Paring down for off-grid living
By Steven Gregersen
Issue #93 • May/June, 2005
My first exposure to a home power system came when I visited the remote homestead of a retired electrical engineer. What a set-up. Housed in its own little...
Moving on: A small town can be a haven during a depression
By Claire Wolfe
Website Exclusive • September, 2010
One day last summer, I departed Last-Chance Gulch and the high desert, a U-Haul trailer bobbing behind. I aimed for my beloved Pacific Northwest where a friend had...
Shopping to beat inflation
By Darlene Campbell
Issue #85 • January/February, 2004
Most of us who read BHM agree that self sufficient living can be debt free, but we also worry about inflation. The word inflation is used to describe...
How to begin taking wildlife photographs
By H. Bumper Bauer
Issue #120 • November/December, 2009
If you want to get into wildlife photography, your timing could not be better. Many serious amateur and professional photographers are upgrading their 35mm film cameras 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...
Just for Kids: Some good clean fun!
By Lucy Shober
Issue #24 • November/December, 1993
Click on pictures for printable, full-sized versions to color.
When a chill hits the air and the first cool winds of winter begin blowing, there's no better place to...
For health & comfort, try wild herbal teas
By Cynthia Andal
Issue #76 • July/August, 2002
The mention of herbal teas brings to mind pleasant conversations in a warmly scented kitchen, aided by the fragrant steam of a cup of Fireweed tea.
Completely aside from...
Buy your country place from the government
By Dorothy Cady
Issue #54 • November/December, 1998
While looking for your place in the country, you've probably been researching real estate books, newspaper ads, and maybe even using the Internet. You may have even considered...
Drawing the line on timber trespass
By Paul Lamble
Issue #78 • November/December, 2002
Over the 4th of July weekend, my wife and I learned an important lesson the hard way. We live near Kansas City, but for several years we've owned...
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...
Disaster preparation!
By Gary F. Arnet, D.D.S.
Issue #74 • March/April, 2002
Are you prepared for a disaster that could affect the daily function of your life or the lives of your family members? Or do you even...
The raging torrent — Respect it even when you play
By Scott Stoddard
Issue #70 • July/August, 2001
Years ago, while learning to sluice gold from a swollen mountain stream in southern California, I saw something that immediately sickened my stomach. The limp body of a...
Medical kits for self-reliant families
By Jackie Clay
Issue #60 • November/December, 1999
There may be a time, as close as tomorrow, when your loved ones need medication or medical treatment and there is no drug store open or doctor available....
10 country do’s and don’ts
By Julie Crist
Issue #96 • November/December, 2005
When we moved from the city to the mountains, I kept my eyes open and my mouth shut and and paid very close attention to other people's botchery....
The community treasure chest
By Sandy Coates
Issue #114 • November/December, 2008
Do you have odds and ends sitting around that you no longer need? Are you a "green" thinker, hating to throw items away that are still useful? Do...
Preserve the harvest naturally through wild fermentation
By Jereme Zimmerman
Issue #154 • July/August, 2015
Little hands are ideal for helping to stuff jars with vegetables. Just be sure to "pay" your help — but don't let them eat it all!
For a homesteader,...






























