Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2024/January 2025 i MOTHER EARTH NEWS

The nonprofit organization accomplishes its goals by “transfarming” agricultural buildings into greenhouses, aquaponic systems, or controlled-environment agriculture systems (CEAs) that grow plants and mushrooms. When a farmer enrolls in the program, The Transfarmation Project provides them with funds, training, and technical assistance tailored to their individual operation. “The first barrier we typically come across is the farmer managing some level of funding and debt,” says Paulomi Joshi, demonstration hub project manager. “That tends to be the primary concern, with navigating the space the second.” Many people are aware of the environmental problems associated with factory farming. A lesser known, yet major, problem is farmer debt. Many farmers who work with The Transfarmation Project have previously contracted with an integrator — a private company that owns and controls nearly all aspects…

The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe’s Farm and Ranch Enterprise (UMUFRE) has successfully installed a hydropower system on its 7,700-acre farm in southwest Colorado. Conduit hydropower utilizes existing water infrastructure to generate energy without the need for a large dam or reservoir. Five conduit sites have been placed strategically across irrigation systems over the past two years, generating over 115 kilowatts of seasonal clean energy. Rentricity, a New York-based in-conduit hydropower company, completed the installation in partnership with the UMUFRE, the Colorado Department of Agriculture, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Five more installations are in development across the tribe’s property. Hydroelectric power represents the largest renewable energy source around the globe, according to the International Energy Agency. Notably, hydroelectric energy emits less greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuels, provides a…

Whether you’re working around the homestead or playing outdoors this winter, the right clothes are key to staying comfortable. A heavy parka is fine if you’re just running to the store, but layering is the best way to stay dry and warm during hard work. Heavy parkas and insulated coveralls tend to be the go-to choices for cold climates. However, heavy coats can make you sweat. Anyone who’s caught a chill swimming in 70-degree-Fahrenheit water knows that water steals heat from your body much faster than air does — more than 20 times as fast. Perspiration trapped next to your skin can chill just as fast as a cold shower. Combining the right layers can help move that sweat away from your skin and keep you warm and comfortable. By…

There are as many garden myths as there are types of sweet corn. And while the lure to believe these myths is tempting, falling for them won’t help your crops. So, let’s look at a few common gardening misconceptions and explore what’s actually going on behind them. Don’t worry if you fell for one of them — we won’t tell. Watering on Sunny Days Will Sunburn Leaves I believed this one for far too long. The myth holds that water droplets act like a prism (imagine children torturing ants with a magnifying lens) and concentrate the sun’s energy. If your plants are droopy, give them a drink. In nature, sunshine often follows summer rain — daily in some regions, and the plants aren’t harmed. In fact, they’ve evolved to thrive…

In 2013, I was living in a large city, but I felt it was time to pursue my dream of living in a little cabin in the woods, so I relocated to a rural area in Eastern Ontario. Since 2021, I’ve been living in an 18-by-24-foot cabin I designed myself. I did a lot of the construction work and managed the build, all without prior experience. This article provides valuable lessons learned for readers considering their own build. Designed for Efficiency My cabin is a small, permanent home of 432 square feet on a concrete slab foundation. It’s a traditional wood-framed build with some modifications to allow it to better capture and store the heat of the sun. Because of the added efficiencies throughout my build, I call my home…

“You know that song, ‘We paved paradise and put up a parking lot’?” The question comes from Michelle Vassel, tribal administrator of the Wiyot Tribe. I’m interviewing Vassel to learn about how land acquisitions are bolstering the Wiyot’s food sovereignty efforts. I nod, affirming the Joni Mitchell reference. “Well, we want to do the opposite of that. We want to take a parking lot and make it paradise. Someplace we would all want to live.” You might think Vassel is speaking figuratively in her description of the Wiyot’s work through the Dishgamu Humboldt Community Land Trust. You’d be wrong. In May of 2023, as I showed up to learn more about the Trust’s work, I found myself staring at deteriorating asphalt behind a vacant commercial building on the edge of…

Stews are a winter mainstay in my home, using less-than-choice cuts from a deer harvested from the woods or stew beef obtained from a local farm. Stews are also a fantastic way to use up the bounty from the garden. I call this “beef” stew, because though the original recipe calls for beef, I tend to use whatever I have on hand. This could equate to beef, bison, venison, moose, or a combination. The meat should be cubed chunks, often referred to as “stew meat.” People may use ground meat in their stews, but I find that just makes a sloppy mess. A proper “beef” stew requires some chewing. Unlike my mother, I use beer in my stew. The type of beer depends on my “theme.” If I’m using Scottish…

I’m very much into fiber arts, as anyone who knows me will tell you. I’ve been a seamstress since junior high, when I first took a home economics class, and now I’m an old granny! We called it home ec back then, and we learned how to make simple A-line skirts and such things. After that, I made my own clothes all the way through high school because the selection of clothing styles in the stores in our small town in Iowa wasn’t to my liking. Since then, I’ve branched out into crocheting, specifically rag rugs, and within the past year, I’ve taken up spinning with a drop spindle. I’m now learning to weave on a Navajo backstrap loom. Needle felting is a simple craft with a short learning curve…

Speaking on Solar We’re writing in response to “Homeowners Versus the Power Companies” (October/November 2024); we support the protection of net metering to encourage private investment and the use of private property to contribute to a global green solution for future power production. We’ve gone through the process of two private solar-system installs in two very different parts of the country, with two different utility companies, in two different decades. The first install was on Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i, where power delivery is run by a customer-owned co-op. Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative is doing a great job of leading on green energy in a location where getting off fossil fuels is a big deal. We bought the system in 2008. The PV system we installed is less efficient than current systems, and…

In 1992, the Prairie Island Indian Community, whose reservation shares borders with the state of Minnesota, received a gift from the Lakota Nation: Shooting Star, an American bison. Tribal elders and the Prairie Island Tribal Council decided that Shooting Star could help the community reintroduce bison onto its native lands in their region. Since then, the tribe has grown the herd to more than 200 animals. Art Owen, a member of the tribe and leader in the community, named the herd the Edwin Buck Jr. Memorial Buffalo Project after his cousin, an athlete and veteran who served alongside Owen in the Vietnam War (both have since passed). Today, the Prairie Island Indian Community rears about 50 calves each spring and harvests 10 bulls per year to provide members of the…

Seed sovereignty is a movement of caring for the Earth and for our neighbors. It empowers each of us to know and save our own seeds and to grow crops that are both resilient and culturally relevant. Building Resiliency Quality seeds that yield predictable and desirable foods are a vital part of a healthy food system. The more we can trust and encourage farmers to have access to good seeds, the better able they’ll be to excel in the marketplace and bring nutritional security to communities. It’s not getting any easier to be a farmer — farmers face soil degradation, droughts, unpredictable severe weather, and more. Climate-resilient growing practices are increasingly necessary, and procuring robust, adaptable seed is a key step. Importantly, many of these climate-adapted seeds are proving to…

I love to cook, and I cook more in fall and winter than in other times of year. Perhaps this is because of the abundance of freshly harvested ingredients, or it could be that I have more time. Whatever the reason, it’s busy in the Benner kitchen. Around my home, stews, soups, and chowders (or “chowdas,” as we say in New England) are staples. Over the years, I’ve added other dishes to that list, including chili and my own version of applesauce. Many of my recipes are versions of those used by my mother, but like everything, I’ve adapted them as my own, including using beer and alcohol to liven things up. Adding Flavor with Alcohol Using alcohol in cooking is nothing new. Most fancy French and Italian cuisine includes…

Our family loves cooking with onions, so we decided to try growing our own a few years ago. We purchased onion starts online and had success, but after reading about starting our own seeds, we had to try them. From there, we’ve progressed to growing more varieties, larger onions, and more significant amounts. This year, we grew about 1,000 onions that we started ourselves! First, take heart if you’re a beginner; onions aren’t an overly tricky crop to grow. They require lots of nitrogen-rich soil and consistent water and sunshine. Our area has few onion pests, and what we do have does minimal damage. However, each location is unique, so check with other onion growers in your area for pest specifics. Onions can be grown in high tunnels, gardens, raised…

Borders are great places to make use of permanent or perennial plants. An even better idea is to make sure they’re edible! First off, consider your neighbors. Do they spray anything poisonous on or near the border between you? If so, you may need to create a barrier that prevents the spray from crossing into your space, or talk to them and offer to keep the adjoining area trimmed in exchange for them not spraying. Also consider your animal neighbors, tame or wild. To keep them out, you may want a fence. In some areas, a short fence or an electric fence will work, while in the case of deer or elk, you may need a tall, welded-wire fence or a board fence. Plant your borders a few feet in…

Welcome to our series answering reader questions and concerns about how to cut the utility-company cord. Hoss Boyd is founder, president, and CEO of TeraVolt Energy and a recognized solar and energy-storage expert. Learn more about TeraVolt Energy at http://TVNRG.com. I just purchased eight 200-watt solar panels that I plan to pair with two 200-amp deep-cycle batteries (that I’ll probably run at 12 or 24 volts). However, I’m in the dark for what size of charge controller and inverter I should buy for my current setup if I hope to add more panels and batteries in the future. Ron Clement In country lingo, I might say you’re building your system “bassackward.” Over the years, I’ve met many folks who took the same approach: They picked up what appeared to be…

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. generates more than 600 million tons of construction and demolition waste annually. A new pilot project out of Ithaca, New York, is looking to change the wastemaking equation. A group of community organizations have formed the Circular Construction Lab to identify and document the reuse potential of materials from aging residential homes scheduled to be knocked down and replaced with high-density housing. In 2022, lab volunteers carved up an existing house so the materials could be reused in other building projects. The labor required was greater, but the waste produced was significantly less. Renovations on dilapidated homes can often be costlier than tearing them down and starting over with cheaper materials, and so demolition has become an $8.7-billion-per-year business, generating huge amounts…

The refrigerator is a recent invention, but in its relatively short residence in the modern kitchen, we’ve made it the primary centerpiece of food storage. Everything from soup to nuts is funneled onto its chilly shelves for what we believe is “safe” short-term stasis. This wasn’t always the case. For thousands of years, folks knew how to store fresh food in creative and basic ways that didn’t require electricity. The seemingly benign presence of the modern refrigerator, however, quickly created a mass erasure of traditional wisdom, and now we don’t know anything but electric refrigeration. Without that foundational understanding of short-term food storage, many of us just indiscriminately place everything in the refrigerator, running high on energy usage and low on space. I used to live that way. But when…

A good stew is an effective and delicious way to use up those odds and ends from fall hunts, leftovers from that turkey at Thanksgiving, or the Christmas goose. I call this “fowl stew” because you just never know what kind of fowl you’ll find in it. In my freezer, you’ll probably find waterfowl, grouse, woodcock, turkey, or even a chicken or two. Any of them, or portions of all of them, may end up in this stew. No matter what kind of bird is in there, a good stew starts with good stock. I rarely use store-bought stock. I prefer to make my own, rendering the bones of the birds I cook. Just as the birds used are what I happen to have in the freezer, the same is…

You’re already taking a significant step into self-sufficiency and sustainability by crafting with fibers, as you can make many items, from shawls to sturdy baskets, instead of buying them. But you’re right that loading up on plastic-based acrylic yarns from a big-box store doesn’t quite fit the sustainability bill. So, here are some ways to craft conscientiously. Work with natural materials. Using wool, linen, and cotton for wearables and hemp and raffia for baskets and coasters is immensely satisfying. When I use these materials for my clothing or homeware, I rest assured knowing they came from a natural source, and that someday, after long years of productive use, the item I made will biodegrade. Yes, yarns made from natural materials are usually more expensive, but the result is well worth…

THE ORGANIC MANUAL 5TH EDITION The organic approach is the most efficient, cost-effective, and enjoyable way to grow trees, shrubs, flowers, fruits, and vegetables. In this updated edition of The Organic Manual, Howard Garrett covers bed preparation, planting, pest control, composting, and natural living tips to help you cultivate the best garden possible. #11726 $18.95 Member: $15.95 PROCYON 2.0 FULL SPECTRUM GROW LED LIGHTS 17-INCH OR 33-INCH Whether you’re nurturing micro-greens, leafy vegetables, or flowering plants, the Procyon 2.0 lights offer an upgraded 120° beam angle, impeccable spectrum coverage, and exceptional efficiency at 2.5 umol/J. Unveiling an array of features that promote vigorous growth, these lights promise to transform your indoor gardening experience. Made in the USA! 17-INCH #12272 $97.00 33-INCH #12273 $135.00 SPEAR HEAD SPADE YELLOW The Spear Head…

LOVE YOUR MOTHER T-SHIRT BLUE OR GREEN Express your love for the planet with our “Love Your Mother” T-shirt! This Comfort Colors T-shirt, made from 100% ring-spun cotton, is perfect for everyday wear—whether at the farmers market or lounging at home. BRAVO FEED GRINDER Save money on the cost of feed and make feed that your animals like by making it at home with this Bravo Feed Grinder. The 110-volt hammer mill is an easy-to-use grinder that allows for at-home production of livestock feed and can plug into any normal house outlet. This grinder includes the grinder, bucket, and three sieves (measuring 4, 6, and 8 millimeters). Please allow two weeks for delivery. Available for shipment to continental U.S. addresses only. #9335 $602.00 Member: $585.00 3-IN-1 FORESTRY MULTITOOL The LogOX…

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