Gabion walls for form and function

By Joe Mooney Issue #153 • May/June, 2015 I think there has to be something ingrained in the human brain that loves things built of stone. Maybe it's our desire for strength and safety or the...

Hydronic woodstoves

By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM Issue #105 • May/June, 2007 Do you realize there is an entire field of woodstoves that the general public rarely hears about, even though there are specialty woodstove stores in every...

Fish — This gourmet food is fun to catch, relatively easy to cook, and...

By Richard Blunt Issue #47 • September/October, 1997 About 70% of the earth's surface is covered with salt water, and 4% of land surface (another 1% of the earth' total surface) is covered with fresh water....

Fiery Frittata

Recipe of the Week  Fiery Frittata  Courtesy of Adam Kingman  As the name suggests, this dish is very spicy. Substitute some or all mild chiles to lower the heat. Ingredients 1/4 cup olive oil 2 large potatoes, diced 1/2 cup chopped...

Poor man’s shrimp cocktail on perch

Recipe of the Week Poor man’s shrimp cocktail on perch Courtesy of Pat Ward You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking. Click Here Ingredients 3/4 cup ketchup 1 Tbsp. horseradish 2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce 1 Tbsp. lemon juice Tabasco to...

Pasteurizing milk

By Patrice Lewis Issue #123 • May/June, 2010 In the last hundred years of urban migration, the home or small farm dairy became a lost breed. Who needed to keep a cow when it was so...

A few favorite recipes and books

By Ilene Duffy Issue #110 • March/April, 2008 I was talking with another mom in the produce section of the market the other day. During our conversation, she happened to mention that earlier in her life...

“Gun control” for dummies

By Massad Ayoob Issue #141 • May/June, 2013 Barack Obama, outspokenly anti-gun for his entire political career, fooled an amazing number of gun owners by keeping a "hands off" attitude toward Second Amendment issues until his...

Gardening Tips and Tricks

By Charles Sanders Issue #99 • May/June, 2006 Gardeners are an ingenious lot. Trial and error, time, study, observation, and experience all help us to come up with ideas that result in better gardens, more produce,...

Get the most out of your vehicle and your maintenance dollar

By Len Torney Issue #116 • March/April, 2009 Let's face it—we 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...

Creamy white bean soup with kale

Recipe of the Week  Creamy white bean soup with kale  Courtesy of Lisa Nourse   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 8 oz. Kielbasa, thinly sliced (or if you like things spicier you...

Feeling nostalgic? Now you’ll rave! Here’s the story of Burma Shave.

By Martin Waterman Issue #37 • January/February, 1996 I can remember taking a trip as a child and seeing my first Burma Shave signs. Technically speaking, after 1963 all the 7,000 or so sets of signs...

Colorado Cowboy Cookies

Recipe of the Week  Colorado Cowboy Cookies  Courtesy of Charlie Smith  Ingredients 2 cups all purpose flour 2 cups old-fashioned oats 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 3/4 cup sugar 3/4 cup plus...

If you want to survive an emergency, look to yourself, not the Government

By Dave Duffy Issue #96 • November/December, 2005 Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath said what I could not have said convincingly in ten thousand words: The government cannot protect you in a major emergency. It doesn't...

A reason for the Second Amendment

By John Silveira Issue #141 • May/June, 2013 Right after the shooting of 20 children and 6 teachers at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, I was asked by several people, "Does anyone really...

Introducing the international tax cartel

By Dave Duffy February 13, 2001 Democrats on Capitol Hill aren't the only ones who don't like President Bush's $1.6 trillion tax cut plan. A group of Western European nations think they should have global veto...