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....
Theories of the universe
By Dave Duffy
Issue #66 • November/December, 2000
In a relatively short span of time, mankind has travelled from profound ignorance of our planet and the world in which we live to a rather detailed picture...
Self-reliance equals freedom
By Dave Duffy
Issue #107 • September/October, 2007
There seems always to be an underlying debate among self-reliant types who make up a majority of the readership of this magazine as to whether or not the...
Oregon Trail preparedness: What supplies did the settlers carry?
By Don Lewis
Issue #176 • April/May/June, 2019
The year was 1834, a year that didn’t really stand out as all that particularly important in American history. But like any other year, it had its share...
The attack on Colin Powell prompts questions I’m not supposed to ask
By Dave Duffy
Issue #79 • January/February, 2003
What's wrong with black Americans?
Provocative question, isn't it, especially when it's being asked by a white guy like me. We white guys aren't supposed to question what blacks...
Energy class: Part 3
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #113 • November/December, 2008
In Part I of this series of articles, we reviewed how home utility costs will be the next energy source expected to have major cost increases...
Beef and Cabbage Soup
Recipe of the Week
Beef and Cabbage Soup
Courtesy of
Troi Young
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 stalks celery, chopped
16 ounces kidney beans, drained
1/2...
Is that a good pig?
By Kim Dieter
Issue #129 • May/June, 2011
Lean ham, roasts, chops, savory sausage, and thick slices of bacon are the reason pigs are raised at home. A typical meat pig weighs 200 to 270 pounds...
Firearms — Tools of rural living
By Massad Ayoob
Issue #91 • January/February, 2005
So, editor Dave Duffy and I got to talking about guns. We agreed that for some people they are sporting equipment like a Spaulding racquet or a Big...
You Can Make Your Own Fertilizers
By Christopher and Dolores Lynn Nyerges
Issue #44 • March/April, 1997
For some people, home gardening is an expensive pursuit, which seems a bit backward to us. At one time, people gardened because home-grown produce was...
Catfish Biscuits
By Danny Fulks
Issue #87 • May/June, 2004
Danny Fulks, 71, grew up in southern Ohio where his parents worked the land and milked cows, and his tightly written stories paint a vivid picture of life...
Get the most out of your vehicle and your maintenance dollar
By Len Torney
Issue #116 • March/April, 2009
Let's face itwe all own vehicles. Our rural lifestyle pretty much leaves us dependent on our vehicles for all of our daily transportation needs, as well as the...
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...
How to achieve affordable health care
By John Silveira
Issue #120 • November/December, 2009
Despite all the hubbub about health care, the United States can have affordable health care tomorrow if we want it. There have been real solutions available, solutions that...
The enchanting Chanterelle — Gourmet goodies free from the forest
By Devon Winter
Issue #101 • September/October, 2006
They're prized by the world's top chefs. They're served in the most elegant restaurants. You'll pay a pretty penny for them at farmers' markets. Yet they're abundant and...
Beekeeping basics
<!--
Beekeeping basics
By Charles Sanders
-->
Issue #88 • July/August, 2004
Bees have been managed for their honey production for about 5000 years or so. Especially for the smallholder, beekeeping can be an interesting and rewarding pursuit. They...






























