A few favorite recipes and books
By Ilene Duffy
Issue #110 • March/April, 2008
I was talking with another mom in the produce section of the market the other day. During our conversation, she happened to mention that earlier in her life...
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...
The wonderful world of lavender
By Sharon Palmer, RD
Issue #98 • March/April, 2006
I briefly brush past my favorite lavender bush and my skirt is fragranced for the entire day. Every time the fabric rustles, the aroma wafts up to...
Elk Roast With Cranberries
Recipe of the Week
Elk Roast With Cranberries
Courtesy of
Daisy Wallace
Ingredients
2 - 3 pound Elk roast*
2 tablespoons Oil
2 cups raw Cranberries
1 small stalk Celery, chopped
1 teaspoon Nutmeg
1-1/2 tablespoons Maple Sugar
1/4 cup all purpose Flour
1 small Onion,...
Fail-proof white bread
Recipe of the Week
Fail-proof white bread
Courtesy of
Jackie Clay
You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 tsp. honey
4 cups hot water
3 Tbsp. shortening
1 Tbsp....
Call me plumber
By Emily Chadwick
Issue #121 • January/February, 2010
Sometimes life requires you to climb in the toilet, and elbow deep in the bowl, you discover the path to self-reliance.
When I heard the flush, I knew I...
A canoe livery — An honest, clean business
By Harry Spetla
Issue #46 • July/August, 1997
A canoe and kayak livery business is inexpensive to start and it's easy to operate. The business fits in well with country living since it can be as...
Crispy onion rings
Recipe of the Week
Crispy onion rings
Courtesy of
Jo Mason
You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here
Ingredients
4 or 5 medium-sized yellow onions
1-1/2 cups flat beer
1-1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup corn meal
shortening for...
Canning Steelhead and Tuna
By Lisa Nourse
Issue #177 • July/August/September, 2019
Any medical professional will tell you that adding fish oil to your diet has incredible benefits. Oily fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which provide many health...
Cheesy fish chowder
By Ilene Duffy
Issue #127 • January/February, 2011
If you've been reading this magazine for a while, you probably already know that my husband, Dave, and I met while he was fishing on the Ventura, California...
Italian Christmas bread
Recipe of the Week
Italian Christmas bread
Courtesy of
Richard Blunt
You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here
Ingredients
1/4 cup warm milk (110 to 115°)
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup...
What to do when there’s no doctor
By Gary F. Arnet, D.D.S.
Issue #75 • May/June, 2002
We are used to being able to see a doctor at any time for any reason, no matter how small. Will this always be the case?...
Trusses — Low cost marvels to roof over most large spaces
By Martin Harris
Issue #23 • September/October, 1993
When you strip away all the frills, building construction is nothing more than enclosing a volume of space to create a micro-climate for human activity. You can call...
Sgt. Jim Duffy — An ordinary hero
By Dave Duffy
Issue #95 • September/October, 2005
My brother, Jim, died between issues. It was an expected death, as Jim suffered from lung cancer. My oldest brother, Bill, had called with the news in the...
Build a Composter
By Charles Sanders
Issue #170 • March/April, 2018
As with most of the other facets of homesteading, composting can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish to make it. One of the easiest ways...
Modify an E-Tool to make your own Combi-Tool
By Dave Strom
Issue #172 • July/August, 2018
Campers, soldiers, and off-roaders are familiar with military-issue Entrenching Tools, commonly called “E-Tools.” They are light, compact, and multipurpose. They can shovel, hoe, chop, pick, and scrape. The...
