Articles - Backwoods Home Magazine

Animals

Chickens — The most valuable animal on the homestead

Kinder goats — A small breed for milk and meat

Switch your family to goat’s milk

Hog butchering — Using everything but the squeal

Building

Install rafters alone the easy way

By Robert L. Williams Issue #35 • September/October, 1995 Anyone who has ever worked on roof framing knows that nailing up rafters is a two-man job...

Determined woman builds distinctive vertical log studio

Build an Old-Fashioned Hotbed and Start Your Seeds in Style

Our Unconventional House

Choosing a chain saw

Farm and Garden

Plant Your Trees in the Spring

By Tom Kovach Issue #61 • January/February, 2000 Winter is a good time to plan your spring tree plantings, deciding what and where you want to...

Woodchuck-Proof the Garden

Caring for your chickens in winter

The $1 Garden

For Extra Production, Try Mound Gardening

Americana and History

From Martha and Abigail to Dolley and Louisa, America’s earliest First...

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...

Oregon Trail preparedness: What supplies did the settlers carry?

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

Doesn’t anyone remember Tom Paine

Was the first government gun confiscation attempt foiled by an unsung...

Food and recipes

Bread — The staff of life

Aunt Mildred’s honey cake

Winter baking warms the house

Succulent venison stew

Self-reliance

Power Up Light, Water, Communications in Emergencies

Everybody talks about lightning and yes, there are things you can do about it

Mosquitoes outnumber us and no one likes them

Better wood heating

Energy

Solar system codes — Build it right!

Grid-down battery devices

Dim bulbs in California

For a truly independent energy system, your choices are solar, wind, and water

Guns and Hunting

Firearms and cold weather considerations

By Massad Ayoob Issue #79 • January/February, 2003 Many of our readers have established their abodes in places which, during the winter months, do not exactly...