Free article Archives - Backwoods Home Magazine

A small creek provides plenty of power for this off-grid home

By Scott Gentleman Website Exclusive • November, 2007 For eight years, Tracey and I lived in a solar powered home and for eight cloudy winters, we ran a small Honda generator every week to recharge our...

Solar Power 101 — Batteries: Part 1

By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM Issue #87 • May/June, 2004 This article is the first in a series of what will be a beginner's course in solar electricty. Simultaneously we have instituted a Home Energy Information...

Fixing a broken jury system

By John Silveira Issue #78 • November/December, 2002 "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...

Build a 6500-gallon concrete water tank for $1500

By Dorothy Ainsworth Issue #101 • September/October, 2006 When I bought 10 dry barren "affordable" acres back in 1981 I got what I paid for: No electricity, no septic system, no well, and no water. What...

Glazed carrots with peas and onions

Recipe of the Week Glazed carrots with peas and onions Courtesy of Richard Blunt You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 1-1/2 lbs. sliced fresh carrots 1-1/2 cups chicken or beef broth 6 Tbsp. butter 1/2...

The world is ending! … Again?

By John Silveira Issue #85 • January/February, 2004 People love to talk about scary stuff. Especially when it's end-of-the-world scary, such as the big asteroid recently in the news that was supposed to hit Earth and...

Six Chile Chicken

Recipe of the Week Six Chile Chicken Courtesy of Adam Kingman A very spicy dish. Substitute milder chiles to lower the heat. Ingredients 3 pounds chicken pieces 1/2 cup lemon juice 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 2 tomatoes, skinned and...

Build a Trail

By Claire Wolfe Standing near the top of the trail, looking down. The bright sunny spot in the middle distance will be the site of my future camping "pagoda;" it will...

Just for Kids: Sun-kabobs and solar sizzle

By Lucy Shober Issue #28 • July/August, 1994 Click on pictures for printable, full-sized versions to color. Picture yourself in this dreamy scenario: It's a hot summer afternoon. The sun is beaming through the shade trees as...

A Native American feast

By Jackie Clay Issue #66 • November/December, 2000 When the holidays roll around, a lot of folks get bored with the "same-old meal." You know, turkey, mashed potatoesthe whole traditional meal. But some adventurous families might...

The coming ice age

By John Silveira Issue #86 • March/April, 2004 As little as 30 years ago the talk wasn't about global warming, it was about an imminent ice age. Is an ice age likely? Even possible? Consider this:...

The Electoral College — How we elect the President

By John Silveira Issue #18 • November/December, 1992 I've been getting a lot of telephone calls from Oregon lately. My article is late again and Dave Duffy, the fellow who publishes this magazine, keeps...

Tortellini Soup

Recipe of the Week Tortellini Soup Courtesy of Martha Desimone Ingredients 6 cups chicken broth 3/4 cup onion, chopped 1 cup carrot, diced fine 4 to 6 green chiles, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 tablespoon olive oil 10 to 12 ouces...