MOTHER EARTH NEWS June - July - 2017

Some folks criticize me bitterly for choosing to take a positive stance in life. So be it. I was reminded in the past several weeks of why I choose to focus my energies that way — ironically, it was the aftermath of a horrific series of wildfires that swept entire counties in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and a few other places that reminded me that staying positive is indeed a choice. You can curl up into a ball and cry, you can focus your anxieties to drive your anger, you can attack policies, you can attack choices, you can rant on and on about climate change and its putative perpetrators — all the while looking for some scapegoat to justify the catastrophe. Or, you can choose to assess the situation and…

Food Scraps for Your Flock I want to thank you for Joel’s article “Turn Food Scraps into Poultry Feasts” in the April/May 2017 issue. I’m a member of a popular online poultry forum where the so-called experts discourage feeding anything other than chicken feed, referring to food scraps as “treats.” I’m in a high-predator area and only allow my flock to free-range when I can be out with them. Against the advice of others, I feed my girls meat, vegetables, and dinner leftovers, along with garden herbs, to compensate for the variety of nutrients they aren’t getting while free-ranging. My flock is healthy and happy, and the hens lay perfect eggs. I hope more chicken owners will read this article and begin to add diversity to their feeding regimens. Kokomo, Indiana…

I just want to say thanks! This is an amazing publication. I’ve found so many valuable lessons on your website. Valuable Lessons I just want to say thanks! This is an amazing publication. I’ve found so many valuable lessons on your website for choosing livestock guardians, making lye-leaching barrels, cutting straw by hand, using the deep-litter method for chickens, creating homemade soaps and candles, gardening, and the list goes on. Extremely valuable! Dan Jacob Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pollinators and Predators I’ve been an avid reader for many years. It was MOTHER that really taught me the importance and productivity of good organic gardening. Regarding bugs, it took many years for a really noticeable change to take place in the garden. I never thought I’d be a part-time entomologist, but what I’ve noticed is a growing number of…

When it comes to the prices farmers charge for their produce, the legality of a label often makes all the difference. There’s a lot at stake for what “Certified Organic” really means, which is why the definition has been debated for decades. Recently, the dispute has intensified over the necessity for vegetables and other food to grow in soil to merit organic certification. The heart of the debate is about whether produce grown hydroponically — meaning the plants are raised in nutrient-enriched water — can be considered organic. Proponents argue that hydroponic systems legally fit the definition of organic growing because the solution used by these systems provides everything plants need to grow, without any synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. They further contend that their methods are even better for the environment…

While modern agriculture has moved away from regionally developed crop cultivars — also known as “landraces” — a grass-roots organization based in the American West is bringing local seeds back to the Rockies. The Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance works to strengthen access to local seeds among farmers in Colorado and surrounding states. This nonprofit organization encourages planetfriendly seed stewardship through education and networking. The Heritage Grain Trials Project, which began in 2016, is an important public component of the Alliance’s work. To carry out the project, the Alliance first identified and collected heirloom grains that are ideally suited to Rocky Mountain growing conditions. Then, local growers were sent seeds to grow out. Every member of the project has also received detailed instructions in seed saving. Farmers, gardeners, and anyone else who wants…

High-quality topsoil is becoming scarcer in North America, and that’s bad news for all of us. Fortunately, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has teamed up with the Soil Health Campaign to find ways of conserving this precious natural resource. Soil Health Campaign pioneer Dave Brandt launched the movement in 2012 to promote the vitality of farm soil, and the project quickly took off across the United States. His goal is to foster a closer connection with the Earth by educating the general public about the incalculable benefits of the healthy soil directly beneath their feet. What began as a single public event has grown into dozens of ongoing chapters across the country, all of which work together to preserve and protect cropland. Today, the Soil Health Campaign sponsors workshops, field days,…