I just got an e-mail from Dave Duffy, the publisher of BHM saying his son, Sam, will be re-launching the print edition of the magazine. It will be the same as before with all the regular columns and writers, including me, Massad Ayoob, Patrice Lewis, Linda Gabris, and others. If you’d like more information on subscribing to the greatest self-reliance magazine in history, go to www.self-reliance.com.

Meanwhile, back on our homestead, Will and I are continuing to get ready for winter. Will continued working on the ditch and got the wiring in it up to the spot our new solar array will be located. He also decided to deepen the ditch and run a branch off of it so he could bury the insulated pipe which will eventually carry anti-freeze from our wood fired boiler to the house. We had several “conversations” about hooking up the boiler. Will is for it; I’m not so much. I prefer simple where he likes plumbing and wiring. I’m not educated on all those valves, pumps, etc. necessary for a boiler. It’s real easy to toss logs into the wood stove. Oh well, the pipe is in and we’re closer to hooking up the boiler. I’m sure it will keep the house more evenly warm during those cold nights without getting up to stuff more wood into the stove. (But I’ll still love my wood stove!)

The ditch with the conduit for the wiring for the solar array ready to install.
Another view of the new project

David told me there was another big truckload of throw-away shipping crates at his work. He hates to see them tossed in the over-sized roll-off and smashed to bits. We’re talking about long 2×6 lumber, OSB, treated 4x4s and more. Not to mention all those new bolts which attach them together. So this morning I took his old Dodge beast of a pickup to Ziegler Cat and while David was on break, he jumped into a skid-steer and loaded that truck full! There were a couple of crates made of 2x6s and plywood, a huge pallet which included treated 4x4s and one inch lumber of hardwood, large pieces of ½-inch OSB, a huge crate made of 2x6s and 1-inch OSB and other usable lumber. We strapped it down with nylon ratchet straps and I headed home while he headed back to work. Wow, what a haul!

Didn’t I get a haul today?

Well, I’m running out to pick a bucket of apples to make into more applesauce and apple juice before dark. Daylight savings time ends soon … but I do have a headlamp… — Jackie

27 COMMENTS

  1. The minute I got the email about backwoods home going back to print I called to subscribe and buy last years anthology in print. I was ecstatic!!!!! As the kindle version did not work in Canada.

    I love getting your updates vial email but I also love the hard print articles – I have been following your blogs/hard print Ask Jackie Clay for I think maybe 15 years now? (Maybe a little bit more? ). And have bought all of your books that have been a tremendous help especially in canning

    Thanks so much Jackie – M Blaney Ottawa ON Canada

  2. Happy dance on getting the magazine back!!! I put the word out on several site that I belong to lol. I wish I had known this at th ge mother earth fair as that’s where I renue all of my subscriptions, love those free books! ??????

    • Yep, but the decision was newer than that. The free books are always a great thing about the shows! And meeting everyone!

  4. Miss Jackie, I am so happy for you with the new load of recyclable wood!
    If you can keep getting these hauls you may get enough to do some really nifty project. Blessings to you all!
    Did Mama Wild Turkey survive and is she nearby? Raise Babies?
    I also rejoice about BHM coming back into print. I just am not computer savvy I tried numerous times to get a subscription to the Kindle version, but it did not work for me, so I read what articles i could get online and followed your blog. Thank you for being there! Rick in Pa.

    • I’ve got a “few” ideas already. Will’s using the big OSB box in the barn to store grain in. It will hold a ton! No Mama Turk yet but we’re still hopeful. A neighbor saw a wild turkey hen with “strange looking” chicks so we think it was her as she was bred by one of our toms and they vary in color from brown to slate gray and white. We’re really hoping she shows up. We miss her! But you more! Sorry Kindle didn’t work for you. I’m not computer savvy, either!

    • We think so too! It seems there are always good “deals” out there; it’s amazing at what some places throw away!

  6. I hollered for joy when I read the news about BWH being reprinted again.

    You are really so busy. You’re a hero!
    I hope you’ll do a dedicated post to your canning efforts this year. I would love to see pictures.

    • So what exactly would you like? I’ll try to oblige. We’re tickled that BHM is being reborn in paper again!

  8. I’m starting my 17th year burning an outdoor boiler. You will love it. It will not replace your stoves – which you will still enjoy. But it is wonderful. We heat our domestic hot water with the outdoor boiler, too. It is super! The outdoor will burn ‘non-pretty’ wood and stumps and stuff you would ordinarily not want to fool with. So it helps use the wood you have. If you heat water with your boiler, be sure to put a mixer valve in so you don’t scald yourself. That boiler really heats up the water.

    • Thanks for the tips. Our oldest son, Bill, has had one for many years now, too and they like it. It not only heats their house and water but also their garage. We’re talking about a separate building to house our Seed Treasures business as it’s taking over our house. So heating that as well is a definite thought and plus.

  9. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU….. I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING BHM WITHDRAWLs. I’m so excited for all of us who don’t want this precious knowledge lost. Pamela / TN

  10. Jackie I have canning question. I always can my tomatoes using your tomato sauce recipe in your canning book- the updated one using the pressure canner instead of water bath. As we are in the process of moving I have all my precious cookbooks in a storage pod so I cannot access it. I have frozen the tomatoes but now have a bit of time to can them up. Would you be so kind as to send me the pressure canned tomato sauce basic recipe? Many thanks and looking forward to the print edition of BHM again we are longtime subscribers.

    • Most sources recommend 20 minutes for pints and 5 minutes for quarts at 10 pounds pressure. However, I still process mine in a water bath canner and feel perfectly safe doing so as I’m sure to add lemon juice or vinegar and I use high-acid tomatoes.

      Glad you’ll be subscribing again, Amy!

  11. You make me feel normal for enjoying simple things like my woodstove. And I learn other possibilities as well. Keep up the good (hard!) Work, Jackie!

  12. I too am happy about the magazine. I have an outside wood boiler and love it. It keeps the wood pile mess outside (with mice etc), the smoke is outside and inside is toasty. We also heat our hot water with it. Insurance is much cheaper and according to our agent no higher than a normal house. I applaud Will’s work. My works with 110 volt pumps you must have 12 volt pumps. My father in law built his outside deck from throw a way wood from contractors in his area. So much good material is simply tossed out. We must use it up, wear it out or do without. Congratulations on your successful scavenging trip.

    • Glad to hear your experience. I’m sure I’ll love our boiler too, once it gets up and working. I agree; way too much stuff is thrown away which could be used by others! I love finding such great deals!!!

  13. I got my notification about BWH and Self-Reliance yesterday. I’ve already subscribed to both of the print versions. It’s SO exciting! It’s like having close friends move away and come back again. Now I can keep up with my favorite authors (you of course being #1) in the print format I MUCH prefer! Thanks for continuing to share with all of us. I can’t wait to see the finished solar array.

  14. I get a kick out of you guys re-purposing things. I do, too, but not on the scale you do. I saw the picture of David’s latest haul and thought “what now?” before I read the details. Good for him!

    • We both have great ideas on using this material. He’s already saved a whole pile of perfect 2″x8″ 12′ long boards from two pallets and has three big, heavy storage boxes which will allow he and Ashley to get rid of their 2 storage units which they pay for monthly! Plus a big grain bin for Will and maybe a Hobbit she-shed for me down by the pond….

  16. Always love to see your updates and SO GLAD they are printing the magazine again! We got snow here today in Northern New Mexico. Wonder how many snowmen trick-or-treaters we will see tonight… or perhaps just princesses with ski jackets over LOL

    Sandy

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