Innholdsfortegnelse for August/September 2025 i MOTHER EARTH NEWS

One of our editors recently purchased 248 empty glass jars for canning (at only 25 cents each, and with new lids!) from an online marketplace. Conversation during the jar pickup addressed the weather (good rain for the garden) and then shifted to MOTHER EARTH NEWS, covering how we’ve been inspiring people to build, make, grow, raise, and dream of new possibilities outside of the status quo since the 1970s — and how we’re still here now. “How precious and rare in this digital age,” said the seller of the jars, “a magazine you can hold in your hands and read.” Once the jars were loaded into the trunk of the car plus every empty seat, she wondered what the plan was for all of them. Her goal is to fill…

If you’ve ever considered raising rabbits, Beverens are an easy breed for beginners. They’re a unique multipurpose heritage breed that can be raised as beautiful pets, for showing, and for meat and pelts. They’re coldhardy and economical to raise compared with larger livestock. Overall, these rabbits make a great project for youth to learn best practices for raising livestock. The Beveren has fascinated me since I first saw it at an American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) show in Springfield, Massachusetts. I was captivated by their blue eyes. You can show them in 4-H and ARBA fairs and shows. They make great 4-H projects and will teach you a lot of practical life skills—and even show you how genetics work. For meat, you can process them as fryers, but I prefer…

About 30 years ago, a friend told me he’d been gathering pawpaws (Asimina triloba) and offered to come over and help me plant some of the seeds. Although Elaine and I didn’t have any pawpaws growing on our land at the time, our hardwood hollow and creek bottomland are the types of places where this native understory tree thrives. We live in rural southwest Virginia, well within the pawpaw’s range, which covers much of eastern North America from Ontario to Texas. Within seven or eight years, we were able to start harvesting the fruit. Sometimes called the “poor man’s banana,” pawpaw fruit looks like a mango, and it has a citrusy smell and a flavor that’s one-third banana and two-thirds pineapple. Pawpaws are ripe when they feel soft and start…

Dyeing fabric and fiber with materials found in the natural world is a wonderful project for all ages. When we use the Earth’s palette as our guide, we have endless possibilities for color. We’re often surprised by what color a certain material yields when added to fabric—quite often, it’s different from the original source. That’s part of the fun, so keep an open mind about your end results, and experiment with whatever you have available in your own backyard! Crafting Notes If you’re dyeing yarn, open it up into a large circle while keeping it wound in its skein. Tie it loosely at several points to hold it in its skein while going through the dye process. These instructions will work well for things that aren’t washed often—play silks, scarves,…

Homesteading doesn’t have to mean 10 acres and a tractor. In today’s world, where buying land can feel out of reach and digital life is louder than ever, turning your city space into a tiny homestead isn’t only possible, it’s powerful. Whether you’re working with a backyard, a balcony, or a community garden, urban homesteading helps you reconnect with what matters: your food, your neighbors, and the natural rhythm of things. It’s nourishing, grounding, and doable, even in the city. Here’s how to get started: 1 Grow food anywhere. From raised beds and planter boxes to windowsills and rooftops, there’s always room to grow something. Leafy greens, herbs, tomatoes, and even dwarf fruit trees can thrive in containers. Don’t underestimate the productivity of a well-planned small space—one cherry tomato plant…

Always cook from scratch, no convenience foods. Plant a garden. Have a section outside your kitchen door for herbs. Buy everything only in season. Always buy meat on sale and buy extra to freeze. Can produce. If you don’t grow your own, go to the farmers market at the end of the day, when they often sell crates of tomatoes for much less to get rid of them, then come home and can them. Some orchards will pay you to pick for them. Take your family and enjoy picking for a few hours. Make jelly from what you keep. Never have a piece of meat with bones that you don’t then make stock from. Never walk out of a restaurant and leave a plate full of food. Always ask for…

“As Patrice Lewis says, [gardening] is a learning curve, costly at first and better to start small until you get your chops down.” EDITORS’ PICK Praise for Virtual Fencing I read your article “Virtual Fencing for Pastured Livestock” with high hopes and great expectations for managing sheep under apple trees. We’ve struggled for years to find a good solution for the understory of our trees that doesn’t involve time-consuming weed whacking or costprohibitive fencing. Dayna Burtness’ example and thoughtful explanation of the pros and cons helped us design a cost-effective livestock-management plan so the sheep can eat the grass and control brush under our trees in a safe and movable “fence.” I’m always hesitant to try new technology with my own flock. The details in the article about connectivity, battery…

Like pink and lavender fireworks, the flowers of Monarda fistulosa explode with color in the heat of a summer afternoon. Picking fresh monarda flowers along the trail to the river is one of my favorite memories of when my kids were young; we used to spend the afternoon gathering these gorgeous flowers, marveling over their unique shape while watching the butterflies and bees as they flitted about, gathering the sweet nectar. Once our baskets were full, we’d treat ourselves with a dip in the cool, refreshing waters of the river, a reward for another job well-done. Although a handful of monarda species are useful to the herbalist, M. fistulosa is the most widespread, is native to North America, and can be found in most places across the United States and…

Our farm property is heavily wooded, so foraging for natural dyes was an easy transition for me once I learned the basics of natural dyeing. The key to getting started is knowing how to limit our impact on the environment. It’s not hard to gather enough raw material for a few dye baths at a time while leaving the natural ecosystem to flourish. Spend time in the wild and you’ll learn when to harvest from the abundance and also when to leave the plants to rest. Thoughtful harvesting will ensure that your woodlands will thrive and offer you natural dyes for years to come. When I find a plant growing heavily on our wooded farm, I take a photo or small sample to use for identification. Any number of field…

Summer Garden Tostada This vegetable tostada recipe is a fast and easy favorite. The ingredients listed here are those we’re most likely to use when making it. However, other vegetables you might have available, such as fresh corn, tomatoes, yellow squash, tender green beans, jalapeños, and garlic, can be added to the mix. When you use the vegetables you have on hand, you can create your own favorite flavor combinations. We’ve found that fresh vegetables combined with olive oil impart a delicious flavor that doesn’t need the addition of salt or pepper, although feel free to use them if you wish. We prepare this recipe using a wellseasoned cast-iron griddle and skillet. They aren’t required, but are helpful. Yield: about 4 servings. • 8 corn tortillas, 5 ½-inch size• Olive…

Start by researching your local native and invasive species. I’ll share some techniques and species that have worked well for my partially wooded 1-acre property. After moving to the property and fencing against deer, I surveyed the wooded part of the property. It consisted mostly of large oaks, maples, elms, and tulip poplars—a collection of large trees without any understory or ground cover. Shade varied from light to heavy. I wanted to rehabilitate the woods to create the feeling of a true forest that both I and the local wildlife could enjoy. So, I did some research. In general, I wanted to create layers of understory: small trees, shrubs, and perennials. My first consideration was the degree of shade the plant could tolerate for good growth. For example, American plum…

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 pair are hosting a workshop on community biochar at their 2-acre farm called Wihin T’ga-a, which translates from the local Takelma language to mean “My Mother Earth.” Wahpepah is a member of the Anishinaabe, Kickapoo, and Sac and Fox Indigenous groups and is the founder of Red Earth Descendants, a “grassroots, indigenous-based organization committed to creating healthy, sustainable community while preserving Native values, traditions and culture.” Together with Edstrom, he’s determined to use community biochar as a grassroots solution to rebuild healthy agricultural land. Biochar is a form of charcoal well-known for its ability to sequester carbon in soil. It’s made by burning organic matter in a low-oxygen environment through a process called “pyrolysis.” To initiate the process, workshop participants dig a 4-by-6-foot pit at the top of a…

I build houses out of trash. I was inspired by the life of Kenyan Nobel laureate Wangarĩ Maathai, who said, “It’s the little things citizens do. That’s what will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees.” As an American living in Kenya for more than 40 years, I’ve often been inspired by the lives of hardworking African women. Maathai inspired us all to look within, to see what gift we could bring to make the world a better place. Her “little thing,” planting trees, birthed the Green Belt Movement, which has spread its branches throughout the world. My little thing is to make buildings out of garbage and mud. Creativity is often birthed through the process of trying to solve a problem. When I moved to rural Kenya,…

Yes, you can do that—and more! Before marshmallow became the sugary treats we toast over campfires, it started as a healing herb with a fascinating legacy. Marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis) is a demulcent herb that’s been used for thousands of years to calm coughs, coat sore throats, and ease digestive discomfort. When soaked in water, it releases a slippery, gooey substance (called “mucilage”) that gently coats and soothes irritated tissues. Plus, it’s kid-friendly and easy to work with, making it a fun way to sneak extra herbs into your day. In the 1800s, French confectioners whipped marshmallow root with sugar and egg whites to create a fluffy delight. By the 1900s, gelatin replaced the herb, leading to the marshmallows we know today. Modern storebought marshmallows may be convenient, but they…

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. One panel of my ground-mounted solar system shattered (likely because of a rock thrown up by a lawn mower), but the company we contracted with for our system is now out of business. How do I go about getting a replacement panel that works with my system? Michael, Washington When you have glass solar panels sitting out in the open, sooner or later, something worse than bird droppings is bound to hit them! If you find that your installer has gone out of business, it’s not the end of the…