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

7  Editorial: Exercising with gadgets — the ones that work aren’t what you’d expect

71  Ask Jackie: Hazelnut trees, canning garlic, sourdough question, planting wheat, using rain water, and more.

51  Ayoob on Firearms:
Political activism, backwoods style

46  Living the outlaw life:  Are you crazy? Somebody wants you to be.
By Claire Wolfe

56  Irreverent joke page

58  The gee-whiz! page

80  Letters

87   Advertiser Index

83   Classified ads (pdf)

83  Classified ad form

91   BHM anthologies, CD-ROMs, & books

88-89  Order form / Subscription Info

or call Toll Free 1-800–835-2418

Cover 75
ABOUT THE COVER
This is our second cover in a row to feature a Jackie Clay photograph. For this special health issue it was serendipitous that Jackie wrote about wild asparagus. For, as it turns out, besides being a delicious treat, asparagus has health properties that make it one of the leading fighters of both cancer and arterial disease.

Asparagus, like the spear featured on our cover, are out there on rural roadsides, in meadows, and in abandoned gardens just waiting for the adventurer who will go out to find it.

FEATURES

Health

8  To maintain good health you MUST exercise   By Richard Blunt

Along with a well-balanced diet, a programmed regimen of physical activity is necessary to maintain good health. Richard Blunt demonstrates a simple and fun exercise plan he uses to keep his weight down and his health and physical fitness at a peak

18  What to do when there’s no doctor   By Gary F. Arnet, D.D.S

You may suddenly find yourself on your own for a few days or even weeks while hunting, fishing, or because of a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or war. Dr. Arnet talks about medical kits for the self-reliant and treatment of some common injuries and illnesses.

25  Supplements — it’s a murky science, but here’s what I take, and here’s why   By John Silveria

Supplements are an iffy proposition and the medical community is divided on them. But there’s evidence, though inconclusive, that says you may live a longer, healthier life if you take them

35  Avoiding the misery of poison oak   By Gary F. Arnet, D.D.S

Every year tens of millions of us “catch” poison oak, ivy, or sumac. Dr. Arnet explains how to identify these plants, how to protect ourselves, and treatments if we catch the itch anyway.

39  Caring for wounds in the field   By Bill Glade, M.D

What happens if you’re isolated and you or a friend incurs a large, even a life-threatening, wound. Dr. Glade explains how to stop the bleeding, clean the wound, and what to do if you’re not going to get professional medical attention within six hours.

42  Save a life by becoming a First Responder, EMT, or Paramedic   By Jeff Yago, P.E., C.E.M

You can serve your community and your family by acquiring emergency medical training. Jeff Yago describes how he and his wife did just that and tells you how you can, too.

66  No dentist? Oh, no!    By Gary F. Arnet, D.D.S

Dr. Arnet discusses the care of teeth when professional help isn’t available.

Farm and garden

33  Dorper sheep   By Darlene Polachic

A new breed of sheep from South Africa may revolutionize the meat sheep for industry and farmers.

77  The self-sufficient barnyard    By Rich Kientopf

You may want to raise your own animals to become more self-sufficient. Rich Kientopf has some suggestions as to what animals you should get—and which ones you shouldn’t.

Self-reliance

60  Harvesting the wild asparagus   By Jackie Clay

In the second of her “foraging the wilds” series, Jackie talks about finding, preparing, and preserving wild asparagus. She even tells you how to transplant it to a garden of your own.