Countryside definitely! Although back woods is good too.
Anyone got any homesteading magazines they would trade or sell? Let me know, I am interested.

well we have a few of back woods laying around and also mother earth news,never have read countryside,,,,, but reality is we are not homesteaders ourselves even though alot of folks probably would think that of us,,LOL,, and according to spikes guideline there we qualitfy as something,,
jwj

I think Countryside is better than Mother. kathyjo

Mother used to be my favorite many years ago. I still have the first 30 something issues, and another box of issues from various years; However, now Countryside is my favorite. Backwoods is OK also. OG is useful also, but not as good as it used to be.
Herself

Mother used to be great, but now it's Countryside or Backwoods. (look for old copies of Mother on ebay. B.

Countryside is a lot better in that it provides real-life basic information, which is practical for everyday use with homesteading. I enjoy reading how people become self-sufficient in raising their own meat and harvesting their own food. I'd like to see more about ideas for income production and energy-saving/off-grid ideas. Our countdown is on to when we eventually move to decent acreage and rural living in hopes of homesteading as much as practically possible.

These magazines are new to me. I have never seen them on the self? Would love to know where I can get, or is there a website I can go to to view? Thanks
Lee Ann

i found backwoods and countryside by typing just there name on my computer. If that dosen't work just type in www.backwoods.com and www,countryside.com this should do it. I am new to Backwoods home, but have gotten Countryside for the last ten years or so. the best of luck to ya.

Countryside for sure.We got Mother Earth for a year.We didn't bother to renew it.In fact,we didn't even keep the magazines.Countryside we keep.I don't give these away.

I thoroughly enjoy and subscribe to Countryside but find Mother Earth rather unrewarding to read. Am going to check out Backwoods...had not heard of that one!

Countryside magazine definitely. This is one of the few magazines I read cover to cover. Backhome magazine I also enjoy. I get Mother Earth News and enjoy it but not as much as the other two I have listed.

I also get a newsletter on wild edible plants called The Wild Food Forum as well as another called The Forager. The Herb Quarterly and The Herb Companion are also very good. These may not give you directions for building a chicken house, but they have great info on eating healthly natural foods from your own land, and sometimes info on soapmaking, dyes, and other crafts that may interest homesteaders.

Countryside & Small Stock Journal

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.countrysidemag.com/

Mother Earth News

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.motherearthnews.com/

I haven't read Backwoods Home Magazine yet. I'll check it out. Enjoying everyone's feedback on the magazines - thanks!

Backwoods Home Magazine link below:

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.backwoodshome.com/

Another vote for Countryside! Just found it two years ago and love it. Didn't like Mother Earth last few years but seems like the last couple of issues I've seen are a little better so am going to try them out again. Real old ones are good if you can find them.

I am not big on magazines, I love books. Does anyone have The Foxfire Book. Mine is the 1972 edition. Paid $3.95 for it in 1972. Great book, still get it out and read it. Alot of homesteading information. I have seen them at yard sales and book sales. Great homesteading book.

I think their on foxfire vol. 18 now. about $15 each. They are available at any bookstore.

Love countryside -- but we do find some gems in Mother Earth News.

Volume 18 WOW, were have I been!

I used to love reading the FoxFire books. They aren't really 'how to' books but interviews with 'them that's doin it' and many of them turn out that way. I never realized they were up that high. I'm getting old!

A good book for women or men I used to use as my 'bible' when first homesteading was; Country Women by: ? It was about these two ladies who moved out to the country and made it on their own. So many things are covered in that big book, I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to be a hard core homesteader. Wish I still had my copy. I think I saw it one time on ebay but they wanted too much for it. It's out of print, but they should think about making another printing. B.

I grew up on Mother Earth News, but I prefer BackHome. It was started by refugees from MEN, and retains its original spirit.

Foxfire books are GREAT!

Also, bookwise, am very fond of Carla Emery's "Encyclopedia of country living"/"Old-fashioned recipe book". (Has been through many, many editions.

Here is a link that might be useful: BackHome Magazine

Posted by: daughternature 7 GA (My Page) on Sun, Sep 15, 02 at 10:14

Countryside magazine definitely. This is one of the few magazines I read cover to cover. Backhome magazine I also enjoy. I get Mother Earth News and enjoy it but not as much as the other two I have listed.
I also get a newsletter on wild edible plants called The Wild Food Forum as well as another called The Forager. The Herb Quarterly and The Herb Companion are also very good. These may not give you directions for building a chicken house, but they have great info on eating healthly natural foods from your own land, and sometimes info on soapmaking, dyes, and other crafts that may interest homesteaders.

I can't stand backwoods home really kind of survivalist.. MEN used to be really great, but have gone the way of the world and become way to commercial. Countryside would be great for someone with a lot of land to put their great info into practice. Me I find reading off the web about peoples experiences and belonging to several news letter lists. Melana's edible food list is great. Also there are several simplicity lists worth looking into. And of Course... GARDENWEB!!! my 100% all time favorite place (c: Thanks Spike!!! Smitty

I got Vol. 11 of Foxfire when it came out in 1999, if they have done seven more since then I sure want to know where I can get them!!! Hope they are working on more! :)

Here is another great magazine: SMALL FARM TODAY The original How-to Magzine of Alternative and Traditional Crops, Livestock, and Direct Marketing. EST. 1984 I have found this to surpass all but Countryside and I would put it up against Countryside as an =. It is a bi-monthly magazine and you can email smallfarm@socket.net for subscription info. or click on link below. B.

Here is a link that might be useful: Small Farm Today Magazine Website

Backwoods home is too big on guns, a bit too right for me.
MEN is good, they have gone back to the old style, less commercial now, but still more mainstream than my favorite Countryside. I save both my countrysides and my MEN.

I think Countryside is great, even if you don't have lots of land - there's alot of encouragment for people who are trying self-sufficient techniques even if they're still in the city.
MEN has suddenly gotten a lot better, just when I was thinking of letting my subscription lapse.

Small Farmers Journal is focused on horse-based farming. I love it even though I don't have horses - the independent attitude of the publisher, and the letters are great. It's pricey - $32/year for 4 large issues. The ads are all for Amish buggy makers and such.

Here is a link that might be useful: Small Farmers Journal

I've been reading MEN off and on for a few years and always thought it was pretty good, but judging from all the recommendations for Countryside and Backwoods (which I've never read), I've really been missing out!

I find backwoods to be too pro NRA. If you like the NRA you wouldn't have a prbolem with Backwoods

My thought too about Backwoods...its like you should be building a backwoods compound! I'm a lefty I suppose :)

Mother Earth News is great for someone like me who is years from homesteading (I'm 24, a new teacher, with dreams that get stronger every day my students beat me up mentally, UGH!). It seems more introductory, but also with useful tips.

I found contrysides website a few weeks ago and read much of the back issues on the site and quite enjoyed it. I suspect that I'd get a subscription to both before I head out into my dream and then after a year or 2 get down to whatever one i found most useful....

I do have some MENs that i found at a used book store from the 70's, I enjoy them!

I have found Countryside at Barnes & Noble bookstore if you'd like to try it without subscribing. I think they will also send you a trial issue and you can write cancel on the invoice if you don't like it.

We get Mother Earth News and it has(usually ) good tips on gardening though unfortuneatly they've been doing tons on solar energy and almost none on livestock. Their ads are pretty good though. Grit magezine I think they have a website had a great article on choosing your homestead cow with profiles of different breeds that was quite interesting.

ACRES USA is tied for first place with Countryside for me. For poultry interest alone, Countryside's newest pulication, Backyard Poultry is tops as well. Never let any of these copies leave my house-but share the info.

MEN and OG have fallen out of favor. Still have some OG, when it was a 6"x9" mag with stories by real folks gardening and no glitz.
cella jane