Free article Archives - Backwoods Home Magazine

Climate Change Theory: science or religion?

By John Silveira Issue #153 • May/June, 2015 Is climate change theory a real science or is it merely a new religion? It's a fair question to ask because although climate change enthusiasts like to refer...

Homestead security for women

By Donna Insco Issue #143 • September/October, 2013 In these tough economic times, many women are finding themselves alone for long hours on the homestead. As local jobs disappear, the major breadwinner may take a job...

Green or Yellow: Grow Your Best Bush Beans Ever

By Lisa LaFreniere Issue #62 • March/April, 2000 Bush Beans, or snap beans as they're sometimes referred to, are a growing favorite among many gardeners, and with good reason. Beans are high in vitamins A, C...

Mairead’s Fabulous Flan

Recipe of the Week Mairead's Fabulous Flan Courtesy of Mairead Duffy While attending the Solar 2001 Conference in Washington, D.C., I'm staying at the home of my brother, Bill, and his wife, Mairead, and I'm eating especially well....

Apple-Mango Scallops

Recipe of the Week Apple-Mango Scallops Courtesy of Oliver Del Signore Ingredients 1 pound sea Scallops 2 firm, tart Apples 1 medium Onion 1 ripe Mango 2 Tablesppons Olive Oil 2 Tablespoons Butter Juice of one fresh Lemon Salt & Pepper Method Rinse scallops and set aside. to...

Learning to love the high desert

By Claire Wolfe Issue #120 • November/December, 2009 Earlier this year, the dogs and I got taxed out of Cabin Sweet Cabin. With a little help from our friends, we packed a small trailer with our...

Stashing Junk Silver for Bad Times

By John Silveira Issue #131 • September/October, 2011 This is a pile containing $100 face value of pre-1965 "junk silver" coins, but it could represent 400 gallons of gasoline or 400 loaves of bread. When I was...

How long should your gun’s barrel length be?

By Massad Ayoob Issue #136 • July/August, 2012 The person new to guns is like the person new to timepieces. "How many of these things are there?" "In how many configurations?" "And they've been around for...

Potato Latkes

Recipe of the Week Potato Latkes Courtesy of Erica Bernstein Ingredients 8 large potatoes (about 2-1/2 pounds) 2 medium onions 2 large eggs 1-1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper 1/4 cup flour Peanut or vegetable oil for frying Method Preheat...

The Electoral College — How we elect the President

By John Silveira Issue #18 • November/December, 1992 I've been getting a lot of telephone calls from Oregon lately. My article is late again and Dave Duffy, the fellow who publishes this magazine, keeps...

The Government gorilla in our home

By Dave Duffy Issue #101 • September/October, 2006 The other week, Vince, a contractor who does occasional work for me, was arrested for slapping his 14-year-old daughter on the behind when she talked back to her...

You could furnish an entire homestead at Lehman’s ‘Non-electric’ Hardware Store

By Don Fallick Issue #47 • September/October, 1997 Let me state my bias right at the beginning: Lehmans Hardware has been advertising in Backwoods Home Magazine for a long time, but I made my first purchase...

The best apple pie you’ll ever bake

By Richard Blunt Issue #132 • November/December, 2011 Dave Duffy, the publisher of Backwoods Home Magazine, asked me to review some of my early recipes and see if any needed updating. After rereading a few, I...

Easy-to-make reusable coffee filters

By Angeline Hawkes Issue #153 • May/June, 2015 With two professional fiction writers in my household, we drink a lot of coffee. Keeping it hot and ready meant going through a lot of paper filters. In...

Honey whole wheat bread

Recipe of the Week Honey whole wheat bread Courtesy of Jackie Clay You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 1/2 cup warm water 2 Tbsp. dry yeast 1/2 tsp. honey 2 cups warm water 1 Tbsp. salt 2...

Chicken chili

Recipe of the Week Chicken chili Courtesy of Arthur Vernon II You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 5 Tbsp. vegetable oil 3 large onions, chopped (about 6 cups) 3 fresh or canned jalapeño peppers,...