Outdoors
This is where you’ll find lots of information for hands-on success outside. Gardening, farming, vehicle maintenance and repair, outdoor structures and more.
Review the entire Archive of Outdoors Articles here, or do a more in-depth search to find what you’re looking for.
WOODWORKING: Mill Your Own Short Lumber the Simple Way
It’s easy to look past the obvious fact that lumber comes from logs, but once you start thinking this way,…
AUTOMOTIVE: Three Secrets for Great Driveway Autobody Work
If you’re interested in reducing the cost of owning a vehicle, then learning to do basic paint repairs and autobody…
OUTDOORS: Join Us as We Make Home Heating Fuel from Dead Trees
Join us on a tiring but productive family work bee as we turn some dead elm trees into valuable home…
WILDLIFE: Rescuing a Rare Blandings Turtle
Click to see why I think these are the best rubber boots in the world, watch an unboxing video of…
FARMING: See A Little Pasture Management Trick in Action
Over the last few years I’ve been increasing the productivity of the cattle pastures on our Manitoulin Island homestead, and…
RURAL LIVING: Water Well Drilling With Nice Surprise Near the End
If you’ve never had a water well drilled, you don’t know the combination of hope and fear involved. Hope because…
EASY-KEEPER COTTAGE: Don’t Build Or Renovate To Make Work For Yourself
Thousands of people who own beautiful lakeside cottages will tell you that owning the place is fun, but a ton…
DECK FINISHING: “What Should I Do About Conflicting Deck Stain Advice?”
Making Sense of Deck Finishes Question: What should I do about conflicting advice I’m getting about deck finishing? I just…
PELLET STOVES: How To Install Your Own Economical Heating Appliance
DIY Installation An Option What’s involved in installing a wood pellet stove as a heating appliance? If you’re wondering if…
OUTDOOR WORK: Learn to safely & Effectively Use a Firewood Splitter
In this week’s video episode, learn how a hydraulic wood splitter works; see safe methods for using a wood splitter…
OUTDOOR WOOD: “How Can I Fix the Fuzzy Wood on My Deck?”
QUESTION: What should I do about the fuzzy surface fibers that developed on my deck? In the fall I stripped…
MULTI-FUEL GENERATORS: Ideal Option for Long-Term Outages
Home generators have never been more popular because people are more concerned than ever about backup electrical power when the…
OUTDOOR PLAYSETS: Tips & Plans for Building Your Own
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, talks to homeowners about how to build a safe and fun wooden play area for…
HEATING WITH FIREWOOD: Three Reasons It Makes Sense
According to Steve Maxwell wood heating makes sense on several levels; cost savings, cleanliness of combustion and the aesthetics of…
OUTDOOR PROJECTS: Real-World Tricks for Working With Posts, Beams & More
There are tricks that make a big difference to the visual success of outdoor woodworking projects, and that’s what you’ll…
HOW TO GET RID OF GNATS – 10 Fast, Easy Ways That Really Work
The term “gnat” means different things to different people, but generally they’re small biting and non-biting flying insects that often…
YARD & GARDEN: How Poor Soil Conditions Can Sabotage Your Driveway from Below
Your driveway’s biggest enemy is not the weather or heavy traffic – it is what lies beneath the surface. While…
RURAL WATER SYSTEMS: Watch Us Install a Deep Well Hand Pump
There’s something special about getting your water from a hand pump. Somehow water tastes a little bit better when it…
VEHICLES: How I got My Pickup Truck to Last 35 Years and Counting
Some people manage their vehicles like tubes of caulking – use them up and throw them away. Not me. I…
PRESSURE WASHERS: Eight Most Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Pressure washing is a popular home maintenance activity because it cleans brick, siding, decks and machinery thoroughly and in record…
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This is where you’ll find lots of information for hands-on success outside. Gardening, farming, vehicle maintenance and repair, outdoor structures and more.