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

7   Editorial: Can America be saved?

56   Ask Jackie: Chipmunks, canning with vinegar, canning nuts

36   Energy Works

54   Irreverent joke page

93   BHM books

17   Ayoob on Firearms: Against a rapist, Shoot what you’re used to

76   Letters

85   Advertiser Index

90  &nbspThe last word:A lesson in respect

86  Classified ads (pdf)

86  Classified ad form

91  Subscription Info

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Cover 65
ABOUT THE COVER
The inspiration for the cover art came from the photograph of Jackie Clay’s new 20-acre homestead in the mountains of Montana. A copy of the photo appears on page 8. To complete his rendering, artist John Dean went beyond the photo available to him. He telephones Jackie in Montana to ascertain the details of her view of the horizon, which the camera had failed to capture, to give the painting its expansive quality.

FEATURES

Self-sufficiency

8  How we found our remote backwoods home   By Jackie Clay

After searching for a new homestead in Alaska and British Columbia, having deals fall through, dealing with bureaucracy, and nearly losing a huge part of their savings, Jackie Clay and her family finally found the home they were looking for in a mountain valley outside of Wolf Creek, Montana.

13  Day by day with Jackie Clay   By Jackie Clay

In this companion piece to the feature article, Jackie Clay lets us take a glimpse into her diary where she recorded the daily events that mark her first days in her new Montana home.

28   Homestead helpers   By Charles Sanders

60  Go East…young man   By John Whight

Contrary to the age-old wisdom on which this country was founded, Whight suggests you not move west to where the crowds are going, but go east—to Maine.

62  Lye soap making in the modern home   By Steve German

72  Weave your own basket from natural vines   By Marcella Shaffer

Energy Works

36  A passive solar-heated tower house   By Stephen Heckeroth

This 2,000-square-foot, six-story private home was designed with a 350-square-foot greenhouse/sun space. It is heated by the sun, cooled by natural ventilation.

44  7 solar water heating system designs   By Michael Hackleman

In an interview with Rob Harlan, Michael and Rob discuss the pros and cons of various active and passive water heating systems and include the relative costs of each.

Homeschooling

32  Homeschooling through high school   By Janet Leake

Recipes

67  Cooking lamb with style   By Richard Blunt

Farm and garden

26  Storing tender bulbs   By Tom Kovach

26  Storing vegetables   By Tom Kovach

Country living

22  Start a jug band for $100 or less   By Don Fallick

The old days

31  Grandpa’s justice   By Tom Kovach