Which is better, a small town or city?
By Dave Duffy
Issue #78 • November/December, 2002
Traveling has a way of giving you perspective.
For the past several summers my family and I have traveled around the country, covering as much as 9,000 miles by...
Commonsense preparedness just makes sense
By Jackie Clay
Issue #48 • November/December, 1997
What if that snowstorm turned to a blizzard or an ice storm lasted for days, knocking out the power and phone lines? Would you be prepared? Or what...
Simplify life in your backwoods home by using these easy mountain methods
By Rev. J.D. Hooker
Issue #54 • November/December, 1998
Backwoods folk, or in my case, mountain folk, are typically very resourceful, utilizing whatever is on hand to make their lives easier and more pleasant. And hill-women...
The Homestead Greenhouse
By Charles Sanders
Issue #67 • January/February, 2001
For those of us living close to the land, the production of a dependable and healthful food supply is a primary objective. To that end, some consideration will...
Drawing the line on timber trespass
By Paul Lamble
Issue #78 • November/December, 2002
Over the 4th of July weekend, my wife and I learned an important lesson the hard way. We live near Kansas City, but for several years we've owned...
Hearty stews for the soul
By George Erdosh
Issue #103 • January/February, 2007
A great pleasure of a winter night is to crawl into a warm bed under a thick goose-down comforter, as soft and fluffy as the first snow of...
Caribbean Catfish
Recipe of the Week
Caribbean Catfish
Courtesy of
Steve Garbon
Ingredients
4 Catfish fillets
2 cups Water
1/2 cup fresh Bread Crumbs
1/4 cup toasted Almonds, chopped
1/4 cup Green Pepper, chopped
4 Tbsp. fresh Lime Juice
4...
Baking Bread
By Linda Gabris
Issue #168 • November/December, 2017
Growing up in the rural woods miles away from the nearest country store, store-bought bread was seldom seen in Grandma’s house. So to keep up with demand, she...
Affordable firearms
By Massad Ayoob
Issue #134 • March/April, 2012
Knowing that frugality is one of the cornerstones of rural living, Editor Annie Tuttle suggested that I tackle the topic of buying an adequate gun (and ammo, 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...
Millenium Vehicles
By Michael Hackleman
Issue #57 • May/June, 1999
A major failing of transportation worldwide is that 99.9% of vehicles on farms, street, and freeways work on one energy source: liquid fuels. In any disastersmall or large,...
Animal disease traceability
By Patrice Lewis
Issue #137 • September/October, 2012
In 2009, small farmers and ranchers breathed a sigh of relief. So did people worried about another curtailment of individual liberty and those whose religious principles oppose microchipping.
They...
Making Yogurt
By Patrice Lewis
Issue #132 • November/December, 2011
When you get to the point where you're milking your own cow, you'll need to figure out what to do with the excess milk. One of the easiest...
Okra — Not Just for the South
By Alice B. Yeager
Photos by James O. Yeager
Issue #58 • July/August, 1999
No one is quite sure about how okra seeds came to this country. Okra is of African origin and the seeds could have...
Stovetop Teriyaki
Recipe of the Week
Stovetop Teriyaki
Courtesy of
Alice Robertson
Although this recipe calls for chicken, any meat or firm fish may be used.
Ingredients
2 pounds Chicken tenders or boneless breast cut into 1inch thick strips
2 Tbsp. Peanut or...
Cracklin’s — An irresistible snack that you can’t stop sneakin’
By Linda Gabris
Issue #79 • January/February, 2003
When I was a girl growing up in the backwoods, one of my favorite times of the year was autumn when grandpa would butcher a pig to put...































