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A Backwoods Home Anthology — The Seventeenth Year
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DEPARTMENTS
6  Publisher’s Note

7  Editorial:
Which wars work best? The ones we fight or the ones we avoid?

66  Ayoob on Firearms:
When wild animals invade your homestead

73  Ask Jackie:
Clay soil, cherry tomatoes and pig weed, canned green tomatoes, elderberry concentrate, raw cow’s milk, raising oats and wheat, etc.

64  Irreverent joke page

86  Letters

90   Advertiser Index

91  Classified ads (pdf)

91  Classified advertising form

94   BHM anthologies, CD-ROMs, & books

95  The last word:
Who’s supposed to protect our rights?

96-97  Order form/Subscription Info

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Cover 102
ABOUT THE COVER
This issue’s cover was inspired by Mas Ayoob’s article on page 66, which was itself inspired by a real-life episode of a mountain lion invading a home in Colorado. Thousands of people saw the photo of a mountain lion jumping through a home’s window (from the inside to the outside) on the news pages of aol.com. No one seemed sure how the lion got inside the home. The cover was painted by long-time artist Don Childers, who turned 76 years of age this issue.

FEATURES

Building and tools

26  Build a poured slab foundation for your new home   By David Lee

Here’s some practical advice on preparing and pouring a foundation.

Alternative energy

45  Solar-powered refrigerators   By By Jeffrey R. Yago, PE, CEM

Jeff does a comprehensive comparison of brands and models

Self-reliance

8  Starting over: Part 12   By Jackie Clay

With Jackie’s philosophy of pay-as-you-go, the second half of the roof gets started. The garden gets attacked, canning season begins, and the yard gets a facelift

18  Killer Blizzards—understanding them could save your life   By John Silveira

Everything you ever wanted to know about blizzards, including the most devastating and destructive

72  Battling skunks with mothballs & pepper spray   By Tom Kovach

80  Water development for the homestead: Ponds, cisterns, and tanks   By Roy Martin

Gain a wealth of knowledge about developing your backwoods water supply from one who’s been there.

Recipes

35  The healthy kitchen: Good spoons, good knives, good food   By Richard Blunt

A heart-healthy diet does not have to be drab and boring. Being more open to experimenting with unfamiliar foods can help us get on the road to good health.

52  Healthy holiday munchies   By Linda Gabris

Holiday foods do not have to be filled with fat and cholesterol. Enjoy some of these healthy snacks this holiday season.

56  Tofu—an all-purpose wonderfully nutritious food   By Habeeb Salloum

Think tofu is tasteless? Habeeb shows us several delicious ways to prepare this much-maligned healthy food.

60  Healthy homemade tofu   By Linda Gabris

Linda gives instructions on making your own protein-rich versatile food that is tasty and good for you.

71  Modify your oven to bake great bread   By Emily Buehler