Innholdsfortegnelse for February/March 2021 i MOTHER EARTH NEWS

Hoop houses (also known as “high tunnels”) are plastic-covered hooped frames tall enough to walk under that are used to extend the growing seasons of vegetables, flowers, and fruit. They’re also called “unheated greenhouses,” “polytunnels,” and “cold frames.” They can be used for year-round growing of seasonal crops, and although temperatures inside aren’t much higher than outdoors when the sun isn’t shining, hoop houses manage to facilitate impressive rates of growth and quality crops. Generally, hoop houses have no supplemental heating, and crops are grown directly in the ground. Hoop houses are often double-skinned, meaning they have two layers of plastic film, with a small blower keeping the space between the layers inflated. This provides increased insulation and improved strength against winds and snow or ice loads, and lengthens the…

Permanent chicken houses and fenced runs are wonderful if you have the space and the means to keep them clean, compost the litter, and spread it around. However, if you want your chickens to be productive workers in your yard and garden, you might want to control where they scratch and peck. The advantages of moving your chickens around include preparing the garden for planting, cultivating the garden, pest control, and even mowing and fertilizing the yard. If you operate on a larger scale, movable chicken pens are useful for enhancing pasture fertility, fly control, and grazing-animal manure management. Bottom line — let the chickens do the heavy lifting so that you don’t have to. Portable poultry enclosures are nothing new — pasture-reared birds were raised in wooden and wire…

The best way to appreciate the berry some cultures call “the fruit of paradise” is to taste it. With up to 83 aromatic notes, pomegranate’s flavor profile combines the syrupy sweetness of Concord grapes, the refreshing astringency of cranberries, and the cooling quality of lemons. Each bite pops like tapioca. Recent studies support historical claims that pomegranates promote health as much as they delight taste buds. For gardeners, the benefits are easy to harvest. Pomegranates bear early and suffer from few diseases or pests. Orchardists seeking a market niche can choose from among more than 1,000 diverse cultivars, nearly all of which are unavailable to grocery store customers. Growing Pomegranates Pomegranates should be on all lists of the best fruits for organic gardeners, because they’re so easy to grow. Animals…

MOTHER EARTH NEWS COLLECTOR SERIES: GUIDE TO SUPER HERBS Inside this guide readers will learn how to grow and preserve their herbs through drying, which houseplants double as medicinal sources, how honey can improve their overall health, and more that will set them up for herbal success. Whether you’re just learning about herbs and looking for information on where to start or have been working with herbs for years, the 143 pages in this special issue will prove to be a valuable resource for years to come. #10527 $14.99 Member: $11.99 THE HOMESTEADER'S HERBAL COMPANION The Homesteader's Herbal Companion is a beautiful guide for the modern-day homesteader. From teaching how to incorporate herbs and essential oils around your home, to showing how to enhance your family's health and wellbeing, this…

If you come to Virginia Free Farm at Spotted Pig Holler, you’ll find many of the typical features of an average American farm. You’ll see chickens pecking away, diligently fertilizing the grounds in preparation for subsequent growing seasons. Ducks and geese will be busily pulling every last weed they can get their bills on, while hard at work gifting the farm with a bounty of beautiful eggs. You’ll notice tangles of polyculture gardens mimicking the diversity of our natural ecosystems, and pigs oinking noisily at anyone who’ll listen, in hopes that a kindly visitor will share a morsel of food. It’s the Rockwellian pastoral landscape many envision when picturing a bucolic farm. What’s different about this farm, however, is that the food produced here is given away — all of…

Wheat is the most widely cultivated crop in the world. Easy to grow, this grain is sown from the tropics to the Arctic Circle, and has been an important human food source for at least 10,000 years. Historically, wheat fields often contained multiple varieties. Farmers would save and trade seeds (also called “wheat berries”), or grow out a wheat plant that caught their attention, hoping to develop a new type. A group of wheat varieties propagated with traditional seed saving in a region over many years is called a “landrace.” Today, landrace wheats are practically extinct. Wheat changed significantly in the 20th century. The plant was bred to be shorter, so the seed heads could grow larger without causing the stalks to fall over. Short wheat can tolerate generous quantities…

MT. RAINIER GARDENHOUSE The Mt. Rainier Gardenhouse models are the perfect solution to year-round gardening! Narrow enough to fit in a limited space, each kit is made with a clear natural redwood frame, twin wall polycarbonate and includes four vents with automatic vent openers, Dutch doors and a base made with recycled plastic. Each kit includes easy to follow printed instructions, clearly labeled pre-assembled panels, as well as an assembly video. The shipment will arrive in multiple boxes and two people are recommended to move the boxes. Each box will be large and might weigh up to 90 lbs. Please allow two weeks for delivery. Only available for shipment to continental U.S. address. 8'x8' - #10314 $2,599.00 Member: $2493.45 8'x12' - #10313 $3,499.00 Member: $3,324.05 8'x16' - #10312 $4,399.00 Member:…

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!…

The tiny house movement is currently being driven by demographics. In 1960, the American dream house was a three-bedroom, two-bath, two-car garage to accommodate a married couple with children. More than half a century later, the number of singleperson households in the United States is about 35 million, and expected to increase to 41 million by 2030. The takeaway? The great American dream house is rapidly becoming outdated. With baby boomers entering retirement and more professional single folks in the marketplace, the demand for quality, small, custom housing is rising. People are asking themselves, “How much is enough?” I once asked myself a similar question, and since then have been enjoying life in a tiny home. I learned that “small” in housing can be beautiful, functional, economical, and ecological. A…

A Seal of Approval for Beekeepers and Mushroom Growers Since 2002, the Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) organization has offered certification for farmers and beekeepers who use natural methods to grow food for their local communities. CNG’s peer-review inspection process is tailored for direct-market growers who are dedicated to working in harmony with nature without relying on synthetic chemicals to manage pests and diseases. Today, nearly 800 producers across the United States and Canada hold CNG certifications. Of this prestigious, tight-knit community, a select group holds CNG’s Apiary or Mushroom certifications, both of which were created in direct response to feedback from those seeking an alternative to other certifications. Jay Parsons of Dances with Bees apiary in Cornelia, Georgia, describes the CNG designation as “a door opener.” He continues, “It’s similar…

Ask a dozen shed owners what they keep in their sheds, and you’ll probably get a dozen different answers. But a shed doesn’t have to be a catchall for storing extra household items. It can have a special use and provide a pleasant space in which to work on hobbies. This 10-by-11-foot structure is the perfect size for a potting shed. It’s big enough to store all the necessary garden equipment and still provide ample room. It features a 4-by-6-foot skylight, which floods the interior space with natural light, and it has an overhang in back for additional storage. The directions specify using cedar timber framing with simple lap joints; however, they can be easily adapted for 2x4 construction. The walls are built with 1x8 shiplap cedar, but any siding,…

At first glance, bark might seem like something you’d only want to eat in a survival situation. Take a closer look, though, and you’ll see that bark can be both nutritious and tasty. It can also be foraged any time of year, even in regions with harsh winters. Edible Bark Defined Bark has a long history as a food source. Adirondack, the name of the region in New York state, means “bark eater.” The name was given to the Algonquian nations of that area by the Mohawk. Other indigenous peoples of North America also included bark in their diets, and bark is a traditional food in many Scandinavian cultures. But before we get down to the nitty-gritty of how to eat bark in ways that are both sustainable (the harvest…

2021 Mastering the money-saving art of sustainable living has never been easier! other Earth News Fair Online is a learning platform that continues to bring educational content to you, with new courses added monthly. Th ere are many rewarding aspects of producing the Mother Earth News Fair. We meet and learn from the nation’s leading authorities on gardening, off-grid energy, foraging, food preservation, beekeeping, livestock management, shelter, and more, and then build a platform to deliver their work to the masses! Now, you can access and interact with them at Mother Earth News Fair Online and through our regular webinar series. It’s never been easier, and there’s never been a more important time. Get access to all courses and prerecorded webinars at MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIR ONLINE for just $2.99/month!…

#5 BIG BITE MEAT GRINDER _ 0.35HP Get a premium grind in half the time with the .35-horsepower #5 Big Bite Meat Grinder! With a large meat pan (measuring 11-1/4 by 9-1/8 by 2-1/4 inches deep), a rifled head (for easier second grind), all metal gears, and the ability to grind 4 pounds per minute, this will be the only grinder you need in your kitchen! Please allow two weeks for delivery. Available for shipment to continental U.S. addresses only. 10082 $299.99 Member: $284.99 HOME SAUSAGE MAKING _4TH EDITION Home Sausage Making is packed with recipes from breakfast sausage to global favorites like mortadella, salami, bratwurst, and more that will help you master the techniques of dry curing and smoking. Plus, with the new recipes added in this 4th edition,…