Free article Archives - Backwoods Home Magazine

7 Solar Water Heating System Designs

By Michael Hackleman Issue #65 • September/October, 2000 (Rob Harlan is a general and solar contractor with 25 years of experience with solar water heating systems in Mendocino County, California. Rob primarily designs and installs photovoltaic...

The many benefits of garlic

By Joe Knight Issue #113 • September/October, 2008 Garlic, used throughout the world for the taste it adds to foods, is also well known for its medicinal benefits. Known as Allium sativum in the botanical world,...

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...

Easy, no-knead bread by Melissa Souza

By Melissa Souza Issue #156 • November/December, 2015 There is nothing more delicious than homemade bread hot out of the oven. This no-knead bread costs me about a dollar per loaf to make, and it's so easy...

Want More Fruit From Less Space? Espalier Your Trees!

By Rev. J.D. Hooker Issue #79 • January/February, 2003 After originating in the semi-arid regions of the middle east, espaliering (is-'pal-yer-ing) became a commonly employed fruit tree growing method of the Greco-Roman world. Later, during the...

Slaughtering and Butchering

By Dynah Geissal Issue #23 • September/October, 1993 Fall is butchering time, a period of joy in the harvest of the year's work and of sadness that the lives of your beautiful, healthy animals have come...

For Extra Production, Try Mound Gardening

By Edward Love Johnson Issue #44 • March/April, 1997 I began experimenting with mound gardening several years ago, due to limited garden space. Then as time went by, I found other reasons (or should I say...

A solar primer — How it works, how it’s made, what it costs

By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM Issue #72 • November/December, 2001 Buying a solar power system is not like buying a kitchen appliance or power tool. These, unlike a solar system, have published capacity and performance data...

Ruth’s old-fashioned zucchini pickles

Recipe of the Week Ruth’s old-fashioned zucchini pickles Courtesy of Richard Blunt You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 7 lbs. zucchini or yellow summer squash 1 large sweet red pepper 4 large white onions 1/3...

Build a lean-to greenhouse

By Dorothy Ainsworth Issue #154 • July/August, 2015 Just thinking about a greenhouse can stimulate the senses. In our minds' eyes, we can see the filtered light shimmering down on rows of greenery, feel the moist...

Raising cattle on your own place

By Charles Sanders Issue #85 • January/February, 2004 Winter won't last forever. It won't be long before spring will arrive and pastures will start to green up. This may be the year for you to consider...

Old-fashioned baked beans

Recipe of the Week Old-fashioned baked beans Courtesy of Jackie Clay You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 2 cups dry navy beans 1/4 cup ham or bacon 1/2 cup dehydrated chopped onions 8 Tbsp....

Confronting the enemy

By Dave Duffy Issue #81 • May/June, 2003 I got a lot of criticism a couple of issues ago from liberals when I pointed my finger at black Americans and asked why they had their heads...

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...

Anne’s Sausage and Cabbage

Recipe of the Week Anne's Sausage and Cabbage Courtesy of Elizabeth Flora Ingredients 8 slices Bacon 4 Italian Sausages, casings removed 1 large Onion, chopped 1 large Cabbage, shredded 1-1/2 cups Chicken Broth Salt & Pepper to taste Cayenne Pepper...

Fireplace cooking cures the winter blues

By Robert L. Williams Issue #19a • January/February, 1993 Several years ago we experienced a prolonged winter storm that left power lines down and thousands of people without heat, hot water, and operative cookstoves. And for...