Survival storeroom
By David Eddings
Issue #130 • July/August, 2011
This story begins in the mid-nineties when the Y2K threat was in the news. Several members of my family thought it would be prudent if we started stocking...
A view of self-reliance from a more timid perspective — A woman’s opinion
By Claire Wolfe
Issue #94 • July/August, 2005
My fellow Backwoods Home writer Jackie Clay is a domestic wonder woman who can do anything from can kumquats to butcher an elk.
Not me. Unh uh. No way....
The return of home emergency shelters takes on a dual-purpose approach
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #74 • March/April, 2002
After September 11, 2001, all of us became much more concerned with protecting our families from biological, nuclear, and terrorist attacks. However, if you followed up...
The fire wick fire starter
By Len McDougall
Issue #114 • November/December, 2008
When my hunting buddy Dar met me for lunch at our rendezvous point, he said he doubted we could make a small cookfire on the wet, snow-covered ground....
Chicken chili
Recipe of the Week
Chicken chili
Courtesy of
Arthur Vernon II
You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here
Ingredients
5 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 large onions, chopped (about 6 cups)
3 fresh or canned jalapeño peppers,...
Foraging for wild berries
By Kristina Seleshanko
Issue #176 • April/May/June, 2019
I had just posted a photo online of some wild berries I was going to preserve, when suddenly I was inundated with messages: “Are those really safe to...
Boston brown bread
Recipe of the Week
Boston brown bread
Courtesy of
Darlene Campbell
You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1-1/3 cups milk
1-1/3 cups...
Homemade baking extracts
By Linda Zimnick
Issue #157 • January/February, 2016
Every cook or baker has a secret or two they keep tucked in their apron pocket. My secret? Homemade flavoring extracts. They are simple to make and the...
Body language and threat recognition
By Massad Ayoob
Issue #87 • May/June, 2004
Reader mail indicates that while some Backwoods Home readers turn to this column for advice on putting wild game on the table or keeping four-footed poachers out of...
Nameless salad and dressing
Recipe of the Week
Nameless salad and dressing
Courtesy of
Rodney Merrill
You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here
Salad Ingredients
2 cups lettuce, coarsely diced
3 stalks green onion, 1/4-inch slices
1 medium tart green...
Potato soup
Recipe of the Week
Potato soup
Courtesy of
Alice Brantley Yeager
You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here
Ingredients
4 cups peeled, diced Irish (white) potatoes
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp. flour
1...
Ribeye Steak with Chianti Sauce
Recipe of the Week
Ribeye Steak with Chianti Sauce
Courtesy of
Ellen Lancer
Ingredients
4 boneless ribeye steaks
2 Tablespoons peanut oil
Salt and pepper
1 Cup Chianti
1/2 Cup beef stock
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon shallots,...
Spicy Beef and Peppers
Recipe of the Week
Spicy Beef and Peppers
Courtesy of
Yvonne Melillo
Ingredients
2 lb sirloin steak, cut in 1/2 inch strips
2 bell peppers, cut in strips
2 cups chopped onion
6 green chiles, skinned, seeded, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh...
Just for Kids: Life in the forest
By Lucy Shober
Issue #34 • July/August, 1995
Click on pictures for printable, full-sized versions to color.
"It's a jungle out there!" You've probably heard that phrase time and again, but did you ever stop and ponder...
Food security 101: part 2 — Convenience mixes make life easier
By Rowena Aldridge
Issue #139 • January/February, 2013
Last issue we talked about some things you can do to stretch your food budget and make great use of every bit of food you buy. This article...
Build A Hybrid Go-Kart For Kids For $150
By Dorothy Ainsworth
Website Exclusive • May, 2010
Grandma Clara used to delight in telling us the story of our Dad's first complete sentence at age 2 when he received a toy car for Christmas: "It's...































