Innholdsfortegnelse for April/May 2025 i MOTHER EARTH NEWS

The longer we live on Earth, the more we recognize the need to learn the skills required to take care of our families and ourselves. With each passing year, we also increasingly want to take care of our communities, in times of certainty and uncertainty. Many of you have been doing this quietly for years, growing food, sustainably foraging wild foods, learning how to make and use herbal remedies, dreaming of—and sometimes even achieving — energy independence. Perhaps you engage in these activities to live more lightly on the Earth, because truly, there’s nothing sustainable about papayas flown in from Peru in April, or in solely relying on tired, drought-prone areas in the United States to produce the bulk of our country’s food. Or, maybe rising prices and various shortages…

My husband and I own ⅓ acre smack-dab in the middle of a small town in Wisconsin. Unfortunately, in our small town, we have only one daycare facility that’s licensed and accepts children under 2, so I left my career in logistics to stay home to raise our children. Being a single-income family didn’t come without its difficulties! However, using our land to create an urban homestead has alleviated much of the financial stress. We have two apple trees (with plans to expand this year) and 14 raised garden beds, with plenty of yard left for the kids to play! We also have our house on a bidirectional meter with 33 solar panels and a backup system for potential power outages. Outside of solar panels and gardening, I focus on…

This article is available online in audio form at MotherEarthNews.com Wild edibles are particularly appealing, because they’re free for the gathering. To help you tap into that appeal, here are seven widely distributed wild edibles that are as delicious as they are nutritious, plus recipes on how to prepare them. These foods are exceptionally high in vitamins and minerals, and their antioxidants can help ward off cancer and heart disease. (When foraging for wild food, only harvest if you’re 100% certain of your identification. While the following edibles are abundant, always keep sustainability in mind when foraging.—MOTHER) 1 Watercress A member of the mustard family (think kale, radishes, and turnips) and native to Europe and Asia, watercress (Nasturtium officinale) grows in all continental U.S. states, with the exception of…

Starting seeds saves considerable money over buying plants, and you’ll have access to many more interesting cultivars than the stores offer. You’ll also avoid bringing pests, chemicals, and diseases from the store-bought plants back to your garden. If you’re ready to get started with seedlings, here are some tips I’ve learned over the years. Read the package. Seed companies want you to come back because you liked how their seeds grew, so there’s good information on the back of the packs. Follow climate zone planting times, directions to soak seeds before planting, and seed depth recommendations. Days to harvest. Tomato, pepper, and eggplant seed packages may say 85 days to harvest, but those 85 days start when you transplant them into the ground. In a direct-sow crop, those days start…

Growing with MOTHER EARTH NEWS I’m a lifelong fan. I grew up in Fayetteville, North Carolina, at Fort Bragg/Liberty, and MOTHER EARTH NEWS was instrumental in getting me interested in off-grid living, self-sufficiency, and preparedness and survival. Thank you for that—it’s helped me become the person I am today, and informed my career path. Michael Via email Response to ‘Plan Your Garden 2025’ Video We’ve grown a pollinator acreage for two summers and are noticing more birds than anything else. The bees were always here. The bees love my herb garden more than any other plants. Butterflies are rare now, even with providing the plants they’re said to love. Sherri Via Facebook We want to hear from you! Connect with our editorial team by reaching out on social media, such…

There’s so much to enjoy about raising turkeys. In addition to providing a source of meat and eggs, they’re entertaining, and there are a variety of beautiful heritage breeds to choose from. The dayto-day experience of raising turkeys is rewarding, and many people form a special bond with their birds. Turkeys as a Source of Eggs A beautifully speckled turkey egg is lovely to behold! The shell color varies from light cream to light tan, with variation in the size and pattern of lightbrown speckles on the eggshells. Turkey eggs can vary in shape from the familiar oval of chicken eggs to more pointed on one end or even almost round. Turkeys have a shorter laying cycle than chickens because they haven’t been bred to maximize egg production like chickens…

I Can Make That is a new department in Mother earth News, in which we’ll share projects anyone can make. We hope they’ll add a homemade touch to your space and replace something you’d otherwise buy. We’d love to hear from you: Send photos and details of your craft projects to Letters@MotherEarthNews.com. — MOTHER Tools and Materials • Clothing iron• Ruler• Tailor’s chalk, or a washable-ink pen• Sewing pins• Sewing machine• 1 yard cotton fabric My sewing machine is my favorite tool. Sewing is how I relax after a long day, and it helps me mend, adjust, and make long-lasting and sustainable garments, bags, and other useful items. The first project I made with my machine was a pillowcase, and while I’ve long since lost that particular one to many…

For many years, I had a small backyard farm and nursery on about 1 ⁄3 acre. I was easily able to manage this with my full-time job, and I supplemented that income by earning, on average, $20,000 per year from berries and plants (after the plants were mature). A major part of my plantings were Ribes, a genus of plants that includes gooseberry, currant, and jostaberry. While results may vary, Ribes are easy to grow and are a great niche crop for the backyard farm. Of course, when growing Ribes, it isn’t enough to say, “I want to grow gooseberries, currants, or jostaberries.” Like most fruits and berries, Ribes come in a variety of cultivars, with different plant and berry sizes, growing habits, and vigor. The market for fresh Ribes…

SURVIVAL WISDOM & KNOW-HOW Survival Wisdom is a practical guide filled with expert advice on outdoor life, from orienteering to campfire cooking to ice climbing. This comprehensive collection from Stackpole ensures you’re prepared to survive, thrive, and fully enjoy every wilderness adventure. #8220 $24.99 Member: $21.99 WILD WISDOM Survive anything nature throws your way with these survival tips and wilderness philosophies from renowned outdoorsman Donny Dust. In Wild Wisdom, Dust reveals everything he has learned from his decades of outdoor adventure and primitive living. With Dust’s guidance you’ll learn about essential gear, sheltering, building fire, staying hydrated, foraging, trapping and more. #12587 $28.99 Member: $24.99 PREPPER’S NATURAL MEDICINE When disaster strikes, it will take more than food and water to keep one’s family alive. Prepper’s Natural Medicine empowers readers with…

Now, in Cleveland, where thousands of vacant houses have been deteriorating for years, fungi are being used to eat away at the toxic waste resulting from the teardown of these homes. The mushroom substrate is provided through Biocycler, a program of Cleveland-based architect firm Redhouse Studio. Biocycler combines the substrate with pulp made from organic-based construction and demolition waste, such as plywood and asphalt. The fungi extract and neutralize toxins from the waste, including heavy metals, as they grow. The remaining material is compacted into insulative, fire-resistant, bio-degradable bricks called “mycoblocks,” which can then be used in new construction. “Normally, there’s a lot of waste in the construction industry,” says Christopher Maurer, principal architect at Redhouse Studio. “Even when you’re building a home, you end up throwing away dumpsters full…

This article is available online in audio form at MotherEarthNews.com We’ve all heard the story of the $900 tomato, stereotyped by first attempts at gardening in which costs keep spiraling until, finally, the novice gardener is able to harvest a single luscious tomato. When all the expenses are tallied up, that tomato ends up costing at least $900. Many people dive into gardening to save money, so the tale of that expensive tomato can be hugely discouraging. When you consider the cost plus the work involved, is it worth it? There are two reasons behind the $900 tomato. First, every start-up garden needs infrastructure. This could include soil improvements, raised beds, tillers or other devices to turn over soil, fencing, drip irrigation or other watering options, pots, mulch — whatever…

A long time ago, when I was just a child, my grandmother took me into her gardens and introduced me to her weeds. As we walked in the scented oak forest, she rubbed my skin with fresh bay leaves, assuring me it would prevent poison oak and keep the insects from swarming over us. When I fell in the nettle patches, she soothed the painful welts with the fresh juice of yellow dock or plantain leaves. When we “weeded” our gardens, much of what other people called weeds went into my grandmother’s gathering basket to be added to her favorite Armenian stews and soups. Strong and powerful, like her, her words sank deep and took root in my heart. That magic my grandmother taught me in the garden of my childhood…

Building a little cabin in nature was a dream I had for many years. Going from living in a big city to living my dream in the country was a decade in the making. During that time, I invested several years in land shopping. Over time, I learned that even land that “looked good” could hide surprises that could break my budget, block my build entirely, or harm my future enjoyment of my dream home. Research the Safety of the Lot Safety from historical contamination. One of the worst possible surprises is contamination, whether from a buried residential oil tank, commercial gasoline tank, or other previous industry. The costs associated with environmental studies and the remediation of contamination can be in the tens of thousands of dollars, if not hundreds…

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 energystorage expert. Learn more about TeraVolt Energy at http://TVNRG.com. When you rely solely on renewable energy, how do you get rid of “energy hogs?” When you’re totally off-grid, every kilowatt of energy your home uses matters. You plan when you use your energy—and have backups to your solar-and-battery systems ready. Most importantly, you don’t waste energy! In my book The Aggie’n Arkie OTG Energy Guide, I list what we call in the industry “low-hanging fruit”: upgrades that have a huge impact on energy use without a lot of effort or expense. Start by taking a hard look at your…

THE AMISH WAYS This unique guide uncovers lifesaving Amish skills and projects that have ensured their self-sufficiency for generations. Many of these secrets are shared for the first time, including how to build an Amish fridge, underground greenhouse, and AC unit, craft remedies like Amish painkiller and liquid antibiotic, and master essential food preservation techniques for true independence. #12573 $36.99 Member: $34.99 HEIRLOOM SKILLS: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO MODERN HOMESTEADING Discover 100 ways to embrace the simple life! Alva Herdevall and Anders Rydell blend traditional methods with modern ideas in this home-management guide. Learn to bake sourdough, craft skin creams, raise chickens, make rhubarb wine, perfect compost, and more—practical skills for a sustainable life! #12283 $29.99 Member: $26.99 BLACKSMITHING FOR BEGINNERS Home Workshop Blacksmithing for Beginners offers aspiring blacksmiths detailed…