Innholdsfortegnelse for February - March 2019 i MOTHER EARTH NEWS

I’ve never been real good at joining organizations or movements, but, more or less fortuitously, I have found myself surrounded by a group of similarly minded folks from time to time. Whether it was a farmers market organization, an alternative-grazing strategy group, or a heritage livestock and heirloom seeds society, I’ve certainly benefitted from the well-meaning embrace of folks who’ve found my work to be interesting, or whose work I’ve found to be inspiring. And even though my default is to melt into the landscape at our ranch when I need to recharge, either alone or with Joanna, it’s good to know that I’m not truly alone in the way that I approach a good life. And so it is with our business here at Ogden Publications. We’re committed to…

Learn from author Jeffery Yago in person! Register for an extended session of Installing an Off-Grid Power System with Yago, Feb. 16, 2019, at the MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIR in Belton, Texas. This comprehensive workshop is ideal for those planning to live off-grid, anyone wanting to install their own battery power system, and those who want to be equipped with self-generated power in the event of a long-term grid failure due to disaster. Yago will provide hands-on instruction using name-brand solar inverters, charge controllers, and batteries. Learn basic D.C. wiring as well as wiring safety for solar arrays and battery banks. While some basic knowledge of electrical terms and hand tools is helpful, this introductory solar class is limited to working with low-voltage D.C. power systems and appliances. You’ll also…

Soap-making is a homestead craft I had long wanted to try, despite my unfounded perception that it was difficult and dangerous. My ancestors made soap during the Depression using primitive methods — hardwood ashes and rainwater to make lye; fat rendered to make lard — and no one died, went blind, or was burned (though a bar occasionally got stuffed into my mother’s mouth when words came out that shouldn’t have). The old-fashioned method of hand-stirring — sometimes for hours — combined with the unpredictable strength of lye made from ashes resulted in soap that was highly variable and sometimes harsh on the skin of the person using it. Modern methods and conveniences have taken just about all of these unpleasantries out of the equation. Though I’m usually a big…

These are the cultivars we considered. You should explore which ones produce best in your environment. Don’t be afraid to experiment like we did! HYBRID CULTIVARS ‘Traviata’: Harvest 60 days from transplanting; 6 to 8 inches by 3 to 4 inches, with good flavor. Recommended in Florida. ‘Epic’: 64 days; 8 inches by 4 inches. Recommended in Florida and Texas. ‘Night Shadow’: 68 days; perhaps smaller than ‘Epic.’ ‘Irene’: 69 days; 6 to 7 inches by 5 inches. Great flavor; big plant; productive. ‘Classic’: 76 days; heavy yields; high quality, but doesn’t perform well in cool conditions. Recommended in Florida and Texas. ‘Santana’: 80 days; large, continuous setting. Recommended in Florida. OPEN-POLLINATED CULTIVARS, RECOMMENDED IN FLORIDA AND TEXAS ‘Florida High Bush’: 80 days; reliable; large fruit; drought- and disease-resistant. ‘Florida…

In Traditionally Fermented Foods, author Shannon Stonger shows readers how to preserve food using traditional fermentation techniques, often without refrigeration. An alternative to canning and freezing, traditional fermentation doesn’t require modern technology to preserve food. Stonger depends on these techniques daily to put meals on her family’s table. In her book, you’ll also learn how fermented foods work, how to make fermented foods, and how to use fermented foods in recipes. This book contains more than 80 recipes with corresponding photos. This title is available at www.MotherEarthNews.com/Store or by calling 800-234-3368. Mention promo code MMEPAJZ5. Item #9226.…

You can spend $50,000 for an upscale curved-glass greenhouse, or $50 for a down-home one made of PVC pipe and plastic sheeting. But there’s a lot of ground in between. Here, we’re going to explore the option of using upcycled windows, doors, and other materials set in a wood framework to create a functional, sturdy greenhouse. We won’t provide exact plans for this greenhouse; each will be different depending on the size and type of windows and doors you track down. But we will provide general plans for building an all-in-one rafter and wall system that will provide a basic greenhouse structure for you to “fill in the blanks” with windows, doors, and treated plywood. We all know the equations for using building materials: Recycled stuff equals lower cost and…

Temperature is critical for chicks after they hatch. For the first week, the ideal temperature is 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and can be lowered five degrees each week, until the chicks are fully feathered or the brooder temperature matches the outside temperature. A thermometer placed under the heat lamp can give you an idea of where you are in their comfort zone, but also watch their behavior. Cold chicks will huddle under the lamp, and chicks that are too hot will stay at the edges of the heat zone. Comfortable chicks will move about freely and will actively look for food and water. www.brinsea.com…

EnergySage. Several of the products listed in this article come recommended by online solar marketplace EnergySage; to see its full list of independent product reviews and considerations, go to www.EnergySage.com/energy-products. And EnergySage’s Nick Liberati says a home energy audit will help you make sure you’re being as efficient as possible in your energy spending: “An energy auditor can assess where a home is losing the most energy, and then recommend improvements to help you save energy — and reduce utility bills.” Learn more by searching for “EnergySage energy audit” with your preferred search engine. Energy Star. Find information on energy-efficient products. Many states and utilities offer rebates on CFL bulbs and Energy Star products, so check with yours for the potential to save even more (www.EnergyStar.gov/rebate-finder). Green Energy Efficient Homes…

“Every time I introduce someone new to MOTHER EARTH NEWS, they’re instantly inspired to pursue healthy living, organic farming, and righteous business.” Therapeutic Planting I’m proud to report that our little garden — just under an acre — is steadily producing 700 pounds of heirloom, beefsteak, and cherry tomatoes; 1,000 pounds of zucchini and acorn squash; 300 pounds of slicing cucumbers; and 100 pounds of various ‘Anaheim,’ bell, and jalapeño peppers. Not too shabby for some amateurs! I’m sure professionals could get more, but our work in the garden feeds the men in our correctional facility, so I’d say that’s something to be proud of. We even have enough leftovers to donate to the local food bank; because of our gardening, they have more than enough to help those in…

Inside three shipping containers on the campus of The Citadel, a military college in South Carolina, cadets are learning how to grow lettuce crops in a controlled indoor “farm” setting, producing organic produce in an environment that can withstand unpredictable weather conditions and disease. The cadets’ hands-on education comes from The Citadel Sustainability Project, in which the first container functions as a hydroponic cultivation system for lettuce crops, the second container is a testing ground for various growing systems, and the third container will be outfitted by cadets who design and build the growing equipment as part of a corresponding independent study. The Citadel STEM Center of Excellence initiated the project in 2016 as an interdisciplinary collaboration. Of the 20 or so students who are members of the Sustainability Club,…

Chickweed (Stellaria media) is a delicious and nutrient-dense plant that, luckily for us, grows like a weed. While it’s native to Europe, it has spread to many temperate parts of the world and is naturalized in North America. It loves cooler weather and is often one of the first plants to emerge in spring. It disappears with the heat of summer, and, in some climates, returns in the cooler fall months. There’s a long list of ways you can use chickweed as an herbal remedy, but one of the best ways to use chickweed is to soothe and cool physical conditions that are hot and dry. Chickweed is a versatile plant, perfect for making a powerful salve that you can use for hot, itchy, and inflamed skin problems, such as…

I taught myself to spin when I was about 13 years old, using a spindle I made with a discarded CD and a pencil, and polyester stuffing for the fiber. My yarn was lumpy and bumpy. I learned to knit around the same time, and focused on that for several years, but when my mom gave me a beautiful wooden drop spindle and 8 ounces of sheep’s wool, I took up spinning again. My yarn was still pretty lumpy, and I dropped my spindle so often that my housemates at the time threatened to banish me to the porch until I got the hang of it. A word to the wise: Practice over carpet first. Your spindle — and your household — will thank you. With about 10 years of…

Abundant produce is possible year-round in any climate with Pam Dawling’s The Year-Round Hoophouse. Growing in hoop houses mitigates soil erosion, extends the growing season, keeps leafy greens alive through winter, reduces the impact of an increasingly unpredictable climate on crops, and enables growers to supply more regional food. This comprehensive guide will show you how to design and build a hoop house so you can enjoy fresh produce all year, whatever your climate and land size. This title is available at www.MotherEarthNews.com/Store or by calling 800-234-3368. Mention promo code MMEPAJZ5. Item #9229.…

This lively soda packs a probiotic punch while making use of the castoffs from your summer pie or smoothie. Use pits with a bit of the fruit still clinging to them, and not from fruits that have met the greedy fingers of young children attempting to scrape off every last bit of sweet fruit — while adding their own bit of foreign bacteria. Yield: 1 pint. Ingredients • 1 mango pit or ½ cup peach, plum, nectarine, or other fruit pits• 2 tablespoons sugar• 2 to 3 cups water• 1 tablespoon sourdough starter, kombucha, whey, water kefir, or another culture starter, optional Directions: Add the pit(s) to a quart jar, along with the sugar, enough water to fill the jar, and the culture starter if desired. Ferment with permeable lid…

Whether you live on 1,000 acres or 1,000 square feet, there’s plenty of room in your backyard for a flock of chickens. Join the chicken revolution today and be prepared to reap a lifetime of benefits that go far beyond the enjoyment and the eggs. From the editors of MOTHER EARTH NEWS, Raise Backyard Chickens helps get you started with everything from incubating fertile eggs and receiving and raising day-old chicks, to building a chicken coop and keeping your birds safe and healthy. We’ve even outlined a 9-step process to help you promote legalization of backyard bird-keeping in your city or town. You’ll find top-notch advice on how to protect your flock from predators, produce the healthiest eggs, and so much more. And if your interest is in cooking with…

Since I’m now traveling 120 days a year — roughly a third of the time, which is all I can stand — people routinely ask me how I handle eating on the road. I’m actually writing this column while traveling to a speaking gig in New Hampshire. In fact, I do much of my writing away from home these days. I wrote my last two books while I was on airplanes. But back to food. First, a disclaimer: I don’t have all the answers. All I can do is share what works for me, realizing that I’m a solidly built, over-60-year-old geezer. This is to say that my metabolism has slowed considerably since my teenage years. With that in mind, my first traveling tactic is fasting. The three-meal imperative is…

Reading Country Lore tips in MOTHER EARTH NEWS has inspired me to send in my own little hack. When the wax level in my candles gets too low, it’s easy to burn myself when I stick in my hand to light them, especially if I’m trying to light a candle that has multiple wicks. Instead of taking that chance, I routinely use a long spaghetti noodle to reach the wicks. Spaghetti noodles can hold a flame without burning too quickly, so they help me safely light older candles around my home. They work like a charm for me, and are a more environmentally friendly option than a fluid lighter, since it typically takes multiple tries to light a low candle with one of those. Teresa Shupp Salisbury, Maryland…

SHOW US! Share your unique perspective with our community by submitting photos of inviting gardens, nutritious foods, wild animals, and more to the MOTHER EARTH NEWS Photo Group on Flickr (www.Flickr.com/Groups/MotherEarthNewsPhotos/Pool). We’ll feature our favorites here and online!…

Gardening Gifts Beverly Peterson’s letter about sharing the bounty of her garden (Dear MOTHER, December 2018/January 2019) inspired me to write in with my own story. I too am in my early 80s, so I share Beverly’s struggle of gardening as easily as I once did. Even so, with the help of my husband, I still maintain 11 raised garden beds in our backyard. In those beds, I grow lettuce, sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, onions, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, cantaloupes, and more. Of course, we don’t eat all this food on our own; we share with all our neighbors. Whatever our neighbors don’t need, I take to our local food bank. Recently, I brought 12 gallons of grapes, five cantaloupes, and a 3-gallon bucket of sweet potatoes to the food bank.…

There are all kinds of preparedness information available that cover long-term food storage, emergency medical care, vegetable gardening, raising chickens, water storage, and self-defense. I encourage everyone to learn more about these topics. Unfortunately, most emergency power advice is limited to using emergency generators or a cart-mounted inverter with small internal battery. A generator is just a boat anchor once it runs out of fuel, and a combination battery/inverter unit cannot power any major appliance more than a few hours before its battery is totally drained. There is almost no discussion about using battery-powered devices, yet they are perfect for extended power outages. I do not advocate spending thousands of dollars converting your entire home to solar power. However, there are many low-cost ways to use battery-powered appliances and lighting,…

We live in exciting times for natural building! While building with earth is ancient and global in application, its renaissance in the Western Hemisphere goes back only 30 or 40 years, and that time has been tempered by codes and regulations ill-suited to natural building. But the field is now growing like never before as people seek a greater sense of belonging in their homes and communities, sustainable alternative construction methods, and a more authentic existence. With this growth, natural builders continue to spawn innovations and creative solutions to the challenge of building beautiful, durable structures. Balecob is one such innovation. Balecob is an infill technique that uses straw bales and cob to quickly create highly insulative, roof-supporting, and load-bearing walls without the need for wood framing for structural support.…

Early spring is the best time to harvest delectable chickweed. This salad recipe and Chickweed Pesto (on Page 32) are from Wild Abundance, a permaculture and homestead school in North Carolina. Harvest, feast, preserve, and enjoy! Salad Ingredients • 6 cups leafy (not overly stemmy) chickweed, rinsed, and chopped very finely across the stem in ¼-inch lengths• 1 to 2 cups ripe autumn olives, redbud flowers, locust flowers, or dried cranberries• ½ cup queso fresco or soft goat cheese• ¼ to ¾ cup black walnut pieces, roasted sunflower seeds, or soaked and roasted pecans Dressing Ingredients: • ⅓ cup fresh basil or Monarda spp. (bee balm or horsemint) leaves, just coming up in the spring• 1 cup olive oil• 1⅛ cups honey• 1½ teaspoons salt Chickweed Autumn Olive Salad Recipe…

This is what I think of when I think of real kvass. Made from stale bread and whatever sugar or fruits you might have on hand, this bubbly beverage has deep roots. It isn’t terribly sweet, nor is it terribly sour. It’s not unlike kombucha in that it’s both pleasant to drink and good for the stomach. Its viscous quality reminds me of a thick beer, and its flavor is truly unique and delicious. Yield: about 3 pints. Ingredients • ¼ cup sugar• 1 cup water, plus more as needed• 1 cup stale sourdough bread, cubed• 1 teaspoon molasses• 1 tablespoon sourdough starter or another culture starter, optional Directions: Dissolve sugar in 1 cup water. Add sugar water to a quart jar, along with sourdough bread cubes and molasses. Stir.…

• Maintain a voltage of at least 3,000 volts on your fence line, and make sure to test your voltage with a fence tester. • Use a fence energizer with enough joules of output to properly electrify the fence. For example, a 0.5-joule output energizer should power four rolls of 164-foot goat netting or 2,500 feet of a 5- to 6-strand fence. • Because lighter or younger animals make less foot-to-ground contact than heavier or older animals, you’ll need a higher-output energizer for them. • Properly ground your system. When the energizer’s pulse travels through the animal into the soil, the ground system returns the energy to the fence energizer, completing the circuit. Use 3 feet of ground rod per joule of output. Ground rods should be hot-dipped galvanized, not…

Raising chickens in the backyard is a topic that has become a hot item. Anytime there’s interest in something, an inevitable barrage of products arrive, tempting us to spend our money. Humans and domestic fowl have a shared history that goes back centuries and spans nearly every continent on Earth. Raising chickens is not a new phenomenon, nor does it need to be difficult. The needs of chickens are relatively few: food, water, shelter, and the ability to get up off the ground to roost. Young chicks, though, have a slightly different set of requirements. In addition to food and water, they need to have an adequate heat source and be protected from drafts. Here’s the catch. Baby chicks grow really fast, so you have to make sure your housing…

If you’re a homeowner headed toward off-grid living, you can begin your journey by examining your energy habits and those of your home. One of your first goals should be to make your dwelling more efficient so that your hard-earned renewable energy doesn’t go to waste. And if you’re grid-tied, making your home more energy-efficient will still help you save every possible cent. Common sense can probably assist you in pinpointing a few inefficiencies, but as our technology gets smarter, so can we, by gaining new ways to reduce waste and adjust our energy budgets. The following apps and gadgets will enable you to track and reduce your usage, as well as communicate with your energy and utility systems to help your home hum efficiently. Energy Apps Apps are available…

Can I treat my dog’s hot spot at home without visiting a vet? Maybe, depending on its severity. But first, you must be able to spot a hot spot, and identify the underlying cause. A hot spot is a superficial skin infection that happens when normal skin bacteria overrun the skin’s defenses as a result of damage to its surface. This damage is most often started by a dog chewing, scratching, licking, and gnawing itself. In the first stages of a hot spot’s formation, the skin becomes moist, red, itchy, and infected. Pus begins to ooze from the traumatized skin as infection sets in. Then, the dried pus and damaged skin surface form a tightly adhered crust, and you’ll likely notice hair loss over the infection site. This can be…