he is a designer...

Bologna sandwiches and roasted rabbit

By Habeeb Salloum Issue #61 • January/February, 2000 "I don't know what I'm going to do with all this bologna!" My mother was speaking to herself as she tried to find room for two huge bologna...

Couponing, refunding, and stockpiling will make your money stretch

By Mary Kenyon Issue #92 • March/April, 2005 Seven years ago, when my brother John helped us move into our current country home, he commented wryly, "If you ever fill those cupboards upstairs I don't want...

Fig preserves

Recipe of the Week Fig preserves Courtesy of Alice Brantley Yeager You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 1 lb. small figs (Brown Turkey, Celeste, etc.) 3/4 lb. sugar juice of 1/2 lemon (optional) 1/2 lemon...

Teaching the joy of reading

By Amy E. Peare Issue #96 • November/December, 2005 Most parents want to see their children well equipped to succeed in life, and homesteaders are no different in that regard. Many homesteaders choose this lifestyle to...

Our journey to modern off-grid living

By Jackie Clay-Atkinson Issue #177 • July/August/September, 2019 We’ve lived off the grid for decades. Throughout the years, we’ve traveled the path from living a very rustic lifestyle with few amenities to our current off-grid homestead...

Pump water for free

By Kai Moessle  Issue #158 • March/April, 2016 I opened the valve on the output side of the pump slowly, like the instructions said, and after a few more starts it ran just by itself. Still...

Cooking from long-term food storage

By Jackie Clay Issue #55 • January/February, 1999 All self-reliant families know they should have at least a year's worth of food and essential supplies stored up in a large pantry. Unfortunately, actually eating from long-term...

10 traits for better living

By Claire Wolfe Issue #151 • January/February, 2015 It's a mystery why one person can be poor but still proud, independent, and reasonably content while the guy next door is merely content to slide into a...

Tomato-Avocado-Buttermilk Soup

Recipe of the Week Tomato-Avocado-Buttermilk Soup Courtesy of Jimmy Andalli Ingredients 3 pounds tomatoes, peeled and seeded 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 cup buttermilk 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 avocado, mashed to a puree Juice of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley Salt...