Free article Archives - Backwoods Home Magazine

Your survival depends on water

By Jackie Clay-Atkinson Issue #167 • September/October, 2017 As you develop your preparedness plans, consider your water supply. You can go without food for weeks but when you lack water for as little as two days,...

Herb Boxes from Fence Boards

By Maggie Larsen Issue #86 • March/April, 2004 During a binge of spring cleaning, I ventured outside and began to renovate the exterior of my home, a 47-foot trailer in a mobile home park. While waiting...

The barnyard scramble

By Michelle Hampton Issue #106 • July/August, 2007 Each year during our local county fair, one of the best-attended events happens when farm animals, donated by local ranchers, are let loose in the big rodeo arena....

Bottle-raise a calf

By Jackie Clay Issue #120 • November/December, 2009 If you think milk and beef are expensive in the grocery store, then you should think about raising a baby calf or two. Because corn and milk replacer...

Lemons: the versatile fruit

By Sharon Palmer, RD Issue #100 • July/August, 2006 The clean, pure lemon has gotten a bad rap. It has become a metaphor for getting a dud. But the lowly lemon is probably one of the...

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...

BHM hosts Appleseed marksmanship event

By Massad Ayoob Issue #139 • January/February, 2013 Long a supporter of the Appleseed concept, Backwoods Home Magazine hosted one in Gold Beach, Oregon, in second quarter 2012. Naturally, a good time was had by all....

Teaching the joy of reading

By Amy E. Peare Issue #96 • November/December, 2005 Most parents want to see their children well equipped to succeed in life, and homesteaders are no different in that regard. Many homesteaders choose this lifestyle to...

Four Pepper Pheasant

Recipe of the Week Four Pepper Pheasant Courtesy of Danielle Nathanson Ingredients 2 medium Pheasants (about 3-1/2 pounds each) 2 oranges, halved 8 to 10 thick slices fatty bacon Four-pepper mix: 1 tablespoon whole red peppercorns 1 tablespoon whole...

Animal rights loonies save the chickens but ruin the County Fair

By Dave Duffy Issue #84 • November/December, 2003 We had our County Fair between issues. It was a small Fair with just a few thousand in attendance, but no one in our town of 1500 would miss...

Successful cold storage

By Sylvia Gist Issue #82 • July/August, 2003 Crisp carrot sticks, fresh cabbage, and fried potatoes from my Montana garden in June? Yes, but only if I've kept them in cold storage from last summer's garden. A...

Walden Pond, the solar version: Part 1

By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM Issue #99 • May/June, 2006 I have been writing solar power articles for many years on every possible application. This has included everything from simple solar chargers for cell phones to...

Black beans and rice

Recipe of the Week Black beans and rice Courtesy of Tom Barth You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 1 lb. black beans, rinsed and sorted 2 Tbsp. margarine 2 onions, coarsely chopped 3-4 bay leaves 3...