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...

Lamb and Apricot Pilaff

Recipe of the Week  Lamb and Apricot Pilaff  Courtesy of Ivan Brown  Ingredients 1 pound lean boneless lamb, well trimmed and cut into bite sized cubes 1 cup bulgar (burghul) wheat (cracked cooked wheat) 1 cup brown rice 1/2 cup ready-to-eat dried...

Cold process goat milk soap

By Michele Cooper Issue #171 • May/June, 2018 Making soap can seem scary to some people, but the truth is, it only takes a few steps. Tools & equipment The equipment you use to make soap needs to...

Build a Keyhole Garden

By Katelynn Bond Issue #152 • March/April, 2015 One of the hazards of living on the side of a mountain in northern New Mexico is that I live on a rock. And I don't mean the...

Corned Beef Cakes

Recipe of the Week  Corned Beef Cakes  Courtesy of Eugene Mora  Ingredients 1 (7 ounce) can corned beef 1 pound sweet potatoes or yams 1 small onion, chopped 2 eggs, beaten 1/4 cup milk 2 cups bread crumbs for coating 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley 1...

Build your own portable forge

By Corcceigh Green Issue #51 • May/June, 1998 Looking for a handy summer project while building skills, supplies, and knowledge to put away for a rainy future? Here's one to consider: try making your own forge....

Stuffed sweet peppers

Recipe of the Week  Stuffed sweet peppers  Courtesy of Alice Brantley Yeager   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 4 large sweet peppers 2 cups cooked rice 1 cup cooked ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped 1...

Parge the ugly out of your concrete wall

By Bill Leonard Issue #57 • May/June, 1999 You can say a great deal in favor of cement block (or, if you prefer, concrete block) building. It's fairly fast, reasonably easy, particularly in small projects, and...

Drive your own freshwater well

By Len McDougall Issue #128 • March/April, 2011 The well point's slotted holes permit water to enter, while stainless steel mesh inside keeps out abrasive sand. X marks the spot. How "witching" for water works is a...

Getting the state out of marriage

By John Silveira Issue #127 • January/February, 2011 There's a new TV "reality" show on TLC called Sister Wives. It's about a polygamous family: Kody Brown, his 3 wives, their 13 children, and a soon-to-be (maybe...

35 country jobs — How folks make a living near my hometown

By Charles Sanders Issue #89 • September/October, 2004 If you're relocating to the backwoods, you will very likely have to give some thought to generating some income, that is, making a living. Hopefully, the topic is...

Some unusual jellies for your sweet tooth

By Charles Sanders Issue #70 • July/August, 2001 In my mind, one of the simple pleasures in life is hot biscuits, a dab of butter, and a dollop of homemade jelly. Around here any biscuits left...

Succulent venison stew

Recipe of the Week  Succulent venison stew  Courtesy of Edith Helmich   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 3-4 lbs. fat-trimmed venison, cut into 2-inch cubes Marinade: 2 thinly sliced onions 1 thinly sliced carrot 2 stalks...

A brief history of health and medicine

By John Silveira Issue #100 • July/August, 2006 As little as a century ago, the average life span in the United States was 49 years. Today it is 77. Fifty years ago, the average life span...

Fixing a broken jury system

By John Silveira “I blame every juror who let him go, every juror who sat on that trial and believed this man over those little girls. I will never understand. And that is why he...

Choose your ammo… police style

By Massad Ayoob Issue #93 • May/June, 2005 One of our greatest modern gun experts, Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper, USMC, Ret., once made the observation that the bullet is more important than the gun. The gun,...