Mother Earth News 08.09 2022

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2022
Use Leaf Litter

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OUR EXPERIMENT ON BASIL YIELDS, P. 42
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HIKING PREPAREDNESS SAVES LIVES, P. 38
Wick Irrigation
GARDEN USING MINIMAL WATER, P. 26
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Issue No. 313 • $6.99 CAN • Display until Sept. 19, 2022
Black Slug Management for Gardens, P. 12
Tips for Stunning Wildlife Photography, P. 16
Scrapple and Souse: The Ultimate Meat Thrift, P. 34
Save Your Corn Silk: Recipes for Beneficial Teas, P. 46
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Table of Contents August/September 2022
NATURAL AND INEXPENSIVE

SOLUTIONS TO GARDEN PROBLEMS
12 Firsthand Reports:
Battling Black Slugs
42 Leaf Litter to the Rescue: How gardeners in Southeast
Alaska impede this plant-
Free Fertilizer from Your Backyard eating pest.
A citizen-science project reveals “unbe-leaf-able”
soil benefits from composted leaves and twigs.
30 Garden with Less Water
Using Wick Irrigation
Set up a system to water
potted and in-ground plants
4 News from Mother 24 Timeless Terroir with hands-free efficiency.
Leaning on the Basics Family bonds and traditional
techniques produce off-grid
6 Dear Mother almonds, olives, and herbs in the
Reader letters of inspiration, Spanish countryside. 52 Hometown Hacks:
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ADOBE STOCK/COCO; ADOBE STOCK/DETRY26; RORY GROVES; HELOISE BUU-HOI; ANDREW WEIDMAN
community, and more. DIY Rainwater Shower

34 Scrapple: Tasty Economy Construct a simple, inexpensive
8 Green Gazette: The Plant: The ultimate meat frugality begins shower that can function on or
A Vertical Farm in Chicago at home, with trimmings and off the grid.
Updates on a pork-processing scraps.
plant turned into indoor vertical 58 Country Lore
gardens, the latest avian flu strain, 38 Quick-Construct Reader tips on chokecherry
the FDA’s focus on drugs vs. food, Emergency Shelters jelly, using leaky hoses for drip
and more. Build short-term structures out of irrigation, saving seeds, deterring
a few simple-to-carry materials. deer by using cane, and more.
14 Mother Tested:
Clean and Green 46 Save Your Corn Silk 64 Ask Our Experts
Sustainable product swaps to Once you’re done shucking, turn Expert advice on marketing
protect your family and lessen your this edible leftover into a nutrient- grassfed beef, enjoying fall-
environmental footprint. rich tea or topping. harvested eggplant, and creating
a root cellar in a box.
16 Nature Through a Lens
Grab your camera, head outside, Stories with this logo are 84 Photos from the Field
and enjoy the journey of capturing available in audio form at Reader-submitted photos.
your favorite outdoor memories. www.MotherEarthNews.com!
16 24 64
News from MOTHER
®
THE ORIGINAL GUIDE TO LIVING WISELY
Look to Mother Nature ISSUE EDITORS

Editorial Director Marissa Ames
S
Editor at Large Oscar H. Will III
everal years ago, while transform- experiment with different fertilizers for EDITORIAL TEAM
ing our sand dune into an organic growing sweet basil (Page 42). Which Ingrid Butler
Landon Hall
garden, I introduced my husband performed best? The answer may sur-
Rebecca Martin
to the concept of “beneficial detritus.” prise you. Jessica Mitchell
“This,” I said, pointing to decimated When looking to organic fertiliz- Ilene Reid
Allison Sarkesian
tumbleweeds and puncture vine. “You ers, sometimes we only need to look
Amanda Sorell
don’t want this in the garden. The seed to Mother Nature. How does she fer- Christine Stoner
heads will sprout. But this …” I ges- tilize forests? Those leaves that drop Jean Teller
Carla Tilghman
tured at poplar and mulberry leaves that from trees, that tomato plant that was
had blown into our fenced garden from healthy before the killing frost — those ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
neighbors’ unfenced yards. “It’s benefi- still contain many nutrients that the Brenda Escalante; BEscalante@OgdenPubs.com
cial. The leaves will decompose to be plant needed to survive. Detritus (fall-
ART DIRECTION AND PREPRESS
some of the best fertilizer, and it won’t en leaves that get chopped up beneath Art Director Matthew T. Stallbaumer
burn any plants.” the feet of wildlife)
WEB AND DIGITAL CONTENT
That “beneficial de- has nourished mas-
Web Content Manager Tonya Olson
tritus” now composes sive trees since forests
part of our yearly soil began. Wildlife brings DISPLAY ADVERTISING
800-678-5779; AdInfo@OgdenPubs.com
amendments, along- in the manure, which
side goat manure, de- decomposes naturally CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
composed hay, kitchen in the leaf litter. Rains 866-848-5416; Classifieds@MotherEarthNews.com
compost, and the whey push nutrients into the
NEWSSTAND
from my cheesemak- soil for plants to use. Newsstand Manager Melissa Lacer
ing projects. We layer Mother Nature can
CUSTOMER CARE
it on, avoiding soil teach us a lot about
800-234-3368; CustomerService@OgdenPubs.com
disturbance if we can, our own gardens and
then allow the whey where we should spend
and irrigation to boost our money. Often, a
the microbes and water low-cost or free option Publisher Bill Uhler
nutrients down to the plant roots. is right before you, and it can be the Director of Circulation & Marketing Cherilyn Olmsted
In the gardening world, we navigate best choice for your setup. Director of Newsstand & Production Bob Cucciniello
terms and concepts that can make our When choosing your organic fertil- Director of Sales Bob Legault
Director of Events & Business Development Andrew Perkins
heads spin: “organic,” “GMO,” “con- izers, what goes into your soil? Which
Director of Information Technology Tim Swietek
ventional.” Then, we deal with those do you buy and which do you bring Director of Finance & Accounting Ross Hammond
less-trustworthy terms: “all-natural,” in as compost, free manure, or even
“low-impact.” What, exactly, do these irrigation water with added benefits Founders John and Jane Shuttleworth
terms mean for your garden? When of fish droppings or decomposed al- Mother Earth News (ISSN -)
choosing seeds and amendments, which gae? How do you incorporate the August/September 2022, Issue No. 313.
Mother Earth News is published bimonthly by Ogden
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In this issue of Mother Earth 800-678-5779 and ask to speak to a customer service operator.
News, author Daniel Bowman gets at
some of these questions by narrating his
4 MOTHER EARTH NEWS August/September 2022

p
Heavy-duty, American-made,
built to last equipment for
the DIYer to easily maintain
Wood their properties and lifestyle.
Chippers
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žƕƍƍſ ƐƑƕƈƎƎƎƔ ċċċıC;ÂóóÂıàØ

See #22 on page 67
Dear MOTHER
“It’s a joy to look out and

see that I built this myself,
and to know that I saved
so many treasures that
would’ve gotten thrown out.”
Shed Joy during summer and have sleepovers. It’s

I love my shed! It’s a 12-by-12-foot shed a joy to look out and see that I built this
made with recycled windows, a recycled myself, and to know that I saved so many
door, and used decking. I tried to use as treasures that would’ve gotten thrown out.
much old wood as I could find. I love start- It’s funky and has a lot of character, and I
ing and hardening off plants in it. (I’m in wouldn’t trade it for anything!
Zone 5b.) My children and I love hanging Elizabeth Carstens
out inside the shed on sunny days in winter, Via email
where it’s about 15 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit
warmer. We bring mattresses into the shed (CONTINUED ON PAGE 70)
I T O R S’
ED K Lawn-to-Garden Transformation
PIC Just finished reading the article “A Better Use of an Urban Lawn” by Emma Walker (June/
July 2022). I thought I’d send you a few pictures of what we did some 10 years ago.
A Fast Favorite We live in Soquel, California, and we’ve been dealing with lack of water for quite some
ELIZABETH CARSTENS; KEITH HOUCHEN

I look forward to many more articles! time. Our water company was offering rebates for taking lawns out, so we jumped at the
I’ve been receiving the newsletters via idea. I installed raised-bed planter boxes with drip irrigation. We raise potatoes, carrots,
email for quite a while, and I recently beets, zucchini, crooked-neck squash, Swiss chard, kale, sweet peas, beans, six kinds of
subscribed to the magazine, which I can peppers, tomatoes, three kinds of onions, oranges, and apples. That’s just in our front yard.
hold in my hands. In the backyard, we raise lemons, limes, more tomatoes, Peruvian peppers, and about 10
It’s my absolute favorite magazine! different herbs. The backyard is also on drip irrigation, and the garden is raised the whole
TOP:
There hasn’t been one article that wasn’t width of the yard.
FROM
relevant to my way of living. We’ve lived We have solar electric that supplies about 95% of our needs, and we do most of our mild-
in Connecticut mostly. We’re now in winter heating with wood. It
Florida, and this summer, our new ven- always amazes me that people
ture is in Tennessee, where I’ll be trying still want lawns. I feel that
to fish farm and raise meat birds. The if you’re going to use water,
June/July 2022 issue of MOTHER EARTH then grow something you can
NEWS was uncanny, and it went along eat. I’d really like to put a
with our new manual pump (Hometown greenhouse with aquaculture
Hacks: “Tips for Using a Manual Water in my backyard, but that’s a
Pump”)! As articles are written, the project for down the road.
more details, the better! Thanks for the great maga-
Thank you, and please continue with zine. I always look forward to
these important topics! the next issue.
Linnea Keith Houchen
Via email Soquel, California

,
Don t LET
African
SWINE
KILL YOUR PIGS.

!

Green Gazette By Joe Scott; Feature by Christopher Johnson
The Plant: A Vertical

Farm in Chicago
It’s like no other farm you’ve ever seen. The crops are
lettuce, basil, and microgreens — young vegetables that
are 1 to 3 inches high. They grow in trays that stretch
across an enormous room. LED lamps cast their eerie
light on the plants. Most amazingly of all, these crops are
thriving in a 97-year-old converted pork-processing facility
in Chicago called The Plant.
This repurposed building is home to five vertical farms, a
form of urban agriculture that emphasizes locally grown foods
cultivated in pristine conditions and without chemical fertilizers.
John Edel, founder and director of Bubbly Dynamics LLC, the
company that owns The Plant, says, “We call this (The Plant) a The Plant’s vertical farming techniques don’t require chemical fertilizers.
vertical farm because we’re growing on multiple levels.”
In addition to the vertical farms, The Plant incubates 19 other advantages of growing in a building is that there are no insects.”
food-related businesses, including three breweries, a bakery, a So, there’s no need to use pesticides or herbicides.
cheese distributor, a coffee roaster, and a chocolatier. But that’s not the only advantage of operating indoors. Urban
The processes used by the farms at The Plant are Eden, one of the farms at The Plant, grows crops using aero-
environmentally sustainable. Edel explains, “There’s a mix ponics, in which the roots of the plants dangle in the air, and
of hydroponics and soil-growers in the building. One of the mechanical devices puff them with mist. Aeroponics systems
use 95% less irrigation than
traditional agriculture does.
And in laboratories housed at
The Plant, food scientists are
also researching potential uses
of algae and cellular agricul-
ture — growing meats and veg-
etables at the cellular level.
The businesses at The Plant
feature closed-loop systems,
in which producers use waste
products to help fuel the
manufacturing process. For
example, the Whiner Beer
Company, located on the first
floor of The Plant, salvages
ingredients used in beer
production to bake bread and to
create compost.
You can learn more about
CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON (2)
this unique agricultural hub at

www.InsideThePlant.com/about-
the-plant.
The Plant has repurposed a 97-year-old building that used to be a pork-processing facility. — Christopher Johnson

Green Gazette
Who and What Is the Avian Flu Impacting?

A highly pathogenic strain of avian
flu has spread through bird populations
across the United States this year. As of
this writing, according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
about 40 million poultry birds have been
affected. This has sparked the mass
culling of flocks to stem the spread. For
humans, the virus has so far posed little
physical threat, with only one human case
reported to the CDC, but many scientists
and governments are concerned about
potential spillover into humans. There’s
much evidence that intensive factory
farming of poultry is driving up the risk
of more strains — and more dangerous The first case of avian flu in wild birds since 2016 was reported in an American wigeon (above).
strains — of avian flu.
The spreaders seem to be migrating watch for signs of the disease. Look for For those who buy eggs, expect high
waterfowl, especially ducks. Songbirds reduced appetite and egg production as prices. Prices are just reaching the previ-
are low-risk for catching and spreading well as a swollen head. The surest way to ous peak caused by the last avian flu out-
the disease, so no need to take down the know is to take the animals to a lab and break (2015). This outbreak is worse, so
feeders, but anyone with chickens should get them tested. egg costs may continue to climb.
ADOBE STOCK/R. JEFF HUTH; ADOBE STOCK/DEYAN GEORGIEV
Investigation Reveals FDA

Focuses More on Drugs Than Food
According to a monthslong Politico investigation, the Food One of the most potentially harmful failures of the agency
and Drug Administration (FDA) has been failing at half its has been its inability to set standards for agricultural water to
namesake: It’s all drug and no food administration. Apparently, keep certain contaminants off fresh produce. The agency was
TOP:
according to the investigation, even commissioners at the agency instructed to set such a standard by a food safety law, which
FROM
slip up sometimes and say the “F” stands for “federal.” passed in the wake of a deadly E. coli outbreak in 2006. The
agency has tried, but, according to Politico, its 2015
policy was too complicated and based on outdated
science. It hasn’t stuck.
Politico’s 8,000-plus-word piece offers plenty of
examples of the FDA’s shortcomings regarding pro-
tecting our food, but the explanation can be boiled
down to structural issues within the organization. It
tells the story of a lumbering bureaucracy made more
dysfunctional by intra-department competition. So,
what’s an average citizen to do with this information?
In the wake of COVID-19, the FDA’s asymmetry
has only gotten worse. Once we get sick, the FDA
is there for us. Until then, we might be on our own.
Read the full FDA investigation from Politico at
www.Politico.com/interactives/2022/fda-fails-regulate-
The FDA has failed to solidify effective standards for agricultural water usage. food-health-safety-hazards.
WWW.MOTHEREARTHNEWS.COM 9
Green Gazette
School on
Growing Offers
a Course on
Eating Washington State Decides to Sell Preservation
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is setting aside
What’s the point of organic farming if there’s 10,000 acres of forest to sell as carbon offsets, meaning the land will be sold to
no market for organic products? The Rodale people who want to do nothing whatsoever with it. They just want to let it be.
Institute has a long history of helping farmers In an Op-Ed published in The Seattle Times, Washington state Sen. Kevin Van
convert to organic practices, but now it’s also De Wege argues that the DNR is acting against its fiduciary responsibility to the
offering a course on being an organic consumer. communities that depend on funds generated by the sale of logging rights in state
As many environmental activists have turned forests. But the commissioner of public lands behind the decision, Hilary Franz,
their energies toward effecting the production believes the sale of these carbon offsets will generate “tens of millions of dollars,”
side of the economy, or “system change,” this per a report from The Associated Press. If Franz is right, then it seems the carbon
new course from Rodale recognizes that the offset market has started to make some forests more valuable uncut than cut.
“system” is actually a two-way street. If activists In terms of carbon emissions, it’s unclear if the offsets do any good. Echoing the
want federal regulations pushing regenerative most common criticism of offsets, Van De Wege argues that they “allow industrial
farming practices, for example, then they’ll need polluters to keep polluting.”
to help create the popular will for it.
The course, titled “Being a Regenerative Look Who’s Talking Now: Mushrooms?
Consumer,” is simple, with engaging videos. It There’s a venerated history of research on the language of animals. In the 1970s,
provides a basic overview of what regenerative Karl von Frisch won the Nobel Prize for studying the rhythm of bees’ bottoms
organic farming is and why it’s important for the and deciphering a precise language from their “waggle dances.” Now, publishing
health of consumers. In part, the course seems in Royal Society Open Science, researcher Andrew Adamatzky claims to have
like a promotion for Rodale’s own food label, discovered that even mushrooms have a language.
Regenerative Organic Certified. This label adds During experiments, Adamatzky plugged an array of electrodes into objects
two criteria to the U.S. Department of Agriculture colonized by certain fungi, such as a stick or a bucket. Over stretches of hours, he
Certified Organic label: animal welfare and social measured spikes in electrical signals that seemed to resemble words.
fairness (how workers are treated and paid). The research builds on a growing understanding of the role of fungi in
Beyond that, the final video offers five tips on forests — not just in the process of decomposition, but in a symbiotic relationship
how to be an organic consumer. Some of them that facilitates communication between trees as they adapt to threats, such as
are specifically catered to consumers who might insects or disease. So, if the mushrooms are listening and responding, and a tree
find organic products too expensive. One fresh falls in the woods, there may indeed be someone around to hear it.
tip: Try organic gardening.
Learn more and enroll in the regenerative con- New Report Details Weakness in Clean Water Act
sumer course at Courses.RodaleInstitute.org. On the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, a nonprofit started by a group
of former Environmental Protection Agency attorneys is raising the alarm over
America’s polluted waterways. In a scathing report, the Environmental Integrity
Project found that, of all the tested rivers and streams in the country, about half are
NEUMILER
“impaired,” meaning you’d get sick if you swam in them or ate fish from them.
The Clean Water Act requires states to report on their waterways every 6 to 10
ADOBE STOCK/MARC SANCHEZ; ADOBE STOCK/ALICJA
years, but because of lack of funding and inconsistent standards among states, not
all waterways get tested. In the latest reporting, only 27% of the country’s rivers
and streams were tested.
The report points out a key weakness in the Clean Water Act: a lack of enforce-
ment for runoff, or “non-point source,” pollution. Meaning, the Act has teeth when
it comes to factories piping out pollutants, but it’s got nothing on fertilizer runoff,
like that which contributes to the annual dead zone at the mouth of the Mississippi
River, or street runoff, like that which is killing salmon runs in Washington state.
TOP:
To read the full Clean Water Act report, search for “The Clean Water Act at 50”
FROM
Consumers can help shape the regenerative food market. at www.EnvironmentalIntegrity.org.

See #30 on page 67
Firsthand Reports
Battling
Black Slugs
In a small village in Southeast Alaska, the invasive black slug reigns
supreme. Here’s how local gardeners impede this unique plant-eating pest.
By Dimitra Lavrakas
W
hen I was offered a chance for some deep, rich,
earth for gardening in a tiny Southeast Alaska
village, I asked if there were any black slugs in it.
“If you’re going to garden here, you have to just get used to
them!” a resident curtly responded.
And with that began my battle and fascination with the
invasive giant black slug, Arion ater.
Tenakee Springs in Southeast Alaska, with a population of
120 souls in summer and possibly a third of that in winter,
lies 45 nautical miles south of Alaska’s capital, Juneau. Sitting
on Chichagof Island deep in the Tongass National Forest,
the largest national forest in America, Tenakee Springs is sur-
rounded by second-growth and old-growth forest.
Southeast Alaska is blessed with close to 18 hours of boun-
tiful summer sunshine, abundant water, dirt from the forests,
and rich alluvial soil from its many streams and rivers, so
it’s an ideal place to garden, despite this pest. I once lived in
Skagway, the self-proclaimed “Garden City of Alaska,” 90
miles north of Juneau. But I never encountered black slugs
before moving to Tenakee Springs. And now, I’ve adopted
some of the methods local gardeners use to deter or kill them.
Slugs on the Move

Like so many invasive species changing ecosystems world-
wide, the black slug’s journey begins far away; the slugs were
transported either by ship or plane, secreted in soil, food, and
lumber shipments. The Alaska National Heritage Program
(ANHP), part of the Alaska Center for Conservation Science
at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, keeps track of invasive
species as well as the state’s animal and plant species and eco-
systems and their ranking as a conservation concern.
ANHP published an invasiveness ranking for the black
slug based on distribution, biological characteristics, ecologi-
cal impacts, and feasibility of control. These categories were
assigned points, and Arion ater received a score of 62 out of
DIMITRA LAVRAKAS
100, or “moderately invasive.”

In an attempt to rise above slug attacks on her garden, the author grows in Arion ater is present in Anchorage, Cordova, Yakutat,
containers on her deck overlooking Tenakee Inlet. Gustavus, Juneau, Sitka, Tenakee Springs, Ketchikan, and

Kodiak Island, according to the Alaska I decided my deck, 20 feet off the
National Heritage Project. Black slugs do ground, would be a safe place to plant in
provide some positive effects on seed and containers, and I ordered 100 pounds of
spore dispersal in the forest through their soil from a hardware store in Juneau. I also
fecal matter, but for gardeners, their pres- began to raise plants in the house by a big
ence is a never-ending chore and source window that gets lots of sunlight. I didn’t
of frustration. Boasting 27,000 teeth, the see slugs, but I did have to fight fungus
black slug is a natural wonder of machine- Black slugs populate gardens and trails in gnats by spraying soapy water on the soil.
like destruction. Its flexible band of micro- Tenakee Springs. Resident Joni Gates (below) But were there truly no slugs?
scopic teeth, called a “radula,” acts like a fights slugs in her garden with broken Finally, one day, I saw a slug beside the
circular saw, and it can grind through your clamshells that the slugs can’t travel through. sliding door near the table my seedlings
garden plants without slowing down. were on, and another outside the same
door. Did they shimmy up the gutter
Confronting Slugs drainpipe? I’ll never know. But I did create
Every July 4, Tenakee Springs used to a beer trap in one container, as slugs are at-
have a slug toss, but residents decided that tracted to beer’s yeasty scent, and no other
was perhaps too callous an approach to a slugs ever appeared in the brew.
creature just living its life. I also built a raised bed out of a picture-
One Tenakee Springs resident walks window packing crate, which came with
down the trail most days and cuts slugs in 6-inch sides and a particleboard bottom.
two — an execution method that’s consid- With 2x4s added for height at each corner,
ered humane and that does not cause the chicken wire to keep deer out, and plastic
slugs to grow back either segment. overhead to deal with rain, I was able to
Because slugs have simple nervous sys- grow a good crop of broccoli. I kept slugs
tems and lack a cerebral cortex, researchers from crawling up the legs with a smearing
surmise they don’t experience pain. But I of Vaseline, but any kind of grease seems to
once saw several slugs surrounding their foul up the slugs’ movement, and I’d find
mangled comrade, and because I tend to them curled up lifeless on the ground.
anthropomorphize every life form, I asked Other methods of protecting plants
my trusty companion Bruce Ware whether from slugs include tenting seedlings or
they were mourning their fellow slug. “No, making homemade barriers of sawdust,
they’re eating it,” he replied. crushed eggshells, ground oyster or clam
So while I find the lack of compassion shells, soap, or cinders from the fireplace.
between slugs disappointing, the halving
method does lure other slugs for an easy kill The Wonder of Slugs
and circumvents the tedious search for slugs among the vegetation. I have to admire black slugs for their drive to survive. They’re a
I prefer to chop them directly in the head, because I think it kills creature uniquely suited for survival. They can self-fertilize, and
them instantly, and if they do detect pain, then it is but a brief stab. between August and October, an individual slug can lay up to
Other Tenakee Springs gardeners have their own preferred 150 eggs every 1 to 3 weeks. With that breeding power, these slugs
methods. Most spring mornings, you can see resident Joni Gates are able to overrun an area and demolish the native slug species
down on the shore of Tenakee Inlet picking seaweed for her garden in Southeast Alaska, such as the Pacific banana slug, Ariolimax
and gathering clam shells to befuddle slugs attempting to enter columbianus, the second-largest terrestrial slug on earth at almost
her property, which she says is usually successful. And among the 9.8 inches long. Plus, black slugs are aggressive. Bruce and I once
white jumble of sharp, broken clamshells, her flowers are a stand- went for a walk up the forest trail and found slugs everywhere,
out every summer. and one in particular was beginning to face off with a banana slug.
Joni also uses tongs to lift the slugs and dump them into a con- Gardeners of Tenakee Springs have learned to deal with the pests
FLICKR/RAFAEL MEDINA; DIMITRA LAVRAKAS
tainer of seawater. Most Tenakee Springs gardeners use tongs with in a variety of creative ways. But because of the slugs’ assertive
rubber ends to grip the slug securely. No one ever picks them up by nature and ability to proliferate, it seems these resilient black slugs
hand, because of their three noxious forms of mucus; the first two are here to stay.
are thin and aid locomotion, and a thicker one is secreted along the
slug’s length, with all contributing to the slug’s wave-like motion.
In the Tenakee Springs Community Greenhouse, gardener In her 20 years as a journalist in Alaska, Dimitra Lavrakas has
Carlene Allred is vigilant for any interlopers, and carefully in- worked across the state, from Utqiagvik on the North Slope to
Dutch Harbor on the Aleutian Islands.
TOP:
spects the soil and improves it with organic pellet fertilizers and
FROM
seaweed slurry.
MOTHER-Tested
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my family protected from food borne ill- into the soil and rinsed into waterways. Each towel removes grease, dirt, and
nesses and means our home won’t attract Single use disposable paper towels are over 99% of bacteria with just the use
insects or pests. a luxury that take a toll on the environ- of water. Swapping them out means
Unfortunately, commercially produced ment. Paper towel waste is often non- saving you money and lessening timber
cleaning products often contain harmful recyclable and adds to landfill pollution harvesting. Since these eco-savvy prod-
chemicals such as phosphate, lye, pesti- in addition to depleting forests globally. ucts don’t require added chemical clean-
cide, ammonia, isopropanol, and other I look for products that require less ers, you eliminate potentially harmful
toxic ingredients. Painful symptoms can energy to produce, are low in toxicity, residue from building up on commonly
result from exposure. Respiratory prob- are reusable, and come in minimal/re- used surfaces.
lems, allergic reactions, chemical skin cyclable packaging. Our home’s atmo- The cloths can be used repeatedly,
burns, and headaches are known issues, sphere is healthier and we eliminate rinsed out, and hung dry between uses,
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simply using them in your home spots like under furniture, between
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Performance Dusting Glove around the just water does the trick and removes 99% line is available through the Mother Earth
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dow blinds, lamps, light bulbs, trinkets, You can use it on frames, sills, and all types
trim, and frames. If you are blessed with of windows for a streak- and lint-free fin- Christine Stoner is the editor of Gas
height - like I am - it’s handy for ceiling ish. To refresh the clothes, give them a Engine Magazine and works on various
fans. If not, grab a step stool and slide rinse or toss them in the laundry for reuse other titles within Ogden Publications.
your gloved hand down each blade of the with a 3-year, 300-wash guarantee. That’s She has a passion for fitness, healthy
fan. This item can be rinsed to reuse or a huge savings, both economically and fi- living, and sustainability.
tossed in the washing machine. nancially. Win, win!
Nature Grab your camera, head outside,
and enjoy the journey of
capturing your favorite
Through a Lens outdoor memories.
Story and photos
by Andrew Weidman
W
ho doesn’t love getting out
into nature? The fresh air,
the beautiful landscapes,
and the excitement of unexpectedly
seeing a wild animal all make for a
memorable experience. I’m sure many
of us have heard the phrase “Take only
memories, leave only footprints,” an
invitation to leave the wild exactly as
you found it. But what if you could
take something a bit more physical
than a memory? What kind of souvenir
could remind you of the experience
while not diminishing the scene in any
way? In a word: photographs.
We’re living in the greatest time ever
for amateur photography. Never before Everybody gets bad shots now and again, but
have so many people had the ability it’s the flopped photos that help us learn.
to take great pictures. Right now, just
about everyone is walking around with the shots I’m talking about: boring,
an incredibly powerful camera in their flat landscapes; blurry, grainy images
back pocket or bag. Heck, this device is of out-of-frame subjects; or a murky
so powerful it even sends and receives image of … what is that? Sasquatch?
phone calls! Maybe it’s Nessie. I’m not quite sure,
So why is it, then, that when you but I thought I was shooting a duck!
look at the cellphone photos you took If those are the results you’re getting,
with this astonishing bit of hardware, it’s no wonder you’re probably ready to
they’re anything but art? You know give up on nature photography.
Even with a cellphone,

you can take incredible
landscape photos. Keep your subject’s eyes in sharp focus; that’s where people look first in photos.
Botanical shots provide a chance to
practice photographing in wildlife
settings without scaring the subject.
I could easily spend more than half

of this article discussing camera and
photographic mechanics and barely
scratch the surface. Instead, let’s leave
it at this: Take the time to learn your
camera intimately. Learn the controls
and their functions so well that you can
make changes on the fly without taking
your eye away from the viewfinder.
Don’t give in to the temptation to
switch to full auto mode. (Get a quick
brush-up on photography terminology
on Page 22.)
And while you’re at it, put down the
New to Nature Photography? cellphone and upgrade your camera. I
use a digital single-lens reflex camera
Start learning nature photography through landscape photography. That’s not to (DSLR), the digital descendant of
say you should pass up an opportunity to snap a shot of a fox or a flock of turkeys if the 35-millimeter film camera with
they present themselves to you, but landscape photography does have the beneficial exchangeable lenses, with either a
quality of staying still while you work your way through camera settings, lighting, and 50-millimeter prime lens or a 150-to-
composition. You have enough to keep track of when you’re just learning; you don’t need 600-millimeter zoom lens, depending
the extra frustration of a moving target. on what I’m shooting. There are other
One way to practice your lighting and composition skills in a way that’ll mirror options, but that’s what I use. Gear
photographing wildlife is by taking botanical photos. A botanical photo has a plant, a isn’t cheap, but you can find some
leaf, or a flower as the main subject, filling the frame in a pleasing fashion. Typically, great deals on used equipment. Just be
the background will be blurred or otherwise obscured, if possible. Position yourself so certain it’s been thoroughly checked
the subject is closer to you than to the background. Finally, if you can, make sure the out and is in top working condition.
subject is well-lit and the background is shaded. That’ll ensure the subject will really
“pop.” Avoid shooting a subject surrounded by branches or other cluttering elements. From Garbage to Gorgeous
Another trick to add interest is to include a supporting branch or stem that arcs across Let’s get one thing out of the way. It’s
the photo’s frame, placing the focal point off-center in the frame. OK to shoot trash photos. Everyone
shoots trash. If you’re not shooting
trash, you’re just not shooting. You
wouldn’t believe the amount of trash I
shoot in a week. The trick is to look at
your photos and figure out what went
wrong — or, more importantly, what
went right — and how to repeat, or
improve, the good without repeating
the bad.
That’s where improvement comes
from: paying attention to what you’re
doing and understanding how to make
it better. And these days, shooting trash
is cheap. You don’t have to worry about
wasting those 12 precious exposures of
film you just slapped down five bucks
for last week. Nowadays, if a shot doesn’t
work, you just delete it like it never
happened. Even at the most “expensive”
storage level (recording both large-file

After many attempted shots of snow geese migrations, I captured a photo I liked, using people in the foreground to catch the viewer’s eye.
JPEG and RAW files for each shot), showers. Another tip for working with bored by it when you looked at it later?
the average 16-gigabyte memory card light is to always keep the sun at your I’ll bet it was a nice shot of a blazing
can hold 500 shots. If only one of those back so it illuminates your subject. If fireball settling on a black horizon
500 shots is good, so what? Delete the you’re shooting sunrises or sunsets, with warm colors filling the sky, but
rest. The more you shoot, and the more silhouettes, or rim-light shots, feel free you probably didn’t include anything
you pay attention to how you shoot, the to break this rule. to play with your attention. Imagine
more your photography skills — your Composition is another important how much more exciting it would’ve
“eye” — will improve. For example, one factor in taking a compelling picture. been with a tree or a building in the
of the biggest sources of trash shots is Have you ever taken a photo of a spec- foreground, a farm lane or stream me-
soft focus. Strive to get the sharpest tacular sunset, only to be thoroughly andering through, or something else to
focus you can, particularly sharply
focused eyes; people automatically look
at eyes first.
Step Up Your Photography

Let’s break down some factors that
can make or break your photos, starting
with the quality and direction of your
light source. Believe it or not, a bright
and sunny midafternoon isn’t the best
condition for great photography. The
best is early morning or late afternoon,
when the sun is near the horizon, the
time photographers call “golden hour.”
Have you ever noticed how much
warmer and softer the light seems to
be during these times, and how much
more vibrant colors seem? Too bad
it doesn’t actually last an entire hour.
Sometimes you can stretch it, though,
when there’s a high, thin layer of
clouds, such as on a day of light rain Landscapes offer a low-stakes opportunity to practice photo composition.
Bird feeders provide lots of opportunities for learning how to take wildlife shots (left). Silhouettes can create a dramatic effect (right).
catch your eye and pull it through the I’ve spent hours photographing the rails, and even bald eagles while trav-
scene? Similarly, an afternoon shot of a birds directly outside my dining room eling home from work. Locate the
mountain range will really come to life window as they visited our platform nature reserves and parks in your area
with some dramatic clouds above it and feeder. Visit nearby parks featuring and frequent them regularly. You nev-
a field of wildflowers or fall foliage in water in one form or another (lakes, er know what you’re going to spot. It
the foreground. ponds, streams, etc.). Where there’s probably won’t be what you expected,
Here’s an example. Every year, snow water, there also will be wildlife. Even but it probably will be something to
geese visit my region by the thousands better, a lot of the creatures will be ac- get excited about. Another option is to
in late winter, followed by photogra- climated to human presence, meaning take your camera along to your hunt-
phers in the hundreds. I remember see- they’ll let you get closer than normal. ing stand.
ing a photo of a mass takeoff of snow Carry your camera with you as Constantly check and recheck your
geese, and I was amazed at how they you travel. I take mine to work every settings. This is especially important
filled the frame entirely. I desperately day. Every day. Most of my shots come if you’re moving through changing
wanted a shot of my own just like from my daily commute. I’ve gotten conditions. I’ve lost many a spectacular
it. But when I did get that coveted great shots of tundra swans, Virginia shot to a blown-out exposure simply
shot — I was underwhelmed. The
whole scene was nothing but a field
of white and black, a sky full of geese,
only it just looked like television static.
It took me some time and a lot of bor-
ing snow geese shots before I learned
what I was missing: something in the
foreground to give a focal point, a
place to start. Sometimes, that some-
thing was a tree branch; other times, a
solitary goose left grounded in an oth-
erwise empty field beneath the snow-
goose-filled sky. My favorite shot was
when I photographed a small group of
birders watching the feathery blizzard
(see photo on Page 19).
Tips for Working in the Wild

No doubt you’re ready to start
photographing wildlife, but where to
start? The obvious answer: where the
wildlife is. Don’t worry; I’ll give you
better suggestions than that.
Start basic. Try photographing the
birds that come to your bird feeders. The key to this successful shot? I had my camera settings ready before the osprey arrived.

Mizuna SPROUTS IN IDEAL TEMP. SEED DEPTH
Brassica rapa var 5-8 days 55-70 F 1⁄4” deep
ORIGIN PLANT SPACING FROST HARDY MINIMUM SUN

Japan 6”-12” apart Yes 6-12 hours
Pink Mizuna. Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. photo
MARVELOUS MIZUNA!
Though it most likely originated in China, There are over 16 different varieties of mizu-
mizuna is thoroughly Japanese. This peppery, na, from Beni Houshi to Japanese Pink, Early
toothsome green, whose name translates mizuna and Summer mizuna. It’s used in stir
from Japanese as “water greens,” has been fries, as a salad green, and in nabemono (Jap-
cultivated in Japan since antiquity. anese hot pot).
Mizuna is a signature green of Kyo yasai, the Mizuna and other Kyoto heirlooms are so
traditional vegetables of Kyoto. The city’s dis- treasured that they are now protected and
tinctive cuisine has its roots in the imperial branded as “Brand Kyo yasai,” in an effort to
court and Buddhist temples of the Heian peri- preserve them.
od. It emphasizes fresh, seasonal ingredients Invite mizuna into your garden for a taste of
– almost always vegetarian – skillfully pre- Kyoto!
pared and artfully presented.
GROW HISTORY IN YOUR GARDEN!

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EST. 1998
Long exposure gives moving water
a silky feel (right). Short exposure
freezes motion (bottom).
because I’d moved from the shade to

an open field and forgot to adjust my
shutter speed. I’ve also managed some
amazing shots — such as the osprey I
didn’t even know was above me until it
struck a trout in front of me — because
I’d just rechecked and adjusted the set-
tings. It’s a simple habit and one worth
cultivating.
Wherever you go, go slowly and
quietly. Or, better still, find a spot to
sit and wait. The wildlife will come
Camera Lingo
to you, as long as you don’t startle If you’re just getting into photography, you might be stuck on what all the different
the animals with sudden movements terms mean and how they relate to your camera. While there are plenty of detailed
or loud noises. And whatever you do, adjustments for each camera, here are some basic definitions of some of the more
never chase anything you spooked. common photography terms you’ll encounter.
You won’t get a photo you’ll like, and Aperture: Measures how wide the lens opens to admit light into the camera, expressed
you’ll stress the creature unnecessarily. as an “f-stop.” A lower f-stop (f/4) is open wider than a higher setting (f/12), giving a
When the subject is calm and narrower depth-of-field.
undisturbed, you’ll get much better Auto/manual mode: These two settings are options on most digital cameras. Manual
behavior from it. A duck floating on mode allows you to control exposure settings, while auto mode gives that control to the
the water, watching you? Boring. That camera. Manual mode allows more creativity. Auto mode should be reserved for one-
same duck flapping its wings after a chance candid family moments
preening session? Wow! ISO: Measures the camera sensor’s sensitivity to light, expressed as a number in a range
Photographing wildlife can be from 100 to 6400 (or higher). Higher ISO allows for faster shutter speed, eliminating blur.
challenging and downright frustrating, Depth-of-field: An area of a photograph in sharp focus. Landscapes require deeper
but when you get that “National depth-of-field, while portraits require shallow depth-of-field.
Geographic” shot, you’ll know it was all DSLR: A popular kind of digital camera, short for “digital single-lens reflex” camera.
worth it. And once you’ve been taking Focal point: The point of interest in a photograph that can draw someone’s eye to it.
photos long enough to begin getting Foreground and background: Respectively, the part of the photograph that’s closer to
results you like, don’t let them live on the viewer or camera and the part that’s farther away.
your computer. Share them on social Shutter speed: Measures how long the shutter remains open, expressed as a fraction of
media, print them out, frame and a second. Faster exposures freeze action, while slower exposures create blur.
hang them, and give them as gifts.
Photography isn’t about merely taking
photos; it’s about sharing a moment
with others, making it last forever. Get
out there and make some shareable
memories.
Andrew Weidman lives and writes in

Lebanon, Pennsylvania. He’s been
photographing nature and wildlife for
more than a decade, always striving
for that “National Geographic” shot.
He usually sets his camera at f:8; ISO
in auto between 100 and 400; and
exposure to hit 0 on the light meter, with
a 150-to-600-millimeter telephoto lens.

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Timeless
Terroir
Family bonds and traditional techniques form
the foundation for this off-grid farm dedicated to
producing naturally grown olives, almonds, and
herbs in the Spanish countryside.
This article is available
online in audio form at
MotherEarthNews.com
By Tom Oder
Photos by Virginie Buu-Hoi Stewart
and Héloïse Buu-Hoi
P
arisian-born Virginie Buu-Hoi Stewart counts herself
fortunate to have fulfilled her life’s goal of traveling over-
seas and living in major cities. And who could blame
her if she pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming
while in Vietnam, London, the United States, and South Africa?
Never in her wildest dreams, though, did she think her ultimate
destination would be an off-grid farm in a remote part of Spain.
In 2017, Virginie and her husband, James, took over her
mother’s 6-hectare olive, almond, and herb farm in Catalonia,
Spain. The property also includes the ruins of a 12th-century
village and church. Although initially unsure what to expect,
Virginie says the transition led to an unexpected passion for the
land. “Who would’ve thought that a real Parisian like me would
be willing to trade in her high heels, makeup, and suit for a pair
of old jeans and boots to become a farmer?” she says.
A Course Set in Motion

Virginie didn’t know it at the time, but in 2002, her mother,
Maria Mercedes Tacies Binefa, known as Mercedes, set her
daughter’s course correction in motion when she answered a call
to return to her roots. That year, Mercedes purchased five con-
tiguous parcels in Spain’s la Segarra region. Mercedes grew up in
that area, and many of her family members still live there. Her
plan was to develop the property, which she named Sant Miquel
de Tudela, into a working farm. She also wanted to restore the
on-site village, which was abandoned in 1348 during the Black
Death, and the church of Sant Pere de Tudela, known locally
today as the church of Sant Miquel de Tudela. The property
includes a forest of small evergreen oaks (Quercus ilex), a cabin
called Cal Tacies, and an 18th-century house called Cal Tonillo.
Virginie, James, and Winston in front of Cal Tonillo.
Mercedes planned to modernize the
property, including turning Cal Tonillo
into an ecological retirement home for
herself and her husband, Patrick Buu-
Hoi. In pursuit of that dream, she added a
rainwater-collection system and solar pan-
els to the house. The restoration of Sant
Miquel de Tudela became her passion.
“Unfortunately, my mother was quite
sick the last five years of her life and only
had time to restore Cal Tonillo before she
passed away in 2014,” Virginie says.
Two and a half years after Mercedes
passed, Virginie and James made the life-
changing decision to carry on her mother’s
dream. They were living in South Africa at
the time, and when James’ work contract
expired, they moved to Spain, giving up
their life in the city to live in an area so
remote it lacks grid-connected electricity
and running water. The area is accessible
only by a long network of dirt and gravel
roads that wind through picturesque roll-
ing hills and fields so pristine they seem
untouched by the modern world. Luckily
for Virginie and James, one of Mercedes’
last projects was to add central heating to
the home, and Cal Tonillo was move-in
ready when they arrived.
While studying her mother’s files to Sant Miquel de Tudela sits in a remote part of Spain, accessible only by dirt and gravel roads.
understand her goals for the property,
Virginie uncovered letters written by anitary and food-hygiene requirements for farmers, she earned Josep and Teresa’s re-
Mercedes in which she explained her handling and processing food products. spect and admiration through hard work.
plans for Virginie to take over the farm. It She also needed a rural tourism license, “They realized I was determined to suc-
was a shocking discovery. “What touched because she wanted to open a bed-and- ceed, and we weren’t going to give up.”
me was I thought, ‘Oh my god! She knew breakfast. Hardly anyone, it turned out, Not only have Virginie and James
all along,’ ” Virginie says. “I don’t know thought she would succeed. turned skeptics into admirers, but they’re
if I was passionate the first few months Farmers in the certification classes also finally starting to see the fruits of their
after we got here and didn’t know what Virginie took were suspicious of her investment. They’ve developed a boutique
we were doing. But as I read her files and dreams, because she was the younger of product line of extra-virgin olive oil from
learned more about the project, that’s only two women there, and because of her 160 olive trees; sweet and crunchy pack-
when the passion started. And then I city background. She changed their minds aged almonds from 60 trees; herbs that are
thought, ‘I need to think about this! I by showing them she wanted to do things seasonally harvested and dried; and small
need to do that!’ ” properly and by asking for their advice. batches of jams and syrups from wild-
“After that, they began treating me like I growing figs, blackberries, pomegranates,
Turning Doubts into Dreams was one of them!” Virginie says. and quinces picked at peak ripeness. They
The first thing Virginie did to carry on Even local friends were among the initial also welcome B&B guests, offering them
her mother’s legacy was to gain the cer- doubters, including Josep Segura, a farmer a variety of natural experiences, including
tifications necessary to become a farm- and the mayor of the nearby village of La participating in olive and almond harvests.
er — the same certifications her mother Prenyanosa, and his wife, Teresa Pijuan.
had earned. She would need these certifi- “They recently told me that they thought Hand-Picked Olives from
cations to sell olives and almonds commer- we would be here for a few months and Well-Respected Trees
cially, as well as to recognize the region’s for holiday and that what we were doing The farm’s biggest production is extra-
500 wild herbs. The certifications are also was more like a hobby than a vocation,” virgin olive oil from three olive cultivars
necessary for the farm to meet the phytos- Virginie says. But, as she had with the (Olea europaea): ‘Verdale,’ ‘Cornicabra,’

Virginie takes olives to be cold-processed into oil at a local mill (left). Ruins from a 12th-century village and church sit on the farm’s property (right).
and ‘Arbequina,’ the last of which is native (“you are a good student”) when they pro- it’s made from an all-natural process with
to the region. Some of the trees are po- duce lots of olives. This happened in 2020, no added preservatives and labeled with
tentially 100 years old, while some of the and Virginie extended the harvest to two the Sant Miquel de Tudela brand.
younger ones were planted by Mercedes or five-day sessions and made two trips to
Virginie and James. a local mill, where the olives were cold- Almond Trees
The olive trees flower in April and May, pressed into oil in the first press. But if the and Wild Honeybees
and harvest — a favorite activity of B&B harvest is less than expected, she scolds Sant Miquel de Tudela’s almond pro-
guests — occurs during a five-day span in them with “Je vais te donner une chance de duction comes from ‘Largueta,’ ‘Marcona,’
fall. Virginie insists on using the centuries- plus.” (“I will give you one more chance.”) and ‘Commune’ cultivars (Prunus dulcis).
old method of picking olives by hand, To make sure she has their attention, she The trees flower in February and March,
even though shaking them off the trees might add, “Il va falloir te couper les branch- and the almonds are harvested by hand
with electronic tools would greatly reduce es.” (“I will have to cut your branches.”) at the end of summer — an activity that’s
harvest time. When asked why she insists While some olives are better for oil open to guests. After harvest, Virginie lays
on hand-harvesting, she has a quick re- and others are better to eat, Virginie says the almonds out in the sun to dry, and
sponse: “How would you like to be shaken hers are good for both. “My oil is a mix then carefully stores them in baskets un-
like that?” she says. “You need to respect of our different kinds of olives with their til they can be evaluated and packaged.
nature. A tree is like a person. You don’t different tastes,” she says. “I do not have Interestingly, unlike almond growers in
shake it. You don’t mistreat it. You look at enough olives to separate them into dif- California, Virginie doesn’t have to import
it, observe it, tell it stories, sing for it!” ferent production types. That makes my honeybees to pollinate her trees, because
Virginie — who’s fluent in French, blend unique. It is not strong or bitter like wild honeybees take care of it for her.
Spanish, and English; understands Catalan some, but is in a medium range for fruiti-
perfectly; and speaks a little Catalan her- ness, bitterness, and spiciness.” Her oil, she Fragrant Herbs, Flavorful Fruits
self — talks to the olive trees in her native points out, is lab-tested for quality and nu- The farm also produces aromatic herbs
French. She tells them, “Tu es un bon élève” tritional content. Like all of her products, and a selection of jams and syrups. The
From left: Almonds are harvested at the end of summer after the trees flower in spring. Pomegranates are one of several fruits grown on the property.
herbs grow wild on the hills of the prop- ing summer. Once the herbs have dried, going to enjoy all that you are doing and
erty’s 6 hectares. Lavender grows in two Virginie stores them before packaging. continue your project?’ And then she told
spots where Virginie’s parents planted it, The farm’s fruit production comes from me my mother said, ‘My daughter will like
and it has naturalized among rosemary, wild-growing figs, blackberries, pomegran- it, and she will continue it.’ ”
thyme, fennel, and cade juniper. The ates, and quinces. Virginie picks the fruit Virginie thinks about those words as she
sight of the herbs in bloom is beautiful, and berries when they’re perfectly ripe and looks across the property’s breathtaking
but Virginie says she enjoys their fra- then preserves them into jams and syrups. views to the distant Pyrenees mountains,
grance just as much as the riot of colors which are more of a connection to her new
they produce. While her mother’s prima- A Vision Embraced home and her native France than a border
ry interest was in medicinal herbs to use The only part of her mother’s vision for between them. “I am doing something my
for aromatherapy, Virginie’s interests lie Sant Miquel de Tudela that Virginie hasn’t mother would be proud of,” she says. “And
in herbs for gastronomy and in creating fulfilled is the restoration of the village and that makes me a bit emotional.”
herb infusions for taste and health bene- church. “All that remains are ruins,” she
fits. “The weather extremes here enhance says. “You would have to tear down what
their taste and benefits,” she says. “It is is left to build anything new, so you would Tom Oder is a freelance journalist
foggy and cold in winter, and dry and hot lose the historical heritage.” who writes about the environment,
in summer.” Even though she’s leaving the ruins in business, and agribusiness. He met
She follows a schedule for harvesting place, Virginie is confident her mother Virginie Stewart and her husband,
and drying herbs that goes from April to would approve of how she has embraced James, when James’ international
November. Thyme and rosemary can be her vision. “Teresa [Pijuan] told me that work brought them to Atlanta.
picked anytime in that interval; lavender she used to talk a lot with my mother about
is harvested in July; fennel seeds are picked what she had undertaken,” Virginie says.
in October; and cade juniper berries are “ ‘Mercedes, why do you work so hard?
selected in November every two years. You should enjoy what you have achieved. Get in Touch
Her favorite time for drying herbs is dur- Sit down and read a book, because who is Sant Miquel de Tudela offers natural
experiences from May to late fall. For
more information about participating in
harvests, guided hikes, nature photogra-
phy, and bird-watching (from partridges
to eagles, the area is famous for its many
migratory and resident species), contact
Virginie Stewart at:
Telephone: +34-639-303-833
Email: SantMiquelDeTudela@Yahoo.com
Website: www.SantMiquelDeTudela.com
Cal Tonillo
Sant Miquel de Tudela
25214 La Prenyanosa
Spain
Follow Sant Miquel de Tudela on

Instagram: @SantMiquelDeTudela
Almond and olive harvests are popular activities for guests staying at the bed-and-breakfast.

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Garden with
Less Water Using
Wick Irrigation
Set up a wick system to water your potted and Wick irrigation uses a wettable fabric
or rope to carry water from a reservoir or
in-ground plants with hands-free efficiency. pipe to the roots of a plant. Wicks can
work by capillary flow that goes up and
over a rise, resulting in a slow flow; by
By David A. Bainbridge studies to measure water use, vacation- gravity flow, where water runs down the
water plants, and provide a steady water wick, which produces a fast flow; or by
Wick irrigation is a lesser-known meth- supply for plants in greenhouses. I couldn’t a hybrid of both systems. Here’s a closer
od of efficient irrigation. I was first intro- find any research on the use of wick irriga- look at both techniques so you can deter-
duced to the concept while reading a paper tion in the field or garden, so I gave it a mine which will work best for your plants.
ADOBE STOCK/DETRY26
from India many years ago, in which wicks try. Over the past 30 years, I’ve conducted
were used in conjunction with buried clay- many experiments and field trials that have Capillary Wicks
pot irrigation. I later discovered a variety helped me understand how to design and With capillary wicks, the water rises
of wick systems that had been used in lab use wick systems. through small channels in the wicking

material. In one test I per- I prefer 7⁄16-inch or 1⁄2-
formed, water in a 7⁄16-inch inch solid-braid nylon rope,
washed solid-braid nylon but polyester and other fiber
rope rose 10 inches in 100 tapes and ropes may work.
minutes and 22 inches in Cotton wicks were tradi-
20 hours. tionally used in India, but
Capillary irrigation com- I’ve found nylon and poly-
monly uses a wick with one ester braided ropes are less
end in a water reservoir be- likely to get moldy and clog.
side a plant and the other in Polypropylene and many
the soil, meaning the wick mixed-fiber ropes don’t
has to rise out of the reser- Capillary wicks are a popular way to water houseplants and starts. work. Wash the rope with
voir and bend over into the detergent or soap and rinse
soil. This can also be done with a wick Set Up a Wick System it well before use. If you wash it in a wash-
that rises from the reservoir under a plant To fashion your own wick-irrigation ing machine, use a mesh bag or tie it in a
through a hole in the pot. system for either potted or in-ground pillowcase to avoid rope tangles. You can
At the University of California, plants, first gather the basic materials: easily test capillary rise, gravity flow, and
Riverside, I studied a palo verde tree seed- wick, clear plastic tubing that the wick wetting rates in wick materials by hanging
ling (Parkinsonia florida) using a capillary will fit snugly in, and a water reservoir. the wicks so their bottoms are in a con-
wick from a reservoir underneath the For gravity wicks, you’ll also need a hose tainer of water colored with food coloring.
plant. The seedling grew in a bucket of clamp and a barb-to-thread fitting to at- Track the rate of water rise to determine
pure 16-grit silica sand. After one month, tach the plastic tubing to the reservoir. which wick will work well for your needs.
the plant was still growing and exhibited If you can’t find a barb-to-thread fitting The water should rise rapidly up the wick.
no sign of water stress with water con- at your local hardware store, you can or- For a reservoir, recycled contain-
sumption of less than 2 tablespoons a day. der one online. You’ll also need a drill, a ers work well, such as old soda bottles
spade bit sized to the barb-to-thread fit- and plastic jugs, as do 5-gallon buckets.
Gravity Flow Wicks ting, and polyurethane glue. Polypropylene containers will last for
Gravity wicks work similarly to capil- years, but polyethylene may only last a
lary wicks, but the flow is downward. (For season. In high-wind areas, you may need
example, a reservoir sitting on the ground to stake or tie the reservoirs down to keep
next to a plant, with the wick running out them from blowing away.
of the bottom of the reservoir and down to Capillary wick systems work well for
the roots belowground.) tending house plants. These are easy to set
In a test I performed with new ⁄16-inch
7 up at home and good for vacation-water-
solid-braid nylon rope (washed once with ing. For this, all you need is a wick, a bit
hot water and detergent to remove lubri- of plastic tubing, and a reservoir. Simply
cants used in weaving), the flow rate with run your wick through the tubing (which
the rope inside a snug-fitting plastic tube helps reduce evaporation), and then stick
was 0.6 milliliter per second — compared one end in the water and one end in your
with 1 milliliter per hour with capillary plant pot. You can push the end of the
flow. Water in a gravity nylon wick ran wick down into the container with a stick
12 feet down a vertical wick in just 15 or screwdriver.
minutes. Long gravity wicks like this may For a gravity wick system, drill a hole in
make it possible to encourage deep root- the side of your reservoir, close to the bot-
ing in plants, allowing the roots to contact tom. (Put masking tape over the spot be-
LORAIN EBBETT-RIDEOUT; DAVID A. BAINBRIDGE
groundwater at 10 to 15 feet. fore drilling if the plastic is thin. This will

Field trials in the Sonoran Desert dem- help prevent cracking.) A spade bit with
onstrated the value of gravity wick irriga- spurs will make cleaner cuts that provide
tion in arid climates, using a hose clamp a better seal. Then, put polyurethane glue
near a 5-gallon reservoir to adjust water on the threads of your barb-to-thread fit-
flow. After receiving less than 30 gallons of ting and screw it into the hole. You may
water, all tested plants remained alive and need a wrench to get it properly tight-
well after three years. This compares with ened. The glue will help strengthen and
TOP:
water use that might’ve surpassed 360 gal- seal the joint. Thread your wick through
FROM
lons for the same period. The author with a gravity wick system. the vinyl tubing, and attach the tube to
1⁄2-inch-inside-
diameter vinyl
tube hose clamp
7⁄16-inch solid-braid nylon
3⁄4-inch thread to 1⁄2-inch-

inside-diameter barb
Right: Create a basin by shaping the soil and plastic sheeting around a plant. Cover the basin with permeable weed mat to reduce evaporation and debris.
the end of the fitting. Attach the hose figured out a great way to water trees in tree planting to sequester carbon, and
clamp to the plastic tubing so you can with rainwater, wicks, and plastic sheets. in growing vegetables with less water in
control the water output. (See illustra- Trenchev devised a pocket reservoir and the most challenging environments. And
tion above for an overview of gravity wick catchment by shaping the soil and fit- the possibilities don’t end there: We can
materials and assembly.) ting a plastic sheet around a tree (see develop better wicks for different uses
For in-ground plants, place the wick in photo above, right). Then, rainwater can and understand the best uses of capillary
the planting hole as deep as possible. Add be stored in the reservoir and fed to the and gravity-fed wicks. As we continue
several gallons of water and let it drain. tree by wick. The commercial product to look for ways to secure a better future
Then, add the seedling with roots near Groasis Waterboxx (www.Groasis.com) for our gardens and our planet, this tech-
the wick, and backfill the hole with soil. achieves a similar effect. nique shows promise.
Compress the soil to avoid air pockets.
If you want to get more detailed with The Future Is Wicks
your irrigation setup, you can use a mul- Give wicks a try — I think you’ll like David Bainbridge began research and
tiple-wick arrangement to develop a root the results. Wick irrigation can be a valu- consultation in desert and dryland
pattern that will help improve a plant’s able tool for gardeners, orchardists, and restoration in 1981. He’s the author of A
wind-firmness. farmers. The systems are robust and low- Guide for Desert and Dryland Restoration
You can also develop a catchment sys- cost, and they offer a long refill interval. and Gardening with Less Water, as well
tem for wick irrigation that uses rainwa- Beyond its use in the average garden or as more than 300 papers and reports.
ter. Australian orchardist Preslav Trenchev field, wick irrigation can also play a role
Additional Uses for Capillary Irrigation

Capillary Wicks for Container Plants your pots with the ends of the mat in a water reservoir. The water will
Who doesn’t love a hanging basket of flowers? But keeping them climb up the mat and move under the pots, keeping the soil moist.
healthy can be a challenge, because they’re exposed to the sun and Capillary mats are used often in commercial greenhouses, because
wind, and the hanging factor can make them difficult to water. Adding they’re almost foolproof, and they distribute water evenly and ef-
wicks to a hanging basket makes it easier to maintain your flowery ficiently. Generally, once established on the mat, a pot shouldn’t be
finery. Start by obtaining wick material and a hanging basket with moved while in production, as it may be hard to relink the mat to the
an integrated reservoir. The basket may come with a wick already in container soil mix. Greenhouses use auto controls to keep their mats
place, but you’ll likely need to add additional wicks. Drill four holes consistently moist, but if you have a good reservoir and pay attention
DAVID A. BAINBRIDGE; PRESLAV TRENCHEV
in the top of the water reservoir and insert two wicks, poking one to when it needs refilling, the setup should work well at home.
end through each hole so the wicks form a “U” shape with the ends You can make your own capillary mat using a polyester blanket, or
extended into the growing medium and the underside sitting in the you can buy mats at garden stores or online. There are many types of
water reservoir. Fill the reservoir with water, and then let the wicks go capillary mats available. Some come in kits that include everything
to work. you’ll need to get started, such as a reservoir, mat, seedling cups, and
adjustable vent covers. Just like wicks, you’ll need to test a capillary
Capillary Mats for Seed Starting mat before sticking it under your pots to make sure it wets well. Once
LEFT:
Wicking fabric can make effective irrigation setups for seedlings you see how well capillary mats work, you’ll likely want to use them
FROM
and plant starts. You’ll need a capillary mat or fabric. Lay it flat under time and again.

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MotherEarthNews.com
Scrapple:
Tasty Economy
The ultimate meat frugality begins is one of their most ingenious approaches, and you can make it in
your own kitchen.
at home, where you can feed your Scrapple uses leftover meat trimmings or scrap meat from
bones, plus some nutritious organ meat and spices, to produce
family with trimmings and scraps, a hearty meal in the form of a loaf held together with a starch,
such as cornmeal or buckwheat flour. Scrapple was developed by
and no one will feel deprived. the Pennsylvania Dutch, a group of German immigrants who
settled in Pennsylvania. They also gave us Lebanon bologna, a
salami-like sausage that’s been cured, smoked, and fermented.
By Meredith Leigh Equivalent preparations to scrapple include liver mush in the
E
South and goetta in the Midwest.
ADOBE STOCK/AMELIA; PAGE 35: MEREDITH LEIGH (3)

ating less meat and wasting less food doesn’t have to trigger Scrapple and its cousins aren’t sausage, because the meat isn’t
a mindset of sacrifice. Food preservation studies show us ground, and the preparation is much leaner. Scrapple also isn’t
that some of the most delicious preparations of meat and headcheese or souse (a type of headcheese), because the chief bind-
fat also reduce waste and overconsumption. As we continue to er is starch rather than gelatin via aspic. Scrapple and its brethren
redevelop what constitutes a nourishing diet in a warming world are a different entity, distinguishable by regional variations, but
with an over-consolidated food system, how can we change the similar at their foundation. Even if your lips curl up at the notion
dialogue toward flavor and positivity, rather than skimping and of liver mush, I invite you to read on. Omnivores need to over-
scarcity? We can begin by looking to our ancestors, who laid the come our strange aversion to whole-animal meat products simply
foundation for responsible and participatory omnivory. Scrapple because we don’t know how to prepare or consume them. I’m
Scrapple’s main ingredient is meat; you can be creative with spices.
about to convince you that scrapple is delicious, and share a recipe

that's open to your culinary embellishments.
Many of us make stock and bone broth all the time. Inevitably,
we end up with meat bits in the stockpot after a nice long simmer. Shred and chop the meat to produce small pieces suitably sized for a loaf.
We can put these in a soup, but, speaking for myself, there are only
so many soup dinners my family will endure. Scrapple is a superb Your recipe can be as scrappy as your end goal. You’ll have to
alternative meal for those juicy, tender bits. If you prefer scrapple adjust the amount of starch needed to hold the pile together: The
on the meatier side, you can start with a whole muscle and boil more meat and fat, the less cornmeal or flour; the less meat and fat
it until the meat falls apart. Some butchers I know meticulously and the more organ meat, the more starch. I’ve provided a guided
clean the bones after they’ve finished with seam butchery, and then recipe to get you started, but fear not in developing your own
use all those trimmings in scrapple. Liver mush recipes sometimes variations. Although my recipe calls for pork, you should experi-
call for a whole pig’s head, and all the meat and fat it offers. ment with other species, adjusting the seasonings to match.
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The basic scrapple-making process involves boiling the meat
with the organ components until tender, and then straining and
cooling — but be sure to reserve the stock. Next, you’ll chop and
shred the meat, organs, and fat until you get a mixable pile. After
that, it’s time to season. Traditional spices include thyme, sage,
clove, allspice, and black pepper, plus 1½ to 2% salt by weight of
the combined meat, fat, organs, and starch. However, you should
season as you please, adjusting for holidays or special events to vary
the ongoing appeal of your homemade scrapple.
The next step is to mix the starch into the reserved meat stock,
stirring it in gradually until it develops into a thick mixture. This A loaf of scrapple ready to slice, dredge in flour, and pan-fry for serving.
will typically require 10 to 15% buckwheat flour or cornmeal,
by the combined weight of all ingredients. After the stock-starch waffles in a standard waffle iron and serving them with all manner
mixture has thickened, combine it with the seasoned meat. of delicious toppings.
Pour this mixture into a loaf pan lined with plastic wrap or I grew up with the understanding that meat thrift and pro-
parchment to aid in releasing the scrapple out of the loaf pan cessing was synonymous with sludgy eats and scarcity. Scrapple
later. Rap the filled loaf pan against the countertop a few times to is one preparation that corrected my attitude into a respect for
remove air pockets. Cover the pan and place it in the refrigerator meat processing as a way to produce densely mouthwatering,
overnight. Your scrapple is ready to eat the next morning. The best mindful inventions out of every last bit of the animal, without
way is to turn it out of the pan, slice it like a loaf of bread, and then sacrificing flavor.
dredge the slices in flour. Heat some butter or a combination of
butter and a neutral oil in a skillet until sizzling, and then pan-fry
the dredged slice until it’s crispy and golden-brown. To serve, I like Meredith Leigh is the author of The Ethical Meat Handbook
to top it with a soft-cooked egg, some skillet-wilted arugula, and a and Pure Charcuterie. She teaches classes in butchery and
MEREDITH LEIGH (2)

touch of maple syrup. charcuterie around the globe, and is a sustainable food activist.
I’ve also seen scrapple stuffed into bologna-sized casings and Follow her at www.MereLeighFood.com.
sliced on a meat slicer, and I’ve even read of chefs making scrapple
Breakfast Scrapple
Think of scrapple as a playground for meat trimmings. You can change the seasonings,
consistency, and even the meat ingredients. For example, my recipe includes not only fresh
pork and liver, but also bacon ends. Scrapple can be frozen. The best way to keep it in the
freezer is packed in jars, or packaging the loaves under vacuum seal. Yield: 1 loaf.
1 Prepare a loaf pan by oiling it lightly and
then lining it with plastic wrap or parchment pa-
Ingredients per, so the liner extends over the edges of the pan.
• 48 ounces pork trimmings, Set aside.
or scraps still clinging to 2 In a large stockpot, cover the meat, organs,
roasted or boiled bones and bones with cold water and bring to a boil. Turn
• 10 ounces pork heart or liver down the heat to a simmer and cover the stockpot
• 6 ounces bacon ends, with a lid. Cook until tender. Strain and reserve the
chopped stock, and set aside the cooked meat, organs, and
• 0.4 ounce rubbed sage bones to cool. Then, pull the meat from the bones
• 0.4 ounce dried thyme and shred into a bowl. Chop the organs and add
• 1 ounce salt, sea or kosher to the same bowl. Add the bacon ends. Stir in the
• 0.3 ounce freshly ground spices and maple syrup. Pork scrapple topped with a soft egg is a flavorful breakfast.
black pepper 3 Return the stock to the pot and heat it, then
• Maple syrup, to taste stir in the cornmeal or buckwheat flour until you develop a thick mixture. The stirring spoon should be able to
• 12 or more ounces cornmeal stand up on its own. Once you’ve achieved the desired consistency, add the seasoned meat mixture and stir
or buckwheat flour to thoroughly combine. Pack into prepared loaf pan and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, turn out and
slice. Dredge slices in flour and then fry in butter or oil before serving.

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Quick-Construct
Emergency
Shelters Shelter supplies can fit in one pack.
simple 5-by-7-foot tarp and 30 feet of This is the easiest shelter to construct
Build short-term paracord. These two items can be used on this list. If all you need is a way to
to construct a number of survival shel- get out of the rain and wind temporar-
structures out of a ters; they’re inexpensive, lightweight, ily, and cold isn’t an issue, this lean-to is
and easy to fit into a daypack without about as simple as it gets.
few simple-to-carry taking up a lot of room. In short, there’s All you have to do is tightly string up
simply no reason not to carry these your paracord between two trees, and
materials that can keep items with you when you go out into then drape your tarp across it. I form a
the woods. slight overhang on mine to assist with
you sheltered in a pinch. Let’s look at a few short-term, field- rain shedding and add a little more pro-
expedient shelters you can easily con- tection against the weather.
struct using a tarp, paracord, and After that, I anchor all the tarp corners
Story and photos by Aden Tate materials found in your surroundings. in place with remaining pieces of para-
I
cord. If you don’t have enough paracord
’m of the mind that you should al- Simple Lean-To to spare, use a rock to hammer a small,
ways carry some gear if you’re go- Time: roughly 15 minutes pointed stick through the grommets
ing out for a hike in the wild. Even Materials: close to the ground to secure the tarp.
if you’re only going on a quick day hike, • 5-by-7-foot tarp It’s nothing to write home about, but
the possession of a few simple tools can • 30 feet of paracord this shelter can easily get the job done
determine whether you make it out • A couple of closely situated trees and keep you safe so you can get home.
alive or not.
Accidents happen — even on short
excursions — so it makes sense to be
prepared for such, especially if you’ll be
by yourself. For example, say you’re out
on a day hike to one of your favorite se-
cluded locations when you slip on a rock
and take a tumble down a hill. You wind
up with a badly sprained ankle, and you
know there’s no chance of making it back
to your vehicle by nightfall. Because you
planned for just a short hike, you didn’t
bring a sleeping bag, tent, or any other
materials, and now you have to figure
out a way to stay warm and dry through
the upcoming night.
In such an event, outside of medical
trauma, the most pressing survival need
is shelter. One of the easiest ways to en-
sure you’ll always have access to shelter
in an emergency situation is to carry a A simple lean-to is a great option for a warm-weather shelter that’s quick to assemble.

This “spear-point” shelter works well when the weather isn’t brutal and you need a quick setup with a bit more protection than a lean-to can provide.
Ground-Hugging Comfy Bed with A-Frame out his courses and books. According
Spear-Point Shelter Time: roughly 45 minutes to tests Tony has done, a simple debris
Time: roughly 20 minutes Materials: bed can be somewhere around 23 de-
Materials: • 5-by-7-foot tarp grees Fahrenheit warmer than the out-
• 5-by-7-foot tarp • 30 feet of paracord side environment. That’s a substantial
• 30 feet of paracord • Logs and branches, 1 foot taller than improvement that could make the dif-
• 10-foot-long stick your body, about the diameter of ference between life and death.
• 3-to-4-foot-long sticks (2) your arm (about 16) To start with, you’ll need to search for
• A couple of big rocks • Logs and branches, 1 foot wider than a number of fallen logs and branches
your body, about the diameter of that are about a foot taller than you are.
I call this one a “spear-point” shelter, your arm (about 10) I look for ones that are about the diam-
because of the shape of the framing. If • Pine needles and leaves (as many as eter of my arm. You’ll also need some
you’re alone or with a small child and you can find) logs and branches that are about a foot
you don’t have a lot of materials avail- wider than you are.
able, and the weather’s not brutal, this Of all the shelters in this article, this Once you’ve collected your logs and
makes for a great emergency shelter. is the one that’s going to keep you the branches, stack them together Lincoln-
After gathering your sticks, lash the warmest. If you’re in a wooded environ- Log-style to form a rectangle (alternat-
two shorter sticks to the front of the lon- ment that’s very cold, this is the shelter ing stacking long and short sides). Don’t
ger stick so they prop it off the ground I recommend. worry about lashing them together;
(see photo above, left). Position the end The raised debris bed is a concept I they’ll stay in place just fine. Keep build-
of the long stick in the direction the learned from Tony Nester of Ancient ing the shelter up until it reaches about
wind is coming from to keep the shelter Pathways in Arizona. Given the oppor- the depth of your knees. At that point,
from being ripped apart. tunity, I highly recommend checking you should have a rectangle that you
Next, drape your tarp over the can comfortably lie down in. This
structure and use paracord to tie it structure will hold all of your de-
to the joint and the bottom of the bris bedding.
two front legs. Use rocks to pin Survive in the Wilderness Now, gather up as many leaves,
down the tarp on either side of the Learn essential wilderness survival skills, pine needles, and whatever other
end of the long stick, and place ad- including hunting and foraging, in the new forms of soft debris you can find.
ditional rocks along the sides of the “Survival Skills” course on MOTHER EARTH NEWS I even used pine boughs in my
tarp to help keep heat trapped inside FAIR ONLINE! Within this course, you’ll discover debris bed. It really doesn’t matter
and protect you from wind and rain. new methods and insights on wild food, as well what you use, provided it’s soft and
Fill the inside of the shelter with as catching water, felling trees, and creating will provide insulation. The more
leaves and pine needles, and you’ll shelter. Join experts Woniya Thibeault, Kyle you have, the better. Not only will
have a cozy way to stay safe over- Ferlemann, Afrovivalist, and more in workshops you be using this soft matter as in-
night in the woods. For added including “Why Eating Wilder Matters (and How sulation to guard against the heat-
warmth, you can cover the outside to Start Doing It!),” “Emergency Preparation sapping ground, but you’ll also be
of the tarp with leaves and pine Ideas for Cold-Weather Months,” and “Stocking burrowing yourself into it, forming
needles as well. Just be careful not Your Bug-Out Vehicle.” Learn more and enroll in a nice blanket around yourself.
to accidentally poke a hole through the course at Online.MotherEarthNewsFair.com After you’ve filled your structure
your tarp in the process. with soft matter, use your tarp and
Stack branches to form a rectangle, and then fill the inside with soft matter. String up your paracord and tarp over the top to create an A-frame shelter.
paracord to make a simple A-frame shel- One thing to be cautious of with this Nobody plans on getting hurt, lost,
ter over the top. Should you get any rain type of shelter is the risk of fire. If you or stranded on a short solo trip, but it
or snow, this will help protect you from build a fire to keep yourself warm at does happen. If you’re going into the
the elements, and it’ll also give you some night, keep in mind that you’ll be sleep- woods, take a small tarp and some
degree of protection against the wind. ing inside a gigantic tinderbox. Pine paracord with you. While I hope you
When I built this structure, I pulled needles burst into flame very easily, and won’t need them for the purposes dis-
the tarp away from the logs a bit, giving you should practice extreme caution cussed in this article, the chance you
me a location to safely stow my day- when using any type of flame around might need them makes it well-worth
pack and thermos away from rain (see this or other structures that you’ve in- the small amount of effort required to
photo above, lower right). sulated with soft matter. bring them along.
I used a number of methods to lash
the tarp down so it wouldn’t blow away. Final Thoughts
Wrapping paracord around a hefty stick The woods are enjoyable. Spending Aden Tate is a writer who enjoys
or rock is a method I’ve used on ham- time in them is fun, relaxing, and good backpacking, playing basketball,
mocking trips in the past, and it works for you. However, there’s also a degree and taking pictures of mushrooms
great for an expedient survival shelter as of inherent danger involved in jour- deep in the woods. He’s the author
well. If you’re having difficulty finding neying deep within them — no mat- of The Faithful Prepper: A Christian’s
large enough rocks or sticks, you can tie ter how short of a time you plan to Perspective on Prepping.
the tarp to the shelter itself. be there.
Secure a Sturdy Shelter

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Leaf Litter
to the Rescue
Free
Fertilizer
from Your
Backyard Add composted leaf litter to your garden crops.
A citizen-science project reveals What if the benefits of composted leaf matter were only specu-
lation? Maybe we were trying to make the facts fit our assump-
the “unbe-leaf-able” soil benefits tion that we were onto something with our sustainability. After
all, every aspect of farming is affected by a plethora of causes. We
of composted leaves and twigs. decided to put fertilizers to a scientific test.
Ready, Set, Test!

By Daniel Bowman First, we needed money for this experiment. We applied for and
A
received a USDA-NIFA grant from North Central Region SARE
t Peach Ridge Farms in Grand Rapids, Michigan, we through the University of Minnesota to purchase seed, garden
know, “If the soil ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!” hoses, gas for the greenhouse, and other necessary supplies. As
Since 2002, we have used tried-and-true methods of part of our preparations for the experiment, we did a survey of the
environmental stewardship. We use inexpensive and manage- scientific literature. We found two academic articles about using
able practices, working with the soil to make it better each year. leaf matter, but none about its effect on basil. Like most academic
We’ve seen how the plants love it. This year, our kohlrabi was articles, they have fairly long titles; one, for example, reads, “Effect
early and already the size of cabbages! We’ve also noticed how of Leaf Mold Mulch, Biochar, and Earthworms on Mycorrhizal
garlic grown with our secret ingredient is giant compared with Colonization and Yield of Asparagus Affected by Fusarium Crown
the same garlic planted without it. It’s proof that soil manage- and Root Rot”!
ment matters. Our side of the deal was to keep our Facebook followers up to
Our secret is adding leaf matter (defined here as chopped-up date on the experiment; to pass out flyers to our community-sup-
twigs and leaves), or “leaf litter,” in the fall. We let it set over win- ported agriculture (CSA) program customers and at our farmers
ter, and then we till it into the soil in early spring. Shhh! Don’t market; and to report our findings at the annual Grand Rapids
tell anyone, OK? Last year, we added over 174,000 pounds. In CSA open house.
ADOBE STOCK/VICTORIA
many areas, it was 4 feet high! Needless to say, these leaves were Having gotten the money, we were ready to plant. We planned
not all from our backyard. The truck delivering these leaves was on growing sweet and lemon basil in three different plots in our
so weighed down that it got stuck coming into the wet field. We greenhouse. The first plot would have soil enriched with leaf mat-
had to use a tractor and chain to get it free. ter only, while in the second, the soil would be enhanced by leaf

Left: Containers of lemon basil fertilized with duck manure. Right: The freshly harvested basil before being weighed.
matter and organic duck manure. Finally, the third plot would Regarding money, we wanted to provide basil to customers at
feature soil with leaf matter and organic chemical fertilizer. a reduced price. Most people have it at home, so we wanted to
For this experiment, we had several goals in mind: first, to give them an even better deal. Plus, if the experiment showed
enjoy the flavors of our basil plants; second, to increase our basil leaf matter as a good source of supplemental nutrients for the
harvest; third, to help the environment; and finally, to save some soil, other farms and individuals could also save the money
money. We also wanted the results of this experiment to be ap- typically spent buying fertilizer.
plicable to small-scale farmers and backyard gardeners.
Basil is a delicious herb. Its smell makes it a pleasure to weed, May the Best Fertilizer Win
pick, and just be around. It’s easy to use in dishes such as pesto. Here are three fertilizer combinations that we chose to measure
It tastes better fresh than as the dried herb you can get at the in the experiment.
store. It also has low rates of disease and is highly nutritious. 1 Only leaf matter. This is what we generally use at Peach
To boost the validity of this experiment, we planted the sweet Ridge Farms. By digging topsoil from our fields and putting it in
and lemon varieties of basil, so we would know that the winner the greenhouse buckets, all six test areas had the same soil.
wasn’t just a fluke. In the future, we’re planning to test leaf-matter-enriched soil
How would we test for the winner? We weren’t able to mea- against soil that has not been enhanced with leaf matter.
sure flavor or health of the individual basil plants, so our cri- 2 Leaf matter and organic duck manure. Most gardeners
terion for the winner would be based on the weight of the have heard of the benefits of manure, but is it necessary in addi-
harvested basil. After all, more basil means the plants grew well. tion to leaf matter? We chose duck manure simply because we
Part of receiving the grant involved being a responsible have ducks. The manure was aged, so there was no danger of
steward of the Earth, a goal that matched perfectly with our parasites. Aging is necessary when using manure from certain
focus on sustainability. Using leaf matter reduces yard waste. animals.
Besides that, we hoped to show that using leaf matter to sup- 3 Leaf matter and organic chemical fertilizer. Commercial
plement nutrients in the soil eliminates the need to further farms usually use chemicals, which can have negative side effects,
AMANDA M. BOWMAN (2)
add undesirable chemicals. If leaf matter was a good source so we avoid these on our sustainable farm. But we were curious
of nutrients by itself, or in combination with chemical fertil- as to whether organic chemical fertilizer was necessary. After all,
izer or duck manure, we knew we would know our method the price of organic chemical fertilizer is considerable, but the
is truly useful. chemicals are specifically added to optimize production.
Peach Ridge Farms uses leaf matter as a naturally occuring, earth-friendly, and low-cost fertilizer for its crops.
The Experiment Is Afoot The Winners

In April 2021, we planted both kinds of basil in seed trays. The So, what did we discover? There is still a lot to learn, much of
soil media we used to fill the seed trays is useful for plants to sprout which goes against conventional wisdom. Our results suggest that
in but didn’t have any nutrients. This allowed us to divide the duck manure may be an incomplete fertilizer for sweet basil. Now,
basil seedlings evenly among the three areas without affecting the I’m curious about the timing of when to add duck manure to the
results, instead of just growing whatever germinated in that area. soil — whether it depends on the plant or how often the manure
Finally, it was time to conduct our experiment. We had six plots, is applied. That’s another option for future study. Plus, we learned
each with 25 leftover 2-gallon ice cream buckets. We filled each that some but not all varieties of crops do better with organic
bucket with leaf matter and soil. In the first area, which had only chemical fertilizer. That’s yet another future topic to find out if
leaf-matter-enhanced soil, we added nothing
before planting and only water after. In the sec-
ond area, 1 pound of duck manure was mixed The results of the experiment are in! Check out how each fertilizer did.
with 5 gallons of water and applied to the soil
Sweet Basil Lemon Basil
for three days before planting. In the third, 3 90 30
ounces of organic chemical fertilizer per quart
of water was added every other day for three 80
25
weeks. This overlapped with planting time, so 70
this was the only area that was fertilized after
Weight (in ounces)
Weight (in ounces)
planting. 60 20
When the basil seedlings were a week old,
AMANDA M. BOWMAN; MATTHEW STALLBAUMER
50
29.99
we transplanted them from the seed trays to 15

82.87
76.04
the buckets. We spaced the plants equally 40

and fairly divided the largest and healthiest
18.60
18.40
30 10
53.03
seedlings among the six areas to keep the ex-

periment as consistent as possible. As the basil 20
5
grew, we weeded it on a weekly basis. 10
Customers coming to our farm are used to
harvesting herbs from our greenhouse, so we 0 0
FROM TOP:
Type of Fertilizer Used Type of Fertilizer Used

kept record of what was taken throughout the
CLOCKWISE
growing season. Finally, the day came to mea- leaf matter and
only leaf matter
leaf matter and organic
organic duck manure chemical fertilizer
sure what remained.

there’s an ideal amount of nutrients for plants,
after which more nutrients actually prevent op-
timal growth.
Most importantly for us, this experiment
shows that leaf matter by itself can give plants
the nutrients they need. The sweet basil grown in
only leaf-matter-enriched soil did almost as well
as the sweet basil grown in soil with leaf matter
and organic chemical fertilizer. Intriguingly, the
lemon basil grown in the leaf-matter-enhanced
soil did the best of all the lemon basil. Our hy-
pothesis was supported. All these years of filling Todd Quick (left) and Daniel Bowman (right) stand next to a sign for Peach Ridge Farm.
the fields with leaves have been a wise move!
The Takeaways
It’s easy to reuse yard waste for healthy soil by composting leaves.
They can be dumped in the fall and left to sit all winter. Use a ro-
AMANDA M. BOWMAN; TODD QUICK
totiller or a hoe to chop them up and mix them in the soil before
planting. Your plants will enjoy soil with extra nutrients, while you
save money and feel great about helping the earth.
Peach Ridge Farms is a sustainable farm located in Grand

FROM TOP:
Rapids, Michigan. We have restaurant sales, commercial

CLOCKWISE
accounts, charities and schools, classes, and CSAs.

Todd’s father (right) started the farm’s practice of using leaf matter.
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Save Your Once you’re done
shucking, turn this edible
Corn Silk leftover into a nutrient-

rich tea or topping.
Story and photos by Kami McBride Most people throw corn silk away, but it eficial vitamins and minerals, including
A
contains an abundance of healthful miner- magnesium, calcium, amino acids, and
fter you shuck the corn for your als and nutrients. Corn silk has a gently flavonoids. Corn silk is particularly high
next summer supper, save the sweet, mild taste that works well as a sim- in potassium, which helps nerves function,
tasty, nutrient-rich corn silk to use ple tea or as a healthful topping on salads, muscles contract, and your heartbeat stay
in your kitchen. All these years of eating tacos, and soups. regular, among other things.
fresh corn, and you’ve probably thrown Corn silk has long been used for its
away tons of silk! Instead, enjoy this kitch- Health Benefits of Corn Silk anti-inflammatory benefits for the urinary
en hack that harnesses additional nutrition Corn is an ancient food staple with a system. Corn silk soothes and relaxes the
from a vegetable you already eat. This silky long and storied history, so it’s no surprise lining of the urinary tract and bladder, re-
ingredient is guaranteed to make your that corn silk has also been appreciated ev- lieving irritation and improving urine flow
summer meals a little more interesting. ery step of the way. Many cultures around and elimination.
Corn silk is made up of the long, thread- the world have incorporated corn silk into Because corn silk has a mild, pleasant
like strands that grow underneath the husk their healing repertoires for centuries, and taste, the tea is also well-suited to chil-
of fresh corn and protrude from the tip of corn silk continues to be a valued ingredi- dren with weak bladders or who tend to
the ear of corn. The silken threads are the ent for a wide variety of conditions. wet the bed. Corn silk’s tonifying effects
plant's stigma, capturing pollen and help Corn silk is a soothing, nutritive herb also seem to help address incontinence in
fertilize the corn so kernels can form. that’s rich in antioxidants and many ben- adults, especially among those who expe-

rience loss of bladder tone postpartum or If you’d rather not go through the pro- Eating Corn Silk
during menopause. cess of harvesting and drying your own The most common way to enjoy corn
In part because of the bladder’s close corn silk, then you can also purchase dried silk is as a tea. You don’t have to be in-
proximity to the prostate, anti-inflamma- organic corn silk online. Corn silk tea, flamed or have prostate troubles to enjoy
tory corn silk is also used to help soothe tinctures, and tablets are also available. this tea. It makes a refreshing beverage for
the discomfort of prostatitis. Corn silk is
a diuretic, which means it helps increase
the flow of urine, which can, in turn, ease
the pressure and discomfort placed upon a
swollen prostate. Although more research
Corn Silk Tea Ingredients
is needed, a 2014 study also found that This simple recipe is one of the most approachable ways to • 2 cups water
maysin, a major flavonoid in corn silk, is a introduce corn silk into your diet and see whether you like the • 2 tablespoons
deterrent for prostate cancer cells. flavor. Yield: 1 serving. fresh or dried corn
Although there are no known contra- 1 Put water and corn silk into a pot over medium heat. Cover (Zea mays) silk
indications for corn silk, consult your and bring to a boil.
health practitioner before adding new 2 As soon as it comes to a boil, turn heat down to the low-
herbs to your diet, especially if you’re est setting and simmer for 10 minutes, covered.
pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medi- 3 Turn off heat and let silk continue to steep for another 30 minutes, covered.
cation. Don’t consume corn silk if you’re 4 Strain silk from water and warm your tea back up or drink at room temperature.
allergic to corn.
How to Harvest and

Preserve Corn Silk
The vast majority of the corn that’s
grown in the United States is genetically
modified, but most sweet corn is not.
However, it may be sprayed with chemi-
cals and herbicides you likely don’t want
to consume. With this in mind, try to pur-
chase Certified Organic corn, grow your
own, or source it from your farmers mar-
ket after asking how it was grown.
Corn silk can be harvested before the
corn kernels fully form (in which case
you’d need to grow it yourself and harvest
it earlier than usual), though it’s still useful
when harvested from fully matured cobs.
Pull the silk from the cob and separate it
from the husk. Run your fingers through
the silk a little to loosen it from being in
one big clump.
You can use the corn silk when it’s fresh
or dry it for later. To dry it, separate the
corn silk strands, place them on a flat
Corn Silk Sun Tea Ingredients
basket or screen, and set it out of direct Sun tea is a wonderfully simple way to make tea in • 4 cups water
sunlight. Depending on the weather and summer. Rather than using hot water from a kettle or • 4 tablespoons
humidity, this can take a few days to a pot, you’ll use the sun’s natural heat to steep the tea chopped, fresh corn
week. After the water is gone from the silk outdoors. Yield: 2 servings. (Zea mays) silk
and it feels slightly crispy, store it in a jar 1 Put corn silk and water in a half-gallon glass jar. • Honey and lemon or
or paper bag for up to one year. 2 Cover, then place jar out in the sun for half a day, lime juice, to taste
When corn season comes to an end, roughly 4 to 6 hours.
it’s such a treat to pull the scent of fresh 3 Bring jar in and strain silk from the water.
summer corn out of a bag of dried corn 4 Add honey and lemon or lime juice, to taste.
silk and use it to garnish your hearty 5 Enjoy your tea chilled or at room temperature.
winter meals.
everybody. Brew the silk fresh or dried, Once you’ve dried your corn silk, throw too often gets tossed into the compost
alone or in combination with other herbs. it in the blender and make corn silk pow- pile before being fully appreciated, and
The mild, gentle flavor blends well with der to sprinkle on eggs, rice, or potatoes. it’s a wonderful example of how we can
other teatime herbs, such as peppermint, If you enjoy corn on the cob for your glean even more uses from our groceries
rose, and chamomile. Enjoy your corn on seasonal summer meals, then don’t over- or homegrown produce if we just know
the cob, and then surprise your guests with look this nutrient-rich ingredient! It all where to look.
some after-dinner corn silk tea!
You can also eat fresh corn silk by chop-
ping it into small pieces and using it as a Kami McBride is an herbalist whose courses and bestselling book The Herbal Kitchen have
mild-tasting topping for salads, casseroles, helped thousands of people learn how to use common kitchen herbs and spices in delightful
polenta, soups, tacos, or anything else that ways. Connect with Kami at www.KamiMcBride.com or on social media @KamiMcBride.
would benefit from a nutritional boost.
The Herbal Kitchen • Simple techniques for using • Tips on using herbs and spices to
With more than 250 recipes for herbs and spices to increase the prevent illness in your household.
herbal oils, vinegars, pestos, dress- nutritional quality of your food. • How to make healthy and deli-
ings, salts, cordials, syrups, smooth- • Specific healing properties of cious herbal appetizers.
ies, and more, The Herbal Kitchen 50 household herbs and spices. • How to be more empowered in
by Kami McBride provides the • Why your spice cabinet is indis- taking care of yourself naturally.
necessary information to learn how pensable to your family’s health This title is available at Store.
to prepare, store, and use herbs to and wellness. MotherEarthNews.com or by calling
create a long-term health-care plan. • How to make delicious seasonal 800-234-3368. Mention promo
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www.MotherEarthNewsFair.com COMPOSTING AND SOIL
with Stan
Slaughter
DEC. 10
GARDEN PLANNING AND
SEED STARTING
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& Sharon Ashworth
Hometown Hacks Projects From Our Readers
DIY Rainwater
Shower Story and photos by Larry Schwandes
f you collect rainwater, there are a few ways you
Construct a simple, inexpensive outdoor I can use that water beyond giving it to your plants.
One way is to build an outdoor shower.
Using materials found at my local hardware store,
shower that can function on or off the grid. I made a rainwater shower. I crafted a rectangular
rack to hold the showerhead using 2x4s and 2x2s.
Then I screwed eye hooks into the top that allow me
to hang the rack wherever it’s convenient or nail it to
a tree. I mounted a low-volume showerhead to the
rack, which is attached to a submersible pump with
a garden hose and galvanized fittings.
I use a painted-black 5-gallon bucket to hold the
rainwater and pump for the shower. If the water is too
cold, move the bucket into the sunshine and let the
Tools and Materials

Shower
• 2x4
• 2x2
• 17⁄16-inch eye hooks (2)
• Showerhead (1.5 gallons per minute)
• Showerhead pipe and flange
• Submersible pump with garden hose outlet
• Garden hose
• 1⁄2-inch galvanized elbow
• 1⁄2-by-1⁄2-inch galvanized nipple
• 1⁄2-by-1-inch galvanized coupling
• 3⁄4-by-1⁄2-inch brass garden hose adapter
• 5⁄8-inch female hose fittings (2)
• 5-gallon bucket with cover
Solar Water Heater

• 2x4 sheet of plywood
• Black spray paint
• 30 feet of 3⁄4-inch CPVC pipe
• 3⁄4-inch CPVC elbows (28)
• Metal brackets (EMT straps) (6)
• 2x4 plastic panel
• Fountain pump (90 gallons per hour)
• 16 feet of 1⁄2-inch plastic tubing
• 12-volt car battery (optional)
• Solar inverter (optional)
The author uses a pump with a garden hose outlet to supply water to a mounted showerhead.

A fountain pump circulates water through CPVC pipe, where it’s warmed by the sun. The system can work off-grid with a 12-volt battery and solar inverter.
water warm up for a while. If your rainwater- frame out of plywood I painted black. On with the garden hose attachment connecting
collection system includes a debris filter, the top of the plywood, I built a system of CPVC it to the showerhead.
collected rainwater should be clean enough pipes and elbows, painted black, that warms Both the shower and the solar heater can
for showering. If you’re concerned about the water. I covered the solar heater with a function off-grid with the use of a 12-volt
sanitation, you can add a small amount of sheet of plastic to enhance the sun’s effect. car battery and a solar inverter to power the
unscented bleach to the shower water several I use a small submersible fountain pump to submersible pumps.
hours before you plan to shower. When show- circulate water through the solar heater and I spent $118.28 on shower supplies, plus
ering, use biodegradable soaps and shampoos back to the bucket via plastic tubing. Once $99 on supplies for the solar water heater,
so you don’t contaminate the environment. the water is heated and back in the bucket, I not including the car battery and inverter.
I also built a solar water heater to ac- can move the bucket next to the shower and Your costs will likely vary, depending on what
company the shower. I built the water heater swap the small pump out for the larger pump supplies you have on hand.
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BUILD YOUR OWN SHEDS AND
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Country Lore Readers’ Tips to Live By
Homemade
Chokecherry Jelly
e’ve only been homesteading a few years, but one of the first constantly. Then, stir in the sugar, and continue to stir constantly for
W skills we learned was how to preserve food. We’ve put up

apple jelly, strawberry jelly, apple butter, and more.
Store-bought jelly can’t compare with the taste of homemade. After
at least 2 minutes. The juice will begin to thicken. Remove the pot
from the heat.
While the jelly mixture is still hot, use a clean funnel and spoon
taste testing many types of homemade jelly, we have to say choke- it into the prepared canning jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Wipe
cherry is by far our favorite. the threaded tops of the jars carefully with a clean, dry cloth. Top
The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a large shrub or small the jars with canning lids and screw on the metal canning rings,
tree, usually found growing in small clusters. Fruiting bushes typi- tightening them lightly with your fingers.
cally measure 1 to 3 inches in diameter and 8 to 15 feet tall. Process the filled jars in a water-bath canner per the National
Exceptionally large specimens may reach 40 feet in height and a Center for Home Food Preservation's recommendations (5 minutes
foot in diameter. Fruit is occasionally produced by plants that are for jelly if you live up to 1,000 feet, 10 minutes from 1,000 to
only 3 feet tall. Chokecherries bloom in late spring, when the leaves 6,000 feet, and 15 minutes for over 6,000 feet above sea level).
are nearly fully grown. Raw fruit is extremely tart, so the kids won’t Carefully remove the jars from the canner and place them on a
eat it all before some kitchen magic happens. folded towel to cool. Check the seals after 24 hours. Refrigerate any
To make homemade chokecherry jelly, begin by preparing the unsealed jars immediately.
juice. First, wash the chokecherries carefully, making sure to remove Kerry W. Mann, Jr.
stems and any leaves you accidentally picked. Montello, Wisconsin
Pour the fresh chokecherries into a large stockpot. Fill the pot
with water to cover just the berries. Boil for 15 to 20 minutes, or
until the chokecherries are soft. Chokecherries will turn bright-red
when they’re cooked.
While the fruit boils, place a piece of cheesecloth over a large
nonreactive bowl. When the berries are fully cooked, spoon them
into the cheesecloth and allow their juice to collect in the bowl
below. I like to crush the berries inside the cheesecloth to get all of
their juice. Prevent seeds and pulp from falling into the bowl.
Now, you’re ready to make chokecherry jelly. I don’t recommend
doubling or tripling the following recipe. This recipe will produce
enough jelly to fill about four 8-ounce canning jars.
• 31⁄2 cups chokecherry juice

• 1 package (1.75 ounces) powdered pectin
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1⁄2 cup lemon juice (optional)
• 41⁄2 cups granulated sugar
Prepare canning jars and lids by

washing them in hot, soapy water.
Set them aside but keep them warm
and clean. You can place the jars on
top of a towel folded inside a cook-
ing pan and placed in an oven set
on low.
In a large stainless-steel pot on
your stovetop, add the chokecherry
juice, pectin, butter, and optional
lemon juice. Bring to a boil, stirring

Country Lore
'Tanks' for the Sprayer Idea

Fellow gardeners know how hard it is See the Seeds
to find a good-quality watering can. Ours I save the extra bill-mailing envelopes that accumulate when I pay a bill in person or
needed replacing last spring. After test- online and use them to save seeds. The clear window lets me see at a glance the contents
ing a number of options, we settled on a of each envelope, and there’s plenty of room
tank sprayer of the type used for spraying on the paper to record the seed type and any
herbicides. other details I want to remember. Even after
Most tank sprayers come with a few dif- I seal the envelope flap, the seeds can con-
ferent tips — some to soak the soil, and tinue to dry slightly if I didn’t get them fully
others to produce a mist. We’ve found our dried in the first place.
tank sprayer’s mist nozzle to be especially The photo shows some of my squash seeds
useful for watering seeds without disturb- in an envelope, ready for next year’s garden.
ing the soil. Of course, never use a tank Michael S. Matthews
sprayer on your garden if it’s already been Charlotte, North Carolina
used for chemicals. I wrote “garden spray-
er” on ours with a permanent marker, and
I store it by the potting stand so no one
uses it for anything but water. ducing the sugar because the applesauce • 3 eggs
Danielle Justus adds sweetness. • 1 cup fruit purée
Yellville, Arkansas One day, while contemplating what • 11⁄2 cups granulated sugar
to do with some persimmon pulp in my • 1 cup whole-wheat flour
A Hose by Any Other Name freezer, I decided to use it instead of • 2 cups all-purpose flour
Our old garden hose was leaking and applesauce in zucchini bread. The result- • 1 teaspoon salt
kinked. Instead of discarding it, we ing bread was successful. Since then, • 1 teaspoon baking soda
punched more holes in the hose, and I’ve found that many fruits work well in • 1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
then stretched it along the interior of our this recipe, including overripe bananas; • 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
80-foot-long rose bed. Now, it serves as a crushed pineapple; and peach, pear, • 2 cups grated zucchini or carrots
wonderful drip-irrigation hose in our garden. plum, or apricot purée. • 3 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract
Sue Queen When ripe fruit is plentiful in summer, I • 1 cup chopped nuts or raisins
Gaston, South Carolina purée and freeze it in 1-cup containers for
this purpose. I also buy fresh cranberries Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fruity Zucchini Bread at Thanksgiving and freeze them for bak- Lightly butter the interiors of 2 loaf pans
Over the years, I’ve read plenty of hints ing projects the rest of the year. and set aside.
about making a healthier zucchini bread. This basic, forgiving recipe invites In a mixing bowl, stir together all in-
These include substituting part of the experimentation. Look at it as a good op- gredients. Pour the batter into the loaf
white flour with whole-wheat flour, replac- portunity to use up pantry items, such pans. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until
ing all or part of the oil with applesauce as raisins, dates, chocolate chips, flaked a toothpick inserted into the center of the
to reduce the fat content, and then re- coconut, and nuts. You can also add pro- loaf comes out clean.
tein powder, flax seeds, and other items to Caraleen Marks
boost healthfulness. Yield: 2 loaves. Tooele, Utah
MICHAEL S. MATTHEWS; CINDY PRATER; PAGE 58: ADOBE STOCK/ALASKAJADE
Water-Wise small leftover pieces of bar soap. Washing our

Being a good steward of your water supply was hands outside helps keep dirt out of the sinks
ingrained in me at an early age. Grandma washed and septic tank, especially when the grandkids
dishes in a container set within her large sink. come to visit. (If you have toddlers and are wor-
Instead of letting the water disappear down the ried about safety, the bucket can be hung higher,
drain, she carried it outside to use on her plants. from the spigot.) The stockings dry quickly out-
I try to do my part too on our small farm with doors, and the dirty water in the bucket can be
its own well and septic system. Each of our carried to thirsty plants. The stocking and soap in
outdoor pumps has a bucket hung underneath the photo have lasted us two years!
to catch excess water. Also hanging from each Cindy Prater
TOP:
pump is a long stocking, the toe of which holds Ewing, Nebraska

FROM
Country Lore
Tarp Smart
When I worked for a landscaping
company, I learned that a tarp can
hold three times what a wheelbar-
row can. Plus, the tarp can be ma-
neuvered through narrow places. It
glides over the terrain, so one person
can move large quantities alone. A
tarp folded double, with two people Reader Mary Martin prefers a tarp to a wheelbarrow.
pulling, means a heavy load can
be moved without having to strain your back As soon as my plants are large enough for
SAVOR
to lift the object onto a trailer. And a tarp is me to spot clearly, I remove the flags and put
lightweight and can be folded into a compact them into storage to get 2 to 3 more years
size to store easily until the next job. of use. The flags are easy to see and insert
Mary Martin into the ground. I use the same flags used
SUMMER
Rexburg, Idaho by plumbers and electricians to designate
underground utilities. You can find them at
Flags Mark the Spot hardware stores for about $9 per 100 flags.
Because I add lots of mulch to my garden J. Gordon Betts
after planting, it’s easy to lose track of seeds Flint, Texas
and small plants. For several years now, I’ve
Spend time outdoors
used stake flags, also known as "marker Spicy Cycle of Life
this summer. Grow, flags," to indicate rows, plants, and places Last year, I discovered the complete life
where one row ends and another begins. cycle of the mustard seed by experimenting
grill and preserve your own
healthy, natural food and
spend time enjoying it with Don’t Spare the Horses
We have a cabin in southwestern Colorado, where multiple bands of wild horses roam.
friends and family. We enjoy seeing them and try to provide water when we can in this dry area. Because
we also want to ensure the wild horses have access to mineral and salt blocks, we make
holders out of old milk crates.
These holders would be easy to make for other livestock too. We cut off the bottom por-
PAUL VIECELLI
tion of the crate with a handsaw, and then drop the cut bottom inside the top portion of
the crate. We secure the crate sections around the salt or mineral block with zip ties; you
could also wire them together, but make sure to tie off the wire inside the crate so the
AND
MARY MARTIN; ANNA
animals won’t scrape their tongues. Rebar or stakes pounded through the crates into the
ground secure the holders so the animals can’t push them over.
These homemade salt or mineral block holders work great, and the blocks last way lon-
ger than placing them directly on the ground.
TOP:
Anna and Paul Viecelli
FROM
Aurora, Colorado
Shop anytime at
LEHMANS.COM
800-438-5346
Let’s be social
On the Square in Kidron, OH

See #20 on page 67
Look for drawings by internationally recognized cartoonist Rick Friday in upcoming issues.
in my garden. On May 8, I planted tatsoi sidered that the tiny seeds were in fact the
mustard seeds. In just 12 days, little green same as those found in the grocery store,
sprouts were shooting out of the ground. In aisle five, second shelf down. I looked at my
less than a month, the sprouts had grown into crop in a new light.
spicy, crunchy green leaves that were ready to Once the green pods turned papery-brown
harvest and eat fresh. In July, after the weath- and split open easily, I knew the seeds were
er turned hot, the mustard greens seemed to ready to harvest. I carefully plucked the stems
bolt overnight into delicate yellow flowers that from the plant and put them into a paper bag.
I used in salads and stir-fries. With a good shake, the seeds easily broke
As I continued to observe the tatsoi free from the pods, and I was able to separate
plants, I noticed that small green nodes them from the chaff.
started to form on the stems. I opened one And when it was time to can pickles, I had
to reveal green seeds. I’d never before con- my own stash of mustard seeds. The local
RICK FRIDAY; MELISSA BRADLEY
High and Dry(ing)

I’m surprised so few people in Colorado bother to use a clothesline, as our weather is
TOP:
usually ideal for quick drying. In the entire time I’ve lived in my house — more than 40
FROM
years — only one neighbor besides myself has put up a clothesline. My arrangement is sim-
pler than that of fellow Coloradoan Inger Bull, who shared a photo
and description of her zigzagged backyard clothesline with readers
(“Small-Space Clothesline,” Country Lore, February/March 2021).
I bought the cleat that’s mounted to my porch post at a marine
supply store so it would be weather-resistant; it enables me to
tighten the line when necessary. The line is parachute cord, which
has proven to be plenty strong. It's threaded through one eye bolt
on the rake of the roof, and another cleat on the corner of the
house. The line ends at the cleat.
This arrangement has worked for me for more than four de-
cades. I’ve never owned a clothes dryer. When I was little, my
mother washed our laundry in the kitchen sink and hung it out-
doors on a folding spin reel.
Melissa Bradley
Denver, Colorado
See #26 on page 67

Country Lore
A Workbook for market was out of stock for weeks because of

all the new pandemic gardens!
Setting Goals
I love discovering simple lessons and learn-
ing how to integrate all the edible parts of a
plant into the kitchen.
that Make Sense Lindsay Dawson Mynatt

Leavenworth, Washington
Order by calling 800-234-3368 or Deer Deterrent

visiting Store.MotherEarthNews.com For years, I’ve had a garden prob-
Please use promo code MMEPAMZ2 lem — deer! I’ve tried about every repellent
Price does not include shipping and handling. $17.99 | ITEM #9949
on the market. Generally, they work only
until the deer get wise.
After losing half my green beans and
other plants last year, I believe I’ve found
an answer to share with my fellow readers.
I have a small cane forest in a wet area on
my property. I’ve noticed the deer don’t eat
the cane.
Simple. Fast.
Take the hassle out of backyard chicken
processing. Plucking a chicken by hand can Pass the Pickles
take as long as 30 minutes. … er, Paint
Yardbird has revolutionized this painstaking I found a great way to reuse old
and messy process. With the Yardbird, you can glass pickle jars and at the same time
fully defeather two birds in 15 seconds or less! keep leftover paint tidy. Once the origi-
nal paint can starts to rust and chip
Features:
around the rim, potentially sullying
Hands-Free Irrigation Ring
1.5 HP Electric Motor the paint within, I pour the remaining
Removable Tub For Cleaning contents into a clean pickle jar. I make
Simple Debris Collection sure to label the jar with the store’s
color name and ID number so it can be
matched later if more paint is needed.
These jars take up less space in stor-
age, and I can easily see the color of
the paint inside, which helps me iden-
tify the right color when a touch-up is
needed somewhere on my property. I
hope this tip helps other readers too!
Visit www.yardbirdpluckers.com
Mindy Bizzell
MINDY BIZZELL
1160 8th Avenue | Cumberland, WI 54829 | 800-345-6007

Astoria, Oregon
See #4 on page 67

Country Lore
We Pay for Top Tips

Do you have handy home, farm, or
garden advice? We’ll pay you $25
for each tip we publish, plus an-
other $25 if we use your photos. So,
send your niftiest tips to us at
Letters@MotherEarthNews.com.
I briefly considered cutting the cane and

using it to build a high fence, but instead, I
See #36 on page 67
carefully laid the tall cut stalks with leaves
and branches still attached over my grow-
ing garden rows. The deer don’t bother
the cane and appear not to realize garden
plants grow underneath. The cane leaves
and short branches are thin enough to allow
the underlying plants to get air and rain.
The cane can be easily moved for harvest
and any weeding, and my garden plants
grow up and around the stalks. In time,
when the old cut cane withers, I simply
place freshly cut stalks on top.
Gerald Dooley
Kingston Springs, Tennessee
Versa™
2-in-1 Tiller Cultivator
A Life of Its Own

This volunteer sunflower growing in an
unused, unwatered greenhouse is deter-
mined to fulfill its potential by seeking THE TRUSTED NAME IN TILLING & DRILLING SINCE 1960
the sun however it can — in this case,
through the roof vent. What a will to live!
www.getearthquake.com | 1730 Industrial Avenue, Cumberland, WI 54829 | 800-345-6007
Reader submitted
Via text
See #3 on page 67
Ask Our Experts
A Directory of Local
Grass-Fed Beef Farms
I’m getting my farm off the ground, but am no marketing this. It’s a single, central place anyone can visit to quickly find a local
pro. How can I find the people who will want to purchase source for whatever it is they’re after.
my products? This used to work pretty well. I put my farm on a number of directories,
and for a while, they sent me a steady flow of customers. But that flow
Starting out in farming is daunting, as is figuring out what the farm has slowed to a trickle in recent years, and I think the problem is the
will produce. Meat? Eggs? Vegetables? Fiber? I chose livestock, and in directories themselves. All the existing directories I know of suffer from
the early days of my farm, I remember the challenges and endless experi- one of two problems, and sometimes both.
mentation it took to figure out how best to manage my cows and pigs. But First, they haven’t modernized. A website that looks fine on a computer
over the years, I came to recognize a priority I hadn’t considered at the but is impossible to navigate on a phone might’ve been OK 10 years ago,
beginning: I hadn’t figured out who I was going to sell to. but now, when half of internet traffic is on mobile devices, it probably will
I had the idea that simply not serve its purpose.
setting up buyers club loca- Second, most directories
tions in reasonably populated charge for their listings. This
areas would organically bring creates a catch-22. No one
in all the business I could ever wants to pay to be listed on a
want. This sort of worked, but site that won’t send them a sig-
not well enough to put my farm nificant number of customers.
on the sort of healthy growth But search engines won’t rank
trajectory needed to make it a a site highly unless it actually
viable business. serves a purpose. A national di-
Like you, I needed to figure rectory of grass-fed beef farms
out how to market, which is that only has one listing per
how I came to make a directory state isn’t going to help many
of local grass-fed beef farms. people out.
Farm Marketing Why I Built My Own

Is a Necessity It’s possible the days of di-
To make economic sense, rectories being a good way for
the vast majority of small farms Figuring out how to market what your farm produces is an essential step. potential customers to connect
need to get the extra margin with local farms have passed,
that comes with selling directly to the public. And selling to the public but I’m betting they haven’t. I believe a simple, clear, comprehensive
takes conscious effort. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how custom- listing page is so useful that there will always be a place for one. But after
ers find you. If you’re a veggie operation on a busy road, then a nice hand- hours of searching, I could not find a single directory that actually met
painted sign and a pretty retail stand might be all you need. But if you the modern criteria for clarity of purpose and ease of use. So, I decided
want people to search you out, you’ll need to make it as easy as possible. to make it myself.
Unfortunately, it’s getting harder. Large-scale grass-fed beef companies My hope is that, eventually, whenever someone searches for “grass-
and private-label products sold in an increasing number of supermarkets fed beef near me,” they’ll see this map of local farms. I’m optimistic,
have all made things pretty crowded. It used to be that anyone looking because it’s easier to use than any existing directory I know of, especially
for grass-fed beef online was likely to end up at a small, local farm. on a phone or other small devices, and because I’ve already listed 400
These days, a potential customer poking around online will have to wade farms on it, meaning most people in most places can actually use it. I’ve
through ads and national brands before getting to a single small farm, also included some basic information about the ins and outs of purchas-
which may or may not be near them. ing directly from a farmer.
And it’s free. If you’re a farmer who sells grass-fed beef directly to the
Directories Are Great, When They Work
ADOBE STOCK/WILLIAM
public, you can add a listing by filling out the form at https://bit.ly/Grass-
In theory, directories are a good answer. Because no single farm has Fed-Directory. If there’s enough interest in the directory, I plan to make
the clout of a national company, it’s hard for us small farms to compete similar free listing pages for pastured chicken, lamb, and perhaps other
for the attention of customers. A directory listing many small farms solves products, such as eggs.

A Map Alone Won’t Do It
Obviously, I’m excited about the benefits a good directory can have for
small farms. But there’s a lot more that goes into getting customers to
make a purchase. You can raise the best beef or broccoli in the world, but
it doesn’t much matter if no one knows you exist.
Well, that’s not quite true — you get to enjoy it, which is no small thing.
But if you want your farm to be a business, you must consider how you
plan to connect with customers. And using directories is one way to do it.
— Garth Brown Garth Brown built a nationwide map of grass-fed beef farms.
Root Cellar in a Box

Without a cellar, what’s an 1 Build Your Box Continue layering the roots and peat moss
approachable way I can put up my We built our boxes out of 3⁄4-inch plywood. until you fill up the box or run out of roots.
root crops for winter? The dimensions of the box were approxi- Leave at least 3 inches at the top of the box
mately 3 feet long by 1 foot wide by 1 foot to cover with peat moss.
Spring starts with a bang around deep. A small box can hold a lot of potatoes! Finally, cover your box with a sturdy lid that
here — planting seeds, preparing beds, These boxes were built to fit into the cold- light won’t penetrate.
mulching, and weeding. Throughout the est corner of our basement. We also built a
summer, we enjoy fresh greens, ripe straw- divider in the box for sturdiness and to group 3 Keep Moist and Enjoy
berries, and the incomparable BLT (with our cultivars together. The key to preserving a root crop harvest
own bacon and tomatoes). But by is keeping the environment dark,
harvest time in fall, we’re ready to cool, and humid. Peat moss is a
whimper. We often find ourselves perfect medium for this, because
too tired to preserve the harvest it holds moisture so well. And
we worked so hard to cultivate all the layering approach prevents
summer long. light from sneaking into the box.
Our spring inspiration to “build Over the course of winter,
a root cellar this year!” has fad- open the lid and add water to
ed, along with our energy levels, the peat moss. You can either
which by fall are focused on spray or gently dribble water
splitting wood and settling in for from a jar. The amount of water
winter. The root cellar will have to needed depends on the size of
wait, yet again. your box, its construction (wood
But what to do with the ‘Yukon holds water better than card-
Golds,’ the ‘Dark Red Norlands,’ board, which wicks water away),
the ‘Danvers’ carrots? Over the and the vegetables being stored
years, we’ve tried many approach- (carrots need more water than
es to storing root vegetables with The Root Cellar in a Box overflows with potatoes for preserving. potatoes). You’ll have to experi-
varying results. But our spuds ment with this, but a good rule
kept sprouting within a few months, and 2 Layer Your Roots of thumb is to water about once per week.
the carrots would dry out, leaving us without After building a box to suit your space, The peat moss does an excellent job absorb-
homegrown root crops for most of winter. place a 3-inch layer of peat moss on the bot- ing the moisture and distributing it around
All of that changed when we discovered tom. You can buy a bag of peat moss from the box. You won’t want the moss to be
this easy method for preserving our root the garden store for about $10 that will likely soggy (too wet), but you won’t want it to be
crops. The idea is simple and anyone can do supply far more than you’ll need for this proj- dusty either (too dry).
GARTH BROWN; RORY GROVES
it, regardless of space (or energy levels). All ect. Peat moss keeps pretty well, so you can This small and simple Root Cellar in a Box
you need is a sturdy box and a generous sup- store the leftovers or share with neighbors. will help us preserve the harvest each winter
ply of peat moss. It works especially well for Next, place a layer of potatoes or carrots in until that day when our energy levels catch
potatoes and carrots. We call it a Root Cellar the box and cover with another inch or so of up with spring’s inspiration and we can build
in a Box. It has worked perfectly for us and peat moss. Space the vegetables so the peat a proper root cellar.
TOP:
preserves the harvest well into spring, as long moss can fall in between. This will help with Until then, enjoy the harvest!
FROM
as we do our part to maintain it. distribution of moisture and minimize rotting. — Rory Groves, www.TheGrovestead.com
Ask Our Experts
Savor the Wonders of

Fall-Harvested Eggplant
DESIGNED.
ENGINEERED. As my fall harvest begins, what’s a good
REMARKABLE VA LUE.
recipe to make use of my produce?
There’s something magical about fall, when

crisp, cool weather is ushered in. As we pull
out our sweaters and jackets, it’s also a good
time to pull out our favorite hearty, traditional
recipes. And with eggplants being a popular
fall harvest, you can kick off the season with a
perennial favorite: eggplant Parmesan.
Aside from eggplants being both nutri-
tious and delicious, they’re easy to custom-
ize and can be adapted to a variety of palates.
Eggplants have a delightfully absorbent qual-
ity, allowing them to soak up and hang on to
flavors and seasonings well. This makes them
ideal to cook with and a pleasure to serve in
many types of dishes. Eggplants are practically
fail-proof in casseroles, stews, and stir-fries.
Eggplant’s versatility lends itself well to light
and fresh garden-style fare, as well as to the
more hearty and robust recipe profiles.
Without refrigeration, an eggplant stored 1 Slice eggplant into 1⁄2-inch round slices.
in a cool, dry place will keep 1 to 2 days. 2 Coat slices in fresh extra-virgin olive oil.
SUB-COMPACT
Refrigerated, an eggplant can last 5 to 7 days. 3 Add salt and pepper to each side of the
An eggplant has a nutrient-rich skin, which eggplant slices.
PALLET FORKS
may absolutely be left on in most prepared 4 In a skillet or grill pan on medium-high,
recipes, although personal preference can dic- brown or lightly char the slices approximately
tate whether you remove it. 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until the
Don’t let their compact There are good eggplant Parmesan reci- slices have softened.
size fool you.
pes, and then there are exceptional eggplant 5 Remove pan from heat and set eggplant
• Right Tool! Right Size! Best Parmesan recipes. Without compromising slices aside.
describes these sub-compact
flavor, I prefer a good, workable mix, varying 6 Lightly grease the bottom of a medium-
pallet forks. Designed for loaders
on sub-compact tractors up only in the complexity of preparation steps. sized baking dish with olive oil.
to 35 hp. Because, let’s face it, sometimes one prefers 7 Layer the following ingredients in the
• Rated at 1,250 lbs. convenience and simplicity over a full-scale, order listed: marinara sauce, eggplant slices,
more involved production. Below, I’ve provided and grated Parmesan, Romano, and pecorino
• Class I solid alloy steel forks,
36-inches in length. a quick recipe version that’s just as tasty as a cheeses. If you don’t have pecorino cheese,
complex one. you can use a firm goat cheese as a sub-
• Models for:
Ń Skid Steer “Universal” style stitute. For the final layer, top with grated
mount (SSPF-1236) Monica’s Eggplant Parmesan mozzarella cheese.
Ń John Deere hook & pin quick • 1 medium-sized eggplant 8 In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add
attach (JDPF-1236) • Extra-virgin olive oil 1⁄4 cup each of olive oil, garlic, and basil to
• Salt and pepper, to taste bread crumbs. Mix well. Spoon bread crumb
• Marinara sauce mixture generously over entire dish.
ADOBE STOCK/BRENT HOFACKER
Worksaver, Inc. Litchfield, IL

• Grated Parmesan, Romano, pecorino, and 9 Bake in an oven at 350 degrees
Phone: 217.324.5973 mozzarella cheeses Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.
• 1⁄4 cup chopped garlic 10 Garnish with fresh basil, and let stand
VISIT WORKSAVER.COM
• 1⁄4 cup chopped basil 15 minutes prior to serving.
• 2 cups toasted, crushed bread crumbs — Monica White
See #40 on page 67

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Dear MOTHER
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6)
Garden Water Conservation

I’m subscribing to MOTHER EARTH NEWS
again, and I noticed that Marissa Ames is the
new editorial director, and that she mentioned
living in the desert. I’m retiring from teach-
ing soon, and I’ll be moving to my place in
Chama, New Mexico. What part of the desert
are you in? Chama is where the high desert
meets the southern Rockies. What are some
innovative ways you deal with water issues?
Cam Mullally
Via email
Cam, thanks for your message! I’m in
64oz Jug Fallon, Nevada. Though we’re fairly close
34 * 95
to California, most of the moisture hits the
Sierra Nevadas and dumps on the mountains,
and the rest falls on Reno. It rarely ever
+ Free Shipping!! comes to us. We get about 2 inches of rain
a year, 3 if we’re lucky. Water laws are strict
here, and with the drought, we have to be
careful about usage. Here are the four best
tips I have for gardening in the high desert:
888-394-4454 • www.DrJimZ.com 1 Add organic material to your soil every
year. This holds water for the plants to use.
See #10 on page 67
2 Learn how to dry-farm, which means
giving plants just enough water. You end up
having better-tasting crops, anyway, since too
much water makes tomatoes taste bland.
3 Use weeper lines or drip lines, not over-
head watering, if at all possible.
4 Mulch lots! My favorite is old straw, be-
cause I can leave it on the beds and it will de-
compose to be part of the organic material I
need next year. Plus, if you make friends with
Southern Exposure someone who has livestock, they’ll be happy
Seed Exchange
Saving the Past for the Future
You’ll find us on our farm in the
rolling hills of Louisa County, Virginia. Scarlet Pimpernel
You’ll find our network of small farm
seed growers throughout the U.S.
Correction
Readers, in “Journey to Eden”
Free Catalog & Garden Guide:
(April/May 2022), we listed scarlet
www.SouthernExposure.com
pimpernel within a photo caption
about edible weeds. Scarlet pimpernel
can be toxic and cause skin reactions,
and it shouldn’t be consumed. We sin-
cerely apologize for this oversight. For
more information on identifying toxic
plants in your area, check with your
local extension office or poison control
office. — MOTHER
See #33 on page 67

Dear MOTHER
to give you straw or hay that got wet and isn’t

suitable for their animals to eat.
I use weeper lines under mulch. I’ll run the
weeper line within 2 inches of the plant base,
then pile mulch on top, making sure the plant
has full access to sunlight. This protects the
microbial life within the soil, plus it ensures
that every drop of water lands where it needs
to and isn’t lost to evaporation.
I hope this helps! — Marissa Ames,
Editorial Director
Indoor Growing Complications

I’m an 84-year-old who has read your mag-
azine for the past 50 years. I lived on a small
farm in the Silver Valley of Idaho for 55 years.
I had lots of different animals, and I raised
game birds. Our house was heated by wood
heat, and we had raised garden beds. I could
grow lots of stuff and take it in the house and
it would grow, even trees.
®
See #14 on page 67
Self-Logged Shed
I like to repurpose just about every-
thing. This shed is mostly just that.
The glass roof is from patio doors, and
the outside walls are leftover wood
shingles and metal siding. All the
windows are repurposed, along with
the doors, which are cedar boards from
my garage. The stained-glass windows
are from a 1920s house. My home is
a ’30s log house, so I wanted to incor-
porate logs with burls, which my wife
and I cut from the forest. Although the
pavers are new, the gutter was on my
garage. We’ve enjoyed starting seed
flowers and vegetables this winter.
Darrel Heyer
DARREL HEYER
Via email
See #23 on page 67
Dear MOTHER
Now, my problem is that we moved four

years ago. The house is all electric. I bring in
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fall, I brought in two plum trees I started
outside. They dried up and died. Would you
have any idea what’s wrong?
Clifford Hinsz
Wallace, Idaho
Clifford, I grew up in Idaho, so I know what

you mean. If you’re like my dad, you prob-
ably kept a cast-iron kettle full of water on
the stove to humidify whenever you burned
wood in the stove. But now that you’re us-
ing electric heat, that’s probably far from
your mind. Humidity can drop quite a bit in
Certified Organic Tendergreen wintertime. I recommend placing a cool-mist
Cucumber Seeds humidifier near your plants to give them a
boost. — Marissa Ames, Editorial Director
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See #25 on page 67
Great Garden Shed

We built this great garden shed amid
the spring 2020 COVID-19 pandemic
out of leftover materials from our house
and our land. We used reclaimed win-
dows from Habitat for Humanity to
frame the walls, an old dusty “pantry”
door rescued from a neighbor’s attic,
and rough-sawn cedar lap slabs cut
from a wind-fallen tree to line the outer
walls. We also used leftover stone to ac-
cent the shed.
An old slab of reclaimed marble
countertop forms the potting table work-
space, and an old leaded-glass door
flipped on its side provides the view.
We also use gutters to capture rainwater
in a rain barrel, and we have a timer-
controlled drip system that irrigates our
blueberries and fruit trees.
R. and K.
K.
Yelm, Washington
AND
R.
See #32 on page 67

Dear MOTHER
More Semiarid Content

Would you consider dedicating an issue
to semiarid areas, such as western Texas?
I don’t see much attention given to these
types of areas in print. Rain is sparse, and
You
Y O U R H A N D S , Y O U R T O O L S , O U R A S S I S TA N C E .
the heat can start in March and last until
October. Winter can be cold — freezing at RETROFIT
night with mild days. Last year, I saw nega- RADIANT INTO
tive 4 degrees Fahrenheit at my house. YOUR HOME.
Then, there’s the wind: always a windy
summer and winter.
Dalton Greenwood USE YOUR
Ira, Texas EXISTING
WATER HEATER
Dalton, living in arid and semiarid loca- INSTEAD
tions differs in so many ways, doesn’t it? OF AN
This year, as I write this response, my farm EXPENSIVE
has had one measurable rainstorm, but we BOILER. If you can see the underside of the floor, you can install
comfortable and efficient radiant heat.
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See #31 on page 67
Mountain Town
Garden Shed
My great garden shed and I reside in
a little mountain town in Washington Some of the best things in life are
state. I use this shed to store tools, handed down for generations.
baskets, pots, watering cans, and my We make GrainMaker mills with
assorted seeds. I also use this shed as the same philosophy, crafting
a greenhouse to start my spring veg- them to last for a lifetime or
etable garden in February. At the be- two. Each Montana-made mill
ginning of May, I start all the vegetable comes backed by an heirloom
seeds for summer. During fall, I dry guarantee so you can enjoy the
lasting goodness of freshly ground
my kitchen herbs and store my garlic,
whole grains, nuts, seeds, and coffee.
onions, potatoes, and squashes. In
winter, I enjoy sitting inside my shed
reading garden and plant books, listen-
ing to music, and dreaming about my
garden for the next year.
Shannon S.
SHANNON S.
Washington Made in Montana~grainmaker.com~855-777-7096

See #16 on page 67
Dear MOTHER
Bead by Terry Hale

more attention to these dry areas, regard-
Sharpen your skills | Find us on
ing gardening, living, and sustainability.
Thanks for your letter! — Marissa Ames,
Editorial Director
Relaxation Destination
I had a contractor build my shed in the
THE FOLK SCHOOL fall of 2020. We didn’t use a blueprint. His
CHANGES YOU. experience was exceptional. All the wood
beams, posts, and barn wood are from a
company that tears down barns. There’s no
new wood anywhere on the shed. The roof
is used copper sheeting and used corrugat-
ed tin nailed down with lead-head nails.
The shed is movable; it sits on a cement
DELUXE slab. The tip-out windows are repurposed
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See #17 on page 67 See #19 on page 67
Right-Sized Shed
Please see the attached photo of our
combination greenhouse and potting
shed. We built it from repurposed mate-
rial. We used windows from our local
neighborhood online flea market, and
the sliding glass door is from the local
Habitat for Humanity ReStore. We built
this shed by attaching it to the existing
structure on an east-west sun track.
The polycarbonate semi-opaque roof
and 4-by-4-foot posts were the only thing
not repurposed. Overall dimensions of
the shed are 18 feet long by 6 feet wide,
with a half-enclosed greenhouse and a
half-open protected potting shed. It’s
conveniently located, with ample shelv-
ing and workspace. It also has excellent
drainage and natural light. It’s not too
MARIE BARTLETT
big or too small for our needs.

Dan and Marie Bartlett
Wirtz, Virginia
AND
DAN
See #35 on page 67

Dear MOTHER
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See #1 on page 67 See #24 on page 67
and I love it.
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Via email
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and we’d love to hear from you. Send Let us build one for you.
photos of your farm, your garden, and
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to Dear MOTHER, 1503 SW 42nd St., ElmiraStoveWorks.com
Topeka, KS 66609. Please send your 1-800-295-8498
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KAREN MOLENAAR TERRELL; JACKIE TOUW; CRAIG SCHRIEVER; JACKIE TOUW

FROM TOP LEFT:
CLOCKWISE
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RA

Use Leaf Litter

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Look to Mother Nature ISSUE EDITORS

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Leaf Blowers Tillers Three Point

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ORIGIN PLANT SPACING FROST HARDY MINIMUM SUN

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GROW HISTORY IN YOUR GARDEN!

because I’d moved from the shade to

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A Course Set in Motion

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