Free article Archives - Backwoods Home Magazine

From Martha and Abigail to Dolley and Louisa, America’s earliest First Ladies were fascinating

By John Silveira Issue #29 • September/October, 1994 (This is a four-part series. Click the links to navigate to parts one, two, three, and four.) It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...wait...

Hiding a gun — The rules of three

By Claire Wolfe Issue #140 • March/April, 2013 My friend Jack pulled the car into a grassy clearing. We donned rubber boots, fetched a metal detector and digging tools from the trunk, and headed off along...

Our energy crisis Part 2 — Nuclear energy is sensible and safe

By John Silveira Issue #114 • November/December, 2008 When an atomic bomb was detonated over Nagasaki, Japan, August 9, 1945, the amount of energy...

Homemade healthy soba noodles

By Linda Gabris Issue #105 • May/June, 2007 As any noodle lover knows, the world of noodles is a big one with almost every country having a traditional noodle deeply rooted in its history and culture. Italy...

Freeze a holiday turkey to enjoy it all year long

By Linda Gabris Issue #174 • November/December, 2018 When I was a kid, Grandpa and Grandma would put in an order with the local turkey farmer in November for a “Christmas” bird, which would be picked...

Seed art — It’s fun to collect the seeds and create these unusual pictures

By Alice B. Yeager Issue #42 • November/December, 1996 Seed art is an old craft going back to long, long ago. Where the art of turning seeds into pictures first began is obscured by time, and...

Fried chicken for breakfast

By Danny Fulks Issue #88 • July/August, 2004 Danny Fulks, 71, is one of those rare writers capable of painting a vivid picture of life back in another time. His stories focus on the 20s, 30s,...

Algerian honeyed lamb kebabs

Recipe of the Week Algerian honeyed lamb kebabs Courtesy of Richard Blunt You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients meat: 2 lbs. boned lamb leg cut into 1 inch cubes marinade: 3 cloves peeled fresh garlic 2...

Buying the right emergency radio

By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM Issue #98 • March/April, 2006 In our last issue I addressed how to select the best battery-powered lighting for your emergency needs. Recent examples of poor emergency response during the Katrina...

If you can boil water you can make a good stew

By Richard Blunt Issue #44 • March/April, 1997 Since childhood, homemade soups and stews have been high on my list of favorite foods. The aroma of a savory soup or stew slowly simmering on the stove...

Cracklin’s — An irresistible snack that you can’t stop sneakin’

By Linda Gabris Issue #79 • January/February, 2003 When I was a girl growing up in the backwoods, one of my favorite times of the year was autumn when grandpa would butcher a pig to put...

Kinder goats — A small breed for milk and meat

By Kathleen Sanderson Issue #95 • September/October, 2005 I have had dairy goats for most of the last 20 years or so and have raised almost every standard breed. But when my grandmother, my youngest daughter,...

10 traits for better living

By Claire Wolfe Issue #151 • January/February, 2015 It's a mystery why one person can be poor but still proud, independent, and reasonably content while the guy next door is merely content to slide into a...

When “good” laws are bad

By John Silveira Issue #134 • March/April, 2012 I recently read an opinion piece on CNN's website titled, Edison would've loved the new light bulb law. It's supposed to be about the new law to force...

Grow Open Pollinated Seeds for Self-Reliant Gardening

By Jackie Clay Issue #56 In the past I've grown hybrid vegetables, mostly the varieties that have been developed to produce early yields. Because of this, I was able to grow things like sweet corn in...

Hungarian venison stew

Recipe of the Week Hungarian venison stew Courtesy of Tom R. Kovach You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 1 lb. (or a little more) of chopped venison (ground venison works, too) 3...