Articles - Backwoods Home Magazine

Goat birthing and raising kids

A contrary guide to feeding animals

Where our farm animals come from

Claw Hammers

By R.E. Rawlinson Scottish writer and philosopher Thomas Carlyle observed that “Man is a tool using animal … without tools he is nothing, with tools...

Small engine maintenance for women

Eye-catching signs with mirrors

Build a wood-fired stock tank heater

Hügelkultur for the Homestead

By Rose Shelton Issue #176 • April/May/June, 2019 Last spring, I finally completed a long-planned homestead project of constructing two hügelkultur beds. What is hügelkultur? It’s...

A New Use for Old Tires: A Garden Using Tires

Who were the best…and worst U.S. Presidents?

By John Silveira Issue #49 • January/February, 1998 It was one of those days I love. We were between deadlines and Dave, Bill, Mac, and I...

Doesn’t anyone remember Tom Paine

Presidents’ wives of the past Part 4 — Cunning, vindictive, and...

Penne with Provencal eggplant and peppers

Just for Kids: Some good clean fun!

A small creek provides plenty of power for this off-grid home

Build your own solar-powered water pumping station

Why you need to addsolar to your emergencypower backup plans

Catch your own bait

By Gary Gresh Issue #91 • January/February, 2005 Expensive lures and pricey tackle shop baits can sometimes make fishing an expensive proposition, raising the cost of...

Understanding the gun debate, part 3

Hunting, processing, and serving black bear

Gee-Whiz: Insects

By O. E. MacDougal November/December 2015, Backwoods Home Some 400 million years ago, in the Devonian Period, insects evolved from crustaceans. Since that time, they have...

The world is coming to an end… and this time, I’m...

Avian Flu — How afraid of this

Self-reliance is a mindset — A woman’s opinion

Stumbling over your own stupidity

Something unsaid about Timothy McVeigh’s execution

Is it time for an education revolution?

Khaki Campbell ducks — The other egg layer

By Amanda J. Kemp Issue #126 • November/December, 2010 Spring brings the pitter-patter of little feet in the mud, games of tag, and raucous quacks. While...

This St. Bernard backwoods hero saved old Grandma’s life

By Margaret Wright Issue #35 • September/October, 1995 When we think of a backwoods dog we generally think of a Pyrenees, German Shepherd, or other breed...

Cheaper than Store-Bought Eggs

Finding, buying, milking, and living with the family milk cow

Jackie’s tips for hardcore homesteading

Power Up Light, Water, Communications in Emergencies

A view of self-reliance from a more timid perspective — A woman’s opinion

Time to Forget About Snail and Slug Bait

By Lyle Dykes Issue #135 • May/June, 2012 Years ago when traveling on business, I looked out of the window of my motel one morning in Newport, Oregon, and noticed a little Chinese lady flipping over...

Your Manure Pile — For Fuel, Fertilizer, and Maybe Even Improved Water Quality, You...

By Rev. J.D. Hooker Issue #87 • May/June, 2004 It's been well over a decade now since I first heard my friend Pete voice his amazement at my practice of spreading animal manure as a fertilizer....