Build a holz hausen to dry firewood

By Doug Fluckiger Issue #132 • November/December, 2011 My secret passion is tall, dark, and handsome. I may find her lying luxuriantly among a dark grove of firs. She may be standing proudly on a sunny...

Looking back on 20 years of BHM

By Dave Duffy Issue #120 • November/December, 2009 I was freezing when I slipped into my old down-filled Army sleeping bag. But I was used to the drill. I'd just lay there motionless as a mummy...

Sweet potato pudding

Recipe of the Week  Sweet potato pudding  Courtesy of Larry Cywin   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 6 medium sweet potatoes 1 cup milk 1 cup sugar 3 eggs 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. cinnamon Method Peel the...

Why you need to addsolar to your emergencypower backup plans

By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM Issue #149 • September/October, 2014 Click Here to listen to an interview with Jeff about this article. Most of the electric substations, transmission lines, and electrical switchgear for any given utility are...

You can safely and easily can your own meat

By Jackie Clay Issue #105 • May/June, 2007 Of all the foods I can every year, the most useful is the wide variety of meats. While we aren't huge meat eaters, these rows and rows of...

Pickled nopalitos

Recipe of the Week  Pickled nopalitos  Courtesy of Jackie Clay   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 4 lbs. de-spined, sliced fresh nopalitos mustard seed dill seed (if dill flavoring is desired) garlic cloves, halved dry red...

Raising your own beef for your family

By Charles Sanders Issue #57 • May/June, 1999 For most homesteaders, the raising of livestock plays a crucial role in the home based economy. The types of livestock which you choose to include on your own...

Lamb Curry with Yogurt

Recipe of the Week  Lamb Curry with Yogurt  Courtesy of Gail Stromb  Ingredients 4 green chile peppers, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 large onion, minced 2 tablespoons ground coriander 2 teaspoons ground tumeric 1 teaspoon...

Tasty uses for garden and wild edibles

By Alice B. Yeager Issue #89 • September/October, 2004 The old saying "Waste not, want not" could be applied to almost anyone's producing garden. From fruit to vegetables, there is always the possibility of waste when...

Intake and exhaust upgrades for better mileage and performance

By Len Torney Issue #120 • November/December, 2009 Well, it seems the price of oil and gasoline has peaked and plummeted, much like a lot of the rest of the economy these days. One upside to...

Stay clear of young wild animals

By Tom and Joanne O’Toole Issue #86 • March/April, 2004 This spring and summer millions of wild animals and birds will be born. This is the new generation of wildlife, and their survival depends a great...

The Runaway

By John Silveira February 9, 2006 My kids are grown. But it didn't come about without a lot of frustration, tribulations, and laughs. Runaways: What do you do with a six-year-old who threatens to run away? One woman...

Take care of your knife

By John Lo Cicero Issue #98 • March/April, 2006 There was a time when I did not understand the value of quality, or respect for a fine tool. I received my tool education first-hand when I...

Preparing for Hunting Season

By Massad Ayoob Issue #119 • September/October, 2009 For a great many rural folk, big game hunting season is a high point—often the annual high point—of their involvement with firearms. In some locales, the big game...

Whole grain breads baked at home

By Richard Blunt Issue #112 • July/August, 2008 Bread baking is an ancient craft that some food historians believe reaches back over 15,000 years to the time when the last Ice Age was losing its grip...

Nana V’s fire sauce

Recipe of the Week  Nana V’s fire sauce  Courtesy of Richard Blunt   You'll find this recipe and over 400 more in Backwoods Home Cooking.Click Here Ingredients 1 pint homemade pickled chili peppers (See previous recipe.) 1 12 oz. bottle chili sauce...