MOTHER EARTH NEWS April - May 2020

Mid-to-late winter is lambing season at our place. We could plan it for later, but it works for us in a number of ways, not the least of which is having lambs ready for the early season markets. More than that, however, is that mid-January is when the ewes typically begin lambing after being exposed to the rams all season. As humans, my wife and I enjoy not controlling everything, and lambing season helps us out of the doldrums that the short days of winter tend to send us into. Sure, it would be, or could be, easier for us to time lambing for slightly less dicey weather conditions, but early spring thunderstorms with high winds, torrential rain, and hail are tougher for new born lambs than are cold temperatures…

Savored Sweet Potatoes I enjoyed Editorial Director Hank Will’s “Roots Reconnected” editorial in the February/March 2020 issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS. I, too, grew up in a rural setting on a small farm where we gardened and preserved most of our food. I remember, as a child, my parents allowed us kids to each have our own small garden where we could choose to plant whatever we wanted, as long as we took care of it. I’m now 60 years old and still gardening. I’m currently growing an heirloom variety of sweet potato. I don’t know what kind they are, but they’re bright orange and flavorful. I remember my parents growing them when I was very small. They got starts of the plants from my aunt and uncle, who got starts from…

“We didn’t have much money, but we did have plenty of energy.” Readers’ 50th anniversary letters are marked with a gold star. Barn Building My wife and I raised our kids on a small acreage in southern Illinois. When our kids were young, we encouraged them to join 4-H. As part of 4-H, they raised sheep and goats. Eventually, our small operation grew into a flock. Because of our large number of animals, we needed more room than the little shed we had. With the harsh weather and a growing sheep population, we had to decide whether to keep a small number of livestock or build a better facility to accommodate the animals. We didn’t have much money, but we did have plenty of energy. As luck would have it, one Friday night,…

Get to Work, New York I just read the article on the state of bees. Thank you, Dr. Lundgren, for the informative analysis of what’s happening to the bee population in the U.S. We live in western New York, close to Lake Ontario. Several local beekeepers have lost their hives repeatedly in our area. Unfortunately, my hives have suffered the same fate. The New York bee inspector thinks my particular hives were lost because of pesticide residue. We as a group would like to have a conversation locally with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or whoever will help us with our concerns. We think farming practices must change, and realize the pesticides used are weakening and killing the species. Thank you so much for…

Accessible Transit In late 2019, the Kansas City, Missouri, city council and Mayor Quinton Lucas unanimously voted to make transit free to ride, becoming the first major U.S. city to pilot free fare. Their decision aims to make transit accessible to all who live in the city, and they believe that the policy will have an especially profound impact on passengers living paycheck to paycheck. Previously, 25 percent of passengers, including veterans and students, were riding free of charge; now, all riders will have more guaranteed access to jobs, education, and health care farther from home. The move could reduce congestion and emissions from private vehicles, and, according to the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, research shows local tax revenue will increase from the boost in economic activity caused by people’s…

The nonprofit North American Butterfly Association (NABA) runs a butterfly garden certification program to encourage gardeners to cultivate and protect butterfly habitats. To qualify for certification, gardeners must grow at least three different caterpillar food plants, or host plants and at least three different native butterfly nectar sources. In both cases, NABA prefers the use of native species, and more than one plant of each species, but neither is a requirement for certification. Gardeners seeking certification are discouraged from using pesticides in their plots, which NABA says can inadvertently kill butterflies and other pollinators. Owners of certified gardens can purchase weatherproof signs to display. The NABA site has guides on choosing regional plants, an archive of tips from other NABA members, and gardening brochures that provide information on starting or expanding a…