Five building tricks for super strong framing
By Don Fallick
Issue #49 • January/February, 1998
I was standing on the edge of the roof overhang, holding two bundles of asphalt shingles, when my boss's son drove up. He looked at me, then took...
Creating and maintaining your own sourdough starter
By Emily Buehler
Issue #97 • January/February, 2006
Most people know about sourdough starter—it can be used instead of yeast to make bread rise, resulting in bread with a sour flavor and a chewier texture. Bakers...
Dr. Laura tells her listeners she’s decided to pack a gun
By Dave Duffy
February 12, 2000
The showdown between the Federal government and the American people over gun rights may have tilted in favor of the people recently when the nation's third most popular radio talk...
Choosing a chain saw
By Steven Gregersen
Issue #119 •September/October, 2009
Winter will be here soon and along with winter comes cold weather and high heating bills. Obviously there's nothing new about any of this but with the current economic...
Bean-beef casserole
Recipe of the Week
Bean-beef casserole
Courtesy of
Tricia Blunt
You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 large can baked beans
1 medium onion
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup ketchup
2-3 slices...
Blonde brownies
Recipe of the Week
Blonde brownies
Courtesy of
Rhoda Denning
You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans,...
Avoiding common canning mistakes
By Jackie Clay-Atkinson
Issue #142 • July/August, 2013
Canning has been an important part of my life since I was a young girl helping my mother and grandmother can in our Detroit basement. I loved the...
Baked Macaroni and Cheese to Kill For
Recipe of the Week
Baked Macaroni and Cheese to Kill For
Courtesy of
John Silveira
Ingredients
2 cups uncooked elbow Macaroni
3/8 cup Butter
1/2 cup Flour
1-3/4 cups Milk
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese...
Flowers Brighten the Garden
By Alice B. Yeager
Photos by James O. Yeager
Website Exclusive • March, 2006
Along with raising food plants, I like to tuck in a few flowers both annuals and perennials. There's something about bright orange...
Apple slaw
Recipe of the Week
Apple slaw
Courtesy of
Anne Westbrook Dominick
You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here
Ingredients
4 cups shredded cabbage
2 large apples, cored and diced (not peeled)
1 small onion, minced
2 Tbsp....
Making maple syrup
By Marcella Shaffer
Issue #59 • September/October, 1999
The art of making maple syrup is generally attributed to the Native Americans. Early settlers arriving in America learned the skill from them. They then went on to...
Radiant floor heating — Alternative to forced-air heating is solar-powered, too An interview with...
By Michael Hackleman
Issue #64 • July/August, 2000
Hydronic, or radiant floor heating is a method of heating a home, shop, or other building with the heat concentrated in the floor. It works by embedding special...
Make your own effective fishing tackle while you save money and recycle scrap
By Rev. J.D. Hooker
Issue #44 • March/April, 1997
My long time friend Hearold Ruby passed away. Death came as sort of a reprieve. He'd been terribly sick and utterly miserable for years and he was...
Installing a propane heater
By Watt Jones
Issue #177 • July/August/September, 2019
Even with a 12,000 BTU Mini Split System installed in our cabin, my wife and I have experienced some spotty outages with our local electric cooperative and numerous power...
Meat For the Homestead
By Jackie Clay-Atkinson
Issue #137 • September/October, 2012
Meat is often the most expensive portion of our grocery bill, and it is getting more and more expensive every day. I've seen steaks "on sale" for more...
Hawaiian poha jam
Recipe of the Week
Hawaiian poha jam
Courtesy of
Sally Denney
You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here
Ingredients
3 lb. poha (ground cherries)
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar per cup cooked poha
1 Tbsp. lemon...































