Mother Earth News and Friends

Latest Episodes:

Audio Article: Seek Out Small Farms Mar 28, 2023

Show notes

Story by Dana Benner, read by John Moore.

Shop sustainably with local farms and discover the lively place they occupy within the community. From the September/October 2022 issue of Grit magazine.

For more great articles on livestock and land management, large and small farming, and even bees, go to the Grit website.

If you're interested in workshops about everything from cheesemaking to soil health to building around your property, you can take our online classes and attend the MOTHER EARTH NEWS Fairs.

Grit's sister publications are MOTHER EARTH NEWS, Backyard Poultry and Backyard Beekeeping.

Audio Article: Saving Biennial Seeds Mar 25, 2023

Show notes

Story by Wren Everett, read by John Moore. Keeping cabbage, collards, and carrots in the garden for their second year of growth will gift you with more seeds than you need for the next growing season. From the September/October 2022 issue of Grit magazine.

For more great articles on livestock and land management, large and small farming, and even bees, go to the Grit website.

If you're interested in workshops about everything from cheesemaking to soil health to building around your property, you can take our online classes and attend the MOTHER EARTH NEWS Fairs.

Grit's sister publications are MOTHER EARTH NEWS, Backyard Poultry and Backyard Beekeeping.

Ep. 180 Dragonflies on Your Property Mar 23, 2023

Show notes

For 300 million years, dragonflies have been a part of our world. What makes these insects so important, and why do we want to encourage them to be a part of our property? In this episode, Kenny Coogan chats with Virginia Overstreet to understand more about these remarkable flying hunters.

To see more podcasts, visit our Mother Earth News and Friends page. Check out the MOTHER EARTH NEWS Bookstore for more resources to help you achieve your health and farming goals. Go to the MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIR page for webinar and courses on everything from gardening to livestock management.

Audio Article: Host a Successful Farm Workshop Mar 21, 2023

Show notes

On-farm classes can supplement your income without the need to peddle a product. Learn how to host a full day of in-person learning that'll leave participants happy and well-educated. From the October/November 2022 issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS magazine.

For more great articles on livestock and land management, large and small farming, and even bees, go to the MOTHER EARTH NEWS website.

If you're interested in workshops about everything from cheesemaking to soil health to building around your property, you can take our online classes and attend the Mother Earth News Fairs. MOTHEREARTH NEWS's sister publications are Grit, Backyard Poultry and Backyard Beekeeping.

Audio Article: Dickering, The High Art of Going Low Mar 18, 2023

Show notes

Story by Cary Rideout, read by Jessica Mitchell.

Build camaraderie while standing your ground to get the best bargain in a country negotiation. This story comes from the March/April 2023 issue of Grit magazine.

For more great articles on livestock and land management, large and small farming, and even bees, go to the Grit website.

If you're interested in workshops about everything from cheesemaking to soil health to building around your property, you can take our online classes and attend the MOTHER EARTH NEWS Fairs.

Grit's sister publications are MOTHER EARTH NEWS, Backyard Poultry, and Backyard Beekeeping.

Audio Article: Prevent Compost Toxicity in Dogs Mar 16, 2023

Show notes

Story by Amelia Eigerman, read by John Moore

Keep your home Earth-friendly and dog-safe by guarding your compost bin against curious pups. From the February/March 2023 issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS magazine.

For more great articles on livestock and land management, large and small farming, and even bees, go to the MOTHER EARTH NEWS website.

If you're interested in workshops about everything from cheesemaking to soil health to building around your property, you can take our online classes and attend the MOTHER EARTH NEWS Fairs. MOTHER EARTH NEWS's sister publications are Grit, Backyard Poultry, and Backyard Beekeeping.

Ep. 179 How to Make Biogas at Home with a Biogas Digester Mar 11, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever heard of biodigesters? Whether you're familiar with this system or not, you're in the right place to learn more about them. In this episode, Kenny Coogan chats with Dr. T.H. Culhane all about these "domestic dragons."

Photo credit: T.H. and Enas Culhane

Audio Article: Breeding Ratios for Chickens and Ducks Mar 07, 2023

Show notes

Story by Doug Ottinger, read by Jessica Mitchell.

Find out how many males you need in your flock for fertile eggs.

For more great articles on livestock and land management, large and small farming, and even bees, go to the Grit website.

If you're interested in workshops about everything from cheesemaking to soil health to building around your property, you can take our online classes and attend the MOTHER EARTH NEWS Fairs.

Grit's sister publications are MOTHER EARTH NEWS, Backyard Poultry, and Backyard Beekeeping.

Ep. 178 How to Incubate Eggs of Mixed Birds Together Mar 03, 2023

Show notes

Ducks and geese, chickens and turkeys… what do these two pairings have in common? You can incubate them together. In this episode, we're learning about how you can successfully incubate mixed species of birds together, and why you'd want to. Join Editor Jessica Mitchell on two interviews with some great poultry keepers: Rebecca Krebs and Patrice Lewis.

Since we have two different poultry keepers on the podcast this episode, they're both coming with their own expertise and perspectives, so there may be some practices they do slightly differently based on their experiences. We encourage listeners to determine the right poultry-keeping practices for their own situations.

Ep. 177 Navigate New Antibiotics Guidelines with Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship Feb 23, 2023

Show notes

One June 11, 2023, over-the-counter sales of specific medically important livestock antibiotics in the United States will end. What does that mean for livestock and companion animal owners, and what will be important to know moving forward into this year? In this episode, podcast team member Kenny Coogan talks with three doctors to help break down the change and how to establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship.