A few favorite recipes and books

By Ilene Duffy Issue #110 • March/April, 2008 I was talking with another mom in the produce section of the market the other day. During our conversation, she happened to mention that earlier in her life...

Never too busy to make bread

By Ilene Duffy Issue #114 • November/December, 2008 Summer vacation came to an abrupt end. Sons are back in school. My "soccer mom" folding chair is in the trunk of the car. The daytimer is getting...

The real “Q” — Barbecue the way it’s supposed to be

By John DePresca Photos by Carolyn DePresca Issue #119 • September/October, 2009 The next time you go to the grocery store or supermarket check out the price of a pound of already prepared barbecue. If you're shocked...

Wild edibles in delectable dishes

By Rebekah L. Cowell Issue #123 • May/June, 2010 Many of us are surrounded by "free" foods we never think of utilizing. Perhaps you look out on your backyard or meadow, and think G-R-A-S-S! But you...

Your kitchen pharmacy — How common culinary herbs and spices can help you feel...

By Rebekah L. Cowell Issue #122 • March/April, 2010 In a perfect world, we would get all the nutrients and medication we needed from the food we ate. However, our diets and the foods available to...

Goat milk recipes

By Jackie Clay Issue #92 • March/April, 2005 One of my greatest joys is having a bounty of fresh milk from my goats come spring. And as I had two does milking on our new homestead...

Homemade Cottage cheese, rhubarb pie, lemon custard pudding cake, pasties, beef stew, biscuits, butter,...

By Jackie Clay Issue #82 • July/August, 2003 We've all been there; we are striving toward a self-reliant lifestyle, growing, raising, and foraging much of our family's food. After all, we realize that not only does...

Bread — The staff of life

By Jackie Clay Issue #78 • November/December, 2002 In today's hurry-up, prosperous world, bread has come to mean that white, pasty stuff you buy in the store and slap together into boring, equally tasteless sandwiches. Or...

Harvesting the wild: Acorns

By Jackie Clay Issue #79 • January/February, 2003 When I was just a little girl, I used to collect acorns by the boxfull as they fell in the fall. I didn't know why. They just felt...

Can she bake an apple pie, Billy Boy?

By Jackie Clay Issue #77 • September/October, 2002 Okay, I know in the song it's "cherry" pie, but what the heck, we all love apple pies, don't we? Unfortunately, few people bake good old fashioned apple...

Feeding large families without breaking the bank

By Jackie Clay Issue #116 • March/April, 2009 Many of us have been there; for unforeseen reasons, suddenly we have a lot more people to cook for. With the economy melting down, jobs ending, and the...

The perfect holiday meal

By Jackie Clay Issue #108 • November/December, 2007 There are no cultures in the world, nor have there been, that did not have feast days. From prehistoric times to yesterday, food has always played an important...

You can safely and easily can your own meat

By Jackie Clay Issue #105 • May/June, 2007 Of all the foods I can every year, the most useful is the wide variety of meats. While we aren't huge meat eaters, these rows and rows of...

Avoiding common canning mistakes

By Jackie Clay-Atkinson Issue #142 • July/August, 2013 Canning has been an important part of my life since I was a young girl helping my mother and grandmother can in our Detroit basement. I loved the...

Hungry enough to eat a horse?

By Don Chance Issue #88 • July/August, 2004 Okay, it's not everyday dining fare, I agree. But, tell someone you're having horse steaks for supper, grilled to perfection and garnished with plenty of fresh herbs and...

Gather rose hips for health

By Gail Butler Issue #95 • September/October, 2005 Vitamin C-rich rose hips can be found in dried form in most health food stores, but why not gather your own? You'll save money and you'll know where...