Free article Archives - Backwoods Home Magazine

Victory Gardens

By Alice B. Yeager Issue #54 • November/December, 1998 There have been very few times in our nation's history when "We, the people" have banded together so fiercely as we did during World War II. We...

The logic behind term limits and a historical perspective

By John Silveira Issue #35 • September/October, 1995 It was Tuesday and we were in deadline mode. Heat was seeping through the uninsulated walls of the new offices of Backwoods Home Magazine like little beasts from...

Breakfast Sausage Casserole

Recipe of the Week Breakfast Sausage Casserole Courtesy of Nancy Janus Ingredients 1 pound pork sausage 6 slices white bread, toasted and cubed 1/2 pound shredded cheddar cheese 1 teaspoon mustard powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 eggs, beaten 2 cups milk Method Remove sausage meat from...

Make sourdough with wild yeast

By Leah Leach Issue #151 • January/February, 2015 Those of us who live as self-sufficiently as possible love to forage. From wild greens to wild meat, foraged foods make their way onto our tables as often...

Prepper power! Part 2

By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM Issue #137 • September/October, 2012 I discussed in Part 1 the many reasons why preppers need to think more long-term about providing reliable electric power. I also mentioned that while it's...

Justice Breyer is wrong about the 2nd Amendment

By John Silveira Issue #128 • March/April, 2011 December 12, 2010, on Fox News Sunday, Justice Stephen Breyer said the Founding Fathers never intended for guns to go unregulated. His reasoning was that James Madison, often...

Feeding large families without breaking the bank

By Jackie Clay Issue #116 • March/April, 2009 Many of us have been there; for unforeseen reasons, suddenly we have a lot more people to cook for. With the economy melting down, jobs ending, and the...

Portable solar power

By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM Issue #134 • March/April, 2012 Fold-up solar modules now available in many sizes As the cost of solar cells has declined, the industry has started to increase the physical size of individual...

Pizza Casserole

Recipe of the Week Pizza Casserole Courtesy of Michael Pirazi Ingredients 1-1/2 pounds Italian sausage 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup chopped green olives 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon oregano 1/4 teaspoon pepper 12 ounces thin egg noodles 2-1/2 cups (20 ounces) pizza...

Grid-tied, Grid-connected, Off-grid. What’s the difference?

By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM Issue #140 • March/April, 2013 Several weeks ago I received a call from a woman in Florida complaining that they just had a power outage lasting several days and her solar...

Broody biddies make sense on the homestead

By James Kash Issue #139 • January/February, 2013 Broodiness is an avian behavior that is frowned upon in the world of agriculture. All industrial agriculturalists cull broody birds because the behavior inhibits production. But to frugal...

Picking your pressure canner — All American or Presto?

By James Kash Issue #143 • September/October, 2013 The garden is in full swing and you have baskets of vegetables piling up; what do you do? You can them, of course. Your mother's old granite-ware canner...

Converting a Gasoline-Powered Rototiller to Electric

By Glenn Willis, Jr. Issue #87 • May/June, 2004 Several years ago my sister and her husband had an 8-horse gas-powered rototiller that went belly up. They fussed with it a bit, but couldn't get it...

Forget the dog, chicken is man’s best friend

By Richard Blunt Issue #49 • January/February, 1998 The domestic chicken, or Gallus domesticus as the Romans called it, has lived with humans for centuries. It is probably the descendent of a wild asian bird, and...

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...

Build a wood-fired stock tank heater

By Jackie Clay-Atkinson Issue #138 • November/December, 2012 Keeping fresh water in front of our livestock in the winter has always been somewhat of a problem. A long time ago, when we lived on a homestead...