Innholdsfortegnelse for December - January 2019 i MOTHER EARTH NEWS

There’s no doubt that I’m a creature of habit, and one of my habits is to read just about everything I can get my hands on that relates to my passions, including gardening, plant-animal interactions, and grazing strategies. One of the topics that comes up time and time again is cover crops, which can be used in the garden, in pasture improvement, in soil-building, and, of course, as forage. It’s all fascinating stuff, and yet, because I’m a creature of habit, I often don’t get around to implementing, or even experimenting with, many concepts I read about, because I can’t always find enough hours in the day. So it goes with cover crops. Sure, I’ve tossed a little buckwheat here, and a little cereal rye there, and I’ve planted clovers…

Nothing is quite so wonderful, so luxurious, and so palate-pleasing as a well-aged cheese. As with wine, it takes time and proper care to mature a young cheese into the ultimate epicurean experience — but you don’t have to be a skilled affineur (the French term for a professional cheese ager) or have access to a high-tech aging room or traditional cheese cave to create superior aged cheeses at home! The French call the process of aging cheese affinage, which at its core is simply the preservation of milk. Our forebears lacked both refrigeration and a year-round supply of fresh milk. Aged cheeses concentrate and preserve the nutrients in milk in a longer-lasting form. Different styles of aged cheeses evolved depending on the natural conditions — weather, microbes, and more…

Mastering Basic Cheesemaking provides a complete hands-on guide to making cheese and other fermented dairy products from scratch, geared toward helping a novice cheesemaker develop the intuition and abilities needed for success, especially in the real world of the home kitchen. Whether you’re a budding cheesemaker, an avid do-it-yourselfer, a foodie, a homesteader, or a cheese professional, this complete course in beginning cheese making from one of North America’s foremost instructors is packed with everything you’ll need to create delicious, nourishing, and beautiful classic cheeses and other dairy delights. This title is available at www.MotherEarthNews.com/Store or by calling 800-234-3368. Mention promo code MMEPAJZ2. Item #7777.…

Rivets are an alternative to stitching, and can reinforce a seam. In this project, I use rivets to attach the two straps and to reinforce the flat pocket corners. A rivet setter has two parts: an anvil and a setter. You’ll also need a hammer. The anvil and setter have concave recesses that won’t mar the rivets. The rivets come in two pieces: a post (the long part) and a cap. The thickness of the leather and the spot to be riveted determines the size of rivet needed. For this project, use ¼-inch rivets. To prepare a rivet, punch a hole through all layers of leather. For ¼-inch rivets, the hole should be 5/64 inch. Push the post of the rivet from the back of the pieces to be riveted…

You can make mead in any volume you desire, but most homebrewers make 1- or 5-gallon batches. I recommend starting with 1-gallon batches. They’re more affordable, ferment quicker, and allow for greater experimentation. For the most part, you can make 1-gallon batches using standard kitchen equipment. For 5-gallon batches, you’ll need to source some specialized equipment. You can take the following recipe for semisweet traditional mead and flavor it with fruits or herbs if you desire. For a 5-gallon batch, simply scale up the amount of ingredients and use appropriate-sized equipment. Yield: 1 gallon. Equipment • One 2- to 3-gallon cooking pot• Stirring spoon• Large funnel• Two 1-gallon glass jugs• Air lock with bung• One 2- to 3-foot siphon tube• One 1- to 2-gallon container with spigot, for bottling• Bottles…

The world we live in is unpredictable. Natural and man-made disasters can occur anywhere at any time. Hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, floods, fires, civil unrest, chemical spills, and blackouts are constant threats to our safety and well-being. When the unimaginable becomes reality, you may find yourself without electricity, food, water, gas, or any means of communication. The last thing you’ll want to be without is a plan. Your Emergency Game Plan is your disaster preparation and response guide. Its purpose is to provide you with confidence in knowing what to do before, during, and after any potential emergency or disaster. It will provide you the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re prepared to keep your family safe. Start now to create a clear course of action. You may not…

What do you do if you have some old windows or picture frames, possess no artistic ability, and yet harbor a desire to create a beautiful piece of unique repurposed art? After a thorough barn and basement cleaning, this was my dilemma. I looked through countless ideas on the web, and quickly came to the conclusion that some very talented, creative people are out there, but I’m not one of them. I also realized that tracing and coloring is something anyone, even myself, can successfully accomplish, so I finally had a project on my hands. With a short list of materials and a few easy steps, I made those old windows and frames new again. You can find printable patterns for projects like this one free online. Resize them on…

Since chickens love to scratch the ground, can I put my girls to work turning compost? Yes! If you have backyard chickens and a garden, you’ve got a valuable resource right at your fingertips. Using your chickens to work compost has many benefits, and it’s a natural process for composting. Because our chickens work our compost, we save tons of money on chicken feed. Our hens are feasting on high-protein bugs, microbes, and fresh sprouts from the pile daily. The quality of our egg production has increased, and our chickens’ health is exceptional. The birds love working on the compost, and it keeps them busy during the day. In winter, the decomposing pile provides added heat to their area. We also find that our compost decomposes more quickly because the…

“Thank you, MOTHER EARTH NEWS, for helping this city boy convert to the country lifestyle. I couldn’t have done it without you.” City Boy Makes Good I first discovered MOTHER EARTH NEWS when a copy was sitting on the coffee table of a friend’s country home. I was a city boy at the time, and dreamed of someday having my own homestead. But how could I make it happen? I had no money, no experience, and no clue where to start. My first move away from city life was when I bought a used step van to outfit as my new home. I spent months adding everything I needed to live on the road — water tanks, a bed with storage underneath, a fold-down desk, a gas stove, a furnace,…

This is a great first cheese; it’s simple to make and doesn’t need long to age. It won’t be as complex as cheeses that age for much longer, but it will be rewarding to make and eat! Time: 3 hours, plus 4 to 6 hours and 3 days inactive, and 4 to 8 weeks aging. Yield: about 2 pounds. Ingredients • 2 gallons whole milk• ¼ teaspoon Flora Danica or ¼ cup cultured buttermilk• ¼ teaspoon calcium chloride, diluted in ¼ cup cool water (optional)• ⅛ teaspoon double-strength vegetarian rennet, diluted just before use in ¼ cup cool, nonchlorinated water• 2 tablespoons sea salt, divided Equipment • 2-gallon pot, and a pot that will hold it• Thermometer• Ladle• Cheesecloth• Tray• Cheese form• Water jug or other weight for pressing• Tub…

Conventional cemeteries usually require a vault to keep the graveyards from developing depressions where the soil over biodegradable caskets has settled. They also permit embalming. If you or your loved ones are interested in minimizing the ecological impact of burial, look into one of these other types of burial ground. Hybrid burial grounds are conventional cemeteries that offer the option for burial without the need for a vault, vault lid, concrete box, slab, or partitioned liner. They also don’t require embalming, and they allow for any type of eco-friendly burial container, including shrouds. Conventional cemeteries all over the United States are considering — and opening — sections for natural burial, so don’t hesitate to ask. Natural (or green) burial grounds require the adoption of energy-conserving, waste-minimizing practices, and prohibit the…

Brew Beer Like a Yeti finds Jereme Zimmerman returning to ancient practices and ingredients and bringing storytelling, mysticism, and folklore back to the brewing process (including a broad range of ales, gruits, bragots, and other styles that have undeservingly taken a back seat to the IPA). Recipes inspired by traditions around the globe include sahti, gotlandsdricka, oak bark and mushroom ale, wassail, pawpaw wheat, chicha de muko, and even Neolithic “stone” beers. With Zimmerman’s guidance, readers will learn about the many ways to go beyond the pale ale, utilizing alternatives to standard grains, hops, and commercial yeasts to defy the strictures of style and design their own brews. This title is available at www.MotherEarthNews.com/Store or by calling 800-234-3368. Mention promo code MMEPAJZ2. Item #8947.…

After successfully incubating and brooding a batch of chicks, consider that allowing them access to insect-rich compost piles may help ensure them a happy, healthy life. A recent study has found that bugs may contribute to the overall health of our feathered friends. A polysaccharide found in chitin, the main component of the exoskeleton that makes bugs crunchy, can boost a chicken’s immune system. So, letting your birds work over your compost pile in search of tasty insects will give you not only healthier compost, but healthier birds as well!…

Studious Readers I just love this magazine! Each time the newest issue arrives, I take the whole day to read it through carefully. I like to think of it as studying, trying to soak in all the information. At 83 years old, I still maintain a half-acre garden, and the tips in your magazine still help me more and more each day. I grow much more produce than I could possibly need, so I give the extra to all of my friends, who are also older but unable to garden for themselves. Anything left over goes straight to my pygmy goats, who appreciate the spare treats. Gardening has gotten more challenging for me since my husband passed away a few years ago. Luckily, my son is still around and helps…

Sun-Capturing, Multipurpose Powerhouse From $2,030 at www.SolarGemGreenhouses.com A reliable greenhouse can be a game-changer when it comes to self-sufficiency. Greenhouses can extend your growing season and provide a more controlled environment to give your plants the best chance possible. Wrap those benefits up in a tough, no-fuss package with tons of utility and multiple uses, and you have the American-made Solar Gem Greenhouse. As editor Russell Mullin puts it, “My Solar Gem Greenhouse is a hassle-free, multipurpose structure that, after a few personal customizations, I also use as an outdoor washroom (complete with a solar shower and composting toilet) and storage shed for garden tools.” Despite being tough, Solar Gem Greenhouses are also lightweight because of their one-piece fiberglass construction and ribbed Gothic-arch design. The automatic ceiling vents open and…

Colby is a mild, friendly cheese that doesn’t need to age for long to be good. It involves a step called “washing the curd” that will add to your toolkit of cheesemaker skills. Time: 3½ hours, plus 12 hours inactive, and 2 to 4 months aging. Yield: about 2 pounds. Ingredients • 2 gallons whole milk• ¼ teaspoon MA 4000 or ¼ cup cultured buttermilk• ¼ teaspoon calcium chloride, diluted in ⅛ cup cool water (optional)• ⅛ teaspoon double-strength vegetarian rennet, diluted just before use in ⅛ cup cool, nonchlorinated water• 2 teaspoons sea salt, divided Equipment • 2-gallon pot, and a pot that will hold it• Thermometer• Ladle• Colander• Pot with lid• Cheesecloth• Tray or drain board• Cheese press and form• 1-gallon vacuum-sealable bag and vacuum sealer (optional) 1…

Savor your best tomato harvest ever! This book offers everything a tomato enthusiast needs to know about growing more than 200 tomato cultivars — from sowing seeds and planting to cultivating and collecting seeds at the end of the season. It also offers a comprehensive guide to the various pests and diseases of tomatoes, and explains how best to avoid them. No other book offers such a detailed look at the specifics of growing tomatoes, with beautiful photographs and helpful tomato profiles throughout. This title is available at www.MotherEarthNews.com/Store or by calling 800-234-3368. Mention promo code MMEPAJZ2. Item #7504.…

In this article, I’ll continue my series on useful items to make with home-tanned leather (see “How to Tan a Deer Hide,” October/November 2016, “How to Make Your Own Moccasins,” February/March 2017, and “Craft Your Own Coonskin Cap,” October/November 2017) by explaining how to turn a deer hide into an apron you can use around your garden, in your workshop, or at your grill. Hides from older bucks work well for apron making because they’re generally thicker than hides from does or younger deer. They’re also larger, so you can make an entire apron from one hide. The thickest part of the hide is on the deer’s neck and over its shoulders, so you should cut the straps from this part of the hide. Use the rest of the middle…

When people ask me what mead is, I usually respond with something along the lines of, “Well, it’s not beer, it’s not wine, and it’s not cider. It’s mead!” Admittedly, that’s not a very helpful answer. But as mead earns recognition as a new contender in the craft beverage market, it’s important that it be accepted as its own entity. Mead can have similarities to all of the above beverages, depending on how it’s made, but the thing that sets it apart is its honey base. To produce alcohol, brewers follow a simple equation: sugar plus water plus yeast plus time. Making mead involves many more subtleties, but it all comes down to blending a sugar source with water, adding yeast, and allowing time for fermentation. Beer gets its sugar…

Farmers have one of the highest rates of workplace accidents. As an older farmer, I have battle scars that put me in that statistical column. I write from personal experience with accidents, both mine and others’. Some 20 years ago, a farmer friend died in an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) rollover while he was out in his pasture checking cows. I’ve ridden ATVs for many years, and just this spring, as I was riding slowly through some tall grass to check the cows, my ATV tipped on its side and pinned my leg underneath. Fortunately, my cellphone summoned help. I could’ve become another statistic. My worst accident happened while I was cutting firewood. You know the saying: “There are old loggers, and bold loggers, but no old, bold loggers.” I cut…