MOTHER EARTH NEWS

MOTHER EARTH NEWS magazine is the Original Guide to Living Wisely. Launched in 1970, each bimonthly issue features practical and money-saving information on cutting energy costs; using renewable energy; organic gardening; green home building and remodeling; fun do-it-yourself projects; and conscientious, self-sufficient lifestyles

Community and Belonging

EDITORS’ PICK

Dear MOTHER

Flexible Solar Panels for Any Roof • Solar panel prices have dropped in recent years, making the technology more accessible to those who want to invest in solar energy. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average cost of solar PV panels has dropped more than 60 percent since 2010, and the cost of a solar electric system has dropped by about 50 percent.

‘Container’ Gardening • From the confined space of a shipping container, military college cadets grow and harvest hundreds of heads of lettuce per week for staff and students.

Lighting with Battery Power • An easy way to have long-term emergency lighting without flashlights.

The Learning Never Ends

MOTHER’S Product Picks

Building with Balecob • This hybrid of cob and straw bale building techniques can offer unique flexibility to the natural builder.

Make Your Own Soap • Follow these simple steps and you’ll be cooking up suds in no time.

All Soap Is Lye Soap

Chickweed Salve & Chickweed Pesto • Let this star-shaped plant shine by using its invigorating properties in a potent healing salve and nutrient-rich wild greens pesto.

Gathering the Fresh Taste of Spring

Chickweed Pesto

Spinning a Yarn • Spinning seems like magic, but it’s no more than making string with a special stick. Learn how to make your own yarn with tools that have hardly changed since the Stone Age.

Heat-Tolerant Eggplant Trials • Years of experimenting have shown an experienced gardener the best cultivars to grow in her steamy climate.

Eggplant Profiles

Grow Delicious Food All Year

Fermented Beverages Your Way: Homemade • See what all the fizz is about by trying these delicious and nutritious recipes.

Beet and Apple Kvass Recipe

The Pits Soda Recipe

Sourdough Bread Kvass Recipe

Reap the Health Benefits of Fermented Foods

Green Goats Grazes to Success • New York-based company Green Goats clears acres of brush with the help of 180 caprine employees.

Electric Fencing: A Guide to Basics

Build an Upcycled Greenhouse • You can save green while going green by repurposing windows to create a beautiful greenhouse.

Free and Cheap Building Materials

A Tip from the Incubator Specialists

Chicken Brooder in a Box • This easy-to-make shelter for growing chicks has a few other benefits, too.

Get Started with Backyard Birds

Tech Tools for Energy Efficiency • Monitor and modify your home’s energy usage with these apps and devices.

Resources for Raising Your Energy Awareness • The following resources can guide you as you consider which purchases will be worth it for your household.

Growing Indoors • Readers share their tips for starting seeds indoors.

Next: A DIY Chicken Chunnel

Top 10 Reasons to Own a Compact Tractor • Hard-working compact tractors give you economic features and power to get jobs done.

Food on the Move • Travel in alignment with your values by adjusting your eating routine while you’re on the road.

Caffeinated Seedlings

All Hands on Deck

A Spark of Innovation

Home Treatments for Dog Hot Spots

A Quick Way to Repair Pinholes in Hoses

Photos from the Field