Simple Bread is highly nutritious, good tasting, inexpensive and easy to prepare. Try this simple bread recipe using whole wheat flour, soy flour and brewer's yeast.

Instructions for making a warm body sack.

TULLAHOMA '79 January/February 1980 As most of you already know, MOTHER's alcohol fuel research has by no means been limited to our Henderson-ville, North Carolina home base. Nor, for that matter, has our work been confined to converting earthbound forms of transportation to run on ethanol . . . see our stor

Selecting scenes familiar to your child and making a quilt incorporating those scenes.

LEARN G-JO: ACUPUNCTURE WITHOUT NEEDLES January/February 1980 Relieve your aches and pains without the use of often harmful drugs... by MICHAEL BLATE Health care can often be a problem for folks who want to move toward a more natural, stress-free, and independen

Daniel Rinker built an earth-sheltered home in northern Michigan. The roof is covered with soil and landscaped. Winter heating and summer cooling figures are discussed.

Nancy and Phil Zito biked from Tijuana to Matamoros on $5.00 per day. They camped along the way. Spare parts for the bicycle, clothing, food, and other pertinent bits of information are discussed.

Mother's editors compiled a list of 25 ways to conserve fuel when traveling.

Equipment needs and how to do it.

Roberta Cramer, using the versatile toy wagon for hauling stuff; Lee Hoinacki, put chicken wire under a '«stuck in the snow' car wheel; Tom Wood, pack folds of a heavy chain under a '«stuck in the snow' car wheel. Michael Brisson, use thumb and forefinger to peel garlic to avoid the strong smell; Julia Todd Forbes, making durable authentic eggs to entice a nonproductive hen into business; E.C.Church, dropping a flaming newspaper into the outhouse hole for warmth; Diane Varner, using a rope to cut through and remove snow from the roof; Casey Murphree, mixing salt, water and wood ash to make a firebox hole filler; Donna Victoria DuMouchel, homemade bed warmer using a plastic milk jug; Sue Brown, cooking bread on cast iron skillet; Darell and Cindy Cornatzer, blowing a lamp out with a tube connected between their bed and the bureau; Bob Paris, using glass to skin down a large handle; Richard Weldner, pulling down visors in car to trap heat and remove the window fog; Steve Smith, save embers in the winter for summer barbecue.

We now have plans for sale.

Hauling wood by attaching rope to a singletree that is held by a person's hands.

This knot was used on rigid airships for bending lines together or on mooring lines.

Picking a stove; installation, chimney connection; checking the chimney, maintenance, chimney fires.

Gordon an Dianne Tillotson live in Oklahoma and discovered through the County Agricultural Extension Service the Oklahoma Grape Growers Association. Grape varieties; pruning; taking cuttings; setting up the vineyard.

Baking soda and table salt are useful for hygienic purposes and dental first aid.

Using the compost pile heat for cooking applications.

Raising rabbits for meat production requires minimal space. Recognizing your market; building a proper house; choosing healthy animals; feeding; keeping records.

Greg lives less than two miles from San Francisco and started his beekeeping with wild swarming bees that he captured.

Making an ethanol alcohol preheater takes about an hour to make and install. Mother's six-inch-column still produces eight gallons of alcohol fuel per hour at minimal cost.

Susan Shutt used silk-screening to make an attractive color flyer. The complete process is discussed.

Learn how biodynamic gardening (or permaculture, or French Intensive gardening) can help you harvest the highest possible yield in the smallest possible space.

CLEAN FUEL FOR YOUR WASTE-OIL HEATER January/February 1980 In response to a number of letters asking for advice, here's how to Well. cold weather has settled in again, and you can bet your bottom dollar that quite a few folks are scratching for an effective

Israel; Soviet wild plants; China's food.

Refined sugar and flour can have destructive effects on our bodies. She wrote a book '«Feasting Naturally' that provides healthy and tasty recipes. A recipe for the Salmon Fruit Salad is provided.

This savory herb enhances many meat dishes and is a welcome addition to any herb garden.

MOTHER's ICE FISHING TIPS January/February 1980 IS THE ICE NICE? Before you venture out onto a wintry lake or pond, make certain that the water's frozen surface is thick enough to hold you! Six inches of solid (Pot slushy, or so rotten that its, brittle) ice is considered the minimum thickness to support an

Building a firewood holder and carrier.

Greens are an easy vegetable crop. She discusses growing them, harvesting and preparing them. India mustard; tendergreen; spinach; New Zealand Spinach; turnip and beet tops; Swiss chard; collards; Kale; bok choy.

Repairing leaky pipes with fiberglass.

Constructing a suisse sled for hauling items around the farm.

Harvesting fish from a tank that is an efficient solar collector and using the nutrient-rich waste water to irrigate your garden. Dr. John Todd and Dr William McLarney set out to pursue an entire family of these symbiotic relationships. Joe Seale, Ron Zwieg, Al Doolittle, Hilde Atema Maingay, are involved with these projects.

Rammed earth construction is good for passive solar applications. Ralph Paddy of South Dakota State College has conducted research on rammed earth methods. J. Palmer Boggs and the Millers built their first home in 1949. The technique is discussed in detail.

Remove the washers when cold weather sets in.

Winter time ailments can be prevented with vitamins.

Swiss farmer Manfred Steiner runs his entire farm on methane (biogas)from his cattle.

They searched for inexpensive land in eastern Oregon for a homestead.

Veterinary bills can be high for the homesteader. Determining which veterinarian to use; preparing the animal before the vet arrives; avoiding veterinarians; building up the medicine chest.

After developing the 75-MPG hybrid electric car, David Arthurs is back with a VW transporter bus.

Building a router/shaper table.

TREAT YOUR OWN WATER January/February 1980 PART ONE, THE DISTILLER The use of chlorine disinfectant in water treatment plants has—since the turn of the century-guaranteed that most Americans who are served by municipal water supplies don't have to worry about taking in disease-causing bacteria when they drink a

A recipe for brancakes.

Instructions for building a '«goat grabber.'

THE WIERD HUMOR OF JACK VAUGHAN January/February 1980 Since all snakes with good sense are busy hibernating, I can slander them without fear of the usual venomous. sorry . . . a cheap shot.

Aside from personal hygiene, water opens our pores, tones our skin and increases our circulation. Using herbs in the bath.

Making do with a potter's wheel to spin wool. Samoyed dog hair can also make good spinning '«wool.'

Larry Gates spends 200 days a year on '«vacation' hauling people around. Learning to compete with service and getting started.

A report on the U.N. Conference of Science and Technology for Development (UNCSTD). Sharing technology with poor nations.

A nonelectric version of the modern Crock-Pot. Instructions for building the box and preparing food items including cooked cereals, pot roasts, vegetable beef stew, boiled dinners and baked beans.

Bits and Pieces January/February 1980 By the MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors DESERT FARMERS, PLEASE NOTE: If you grow crops in the low desert of Arizona, New Mexico, or southern California—using wholistic or dryland methods, innovative irrigation or cropping techniques, or drought-hardy plants—your kno

A Plowboy Interview with Herman E. Daly who is rapidly becoming known as one of the leaders of a movement to aim our society toward a long-term, sustainable, steady-state view of the earth and its needs.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK January/February 1980 It was one of those typically outrageous (and, as he would say, ree -dickle) situations that Walt Kelly used to whip up so effortlessly and so often back in his 1950's and 60's Pogo comic strip. Albert the Alligator (as usual, all sly innocence and blustery awkwardness)

This is a home that helps to support its residents while they support it. Food production, organic-waste management and resource conservation are all easier, less time-consuming and more attractive than in a traditional home.

Art Mourad enabled the NDR Newsletter to continue. Actively working to eliminate the nuclear insanity. Ham/computer network proposed by Art Mourad, Frank Fisher and Dennis McCracken.

An interview with Helen and Scott Nearing. Removing stumps in garden space; the need and use of pets; herbal remedies; household cleaners; apprenticing with the Nearings is no longer an option.

Walter S. Tay, fighting for honesty and integrity of labeling, name and heritage; Glenmore Distilleries, campaign to save the Yellowstone river; Paul Winter, Winter Consort; Steve Martin; Lola Redford; Sally Struthers; Fred Richmond.

While I was out in the barnyard putting a patch on the shed the other day, our heifer Blitz came nosing around . . . and I was reminded of her origins.

 Here's a simple-to-build device that will enable you to construct all the heatcatching fins you'll need for most any homemade solar water heater ... out of free-for-the-gathering tin soda or soup cans!

ENERGY FLASHES January/February 1980 A SHORT HALF-LIFE MEMORY: Alvin M. Weinberg, one of the pioneers of atomic power, wrote recently: To sequester [radioactive] wastes for 1,000 years simply does not strike me as being beyond reason. Yet when the Beatty, Nevada atomic dumping ground was closed

FOUR ARGUMENTS FOR THE ELIMINATION OF TELEVISION January/February 1980 From Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television by Jerry Mander, copyright© 1977 by the author. Reprinted with the permission of William Morrow and Company, Inc. Available in paperback for $4.95 from any good bookstore or for $4.95

Anna Gyorgy, established the Franklin County Alternative Energy Coalition; Floyd Horst, homemade fuel alcohol in Pennsylvania; Keith and Vicki Lambert, built a recycled material house; Albert Hash, maker of violins; Frederick Eshoo; Matthew Rue; Sean McGuire.

MEDICAL SELF-CARE January/February 1980 In 1976, Tom Ferguson-then a fourth-year medical student at Yale-launched a magazine called Medical Self-Care... which-he hoped-would serve as a Whole Earth Catalog of the best medical books, tools, and resources. Tom spoke of h

ECOSCIENCE January/February 1980 by Ann and Paul Ehrlich Paul Ehrlich (Bing Professor of Population Studies and Professor of Biological Sciences, Stanford University) and Anne Ehrlich (Senior Research Associate, Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford) are

A. Rosan, created a monthly newsletter '«Honeysuckle' containing recipes and other household hints; Sally Young, Handspinning and knitting; Tom Mesi, collecting and reselling junk; W.R.E., odd welding jobs on the road; P.S. digging and selling trees.

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance in Washington D.C. is helping citizens save on home energy costs.

HOMEGROWN MUSIC and MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS January/February 1980 Marc Bristol and other Washington State grassroots musicians wail away on a gutbucket, washboard, and jug (the axe is a gag). For Marc's original homegrown music Column—which featured gutbucket, washboard, jug, kazoo, musical

Playing the musical saw.

Down on the Farm January/February 1980 by L.Bruce Holman

MR.DIGWELL January/February 1980

The Last Laugh January/February 1980 Anybody can win . . . unless there happens to be a second entry.George Ade There may come a time when the lion and the lamb lie down together, but I'm betting on the lion. Josh Billings Well sir, what with the out-of-doors bein' so col

Comments on vegetables tested by Brent in Betsy Layne, Kentucky. Tomatoes, peas, potatoes, lettuce kohlrabi, cabbage, broccoli, cucumbers, sweet corn, peppers, beans, carrots were all tested.

Making a simple toy carved out of a shingle of wood.

Using old neckties that have gone out of fashion and transforming them into quilts, pillows, rugs, place mats, wall hangings, etc.

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is an easy to grow herb that makes a tasty herb tea and has medicinal uses as well. Planting, harvesting and marketing are discussed.

A lot of people attended MOTHER's Summer of 1979 seminars held at our ever improving Ecological Research Center . . . and a good number of those visitors were bighearted enough to chip in on a very unusual building project, a project that just sort of happened to happen!

This cultural outlet is sometimes the missing spice that can add zest to country living. The stages of the country theater development are discussed.

Hearty Hardtack (With Variations on the Theme!) March/April 1980Gail E. Johnson passes along hertime-tested recipes for... A childhood ration of seafaring tales many of whichdescribed long voyages endured on a diet of hardtack-left me withambivalent feelings about the long-time staple food. It was apleasant sur

Many artists, though they might be very skillful, find it tough to sell even a few of their paintings — and such folks probably come to feel that actually making a living with paintbrushes is about as likely as striking oil in their back yards. Portraitist Gary Nelson explains how you can make money painting house portraits.

Various tomato characteristics are discussed including determinate and indeterminate growth habit. Characteristics including slicing tomatoes, main croppers, beefsteak, ketchup are mentioned. Growing from seed and source information is provided.

RCA (Radio Corporation of America) made a breakthrough in photovoltaic technology making sun produced electricity less expensive.

Fishing from a pier is less costly than fishing from a boat and is an enjoyable form of recreation.

How to grow potatoes in a barrel for simple harvesting

State of the Art Alcohol Production Lance Crombie was responsible for planting the seed of the recent alcohol production movement. The various steps including getting a federal permit to produce alcohol as well as future work are mentioned. March/April 1980 By the MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors In respo

Using readily available calcium carbide to make acetylene as a fuel for a car engine.

The people challenged the Power Authority of the State of New York (PASNY) unsuccessfully. This battle however, will benefit future powerline vs. the public conflicts.

The Irish Dexter is a small breed of cattle that requires little grazing land, gives a fine yield of beef and milk and is docile.

Joe and Amy Taylor opened up their land to campers 16 years ago. Headaches involved with a campground; recreation attractions; publicity, maintenance, local ordinances.

Mother's Tours That Teach Sara Pacher' Russian remembrances and the People's Republic of China. March/April 1980 By the MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors New Knowledge, friendship, and adventures are all yours when you . . . About the time this magazine was mailed to you, a number of MOTHER's readers retu

Making a planter for vegetables or flowers out of an old battered skiff.

MOTHER's $20 WOOD LATHE March/April 1980 Any aspiring woodworker who has unhappily eyed the monotonously round or square legs on his or her homebuilt furniture has — at one time or another — wanted to own a wood-turning tool. The trouble is, a lathe hardly rates first priority on the purchasing list for a growin

The National Association for Gardening can provide information for setting up a community garden for those that do not have a lack of growing space.

How to construct a vat for divine madness.

Using onion skin dyes and foliage images to create attractive Easter egg designs.

SOYBEANS: GROW 'EM AND FREEZE 'EM March/April 1980 Lois Pritzlaff tells us how she raises all the protein her family needs . . . in her garden! We don't have cows, goats, chickens, or any other livestock ... but we do raise protein! Our crop of the valuable nu

A French gardener points the way toward ecologicaly benefecial energy.

Identifying and collecting morel mushrooms.

Using readily available glass bottles, a bottle cutter and a kiln to make glass wind chimes.

MOTHER's HERB GARDEN: BORAGE March/April 1980 Lately, more and more people have begun to understand just how limited — in both variety and nutritional value — our modern diets hove become. This realization has sparked a new and widespread interest in the culinary and therapeutic uses of herbs . . . those plants wh

Catch The Wind March/April 1980Last year (In MOTHER N0. 56), Margaret Greger presented herplans for MOTHER's Recycled Kite. Well, those of March windsare blowin' again, and Meg has provided us with two moresureto-fly designs . . . which were suggested to her by GaryHinze of San Jose, California. The cobra kite

Making a storage rack for blankets.

Traveling across Italy, France and Austria foraging for wild food items. They relies on a book '«Flowers of the Mediterranean' by Anthony Huxley and Oleg Polunin. Dandelion; plantago; zillertal plantain; scorzonera aristata; zieger; chenopodium bonus-henricus; rumex alpinum; wild huckleberries; bog cranberry; lamb's quarters; wild blackberries.

Ralph Bowden converted his car into a pickup; with information on finding a suitable vehicle for conversion to a pickup.

Using twisted gnarly sticks to build an effective livestock-containing fence.

Wolf Hibertz originated the concept of making a wire mesh design as a cathode. Adding an electrical current allows minerals to grow on the surface.

MAKE A 100-POWER MICROSCOPE FOR $25 [OR LESS] March/April 1980by STEVE DICKERSONThe wing of a fly looks like something from a monster movie . . . while pieces of hair suddenly appear to be as big as pencils! A child's first peek through a microscope can be the beginning of a lifelong fascination with a world

Roger Sherman and Laurence Doxsey bought a house in disrepair and restored it to into an efficient solar house. They used thermopane windows, Kalwall Sunlite Tubes, etc.

COLOSOL's EARTH-SHELTERED Barry Goldbert sent in a tip about the house that Michael Wiggins built. Solar and earth sheltered aspects of this house make it very energy efficient. March/April 1980 Passive solar and underground housing get together in Dillon, Colorado. ENERGY SAVER A

Stephen Askin's group of self-professed peace loving hippies settled down on a community farm of 1750 acres. There are 1200 members that are part of the farm. Aspects include spirituality, collectivity, poverty, sun power, PLENTY, and spreading the word.

What You Should Know About Drugs Part I March/April 1980In 1976, Tom Ferguson — then a fourth-year medicalstudent at Yale — launched a magazine called MedicalSelf-Care . . . which — he hoped — would serve as aWhole Earth Catalog of the best medical books, tools, andresources.Tom spoke of his plans for the publ

The Lessons of Three Mile Island March/April 1980Paul Ehrlich (Bing Professor of Population Studies andProfessor of Biological Sciences, Stanford University) and AnneEhrlich (Senior Research Associate, Department of BiologicalSciences, Stanford) are familiar names to ecologists andenvironmentalists everywhere. A

Home grown music... and musical instruments March/April 1980 Even homesteaders need to relax and enjoy themselves from time to time, right? And almost everybody these days wants to cut his or her cost of living. So how about a little do-it-yourself entertainment!

TREAT YOUR OWN WATER: PART TWO. THE FILTERS March/April 1980 Your drinking supply — whether it comes from the city or your own well — may contain chemicals which make it unfit for human consumption, unless you... Our evaluation of water treatment device

They looked into the Prospecting Assistance Program through the Canadian government that pays individuals to search the bush country for mineral deposits. They were in the rugged Yukon wilderness.

The South Carolina Department of Mental Health installed a solar collection system at the Earle E. Morris, Jr. Alcohol and Drug Addiction Center in Columbia, South Carolina. The green house is used in its occupational therapy program.

Using dried gourds to attract birds.

IN PRAISE OF THE GRUBBER March/April 1980—BRAXTON EIKENBERRY—A grubber is a very useful — and seemingly forgotten — farmstead implement . . . with a double-ended head that's shaped like a pick on one tip and looks like an elongated adze on the other.I've used my grub hoe to dig rows for planting seeds

Comtek '79 March/April 1980 MOTHER's own Copthorne Macdonald recently returned from an extended European trip. During his travels, he attended the U.N. Conference of Science and Technology for Development (UNCSTD) in Vienna . . . the Non-Governmental Organizations Forum

Register now for Mother's 1980 Seminar Program March/April 1980 By the MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors With the prices of goods of every description skyrocketing, the value of gold fluctuating giddily (at the time of this writing) from well above to far below the $800 mark, and both the cost and availabili

Wind-produced power, solar collectors, homemade to March/April 1980When John Lorenzen retired from farming a few years ago, hedidn't indulge himself in the usual rewards associated withreaching a ripe old age. Instead of moving from Iowa to sunnyFlorida — or spending days full of idle hours dangling afishing

Using pungent herbs to repel insects. Pyrethrum; garlic; feverfew; marigolds; pennyroyal; tansy. Distilling herbal oils is discussed.

Homemade yogurt has wonderful flavor and texture, and is inexpensive and easy to make. Plus, yogurt nutrition is well established: It's good for you! So let's learn how to make yogurt, including troubleshooting tips.

For less than $10, you can have hot water just about anywhere. Learn how to make a simple, inexpensive and portable solar water heater.

Bits and Pieces March/April 1980 DANGEROUS DOCTORS? Dr. Robert Mendelsohn, a professor of preventive medicine at the University of Illinois, contends that we'd be better off if 95% of the doctoring (not just surgery) in this country were to stop! Furthermore, he supports his claim with statistics which show that the

A Plowboy Interview with John Jeavons who talks about the possibility of self sufficiency on 2,800 square feet or less.

economic outlook March/April 1980 ONE WISE ELDER OF THE TRIBE IS WORTH AT LEAST TWENTY MILLION SLICK BUFFOONS I walked right through the door, Not knowing any more . . . Than I was ready for. Jessie Coulter There is a slightly grizzled and very wise 67-year-old man by the name of C.V. Myers that you should know about

Putting together a ham radio without spending a fortune.

Bob Whitlock, handling a barbed wire spool; John and Hope McKinley, stringing out barbed wire; Jim Thorgeson, using carbonated soda pop as a mouse poison; Don Davis, relieving ingrown toe nail pain; Thomas Butler, leveling chair legs in a pan of water; William Tilley, making buttons out of penneys; Paul and Mary Tretiak, using a glove to blacken a stove; Kathy Hartley, taking care of a horses hoof with motor oil and bleach; Susan Feldhake, nursing a sickly lamb; Allene Hoffman, putting perfume on lambs so that both can nurse; John B. Roemer, moisen cloth with vinegar to protect cheese; John Ufer and Linda Raines, use vinegar to freshen up a room; Debra Powers, use vinegar to clean windows; Lorrie Bartolini, use vinegar instead of bleach for clothes washing; Pat Goodman, remove rust from car parts; M.H. Bryant, easing the pain of bug bites with vinegar.

This is an interview with Helen and Scott Nearing. Hair soap; sewing out of necessity; wood stove preferences; fasting; coping with adversity; metal roofing.

Norman cousins, book '«Anatomy of an Illness.'; Steven D. Jellinek, '«biorational' methods are used as part of integrated pest management; Karl Hess, in his book '«Community Technology' he describes an experiment in self sufficiency; Bill Alexander; Bill Shurcliff; Senator Gary Hart; Garrett Hardin; and Stevie Wonder.

R.G. in Arkansas, trading firewood for aerial photographic services; J.E. in New York, trading city staples for rural items; G.J. in Volos, Greece, trading vegetable seeds for vegetables and paintings for sheep dung; F.L. in Michigan, factory clothing garment fee is eliminated; T.J.M. in California, trading house chores for goods; P.K. in Missouri, trading physicians services for car repair services.

Control the amount of hot air that enters your house with this ingenious collector control.

ENERGY FLASHES March/April 1980 STRANGE ENERGIES: Using electrodes attached to various surfaces of the human body, UCLA's Dr. Valerie Hunt has recorded spurts of radiation that are beyond the frequencies known to medical science. At the same time, aura reader Rosalyn Bruyere—who was isolated from the equipment boot

Four Arguments For The Elimination Of Television March/April 1980 by Jerry Mander What's the matter with our modern, technologically based society anyway? Why isn't it more satisfying? Why do so many of us now feel that some vague something hounds us and diminishes us and makes us into something less than we should

Verlin Jones, builds inexpensive long lasting cabins; Joseph Maroney, recycling all of his '«garbage'; Max Miller, blowing glass; Beverly E. Coleman, New Age Community Health Education Services (NACHES); Art Boyt; Charles Clark; Jeremy F. Criss; Dr. Mostafa K. Hamdy and M.T. Nunn; Franklin Heese and Marv Norlund.

Lorri Ides, dressing out pheasants and making items from the feathers; Lance Ollenberger, selling sun burned art; Ed Hayden Jr, cutting glass to make containers from the pieces; Louise Drouin, sewing; Phil Smith, making enfleurage and cattail incense.

The community in Altoona Pennsylvania converts much of its organic waste into compost.

THE SEASONS OF THE GARDEN March/April 1980It's early spring . . . and while some parts of the countrystill sleep under a blanket of snow, elsewhere the snowdrops anddaffodils make their welcome appearance, and the sunshine-yellowforsythia brightens wet fternoons. Days lengthen, the airmellows, and green shoots

Mr.DIGWELL March/April 1980The cartoon feature below, Mr. Digwell — as you may ormay not know — was originally created for readers of theLondon Daily Mirror .. . which explains why its adviceis often couched in peculiarly British terms. Despite theoccasionally strange language, however, we think you'll find Mr.

the weird humor of jack vaughan March/April 1980

Down on the Farm March/April 1980 L. Bruce Holman © 1979

The Last Laugh March/April 1980 Now is the time when men work quietly in the fields and women weep silently in the kitchen. The legislature is in session, and no man's property is safe . Daniel Webster Well sir, early spring ain't never a partic'larly arid season in Barren County, but the past few weeks has been r

Prepare the soil in your raised bed in one-sixth the time using a U-bar, also known as a broadfork.

Using newspaper and a layer of mulch to eliminate weeds (quack grass).

Planning is the key to a successful backpacking outing.

Developing a catering business and delivering it on his bicycles. A recipe is provided for West-African style peanut chicken.

Dr. Geoffrey Stanford of the Greenhills Experimental Station developed a natural system to keep a house 20 degrees cooler. Train vines on a frame over your roof to absorb the heat of the sun.

Reproducing Jean Pain's technique for producing hot water from a compost pile.

THE AMAZING, MISUNDERSTOOD WHITE AMUR May/June 1980 Is there a herbicide conspiracy against this tasty, weed-eating fish? Until nine years ago, Bill and Harry Whiting ran an expensive, exclusive fish camp in northern Canada . . . one of the few regio

Building a solar collector with an extruded synthetic rubber heat absorber developed by Bio-Energy.

MOTHER's ALCOHOL ROAD SHOW May/June 1980 Here's the latest word on our traveling ethanol fuel seminars. MOTHER's ALCOHOL ROAD SHOW Last summer, the big news buzzing all around MOTHER's Hendersonville, North Carolina offices was the series of hands-o

Small California farms compete with large commercial growers by forming farm Trails, which is a map distributed to the public showing how to get to their farms. Selling directly to the community reduces overhead increasing their profits.

Use spare and salvaged parts to become independent of fossil fuels by building a steam-powered truck.

BARTER FAIR BOUNTY May/June 1980 Mary Preus Hamilton tells us about a festival that frows on money! The Third Annual Northeast Washington Barter Fair, the leaflet noted, will provide a way for us to sell or trade the products we've grown or made . . . witho

Disenchanted with her job she decided to become self employed. She developed a saw sharpening business.

Our lives depend on topsoil. When the tree are removed, sun, wind and rain contribute to the loss of soil.

Israel, Jerusalem, Solar tour of Europe, Alcohol tour in Brazil, past trip to U.S.S.R.

TREAT YOUR OWN WATER: LESSER-KNOWN METHODS May/June 1980 Your drinking supply—whether it comes from the city or your own well—may contain chemicals which make it unfit for human consumption, unless you . . . In MOTHER NOS. 61 and 62, we reviewed two different

She covered the top of the chicken pen with fishing line to keep hawks from eating the young chickens.

Making homemade flagstones with concrete and chicken wire.

How to construct, stock and manage a pond. He discusses leaking ponds, spillways, and standpipes.

Ken Winan makes floor mats from recycled tire rubber.

Using Mother's Amazing Fin Press, you can build a solar collector to make a dent in the hot water needs.

Raising meat for yourself and selling the rest. Markets are discussed; building a shed; picking and purchasing animals; feed; and disease prevention.

Nancy and Carlson have set out to prove the adage that you're . . . NEVER TOO OLD TO CHANGE.

Their boat, Choice, was built by Stan Clark. The ferro-cement sailboat was purchased to live inexpensively, work on their freelance writing and to do some commercial fishing.

COOKIN' WITH GAS May/June 1980 For backyard cookout convenience—and Insurance against power outages that could leave your kitchen inoperative—here's an inexpensive way to start . . . COOKIN' WITH GAS Just about everybody loves a cookout, but broil

Letter from Marie Lehman in regards to tenth anniversary of MOTHER EARTH NEWS.

Create your own baskets from easy to collect raw materials including branches, vines, and palm leaves.

MOTHER's HERB GARDEN, CALENDULA May/June 1980 Janis Leach Franco Lately, more and more people have begun to understand just how limited—in both variety and nutritional value—our modern diets have become. This realization has sparked o new and wides

A HOME CANNER's TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE May/June 1980 (Reprinted with permission from the Ball Blue Book (30th Edition), copyright © 1979 by Bail Corporation. The Ball Blue Book is available for $2.50 postpaid from Ball Corporation, Consumer Affairs Department ME, Muncie, Indi

Building a butler's tray table.

SAVIN' BY SHAVIN'' May/June 1980 Breaking the handle off a brand-new tool—especially if the piece of equipment is one you just shelled out hard-earned cash for—can be an irritating experience. Sadly enough, the old plaint, They just don't make 'em like they useta, applies to wooden products at least as well as

Discussed are a primitive charcoal filter, evaporative cooler, solard dryer for vegetables and a groundnut sheller.

Building a spinner and a wooden top.

Buying live bait can be expensive. Fiddle the worms out of the ground by dragging a dull saw across a wood stump.

Growing antique varieties of apples for a variety tastes not available at the supermarket. Planting, pruning and sources are discussed.

Terry Mehrkam's company, Mehrkam Energy Development Company, designs and markets state of the art windpower systems. Excellent and dependable results came from a 6 bladed turbine.

Building a remote sensing water level monitor called the Water Watcher.

VOLUNTEERS: A GARDEN BONUS May/June 1980Sandra Dark finds that gratuitous garden crops can be real winnersLast year I harvested over 100 pounds of watermelons, three large delicious cantaloupes, and several meals' worth of summer squash ... all from volunteer plants. Better still, with a little enco

HEATING AND COOLING WITH THE SUN! May/June 1980 Jim Harmon's passive solar house provides year-round comfort . . . in a harsh desert climate!

ECOSCIENCE: The Greeks and Romans Did It, Too! May/June 1980 ECOSCIENCE: The Greeks and Romans Did It, Too! By ANNE AND PAUL EHRLICH Paul Ehrlich (Bing Professor of Population Studies and Professor of Biological Sciences, Stanford University) and Anne Ehr

HOMEGROWN MUSIC . . . AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS! May/June 1980 by MARC BRISTOL Evenhomesteaders need to relax and enjoy themselves from time to time, right?And almost everybody these days wants to cut his or her cost of living.So how about a little do-it-yoursel

Make a barbeque pit by digging a hole and filing it with a bed of coals.

CRABS: HOW TO BAG THEM, COOK THEM, AND EAT THEM May/June 1980 You can forage up some free and tasty meals, using Paul Fleisher's primer on . . . The Atlantic coast of the United States—from Cape Cod south to Florida—is graced with one of the world's most delici

TUNE IN TO THE SUN! May/June 1980 The World's first solar-powered radio station is on the air! EDWARD MORRIS Bryan, Ohio—located in the flat, northwestern corner of the Buckeye State, 50 miles west of Toledo—is nobody's idea of Sun City.

Turning an inner tube into a water transportation devise to save wear on one's arm.

Cartoon,Mr.Digwell May/June 1980 See Image Gallery for Cartoon!

David Arthurs' latest internal combustion/electric vehicle includes some improvements over the original design.

The weird Humor of lack vaughan May/June 1980

There are no collectors and storage tanks with this system. A pond is filled with a dense saline solution. Due to the density of the solution on the bottom of the pond there is a resistance to the convection process which would cause mixing. The result is a very hot layer of water on the bottom which is pumped through a heat exchanger. This was developed by Ormat Turbines.

MAKE YOUR OWN PECTIN May/June 1980 MAKE YOUR OWN PECTIN by JEANNINE ANSLEY There's just nothing quite like homemade jam. Whether you spread it on toast, serve it with steamin' hot pancakes, or just—as I've been known to do—eat it right off the spoon when

BIRCHERMUESLI! May/June 1980 Looking for a versatile, healthful, scrumptions homemade cereal? Try . . . by BARBARA JOHNSON What nutritious raw food cereal can be eaten as a tasty morning breakfast, an energizing on—trail snack, or—with the addi

WILD GREENS May/June 1980 There's a world of tasty, free-for-the-picking leaf vegetables to be found in fields, in vacant lots, alongside streams . . . and even shooting up among your own garden crops! by MELINDA ALLAN Back in MOTHER NO. 61 (se

A benign method of harnessing the sun's power called OTEC or Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion , is a hundred year old idea. Electricity is generated using a Rankine (condensation/vaporization) cycle.

Ceviche is a fish from the Caribbean coast of Mexico. Recipes are provided.

BITS AND PIECES May/June 1980 SHADES OF DR. STRANGELOVE: When an interviewer asked Republican candidate George Bush how he thought a nuclear exchange could be won, he replied: You have a survivability of command in control, survivability of industrial potential, protection

A Plowboy Interview with Robert Cooper who believes that television, as a people's medium, could be a source of positive good in the human community.

Economic outlook May/June 1980 . . . THAT EVEN THE BLIND MAY SEE POGO: The future ain't what it used to be. JULIAN M. SNYDER, International Money line , 25 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004, 24 issues a year/$213: If there is anything certain

Obtaining a ham radio license

Rhonda Ingham, controlling bees by banging on a kitchen pot; Francis Kosheleff, moved the hen house light fixture to the floor to attract insects for the hens to eat; Edie Butters, protecting seedlings with canning jars; Lance Eastman, licking the eye to get grit out; Marge Parkhill, leaving bacon in the expectant rabbits (doe) cage to provide a source of protein, preventing consumption of newborn bunnies; Franklin R. Ecker, waxed nail penetrates wood easier, Bruce Green, bend a protruding nail first before pounding it into the board; J.D. Libbey, pulling out a headless nail; Erma Laux, heat a nail before driving it into plaster to prevent cracking; A.J.White, pre-drilling a nail hole using a headless nail; Wally and Maggie Drew, blunt the nail to prevent splitting of wood; Donna Hiemstra, dandelion picker; Diana Cohen, controlling garden slugs with rings of various substances; William Sexauer, planting pumpkins with corn to save garden space.

This is an interview with Helen and Scott Nearing. Homesteading leaves times for social and political activities; it isn't recommended to homestead alone; when to eat peels on fruits; No-Diggers Association, mulching the garden; traveling and vacationing.

Congressman James Leach, Civil Service Reform Act of 1978; Melvin Calvin, hydrocarbin producing plant copaifera langsdorffii; New World Quartet, Naumberg Chamber Music Award; Linda Kelsey; Russell Peterson; Bill Shurcliff; Robert Hunter, Warriors of the Rainbow.

R.L. in Minnesota, trading services and goods for medical expenses; T.F. in Florida, sharing office space; R.L. in California, Making headwear out of feathers; J.N. Olette France, trading agricultural products; P.A. Olette France, trading the services of their wind mill.

ENERGY FLASHES May/June 1980 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION? The U.S. Department of Defense gobbles up over 80% of all the energy used by the federal government. In fact, our military alone eats enough power to rank 22nd in the world, among nations , in total energy cons

The inherent biases of television (concluded).

John Greenlaw, Craig Pfarr, and Dan Reukert develop an attachment for pedaling a wheel chair with ones hands; Mary Heather and Joseph Guerrieri purchased an old hydro electric generator property and restored it; Gregory MacDonald submitted a grant idea to deal with a communities sewage; Delbert Banowetz challenged the law forbidding the sale of unpasteurized dairy products; Richard White; Jeff Dunan; Harold R. Hay; Peter Paul Prier; James W. Allen.

MEDICAL SELF-CARE May/June 1980 1976, Tom Ferguson—then a fourth year medical student at Yale—launched a magazine called Medical Self-Care . . . which—he hoped—would serve as a Whole Earth Catalog of the best medical books, tools, and resources. Tom sp

Sue Brooks, Making doll houses; Chris Knapp, selling plants at farmer's markets; Liz Hartsook, selling reproduction prints.

THE SEASONS OF THE GARDEN May/June 1980 It's spring in all its splendor, and the whole garden comes alive! Drink in the petalled fragrance of the apple blossoms, smell the richness of the soil, roll up your sleeves, and—to the tune of the honeybee's symphony—finish up planti

Developing an exchange of talents. The Learning Exchange in Evanston, Il is discussed.

Down on the farm May/June 1980 by L.Bruce Holman

The Last Laugh May/June 1980 Mark Twain Well sir,the weather here at Plumtree Crossin' has up and got itself stuck betwixtspring and summer . . . an' the days has been mighty dull and dreary oflate. So much so, in fact, thet the ol' loafers over to the Gen'ral Storehas been hard pressed to come up with many

18 million tons of grain protein is wasted on livestock feed. You can save money by feeding grass to cattle. Differences in meat quality are discussed. Feeding magnesium to cows prevents a disease called grass tetany, grass staggers or wheat past

Daniel creates and sells solar etched drawings on wood.

The heat loss of any structure can be described by the relationship of these five factors; surface area, insulation, storage, leakage and the difference between inside and outside temperatures. Lloyd Turner developed a paraboloid/ellipsoid structure and built the walls from insulation material.

DELECTABLE DESSERT WITHOUT THE SUGAR July/August 1980 Penny Henderson shares her secret for making nutritious gelatin treats. When the sweltering heat of late summer arrives, almost everybody begins to feel a bit lethargic, and it's a pretty good bet that no m

Making music with two spoons.

For food storage, a root cellar acts as a refrigerator in the spring and summer. Root cellars are an inexpensive way of preserving food. Learn how to build a root cellar by digging a cave into the hillside for food storage or by constructing an underground food storage shelter.

More and more suds sippers ire learning that it's possible to make top-quality beer for less with ... More and more suds sippers are learning that it's possible to make top-quality beer for less. Make beer and ale with information on locating supplies. July/August 1980 By the MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors

ORGANIC DESIGNS July/August 1980 by JUNITA BROWNE Take a chunk of apple, half a squash, a hunk of mushroom, a sliver of cucumber, and a slice of onion . . . what do you have? Well, most folks would consider such an array of ingredients to be either the start of a compost pile or the basis of a very unusual summ

Attracting birds to your garden to eat insects; a natural pesticide. Information on building nesting boxes.

Homespun family entertainment using natural materials, apples; American Indians taught settlers to make dolls from native materials.

NATURE's OWN SUNTAN PRODUCTS Increasing your intake of vitamins C and B which are depleated by the sun. Other natural protective aids include sesame oil according to Dian Dincin Buchman in 'The Complete Herbal Guide to Natural Beauty.' Additional aids include anhydrous lanolin, cucumber and a minty cream. S

You can almost double your gardens production with succession planting. Selecting cultivars and transplanting suggestions are discussed.

Motorized bicycles save fuel. Various models and legal impliations are listed in a table.

COUNTRY BOUND July/August 1980 A bunch of Georgia folk have banded together to help each other out, because they have one remarkable quality in common. They're all ... Darned if there's not a lot that back to the landers have to learn about country living. What w

A WELL DRILLING BUSINESS July/August 1980 Would you like to live in the country... provide a vital yet economically priced service...work as little as a week...and make over $26.000 a year? Then consider this unique chance to get into... Fo

Using cattail spike cotton as a clothing filler for insulation. Uses of cattail are discussed. Cattails are also useful for making alcohol fuel, adhesives and fibers.

SUMMERTIME IS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM TIME July/August 1980 You can whip up some down-home (and yummy!) entertainment right in your own back yard! Summer-with its sweltering temperatures and long, lazy evenings-is the perfect time for an old-fashioned ice cream

BRAZIL's ALCOHOL DIESELS Brazil has investigated replacing all of it imported petroleum fuels with home grown energy. Ethanol does not have the diesel fuel qualities of lubrication and the cetane number. Solutions are discussed as well as vegetable oil alternatives. July/August 1980 MOTHER's

THAR's GOLD IN THEM THAR BUSHES Making money hunting for and picking jojoba nuts. The jojoba (simmondsia chinensis) is found in the Sonoran Desert regions. It is a fine oil with characteristics similar to sperm whale oil and is an excellent substitute. Marketing the seeds is discussed. July/August 1980

Setting up a successful breeding program for a small-scale homesteader. Mating; disease issues; sanitation; farrowing pen; infant care; self-sufficiency.

LAVENDER July/August 1980 Lately, more and more people have begun to understand just how limited in both variety and nutritional valueour modern diets have become. This realization has sparked a new and widespread interest in the culinary and therapeutic uses of

BANISH SUMMERTIME BLAHS WITH Tin can stilts; play clay, native American Indian game, gen-yoo-wine blue denim hobbyhorse. July/August 1980 By Jeanine Munn   YIPEE-I'M-BIGGER-THAN-YOU-ARE TIN CAN STNS They're a little noisy, maybe . . . but these down home walkers will occupy children for hours

HAVE A BALL WALKING TALL! July/August 1980 With some scrap lumber and an hour or so of your time, you can help your youngster... There's little doubt that a child can have a heck of a lot of fun with the modest tin can walkers described in the centerfold of th

B.J. Megnin bought a used Ford Pinto engine and a Sears 4000 watt 120/240 volt alternator to produce electricity in their rural location. The engine heat output makes hot water.

Living on the land requires long range planning so that one can get through government created or natural disasters. Compare prices before shopping for staple bulk items. Most of the food items are grown on the farm to save money.

Let Your Fireplace Cool Your Home! July/August 1980 Even during the summer dog days, the temperature—in most sections of North America tends to drop as the sun goes down . . . and can become downright temperate 'round about midnight. Unfortunately, no matter how cool the outdoors might be, many homes stay pretty

Rocks contain history and profit. Trilobites, cephalopods, crinoids and shells are discussed. The best rock material is sedimentary rock. Dealers are listed in a table.

Rea Williams fashioned a motorized potter's wheel from an old washing machine.

'Lumber Maker' by Haddon Tools attaches to a chain saw for making lumber from logs.

MITE NOT July/August 1980 Issue# 64-July/August 1980 MITE NOT V.A. Brauchifrom Amarillo, Texas says that one easy way to keep mites off your chickensis to throw some home-raised wormwood plants into the biddies' coop. Yourcrops won't eat the leaves... and the mites will exit for other parts!

Catching snapping turtles (chelydra serpentina) for wild meet. Baiting, processing and cooking recipes.

Making a simple and low cost effective stills based on the designs of Clarence Goosen. Materials and construction techniques are discussed.

They are moving towards a self sufficient farmstead. Costs are kept low by raising animals. Using manure for the garden.

A 20TH CENTURY CLIFF HOUSE Charles Nystrom created a cliff house similar to the Anasazi homes of Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon. The cave house only requires constructing a wall. This type of home saves energy. July/August 1980 By the MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors Native Americans enjoyed the warmth a

Dr. Tom Ferguson discusses poison prevention and treatment at home.

Eating wildflowers and the day lily (hemerocallis fulva). Other lilies such as Canada lily (lillium canadense), Turk's cap (lillium superbum), northwestern camass, camassia quamash, camassia scilloides, and erythronium.

THE BUILDING OF MOTHER's STACKWOOD DOME Building a geodesic dome with a greenhouse. The design is based on stackwood expert Jack Henstridge. July/August 1980 By the MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors Here's the full story on one of the world's most unusual cordwood structures ... You may not need an

A SAFE SKUNK TRAP July/August 1980 SHIRLEY L. KUYKENDALL Skunks are really pretty amiable, good little beings most of the time, and they're certainly ecologically important critters too. After all, polecats consume—among other things—rats, mice, insects, and reptiles (thus providing a portion of nature's own bi

A simple ,Spinning Scarecrow July/August 1980

Some photos showing Brazil's efforts to convert to alcohol by 1985.

DON'T KILL THAT HORNWORM July/August 1980 Mary Appelhol offers some good advice to tomato growers: Many wholistic gardeners will—upon encountering a pest that's obviously in the process of dining on a crop plant—promptly pick the critter off and drown, gish

An inexpensive piece of camping equipment that can be easily made from a lard can.

Making sauerkraut.

NIGHTCRAWLERS BUILT OUR HOUSE July/August 1980 In MOTHER NO. 63, John E. Phillips described his techniques for collecting supplies of fish bait. Now Mary M. Nash points out just how rewarding worm gathering can be! My husband and I didn't begin our bait and ta

Kim Zarney works on revamping and restoring town buildings. He works on exterior and interiors.

Backpack with Minimum Impact July/August 1980 In the course of leading backpacking trips for Yosemite Mountaineering and Sonoma State College, we get to see a lot of wilderness country. Unfortunately, we also often see such areas abused . . . by hikers who probably have the

A Plowboy Interview with John Holt who advocated that parents teach their own children - at home, and the author of How Children Fail and How Children Learn.

BITS AND PIECES July/August 1980 PROFITABLE HOME VACATIONS : Faced with inflation and rising gasoline prices, 30% of American homeowners say they'll spend more time at home in 1980, and tops among their activities will be lawn care and gardening . . . each of which represent

Weathering the storm, America is bankrupt; home security and building a shelter; transportation and food concerns.

World Radio TV Handbook and the Review of International Broadcasting; Ham radio publications, the American Radio Relay League, The Radio Amateur's Handbook, CQ magazine, Worldradio, The Antenna Book and the Giant Book of Amateur Radio Antennas.

Homer Bloomfield, unrolling barbed wire; E.D. Church, burning newspaper in an outhouse is dangerous; Pat Burke, Down-home Nail Lore might be dangerous, prying out a nail; Wayne Fugate, save money feeding rabbits; Rod Barker, drives moles away using human hair; Mrs. Ralph Maddux, puts dilute solution of castor oil down hole to remove tunneling varmint; Tina Parks, plants castor bean near rodent holes to repel them; Leonard and Joyce Christmas, rabbits are repelled by watching their reflection in a bottle; Joel Russ, modifying a hoe; Debi Carr, reusing brine from ice cream making; Ginny Phelps, Manitous Prings Bug Trap for fruit flies; Chris Reiter, extending the life of a salt block; Lynn Chubb, marking canning lids with crayon; Lili Pintea, separating lighter juice from sauce by letting it settle in a refrigerator first; David Koenigsberg, cleaning vegetables in a two quart plastic container; Patty Munson, tracking canned foods with a simple record system; Judy Aurich, preserving food in a drinking mug.

Helen and Scott Nearing discuss '«Simple Foods for Simple Living People'; less consumption of junk food means fewer mosquito bites; technique for improving foot circulation; serving and storing vegetables; self sufficient living issues.

Congressman Richard Nolan, Family farm and government policy; Gary Snyder, The poet's latest book is '« The Real Work: Interviews and Talks 1964-1979'; Ed Clark, a libertarian presidential candidate discusses political issues; Maxwell Gail, lived in a tipi; Peter Van Dresser, book '«Homegrown Sundwellings'; Paul Winter, his Consort is offering workshops.

E.E. in Illinois, Swapped painting a house for a rebuilt car engine. A.S. in Michigan, bartered backyard garden space for the benefit of both. R.L.F. in Oregon, Apple wood smoked ambrosia - homemade cheddar cheese is traded. L.S. in California, traded sculpting skill for physician's services. M.D. in Ontario, swapping electric sewing machine for trailer - then swapping the trailer for a treadle sewing machine.

Preserving food through dehydration can be inexpensive by building a solar dehydrator. Learn how build one to by reading more.

ENERGY FLASHES July/August 1980 KUDOS FOR KUDZU! NASA biochemist Dr. B.C. Wolverton has shown that one cubic foot of dried kudzu can produce as much as four to five cubic feet of methane gas. Furthermore, he estimates that a home energy system using kudzu (grown under carefu

Chimney Sweeps Are Cleaning Up! July/August 1980 This may be the best start-on-a-shoestring business that MOTHER has ever featured! What other self-employment venture do you know of that you can get into for only $2,500 . . . yet which—right from the start!—can net you $700

In January of last year I decided it was time for a change of career . . . since my import/export enterprise was being sorely affected by the rising cost of travel and the increasingly negative attitudes many Third World countries had toward the United St

Bonnie Hill, 2,4 5-T herbicide hazard; Bruce E. Grimes, piano tuning; Hermann Gurfinkel, country carver; Harvey Woodman, energy from the tides.

Mom's Marketplace July/August 1980 New products that MOTHER's readers should know about INHERIT THE WIND: You can put your windmill on whatever area of your property receives the most reliable breezes and still use that power to pump up to five gallons a minute from your well . . . even if the

Soil erosion and conservation are discussed.

Finding a public jam session. Making a human jukebox and promoting music by conducting homemade instrument workshops.

Biking in Vermont and visiting New York inexpensively.

Solar greenhouses are an attractive investment for business opportunities. A grant from the National Center for Appropriate Technology helped with two notable commercial community greenhouse projects.

MR. DIGWELL July/August 1980 The cartoon feature below, Mr. Digwell—as you may or may not know—was originally created for readers of the London Daily Mirror... which explains why its advice is often couched in peculiarly British terms. Despite the occasionally strange language, h

The Weird Humor of Jack Vaughan July/August 1980

Down on the Farm July/August 1980 by L.Bruce Holman

The Seasons of the Garden July/August 1980 High summer is here, and the garden basks in the shimmering noonday heat. Dampen your shoes as you weed in the morning dew, come to understand—once again—the preciousness of water, and sniff the rich odor of the earth after a late a

the last laugh July/August 1980 Good neighbors make good fences. Jim Comstock Well sir, on most enny otheroccasion I'd begin my tale by tellin' you how th' past few days has been so hot thet Big Mud Lake's been evaporatin' ev'ry morning (and corn

Tax Revolt July/August 1980 by WageYour Own Personal Like the early pioneers who started this country, many people are rebelling against the near confiscatory taxation at all levels of government. The federal government consumes the taxpayer's cash at the rate of o

Morton Fry of the Miles W. Fry & Son Nursery talk about the benefits of fast growing poplar trees. Dr. E Kendal Pye has come up with projections about alcohol production from energy produced from plantations of these trees.

 A vegetable garden can be a bonus to the budget, but flowers can feed your soul.

A Plowboy Interview with Isaac Asimov, world-famous science-fiction author.

Domestic farm animal preservation concern. The Rare Breeds Survival Trust is spearheading the effort to rescue, breed and place animals in farm parks.

He developed a water wincher fluid flag.

A Live and Let Live Mousetrap September/October 1980 by John Krill Now, I don't have much against common field mice—as rodents go, they're timid, relatively harmless, and even quite cute—but my wife Della finds them somewhat unnerving . . . ever since a pair of the pests scampered across her feet as she picked

Dutch oven cooking methods. Portable cooking in the ground.

Building various animal shaped playground sculptures for children.

Collecting free fertilizer from leaf raking business.

Barbados Blackbelley sheep may be an ideal sheep for the small acreage or beginning farmer.

CAROB: THE NATURAL SWEET September/October 1980 A wild foods expert reports on a nutritious treat that's better tasting—and much better for you—than chocolate. By Christopher Nyerges What do you do if you have an incurable sweet tooth, but you

Are You Ready For a Love Story? Then Meet Chicken September/October 1980 By Lee Shaw Chicken and I first met on a cold, bleak morning in November. My wife Joan had left for work, and I decided to take a break from my house-building chores and haul a load of ru

Using junk fuels and a metal oil drum to make a water heater for laundry.

Hickory Nuts: The Inside Story September/October 1980 By Clyde Williams Ickes III One of my family's favorite autumn activities is sitting around the fire and cracking nuts . . . but even such a pleasurable pursuit can become pretty darn frustrating when the nuts continually shatter into tiny fragm

Renovating run down city homes is accomplished through community homesteading program. Programs are available in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Wilmington. This is beneficial to the homesteader and the community.

The first Mother Earth Week occurred in June 1980.

Traveling off season is beneficial and offers another majestic view of nature.

Purchasing goats, harvesting milk, meat and goat hides, trimming their hoofs and markets. Ketosis and milk fever prevention through proper feeding.

Plans for a freestanding Quonset hut solar greenhouse.

Vegetables and herbs include lettuce, spinach, Japanese onions, hyssop, sweet cicely, burnet borage

They built Mother's woodburning stove to be used for supplementary heat and as an oven.

There are a variety of methods to grow the shittake mushroom (lentinus edodes) that comes from Japan and China.

Build a Solar Window Greenhouse September/October 1980 By John McDowell Late-summer gardening may be just about over, but you can extend the growing season by making this (extremely) low-cost mini-hothouse. Going solar doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg .

Tours With That Extra Touch September/October 1980 MOTHER has some great adventures in store for you on our 1981 . . . We've all heard it said that there's nothing quite so educational as travel. Well, Mother's Tours expand on that truism, seeking out adventur

A Homestead East of Mt. Hood, September/October 1980. It takes careful planning to be comfortable in the wilderness on . . . A Homestead East of Mt. Hood. By Skipp Tomsen.  A few years ago—when my wife Sande and I lived in the lush forests of northwest Oregon . . .

Mothers Herb Garden: Mullein September/October 1980 Lately, more and more people have begun to understand just how limited—in both variety and nutritional value—our modern diets hove become. This realization has sparked a new and widespread interest in the culinary an

Twelve Steps to Successful Fruit-Tree Planting September/October 1980 MOTHER's Eco-Village orchard-keepers tell you how to do it right. 1.HEELING IN: If you aren't able to plant your tree as soon as you buy or receive it, you should heel in the newcomer. To

Build a Low-Budget Cement Mixer, September/October 1980. Here's a shop project that's sure to save you time and money: If you're a regular reader of this publication, chances are you do a lot of your own work around the home or farmstead . . .

Based on the traditional granny circle bedspread, the yo-yo shawl is easy to make into a practical garment.

Wild yeast is found on the skin of berries and the trunk of the aspen tree. Procedures for collecting and cooking with wild yeast are discussed.

Mother's Own Hybrid Car! September/October 1980 In response to the many requests we've received for additional experimental auto information, here's... A little over a year ago we published an article (written by contributor Robert Marshall) that described an experimental hybrid electric automobi

Making your own papier mache mask instead of buying a commercially available model.

Drink Your Milk and Wear It, Too! September/October 1980 by Glenn Terry Here's another idea for frightening, do-it-yourself Halloween faces! Each Halloween, dread Milk Mon sters have been invading my neighborhood ... ever since I discovered pla

An $800 Portable House September/October 1980 by Steve Winston When Bill Case told me that his combination house and pottery studio had cost him only $800 to construct, I was impressed. Then, when he pointed out that the entire structure was portable to boot, I was simply amazed! Well, I was broke at the time

Alcohol Questions and Answers September/October 1980 Not long ago THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS® asked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Southeast Regional Regulatory Administrator, Mr. Dee L. Flynn, if he would be willing to speak candidly with us on the subject of alcohol-for-fuel . . . to detail just wha

Israel's Solar-Powered Car The engineering department at Tel Aviv University uses solar panels on this vehicle. September/October 1980 During MOTHER's solar tour of Israel earlier this year (see page 90 for details on next year's tour offerings), one of this publication's editors took the opportunity

Constructing a composting pile of vegetation to generate heat and hot water.

Tofu has been used eastern Asia. It is a rich food source. Recipes include tofu-garlic dip, tofu stroganoff, baba burgers, tofu pancakes, tofu-walnut torte, and maple-tofu cheesecake.

Thermal storage capacity and inexpensive operation are characteristic of this oil heat storage furnace.

Brazil's Aerospace Technical Center Centro Tecnico Aerospacial (CTA) is researching renewable fuels. Brazil has a national plant titled '«pro-alcohol program.' September/October 1980 By the MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors Mother visits what might be the ultimate alternative fuel laboratory: In the las

Evelyn and Gifford Knapp built a passive solar home for their sustainable lifestyle in Kansas. Waterproofing, post and beam construction are discussed.

Michaiel Rubalcava is a young ecologist; Dani Bergman and Jim Bethel started an organic fast food restaurant called Sam Hicks Real Food Drive-In; Alan McFarland and Jonathan Hall Energy Store opened; Ernest Wilkinson started program to prevent wilderness accidents; Robert Golka built a lightning machine, Hattie Bilbrey cards and spins woll, Elmer Back installed a steam engine in a boat, Jim Gulbranson uses horsepower on the farm.

Grandmother Knew Best September/October 1980 In 1976, Tom Ferguson—then a fourth-year medical student at Yale—launched a magazine called Medical Self-Care . . . which—he hoped—would serve as a Whole Earth Catalog of the best medical books, tools, and resources.

Winter squash or pumpkin can be canned or follow the recipe for yeasted pumpkin bread, pumpkin butter pie, banana-pumpkin milkshake or a pumpkin butter cake.

Mother's Homemade Tubing Roller Building a metal tube roller to bend tube for greenhouses and other buildings to save money. September/October 1980 Beat the cost of custom conduit shaping by building . . . If you've already read the backyard greenhouse article on page 80 of this issue, you know th

Save money using basic carpentry tools to create a decorative or animal containing double post fence.

A simple easy to make barrel-shaped devise increases the light output.

A simple easy to make barrel-shaped devise increases the light output.

Daffodils are easy to grow and multiply quickly. The spare bulbs can be sold.

A carbide lamp provides a low cost source of illumination.

Bits and Pieces September/October 1980 THE HUMAN TOUCH: Within two years after Motorola, Inc. sold its unprofitable Franklin Park, Illinois television plant to a Japanese firm—which uses virtually the same American work force—the number of sets being turned out jumped from 1

Economic Outlook September/October 1980 THE MOST PENETRATING VIEW INTO THE FUTURE IS A CAREFUL LOOK AT THE PAST We find it valuable—every so often, in these pages—to restate, almost word for word, some thoughts that first appeared in this magazine five and a half y

Getting a loan from a banker; preparing a balance sheet.

Looking for travel bargains in the fall; Tennessee; Puerto Rico accommodations.

Mt. St. Helens; Allen Negrin; West Coast NDR. Ham radio amateurs share information.

Alice McCain, Halloween treats; Daniel Bates, determining which chicken is productive; Earl T. Richardson, built a cart to haul wood up a hill; Debbie Poineau, uses for yard leaves; Harry and Betty Humbert, fence and door placement advice for the snowy homestead; Lista Haverland, darning socks to prevent holes; Carlyn Rohrig, simplified method to extract jelly juice from elderberries. Dorothy McGuire, extracting honey from the comb without an expensive extractor; Paula Gammell, making apple juice without a press; Pat Brown, brings pepper plants inside to produce in the winter; Todd Paine, developed a variable flow toilet flushing, John Berry, using a flashlight as a stethoscope to find plumbing leaks.

This is an interview with Helen and Scott Nearing. Improving the soil; French intensive gardening; single women working a farm; maple syrup source; buying land debt free.

Paul Ehrlich, Bob Packwood, Kirkpatrick Sale's Power Shift, David Burpee is deceased.

J.A. in Maine barters with lawyer during house purchase. D.O. in Florida swapped sharpening services for repair of honing machine. W. J. in New York finds bartering alive and well traveling across the country. C. P. in Oregon moved to the country and depends on bartering.

Energy Flashes September/October 1980 A CORPORATE CRIME PAYOFF : From 1967 to 1977 Texaco, Inc. diverted a vast amount of natural gas from public lands for its own use, and was ordered by the U.S. government to sell the pipelines an equal quantity of fuel over the next 10 ye

Ecoscience September/October 1980 by Anne and Paul Ehrlich Paul Ehrlich (Bing Professor of Population Studies and Professor of Biological Sciences, Stanford University) and Anne Ehrlich (Senior Research Associate, Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford) a

Gary L. Weaver, insulation making and installation machine; Terry Dean, photosketch art; Wilbur Loyet, wildcrafting and selling wood; Carla Williams, making candy.

Homegrown Music... and Musical Instruments! September/October 1980 Even homesteaders need to relax and enjoy themselves from time to time, right? And almost everybody these days wants to cut his or her cost of living. So how about a little doit-yourself entertainment?

Developing a local community recycling plan.

MR. DIGWELL September/October 1980 The cartoon feature below Mr. Digwell - as you may or may not know - was originally created for readers of the London Daily Mirror... which explain why its advice is often couched in peculiarly British terms. Despite the occasionally strang

THE WEIRD HUMOR OF JACK VAUGHAN September/October 1980

The Seasons of the Garden September/October 1980 Autumn arrives in a golden haze. After still-hot September days, feel the cool of fall nights, hinting of the approaching cold. Heft the weight of a pear in your palm, bite a crisp apple and taste the tart juice, and —as tendr

Down on the Farm September/October 1980 by L.Bruce Holman

Fluidized bed combustion is an efficient method of producing heat. It was originally conceived by Fritz Winkler and W.W. Odell.

The Last Laugh September/October 1980 By Thomas Robert Dewar Well sir, if there's a time of year when all God's critters are busier than enny other time, it's jist bound to be thet halfway season 'twixt summer an' fall. The bees, squirrels, and bears are all a-layin' in stores agin' th' winter . .

. . . BITS AND PIECES . . . BITS AND PIECES . . . BITS AND PIECES . . November/December 1980 HUG A HARE FOR HEALTH? Researchers at Ohio State University have found that tender loving care seems to protect rabbits — even those on experimental high-fat diets — against clogging of th

A new look at an old food with a healthful, easy-to-prepare winter dinner, including recipes.

THE PLOWBOY INTERVIEW BILL MOLLISON November/December 1980 PERMACULTURE... ECOSYSTEMS FOR THE FUTURE Our recent Plowboy Interview (in MOTHER NO. 62, page 16) with biointensive gardener John — the California horticulturist who produces surprisingly high yields of veget

A $65 SOLAR WATER HEATER November/December 1980 By Howard Hamilton I've long been impressed by the simplicity of many of the homemade water heaters developed by MOTHER's researchers. And now I want to tell all of MOM's energy-conscious readers about a solar breadbox dev

Your under glass growing can be twice as successful with half the trouble if you follow these suggestions, including soil, air, light and space, food and water, insects and temperatures.

How a group of hard-working neighbors created The Fastest Park in the East.

Here's a money-saving idea that may prove to be an energy-saver as well.

MUSSELS: HOW TO FORAGE OR FARM THEM November/December 1980 Anyone who lives (or vacations) near either of North America's coasts can grow (or gather) a supply of good seafood! By Les Stanwood Nearly everyone who's been to the seashore has encountered mussels . .

When the wintertime blues hit, learn how to use snow to your advantage.

With a few snipped bits of wire and a few twists of the pliers, you can create these wonderful pint-sized plants, including materials, techniques and directions.

Feed your family fresher, tastier, healthier foods and save money at the same time with one of these essential tools; including grain mill types and a brand comparison chart.

THE ACCIDENTAL HOMESTEADERS November/December 1980 Report From Them That's Doin' By Kathleen Meehan Wehr Not every urban household yearns to get back to the land someday, and you can bet that our family didn't! We were very much accustomed to a cosmopolitan lifest

Learn how to grow chayote, a delicious and versatile Mexican staple, including chayote recipes.

A HAND-FREEING HELMET CAN HELP! November/December 1980 When you've got a case of those midnight wood-hauling blues .. . By Les and Gail Johnson Many's the time when — after a day or so away from home — we've had to moonlight in order to bring in a 24-h

Grandmother, daughter and granddaughter discuss the benefits and drawbacks of their home-schooling experiences.

SUCCESSFULL SWAPS November/December 1980 In issue 37, Bill Wodraska shared some of his thoughts regarding one of mankind's better ideas — barter — and offered up an interesting suggestion: I'd like to see a continuing feature on barter and skill-and-labor exchanges, said Bill.

Reader shares tips on preparing chicken, biscuit recipe and good eating.

You can expand your photographic horizons to increase the pleasure you can get from your hobby or the profit you can earn from your home business by building this device.

Mother's veterinary expert shares the basics on a topic vital to all homestead animal raisers, including small livestock vaccination chart.

Obituary of founder of biodynamic/French intensive school of horticulture.

A SEASON IN THE OLYMPICS November/December 1980 BY Stephen Matula I've long dreamed of getting back to the land ... but — for many years — I wasn't sure just how far back I wanted to go. So I searched for an in-between job that would allow me to test the workabil

LOOKOUT-TOWER LIVING November/December 1980 By Kay T. Farmer Feeling a slight sense of apprehension, I took my first look at what was to be home for my husband and me over the course of the three months to come: a 12' X 12' glass-enclosed room perched on top a 40-foot tower on

If You Want To Apply, Now's The Time November/December 1980 Are you ready to hoist your pack and head for a season in the woods? Well, be advised: So are several thousands of others! The competition for temporary jobs-in both the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service-i

Careful planning turns a lack of electricity into the basis for a pleasant way of life, including unnecessary conveniences, central heating, kitchen needs, other alternatives.

Reader shares advice on improved feeding technique.

You can sweeten the festive season naturally by baking these healthy desserts; including recipes for pumpkin, banana nut and cranberry nut breads, and other unrefined treats.

JOURNEYS WE KNOW YOU'LL ENJOY November/December 1980 Brazil . . . Israel . . . Finland . . . Denmark . . . England . . . France . . . the South Seas . . . MOTHER's ever-expanding program of tours that teach has some very special offerings in 1981. However, you'll

SHARE THE GARDEN's WISDOM November/December 1980 In 1980, MOTHER's gardens hosted 25 eager apprentices. And, with 1981 just around the corner, we're extending an invitation to all of our readers to ... If you've already read about Alan Chadwick and his

MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY FACE! November/December 1980 It's a sturdy pack animal, a valuable wool producer, and an affectionate companion to boot. In short, a llama can offer your homestead livestock program... By Debbie Romaine I spotted the pastured animals

Flea markets and craft fairs can be fun and profitable places to hawk your wares, but the real income and exposure lies in retail placement.

Mother's Herbs Garden November/December 1980 Lately, more and more people hove begun to understand just how limited — in both variety and nutritional value — our modern diets have become. This realization has sparked a new and widespread interest in the culinary and t

Patterns, instructions and diagrams for building a wooden rocking horse and dump truck.

Here's a project readers with limited workspace are bound to find indispensable, including diagram and instructions.

. . . ENERGY FLASHES .. . ENERGY FLASHES . . . November/December 1980 HEAT FROM A FORMATION OF GRANITE located two miles beneath the earth's surface has been used — by scientists from the Los Alamos, New Mexico Scientific Laboratory — to generate electricity. Simply stated,

BUILD A $20 PORTABLE DC ARC WELDER November/December 1980 If you can scrounge an old lawn mower, an automobile alternator, and a 12-volt battery, you can . . . Given a choice between adding either arc or gas welding to the workshop, most tinkerers find a small

Energy independence is possible with an automatically controlled, build-it-yourself, 110-volt AC hydropower system, including turbine, speed control, alternator, power.

Cutting firewood can be a pleasure once you've mastered these techniques; including tips on tools, unruly rounds, how to split the checks, and the three rules of successful wood splitting.

In the second wood-splitting contest, Mother's staff tested the Wood Popper 1, WOODOX, E-Z Split Log Splitter, Woodchomper, Side Winder and the Monster Maul. Take a look at some of the new wood chopping tools and see which beat the classic tools — and which didn't make the cut.

We can all profit from this report on the Allen family's hard-earned and well-learned lesson in homesteading.

This southern Illinois couple built their home to complement the laws of nature, including sun path diagram, energy center, water and sewage, solar altitudes.

A 50-STATE ACCESS GUIDE TO ALCOHOL FUEL LAWS November/December 1980 Here's the latest report in MOTHER's continuing series of articles covering every phase of the ethanol movement! In the last issue of MOTHER, we published a brief interview — with Dee L. Flynn, Southeast

BUILD A MAKESHIFT FLUE SCRAPER November/December 1980By Bob BrackettIf you're searching for a quick way to scour out an encrusted section of stovepipe — without purchasing an expensive flue-cleaning kit — look no further than your trash barrel. A discarded metal can that's slightly smaller than your pipe will

THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS ? CHAPTER ORGANIZATION BEGINS November/December 1980 Where you're out on the old homestead or in the middle of the city, it's nice to have a few kindred souls to share your troubles and triumphs with! It seems that a lot of the good folks who read

IOWA ENERGY 500! November/December 1980 A number of inventive Midwesterners tinker to save a tankful, at the first annual Most auto racing fans consider the Indianapolis 500 to be the high-speed motor sport event of the year, but not many car enthusiasts have

Chili Macho! November/December 1980 By Tom and Carole Hodges Warm up your winter meals with hot and hearty . . . There are — as most regular readers of this publication know — any number of ways to cut down on fuel consumption during these chilly winter

Mother's traveling ethanol fuel crew continues to spread the word about homegrown power.

A SELF-SUFFICIENT ENERGY/LIVESTOCK SYSTEM November/December 1980 An innovative Missourian shows us it's possible to achieve... It doesn't take a soothsayer to figure out that the role petroleum-based fuels have played in our society is going to change. Po

How to make the right healthy New Year's resolution for you, including know thyself, setting up goals, a little help from your friends, revising your goals.

Paying the high price for energy, including fossil fuels, nuclear energy, renewable sources, comparing and choosing options.

HOMEGROWN MUSIC. . .AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS! November/December 1980 By MARC BRISTOL: Even homesteaders need to relax and enjoy themselves from time to time, right? And almost everybody these days wants to cut his or her cost of living. So how about a little do-it

MOTHER's CREOSOTE CATCHER How one welding torch and two canning jars can yield a safer woodstove, including photographs, directions. November/December 1980 One Welding Torch + Two Canning Jars = A Safer Woodstove! By Adrian B.DeBee Let's admit it: Woodstoves may save their owners lots o

Here's a little more evidence that there ain't nothin' new under the sun, including Roman cleverness, three basic floor plans, underground hotels.

For visitors and staffers alike, Mother's 1980 seminars offered high-altitude learning, including serious study, back on the road again and more to come.

Reliable, efficient transportation running on renewable fuel is available in South America.

Add a spicy scent and golden glow to your holiday festivities with these fruity illuminations.

Build a woodstove out of mud-cast bricks using a plywood frame and sheetmetal stove pipe.

HOMEMADE SNOWPLOW November/December 1980 Has a nine-inch snowfall caught you unprepared? Well, if you can't move it out, pack it in with a . . . By Jim DeKorne As far as I can tell, there's only one guarantee that can be made concerning weather . . . it'll

While many experts are still claiming that practical solar power is years away, effective energy-saving (and money-saving) installations - many designed by do-it-yourselfers - are popping up all over.

WHERE's YOUR WOOD? November/December 1980 Don't let wood-borers devour your fuel supply. . . or your floorboard! By Kathy Hurley Once you'd decided to put a rein on your ever-increasing utility bill by heating with wood, chances are that — while the cool autumn breezes were chasing away

There can be a place of comfort and refuge from the storms to come, be those tempests meteorological, political or economical.

Getting There November/December 1980 MOTORING IN MEXICO You may think that soaring fuel prices have made long car trips a thing of the past, but the good old days still exist south of the border with — at the time of this writing — regular gasoline selling at 68¢ (U.S.) a gallon and no-lead for about 80¢

Knowing proper broadcast protocol is essential both for courtesy and getting your message through.

MOTHER's DOWN-HOME COUNTRY LORE Eric Warren places mothballs in electrical sockets to prevent insect infestation; Martha Olson uses a ceiling fan to circulate air; Karen Nunan gave her pig vodka to calm it down; Carol Santovi rubs the surface of her woodstove with wax paper to restore shine; Donald Houlihan shar

Advice on nuclear effects on soil quality; protecting books; Maine winters; advice for would-be homesteaders; Krishnamurti teachings; dolomite limestone on compost piles.

Newsworthies Briefs on Jeremy Rifkin, Ellen Burstyn, Erich Kunzel. November/December 1980 By the MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors Selected doin's of well-know MOTHER-types from around the world JEREMY RIFKIN For several centuries now, our society has clung to the notion that science equals p

Brief guide to establishing a home business, including advertising for a small business, move slowly, write it yourself, steady state, how much and where, sell with the truth.

PROFILES November/December 1980 In celebration of little-known MOTHER-type folks all over. MINNIE MAE DAVIS: GAITHER MTN. HEALTH FOODS Those who are not familiar with the town of Harrison, Arkansas might easily miss the tiny sign — pointing to a

Bootstrap Businesse$ November/December 1980 THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS, P.O. Box 70, Hendersonville, N.C. 28791 In the fall of 1979, our family came across a terrific article that inspired the beginning of three separate enterprises. Make Wreaths for Winter Dollars (MOTHER NO. 36, page 85) gave detailed instructi

LOCAL SELF-RELIANCE November/December 1980 For the past several years, the good folks at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in Washington, D.C. have been working to help urban residents gain greater control over their lives through the use of low-technology, decentralist tools

Mr. Digwell November/December 1980 The cartoon feature below, Mr. Digwell — as you may or may not know — was originally created for readers of the London Daily Mirror . . . which explains why its advice is often couched in peculiarly British terms. Despite the occasionally s

THE WEIRD HUMOR OF JACK VAUGHAN November/December 1980

A new look at apple polishing, USDA discovers organic agriculture, fruit explorers and gleanings.

Cartoon.

The Last Laugh November/December 1980 Promises are kinda like babies: They's fun to make, but they kin be hell to deliver. Well sir, I don't know if I ever told you thet there's a editor-type varmint what peers over my shoulder ever' time I sit down to writ

LIVE AND LEARN IN THE FOREST! November/December 1980 Seasonal outdoor work often requires that one live an elemental life ... but it's an excellent way for would-be homesteaders to practice backwoods skills. Most folks who are working toward a back-to-the-land move

You can build a solar heater, a greenhouse, and a food dryer. . . all for the price (and effort!) of one.

The Plowboy Interview A.P. Thomson January/February 1981 Successful Organic Farming... For 30 years! You don't find many pioneers like A. P. Thomson anymore: He's a man who—more than 30 years ago—had the courage and foresight to buck the trend and put his mave

This home business can cut people's taxes, beautify the land, recycle and earn the owner more than $500 a week.

3-D Tick-Tack Toe! January/February 1981 Keep cabin fever at bay with a new version of an old pastime... 3-D Tick-Tack Toe ! By David Dyer This little game—the board for which can be made in one evening—is simply a much more challenging versio

Liven up your midwinter meals and snacks with some wonderful homemade baked goods, including recipes, and making a cream cheese spread.

Give Your Cat Good Home Cookin' January/February 1981 You'll save money and have a happier, healthier pet when you . . . By B. Marian Rogers I'd like to be able to tell you that my tabby got sick just reading the label on a can of her food . . . but honesty makes me

No matter where you live, you can, with just a little thought and effort, create a home for indigenous species, including in the woodlands, grasslands, wetlands, small back yards.

Author shares experience of planning and saving at her father's funeral.

How to build attractive alternatives to a gate in your fencing.

You can whittle away the long winter . . . by making this crafts item that'll sell like hot cakes during the weeks before St. Patrick's Day.

Dime Store Technology! January/February 1981 It's easy to forget that one of the best pieces of advice any handyperson can follow is, Start simple!. By R.S. Tupper On many occasions I have succumbed—as most handymen and -women do at one time or anoth

A little time spent combing the shelves of local bookstores or libraries can help remind readers that new ain't necessarily better.

Try your hand making this truly natural, sugarless treat, including finding it, harvesting, processing and enjoying.

A Versatile Vaccum (and Air!) Pump January/February 1981 It doesn't take much cash or time to recycle an old refrigerator into . . . Most cost-conscious folks would frown on the purchase of a product that might see use only once or twice in a year's time. But

Sprouts for Dinner! January/February 1981 Don't just stuff your sprouts in sandwiches and salads. Try putting the tender, crispy greens in a whole range of dishes and enjoy . . . As many of you know, there's something almost addictive about sprouting: Once mos

Provide your young'uns with hours of enjoyment by creating this simple, old-fashioned toy, including diagram, instructions.

The sweetest of all harvests goes to those folks who keep honeybees, and the time to prepare to undertake such a venture is now, including anatomy of a beehive, parts and members, how to learn more.

Back to Basics (For Health and Beauty!) January/February 1981 By Sondra L. Wildman You can avoid the high cost of commercial cosmetics by getting . . . Is your bathroom cabinet crammed with bottles, tubes, and jars? Do you have any doubts about the safety of some of the ingredients in your persona

Making potato chips at home is easier than you might think, and the hot, fresh results are better for you than the junk food potato chips you find at the store.

Trouble Ahead For The Family Farm! January/February 1981 The future of our civilization may well be tied to that of our independently owned, agricultural enterprises. Therefore, it should be a mattered of concern to everyone that there's... By Peter Hemingson

A Portable Environment, A Portable Environment, or...How To Survive The Ice Age, In Comfort! January/February 1981 There's more than one way to beat the high cost of heating fuel! By Lisa Anderson One cold winter morning—as I went about my usual daily routine—I

Mother's globe-trotting travels are back with a report on the Orient, including tourist musts, the real China, the basics, communism and afterthoughts.

Ten Commandments for Raising Healthy Chickens January/February 1981 MOTHER's veterinarian is back again, with tips that can help anyone raise his or her own backyard flock of hens and roosters by following the . . . By Randy Kidd

With this simple-to-build solar food dryer, you can preserve your produce all year round! And at under $1 to build, it's affordable too.

A Sap-Seeker's Field Guide

You may never need to buy another quart of oil after building this handy contraption, including diagram, photographs, instructions.

Mother's Dual-Fuel Alcohol-Powered Van! January/February 1981 Here's the latest project in our ongoing ethanol research program: Well over a year ago, this publication detailed an alcohol fuel conversion performed on an experimental six-cylinder Chevrolet pickup truck (see page 78 in MOTHER NO. 5

A pair of cordwood-construction pioneers go underground with this dwelling, including building for strength, waterproofing, keeping it livable and cutting the cost.

Mother's In-Line Collector How to construct an easy-to-build solar water heater that's bound to cut your utility bills, including diagrams, instructions. January/February 1981 Here's an easy-to-build solar water heater that's bound to cut your utility bills! One of the most important consideration

Feed Your Dogs For Free! January/February 1981 Using her means of providing for an entire Alaskan husky sled team as an example, a reader explains how you can . . . By Miki Collins I don't think a homestead is really com

Organic farm is a haven in the busy city of Los Angeles.

A little work and ingenuity can bring spring in January, including photographs, added touches and extra effort.

The Top 10 ProNuclear Arguments... Answered January/February 1981 Do some of the arguments of nuclear power supporters feel wrong to you, even though you have trouble pinpointing the fallacies in them? Then you'll be glad to read . . . Despite the fact that

What Happens When You Place an Ad in P & S? January/February 1981 Eighteen Positions and Situations advertisers agreed to write inand tell you... Have you ever wondered who responds to the advertisements in MOTHER's Positions and Situations column . . . about

Luscious liqueurs for cold-weather sipping or gourmet cooking are easy to make at home, including honey liqueurs, coffee, golden herbal and almond liqueurs and recipes.

Excerpt from Canadian magazine about how to sweep your own chimney, including sweeping basics, how often and sweep lore.

Bicycles are among the world’s most energy efficient machines. Learn how to build a stationary bicycle that you can put to work. The research staff at MOTHER EARTH NEWS built this stationary bicycle that uses human pedal power to operate a water pump for their solar greenhouse.

A Wheel-Rim Woodburner! January/February 1981 Sometimes saving cash is a simple matter of being able to see junk as raw material. By William A. Shellberg After installing a woodburning fireplace insert last fall, I was pleased to note that my hou

The basics of caffeine including how it affects the body, a case of caffeinism, special risks and watching your habit.

Homegrown Music.. .and Musical Instruments January/February 1981 By Marc Bristol Even homesteaders need to relax and enjoy themselves from time to time, right? And almost everybody these days wants to cut his or her cost of living. So how about a little do-it-

The best new garden varieties for the upcoming growing season, including spicy books, Gurney girl tomatoes.

The decision to buy a gun is a weighty one. Should you conclude that you want to do so, the information in this article will help you choose the tool intelligently and use it safely and well.

Israel's Complete Biogas Plant! January/February 1981 What turns farm waste into feed, fuel, and other useful products? Early last year, two of MOTHER's editors visited Israel as part of a solar tour sponsored by this magazine and Michigan's Jordan College. That Mideast nation, even though oil-po

Chain Saw Horse Sense! January/February 1981 In order to get the most from your woodstove, you'll have to cut your own wood, and that requires an understanding of... By Peggy Serry When I first decided to try to make i

How to combine a chain saw and a 2x2 to create this handy tool, including photographs and directions.

Two low-cost approaches to safe heater installation, including metal convection barriers and insulation heat board shields.

Angus MacDonald shares his knowledge to help readers design and build their own energy-efficient homes, including the Bresee and McLain houses and other projects.

It is now feasible to cook your food, heat your home and warm your water (efficiently) with the same woodburner, including how, a necessity invention, cooking, water heating and approaching furniture.

How a motorcycle enthusiast converted his Harley-Davidson to run on corn fuel, including a step-by-step walk through the process.

Report from Them That's Doin' about family who move from the city to Oklahoma and enjoy the good life.

A few remnants and a little old-fashioned ingenuity can help your child stay warm this winter, including patterns and instructions.

Burning wood for fuel is an inexpensive and renewable alternative to gasoline. Originally published as “They Run Their Truck on Wood!  in the January/February 1981 issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS.

Bits and Pieces January/February 1981 LOGS, CHINKING, AND PCP: Residents of several log homes in Kentucky have been found to have elevated levels of the chemical pentachlorophenol (a substance suspected of being harmful to the reproductive systems of some animals) in their b

Despite all the different economic theories and predictions, the need for nourishment and bread remains basic, even if those in society fail to recognize it as such.

How to join the New Directions Radio bandwagon in either the East or West Coast chapters.

Mother's Down-Home Country Lore January/February 1981 I live up around Delta Junction in the Alaskan interior, writes reader Dave Fortune, and I spend a lot of time out hunting, bush camping, and parading around the local glaciers with my dog team ... which means I'm frequently

Sagely, late couple dispense knowledge on crosscut versus chain saws, the moral qualms of cutting down trees, mowing and plowing without consuming fossil fuels and other quandaries.

Briefs on Billy Lovett, Birch Bayh, Julia Child.

Successful Swaps January/February 1981 In issue 37, Bill Wodraska shared some of his thoughts regarding one of mankind's better ideas—barter—and offered up an interesting suggestion: I'd like to see a continuing feature on barter and skill-and-labor exchanges, said Bill. Maybe

Getting There Vacation information on Savannah's historic mini-hotels, a New Orleans native's know-how and a whale of an excursion. January/February 1981 By the MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors SAVANNAH's HISTORIC MINI-HOTELS Savannah is a historic town that offers the kind of ambiance that's just not

For years no news was good news, but now information is beginning to come in, including efficient equals dirty, possible salvation in technology and what may be done.

Mother's Herb Garden January/February 1981 Rose Hips Lately, more and more people have begun to understand just how limited—in both variety and nutritional value—our modern diets have become. This realization has sparked a new and widespread interest in the culinary and therapeutic uses of herb

Energy Flashes January/February 1981 WIND FOR WATER? Wind energy could easily replace more than half of the fossil fuels currently used to power irrigation systems on the Great Plains. A USDA study estimates that wind turbines would be capable of supplying between 60 and 70

Profiles January/February 1981 In celebration of little-known MOTHER-type folks from all over. KIRBY BRUMFIELD AND FAMILY: MOTHER IN THE MOVIES My father was first introduced to THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS® back in late 1975 as he was passing through a tin

The heart of the so-called energy crisis lies in using too much rather than having too little, including safety in decentralization, who pays and room for mistakes.

Bootstrap Businesses January/February 1981 The MOTHER EARTH NEWS®, P.O. Box 70, Hendersonville, N.C. 28791 If you now operate, or have ever operated, a successful home business that was inspired by an article you read in MOTHER, tell us (in 500 words or less) when

Local Self-Reliance January/February 1981 For the past several years, the good folks at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in Washington, D.C. have worked to help urban residents gain greater control over their lives through the use of low-technology, decentralist tools and co

Mr.DIGWELL January/February 1981

THE WEIRD HUMOR OF JACK VAUGHAN January/February 1981

Down on the Farm January/February 1981

The Last Laugh January/February 1981 The small town, I came from achieved zero population growth a long time ago. Every time a baby was born some guy left loom! Sam Levenso n When I was a boy I was told anybody could become president . . . I'm beg

This common plant can provide a mouth-watering wild food delicacy for your dinner fare and add a welcome remedy to your medicine cabinet, including jewelweed, pick it pale or speckled.

Get fodder to your hungry herd or flock by heeding this advice on how to properly open your feed sacks.

BITS AND PIECES March/April 1981 WORKER WORMS: The National Science Foundation has awarded a $25,000 grant to a Michigan research team investigating the use of earthworms to convert biodegradable household garbage into usable form. In tests that should sound familiar to most composters, the worms — contained i

A Plowboy Interview with John Gofman a prominent critic of nuclear power.

You can become part of a new and important conservation project that will help control insects around your home and perhaps save an endangered mammal, including models and directions.

For a delicious, traditional Easter dish that's also great for snacking, treat yourself to this Hungarian cheese recipe.

Even if your growing plot is short of space, you'll have room for this, including compact cucumber varieties.

You and your family can grow your own shade, nut crops, and valuable timber if you start planting black walnut saplings this year.

Here is a handy rope tie that every load-toting individual can use, including step-by-step photographs and instructions.

A DOZEN TIPS FOR FISHERFOLK March/April 1981 This spring, take abreak from your gardening chores and spend a relaxing ( and productive!) day by the water! By Randy Kidd Now and then we all encounter those perfect days when the only sane thing to do is hang up a sign (on the front door, at the shop, or ev

A young author shares his adventures on the water and instructions and diagrams for constructing a flat water vessel.

Ease the workload on the farmstead with this aide, including filling a need, a steel scoop and self-reliance equals self-satisfaction.

George O'Connor answers questions about this unusual crossbreed growing in popularity.

How to take advantage of clear spring nights to enjoy the constellations, including what and how to look for them, a simple science, begin indoors, meet the herdsmen and the rewards.

Small Michigan school offers real education in alternative energies, including solar, wind and more and solar tours and beyond.

You don't need to spend big bucks to record your family's trials and triumphs, including box cameras and film, how to shoot.

STAINED GLASS: THE SUN-CATCHING CRAFT March/April 1981 This art form can provide you with hours of satisfaction and an at-home income as well! By Susan Cobb Zenni Six years ago, when I bought my first glass cutter, I had little idea that an interest

Celebrate spring by brewing this spicy, traditional Australian beverage, including recipe, start the starter, bottle and brew.

By simply planting some legumes in your garden you can increase this vital element, including short-term tricks, the long run, specialists and clover scrounging, peas, bean vines.

KEEP CLEAN WITHOUT RUNNING WATER Alaskan wilderness pioneer shares his dehydrated hygiene method, including clean with seven cups, soapless shampoo. March/April 1981 By Ole Wik A pioneer in the Alaskan wilderness tells us how to . . . Some 10 years back, I left the city and set out to build

Poor records can cost you money come tax time, including help from the government, personalized partitions, more than a tax file, a do-it-yourself system.

Recipes for cooking with spinach including salad, frittata, nicoise.

MOTHER's ENCHANTING, EDUCATIONAL EXCURSIONS March/April 1981 Though 1981 has barely arrived, we're already deep into organizing MOTHER's 1982 tours. And you should be thinking ahead, too . . . because now's the time to begin planning to join one of the following learning

Plant your cold-sensitive vegetables before the last spring frost and get a jump on the growing season, including detailed diagram, instructions.

WHITTLE A PROP-UP March/April 1981 You and your young'uns (or grand young'uns) will enjoy this easy-to-make propeller toy. By Harry Sherrill Way back in 1920 — when I was but a whippersnapper and aviation was just entering its adolescence — one

One of the best ways to avoid the misery of poison ivy or poison oak exposure is to learn how to recognize it before you get too close! Find out how to identify poison ivy and poison oak and how to safety remove patches of either from your property. Plus, read about home remedies for when you get to close to these irritating species.

TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR RAISING HEALTHY CHICKENS (PART II) March/April 1981You can have your own thriving backyard poultry flock by following these . . .By Randy KiddRegular readers of this publication know that I often work up lists of commandments on the proper care and feeding of various barnyard crit

Cooperation with the birds and insects can take much of the work out of gardening, including tenderfoot tips, choose wisely, planting time, giving them company.

An illustrated guide to constructing this fun, outdoor spring toy.

Protect your handicrafts with this encasement, including the template, the glass, the base, diagram and directions.

When it's time to put animals out to pasture, this reader solves quick enclosure problems, including diagrams and directions.

Come Learn in the Garden March/April 1981 In 1980, MOTHER's gardens hosted 25 eager apprentices. And now, for the 1981 season, we are extending an open invitation to all of our readers to... If you have already read about Alan Chadwick and his important contrib

Move some of nature's most delicious edibles into your yard and garden, including adaptable and hardy, succulent strawberries, elderberries, zesty wild apples, brambles, black and red beauties.

The true tale of a city dweller who left his post as a professor, build a country mansion and found the good life.

A Foldable Futon March/April 1981 Making portable, attractive furniture is easy... using this Orient-inspired design. By Sherrie Hughart Garcia-Rill You can sleep on it, lounge on it, read on it, exercise on it, and dream on it... in fact, th

Spring Powe Gives My Wind Pump a Boost March/April 1981 If you use wind power to provide water for your livestock, you may be able to up the system's efficiency. By Edward Burlbaw Folks who attempt to set up a wind pump on a shoestring budg

Learn how you can combine a bicycle, a battery and a vehicle alternator to generate electricity-via human pedal power-for your home.

You'll be able to tune into the airwaves without paying for electricity with this device, including circuit board and diagrams, coil construction, diagrams, antenna assembly.

For Luffa or Money March/April 1981 Edible flowers, squash, bath sponges, and cash: Here's how to grow an unusual plant... By Katherine Kelley and John Shobe There's a remarkable vine that can provide you with a shady trellis, showy flowers, t

Hibernat in a Hobbitat! March/April 1981 While most people living in conventional dwellings are hard pressed to cut their energy costs without spending a small fortune doing it, these North Carolina folks have a down-to-earth solution: They... Nearly a dec

Backpacking Spain's Costa Brava A report from a couple who beat the dollar crunch and still had a fine European vacation, including coastal camping, content in Colera, southern explorations. March/April 1981 Here's a report from a couple who beat the dollar crunch and still had a fine European vac

Build a bicycle generator with a bicycle, a battery, and an automobile alternator, and you can produce electricity for your home.

You can get into this profitable business with practically no start-up capital, including selling your service, inexpensive equipment, the added touch, pay dirt, tractor-trailer car wash.

A tractor is one of the most expensive and potentially useful pieces of equipment any back-to-lander is likely to purchase, and here's how to choose the machine best for your land and budget.

The Sun-Powered Challenger March/April 1981 Advanced heavier-than-air flight... not at the speed of, but with the help of light! You don't have to be an aviation buff to realize that the Solar Challenger pictured above—designed by Paul MacCready and sponsor

Here's and easy-to-build, rainy day home project that can save you both money and energy to the point that you probably can't afford not to make one, including diagram and instructions.

This Grass Really is Greener March/April 1981 This year, why not try a new twist on an old holiday ritual. By Lisa T. Peklo With a little help from you, your children can undertake an enjoyable task and learn a bit about the natural world at the same

Honey of an Extractor March/April 1981 Yes, you can avoid the disadvantages of being limited to producing only cutcomb honey, and beat the mile-high cost of most quality commercial rotary removers. The purchase of a honey extractor is a significant step

Homemade Motor Fuel... From Firewood March/April 1981 Issue # 68 - March/April 1981 While other people fret about the future, this group is busy putting its resources to work! As we're sure everyone realizes, MOTHER doesn't claim to have a corner on

With a few hours of tinkering and some readily available parts you can build this handy outpost, including materials list, wind vane schematic, instructions, construction.

Spirulina: Protein for the Future March/April 1981 A while back, MOTHER-reader David Lampe wrote us about an amazing form of blue-green algae being grown for human food... and—in the months since we recieved his report—we've heard so many other good things about the unusual

Make Way for Methanol ! March/April 1981 Ethanol fuel has already proved its value in the rural community. Now it's time for city folks to... By Nell O'Connor Over the past couple of years, ethyl alcohol—the clear, clean-burning liquid usually made from farm

The following tips by a specialist in extension farm businesses may give you better understanding this tax season, including records and other considerations.

When high waters threatened to isolate these resourceful Tennesseans they constructed this ingenious transporter, including instructions, an aerial chariot and worth the effort.

An ancient Oriental growing method that has a lot in common with some of the Western world's advanced techniques can give you a better harvest than row gardening with less labor.

Most gardeners consider buying a rototiller and the primary consideration in doing so is matching the implement for the jobs expected, including the Ariens, Troy-Bilt horse, Yellowbird, others.

Two Oregon staters parlayed a little pioneer spirit and a lot of ingenuity into...

The Kondratieff wave and it affects U.S. wholesale prices and other financial news briefs.

Scanner technology allows civilians to listen in on official government communications, but some agencies have beefed up their security.

MOTHER's DOWN-HOME COUNTRY LORE Julie Summers made a backpacking travel container from discarded 35mm canisters; Susie Fisher uses less flower to make breaking bread easier; Dean June posted a master list of disaster plan of all electrical sources in his basement; George Feltovic fills potholes with discarded pi

Knowledgeable couple benevolently dispense their wisdom on dividing chores, keeping unwanted visitors from disturbing the home and which tools are most helpful to the beginning homesteader.

SUCCESSFUL SWAPS March/April 1981 In Issue 37, Bill Wodraska shared some of his thoughts regarding one of humankind's better ideas — barter — and offered up an interesting suggestion: I'd like to see a continuing feature on barter and skill-and-labor exchanges, said Bill. Maybe MOTHER could even swap subscrip

GETTING THERE March/April 1981 Since we'd like to use this column, as much as possible, to pass on our readers' on-the-road knowledge . . . we've decided to award a one-year MOTHER subscription — or an equivalent extension of an existing subscription — to each contrib

Briefs on Peter Escher, Frank and Phyllis Dobyns and Bruce Anderson.

Lately, more and more people have begun to understand just how limited — in both variety and nutritional value — our modern diets hove become. This realization has sparked a new and widespread interest in the culinary and therapeutic uses of herbs . . . those

Energy Flashes March/April 1981 HARNESSING THE MIGHTY DEEP: Encouraged by the success of Mini-OTEC—an Ocean Thermal Energy Conver sion plant based off Hawaii's coast (see MOTHER NO. 83, page 198) — Congress has asked the Department of Energy to have 10,000 MW of OTEC generating capacity in place by the year 2000

Briefs on Martin Jopp, Dr. Stephen Barrett, Bob Coe and Thomas Lapworth.

Medical Self-Care March/April 1981 The facts behind the herpes scare In 1976, Tom Ferguson — then a fourth-year medical student at Yale — launched a magazine called Medical SelfCare ... which — he hoped — would serve as a Whole Earth Catalog of the best

Ecoscience March/April 1981 By Anne and Paul Erlich Extinction: It should concern us all! Paul Ehrlich (Ring Professor of Population Studies and Professor of Biological Sciences, Stanford University) and Anne Ehrlich (Senior Research Associate, Department o

Homegrown Music... and Musical Instruments March/April 1981 musical festivals... and more! Even homesteaders need to relax and enjoy themselves from time to time, right? And almost everybody these days wants to cut his or her cost of living. So how about a li

Bootstrap Businesses March/April 1981 The MOTHER EARTH NEWS ® , P.O. Box 70, Hendersonville, N.C. 28791 If you now operate, or have ever operated, a successful home business that was inspired by en article you read in MOTHER, tell us (in about 500 words) when

Local Self-Reliance March/April 1981 For the past several years, the good folks at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in Washington, D.C. have worked to help urban residents gain greater control over their lives through the use of low-technology, decentralist tools and co

Mr. Digwell March/April 1981 The cartoon feature below, Mr. Digwell—as you may or may not know—was originally created for readers of the London Daily Mirror...which explains why its advice is often couched in peculiarly British terms. Despite the occasionally strange language, however, we think you'll find Mr.

Cartoon.

Selecting hardy varieties helps your vegetable garden thrive, also includes the gardener's bookshelf and rare and uncommon seed houses.

Cartoon.

the last laugh March/April 1981 If you lose a dime, look in the cuff of your pants ... that is, if you think the dime is worth the trouble. Anonymous A Rockport man received a telegram ,stating that his mother in-law's body had been found floating

HOW MOTHER's GENERATOR WORKS March/April 1981

Here's a valuable, easy and inexpensive project for outdoor photographers, including shop around and save, ready in a second, put it all together, wear it in comfort.

How to reuse can lids into this aesthetically pleasing outdoor ornament.

A Plowboy Interview with Frank Herbett, science fiction's yellow journalist and a homesteading techno-peasant.

This shop project is simplicity itself and produces a danged useful sitter, including diagram and assembly instructions.

A Dozen Tips For Fisherfolk: Part II May/June 1981 In our last issue, Randy Kidd provided equipment-choosing tips for beginning anglers . . . now he's back to tell you how to use that tackle to haul in some delicious meals! by Randy Kidd Equipping yourself with the

Get back to nature by building this natural timekeeper, including laying out the dial face, making the dial, the style and post, paint and assembly, time-of-year correction.

G-JO FOR THE SUMMERTIME BLUES May/June 1981 MOTHER NO. 61 featured an article describing how to relieve pain and promote healing by using six basic acupressure points. Now, here's... by Michael Blate There are four things that can turn a wonderful hike into an

A SCYTHE-SIZED JOB May/June 1981 What have you got when you need to cut a small field of hay . . . weed a hard-to-get-at field. . . or harvest a homestead grain crop? by Harvey R. Gardner Up until about a century ago, virtually every small-scale farmer knew

GO BACK TO THE LAND, BY MAIL May/June 1981 You can hold a steady job, and maintain a homestead! by Bob Aldridge Working for the U.S. Postal Service—with its tightly structured rules, regulations, and schedules—might seem to be the most unlikely way possi

Your little ones can entertain themselves with these easily constructed playsets, including a horse swing, bark boats and pipelines and a playing platform.

You can save money and handle homestead towing and tying tasks more safely by learning about rope, including twisting, synthetic versus natural, care, specifications, application.

AN ALL-NATURAL ROVER REPELLENT May/June 1981 Got a pooch that loves to root in your petunias? This secret weapon will solve the problem! by Marion B. Williams I tried all sorts of expensive commercial concoctions in an attempt to keep my pups from digging in

MOTHERS DOWN HOMECOUNTRY LORE Robert Lovell uses a cold frame as a summer solar grass dryer; Fred Marz lines garden rows with newspaper to discourage weeds and keep the soil moist; Rynda Christensen shares handy uses for gunnysacks at seeding time; Jo Ann Sisson uses goldfish to keep mosquitoes away; John and Tr

Take advantage of a lazy summer afternoon to make this easy-to-build ladder that could save lives.

An amateur apiarist or beekeeper can revitalize a queenless colony or successfully divide strong ones once this information has been understood.

Adopting a healthier diet isn't always easy, especially with children, but you can make the transition more gradual by preparing these recipes.

RUSTIC HOMEMADE HAND TOOLS May/June 1981 Instead of springing for expensive garden and woodworking implements, use... Nowadays, it seems that there's power equipment available for every imaginable task . . . and for a few that are difficult to imagine. But it's s

For a truly herbal shampoo, try this easy recipe for homemade shampoo made with yucca. Find out how to collect and prepare the root, make a shampoo or laundry soap, and how to store this natural soap.

Innovative livestock owners are beginning to discover that the animals native to a given area are often hardier and more productive than are modern breeds.

If you are in a location where business is slow, install a hose bell to alert you to customer’s arrival.

WHOLESOME, HEARTY HERBAL TEA May/June 1981 Looking for a healthful summer thirst quencher? Then try a tall, cool glass of . . . by B.E. Kostich With the return of warm weather, most folks spend a lot of time catching up on the kinds of outside chores th

SHINGLE YOUR ROOF FOR $60! May/June 1981 Here's a way to use a little ingenuity and save a whole lot of money! by D. Simmons A number of years ago, I covered my home's entire 1,800-square-foot roof with aluminum shingles—a job that would have set me back m

More information on practical firearms, including comparative charts on velocities by make and model, spring-piston and pneumatic varieties.

A pleasant summer's stroll can probably take you to a veritable supermarket of a bush, including elderberry jelly, slump and wine, frozen concentrate and flowers.

A pair of West Virginia shepherds found that leftovers shouldn't be left unused, including techniques and notch detail.

HOMEMADE SAUSAGE May/June 1981 By Jacquelyn G. Smith You may be surprised to discover that making your own spiced ground meat is as simple as—well—adding spices to ground meat! There's nothing quite like the smell of homemade sausage sizzlin' on the stove to set your mouth to watering! And t

Venomous reptiles are best left alone, but when the proximity of such a creature to children or livestock makes killing it necessary, serve it for supper!

ADVENTURE ABROAD WITH MOTHER May/June 1981 For learning, leisure, laughter, relaxation, recreation, friendship, and fun . . . If you have a yen to break away from your routine and do something exciting and educational, MOTHER's tours that teach can provide jus

Lately, more and more people have begun to understand just how limited—in both variety and nutritional value—our modern diets hove become. This realization has sparked a new and widespread interest in the culinary and therapeutic uses of herbs . . .

How to save hot water and beat the high cost of plumbing, including thank the sun, the secret tool and installation techniques.

An Oregon couple combined love of the land, a wealth of native materials, traditional hand tools, and lots of hard work to build a log cabin home for $100.

Whether you'd like to hoast a pig roast in your backyard or start catering business, this spit roaster is an inexpensive portable barbecue pit. It's made from recycled parts and can also be used to grill chicken, beef and venison.

You don't have to grow your own to make a tidy part-time profit from fruits and vegetables, including an occasional enterprise, a typical day's purchase, getting outfitted, all in the buying.

New Hampshire trio cut living expenses and sell belongings so that they can start a new life as homesteaders and enjoy the good life.

The final installment in the series, including completing the house, setting string guides, allowing for doors and windows, laying bricks properly, bond beams and lintels, reinforcing.

Getting rid of kitchen waste can be a simple, effective and inexpensive process with this item, including diagram and how to build it.

Mother's recent tour of Chine brought this report on one of that nation's solutions to some of its health, food and energy problems, including diagram, construction instructions.

THE HOME OF THE FUTURE MAY BE HERE TODAY May/June 1981 Some Phoenix, Arizona residents not only earn credit on their monthly utility bills, but fuel their cars as well . . . with solar electricity! by Robert F. Crozier Did you know that the roof of y

After 1,500 miles of alternative fuels vehicle driving, we found that you can run a truck with a wood-gas generator by using firewood for fuel. Using alternaitve fuels such as wood means you are not married to the gas pump as you are with conventionally fueled vehicles. This article includes detailed diagrams, photographs and how the wood/gas generator was constructed.

You can open up a whole new world of summer fun with this easy, do-it-yourself water scooter, made from an inner tube. Includes photographs, detailed instructions and a construction diagram.

A professional cameraman shares the secrets of an exciting, do-it-yourself business, including the darkroom, group processing, at the event, how to sell and what to charge.

You can be more comfortable in a cement-wall dwelling during the summer and winter months by employing the advice proffered here.

THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA May/June 1981 In 1976 Tom Ferguson, then a fourth-year medical student at Yale, launched a magazine called Medical Self-Care . . . which—he hoped—would serve as a Whole Earth Catalog of the best medical books, tools, and resources.

How extinguishing a species affects the rest of the globe, including plant healers, animal surrogates, future food sources and other essential and potential products.

CYCLE POWER, PART III May/June 1981 With a little ingenuity, you can put pedals to work in your wood shop: In our last issue (see No. 68, page 134), we described how to generate DC electricity by connecting the basic cycle power chassis, as featured in MOTHER NO

BRAZIL's ALCOHOL-POWERED IMPORTS! May/June 1981 Believe it or not, automobiles that are factory-built to run on renewable fuel are available now: As regular readers of this magazine know, the subject of alcohol motor fuel has been discussed in these pages for

HOMEGROWN MUSIC AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS! May/June 1981 by Mark Bristol: Even homesteaders need to relax and enjoy themselves from time to time, right? And almost everybody these days wants to cut his or her cost of living. So how about a little do-it-yourself entertainment?

AN AFFORDABLE PASSIVE SOLAR HOME May/June 1981 A new-from-the ground-up sun-heated dwelling could be yours... for as little as $29,000. It's not too often that we here at MOTHER get a chance to compliment our federal government. So, when such an opportunity

HOW TO RECYCLE A SOCK CREATIVELY! May/June 1981 Here's a way to clean out a cluttered darning bag...and maybe even earn a little cash in the bargain. by Debbie Sanborn One day not long ago, I sat and pondered a scrap bag full of old socks ... many of which

THE KOMONDOR May/June 1981 Here's a shaggy dog story that could have a happy ending for livestock owners who are plagued with predator problems. WATCHDOG EXTRAORDINAIRE by Catherine Allen We've all heard the phrase a wolf in sheep's clothing, but—not

MOM's MULTIFACETED WORKBENCH Here's an answer to the nagging problem of combining adequate workspace and storage, including diagram, building the base and the top, pegboard sides and finishing. May/June 1981 Here's an answer to the nagging problem of combining adequate workspace and st

Mother's Eco-Village installs a new windmill, including restoration, the tower, raising and the hookup.

Dedicated pilot Michael Stewart fights environmental battles from the helm of his airborne flagship.

BITS AND PIECES May/June 1981 ABOUT ONE-QUARTER OF 123 MALE STUDENTS examined by Florida State University researchers were found to have the flame-retardant chemical Fyrol FR-2 (used in some polyurethane foam mattresses) in their seminal fluid. Furthermore, although the tests can't yet be considered conclusive

An antidote to optimism and hard-line look out our bleak future, including the problems and possible solutions.

FOR GIFTS OR PROFIT... MAKE ROW MARKERS! May/June 1981 Issue # 69 - May/June 1981   One of those old-fashioned ideas that seems to be too often forgotten these days is the concept of expecting young people to initiate and take responsibility for their own constructive projects. MOTHER feels strongly that yo

Consolidating the NDR East, other radio nets and communities and NDR autocall.

Erudite pair kindly dispense their learnings on root cellar produce rot, the possibility of utopia, the dynamics of marriage, upcoming public appearances and caring for the elderly.

Briefs on Frances Moore Lappe, Stephen Ganskin and Plenty.

SUCCESSFUL SWAPS May/June 1981 In issue 37, Bill Wodraska shared some of his thoughts regarding one of humankind's better ideas—barter—and offered up an interesting suggestion: I'd like to see a continuing feature on barter and skill-and-labor exchanges, said Bill. Maybe MOTHE

GETTING THERE May/June 1981 SEEING AMERICA With the increase in gasoline prices, it would probably be impossible to repeat Jay and Sonja's trip for the same money, but their advice could encourage you to plan your own inexpensive adventure. First of all, they write, be economy minded. Stay in national fores

An In Depth Plant Companionship Chart

energy flashes May/June 1981 A MATTER OF TIME : The home building industry is in the same situation that the American automobile industry was in a couple of years ago: making energy hogs and unable to sell them, says James Barron, program manager of New York's Energy

PROFILES Briefs on Tom Hatcher, Harlow, Culpepper, Sanderson and Cumbie, John Long, Connie Serrett and Betty Strong. May/June 1981 By the MOTHER EARTH NEWS editors In celebration of little-known Mother-type folks from all over by TOM HATCHER: TIMELY TAXI When Tom Hatcher came to the concl

BOOTSTRAP BUSINESSES May/June 1981 THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS ® , P.O. Box 70, Hendersonville, N.C. 28791 If you now operate, or have ever operated, a successful home business that was inspired by an article you read in MOTHER, tell us (in about 500 words) when and

MR. DIGWELL May/June 1981 The cartoon feature below. Mr. Digwell—as you may or may not know—was originally created for readers of the London Daily Mirror... which explains why its advice is often couched in peculiarly British terms. Despite the occasionally strange language,

LOCAL SELF-RELIANCE May/June 1981 For the past several years, the good folks at the Institute for Local SelfReliance In Washington, D.C. have worked to help urban residents gain greater control over their lives through the use of low-technology, :centralist tools and concept

Cartoon.

Cartoon.

Instant compost, the gardener's bookshelf and the secrets to growing hybrid corn.

THE LAST LAUGH May/June 1981 Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening at once. Well sir, there ain't no season more all-fired blessed than spring. Ev'ry field shows off a diff'rent kind of wildflower, ev'ry treetop shades a brandnew songbir

HOW TO MAKE VEGETABLE ROW MARKERS YOURSELF May/June 1981 [1] Outline vegetable shapes on paper and cut them out. These forms will serve as your patterns. Sometimes I forget exactly what a vegetable looks like, so I study Mom's seed catalogs for inspiration. I make my vegetables very large—one to two feet long!—s

You can forage or grow the fixin's for this almost-forgotten ground cherry treat from grandmother's day; includes info on growing and preparing ground cherries.

Give your log (or any other) Home a House Log! July/August 1981 You house-log cover that's both attractive and durable ... and stock the body of the book with plenty of photographs by Catherine Allen You may be surprised to know that you can make history . .

They may not be high fashion, but these down-home shin protectors really get the job done.

The PlowBoy Interview Rolling Thunder July/August 1981 A Native American Medicine Man To his neighbors and coworkers in Carlin, Nevada he's John Pope, a veteran brakeman for the Southern Pacific Railroad. But his family, friends, and tribal brothers and sisters—as well as

MOTHER's CHILDREN: IM A HARE RAISING KID! July/August 1981 MOTHER feels strongly that youths can be creative doers, working toward more ecological and self-reliant lifestyles .. . whether their tasks be raising chickens on a farm or maintaining rooftop container gardens in the city. To support

Here's an inside look at the way Mother's researchers maintain their tools, which could help you get the best performance possible from the bladed implements used in the kitchen and woodshop.

Some of the world's most beautiful ceramic ware has been - for centuries - produced by an effective firing technique, including scavenge a kiln, patience makes progress, effects.

Let's break ground so you can put solar energy to use without making a mistake, including the BTU bucket, solaroll, Suntree solar, Mother's in-line collector.

How to make the most basic shoe repairs.

Children Gardens... and Lead! July/August 1981 The health threat posed by toxic metals was recently brought only too close to home, when a group of urban crop raisers discovered a connection between... . . . if we're letting the lead industry get away with dangerou

Save Homegrown Pesticides:Part II July/August 1981 In Mother No. 62, we told you how to rid your garden of many desctruction insects without resorting to dengerous chemicals. Now here's... by Diane Downs By midsummer, most gardeners expect their months of mulch

Environmental Internships: The Natural Jobs July/August 1981 Here's how you can get your foot in the door of a fulfilling new outdoor career . . . even if you have little (or no!) previous experience. by Pete Salmansohn As I eased myself onto yet another limb

Recipes for creating your own unique vintage beverage, including easy to brew, bottle and enjoy.

A BACKYARD DAIRY COW:part I July/August 1981 In this and the next three issues, MOTHER's animal medicine man will explore the world of homestead cattle, beginning with . . . TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR RAISING by Randy Kidd Just one bossy contentedly chewi

An entomologist suggests that we supplement our diets with some delicious, high-protein insects.

Conversation with Brazilian ecologist Jose Lutzenberger.

There's good money to be made in tearing down old buildings and selling reusable materials.

You can use everything but the breeze that filters through the foliage of this plant, including jam, jelly and syrup, wine, vinegar, breads and desserts, recipes.

Bundles of Money From Buttons July/August 1981 With a little bit of money and a lot of creativity, you too can earn.... by G.R. Osborne As an often-hungry freelance cartoonist, I'm always on the lookout for ways to earn some extra income . . . and to

ALL THE WORLD's A CLASSROOM July/August 1981 Travel teaches . . . and on MOTHER's worldwide trips, you'll love the lessons! Photo 1 Courtesy of Air New Zealand: 2 And 3 Courtesy of Sobek Expeditions, Inc. 4 Courtesy of Jordan Collage : 5 And 6 By Frank Schell 7 By Will Weber Since our fi

This elegant outdoor feast is downright delicious and a snap to prepare, including a recipe schedule.

Lest we forget, here's a reminder that recycling is synonymous with saving money, including how to fence forage, a cable corral.

Mother's Herb Garden: Peppermint July/August 1981 Lately, more and more people hove begun to understand just how ' limited-in both variety and nutritional valueour modern diets hove become. This realization has sparked o new and widespread interest in the culinory and thera

A worthless used headlight and some scrap parts are the makings of this brilliant idea, including diagram, instructions.

Family pours energy and imagination in to a decrepit old water tank and transforms it into a home.

Here's the latest update on our experiments to obtain usable heat from compost. All systems are go with MOTH ER's latest innovation in the field of bacteria—fueled home energy: a decomposing compost heap that will produce usable heat, in this case hot water.

MY (BACK TO BASICS) BANJO July/August 1981Marlin Spike WernerI've always wanted to play an instrument, but—until a few years back—I was kept from my goal by a kind of technological snow job. I lacked the money to purchase the banjo I dreamed about . . . and, when faced with the piano-finished soundboxes and m

Our long-awaited, do-it-yourself, earth-sheltered house is finally under construction, including photographs, putting up the walls, cut-away diagrams, a thermal mass wall, above-grade berming.

This traditional Australian sporting device can inspire the poetry of wonder, including how it flies, how to make one, how to play.

The world may beat a path to your door if you can beat the world to the patent office, including how author almost saved America from the drought.

Sometimes a salvage bonanza can be all but overwhelming. To the creative recycler, however, there's never too much of a good thing, including converting a washing machine drum into a flower pot.

As part of Mother's continuing effort to help her readers recycle junk items into money saving useful items, we offer this conversion project.

$10 BUG-BUSTER July/August 1981 Don't swat: Put uninvited visitors on the hot seat, with . . . Summer is the time of year when many folks spend their evenings outdoors, relaxing and entertaining . . . and, unfortunately, it's also the season for insects. The

You can get affordable electricity and achieve independence with sunbeams today, including how it's done, dollars per watt, high-voltage systems, hybrid systems, circuitry diagrams.

PHOTOVOLTAICS ON THE FARMSTEAD July/August 1981 Richard and Maureen Pratt have been using photovoltaic cells to generate electricity for chores around their North Carolina home for over six years . . . in fact, several of the photos that accompany this article are of the Pr

You can combine the freedom of a recreational vehicle with the security of a home with this handy combination project, including photographs, instructions.

MOTHER, IT WORKED: IT REALLY WORKED! July/August 1981 Report From Them That's Doin Although he was initially skeptical, this MOTHER-reader later wrote to us for an idea that has helped his family realize their homestead dream. by Richard Grazzini

This two-wheeled bike trailer can handle many chores from carrying groceries to hauling building materials.

HOW TO SLICE YOUR MORTGAGE IN HALF . . . LEGALLY July/August 1981 by Dennis E. Mastin I'll never forget the day I received my first home mortgage. The $247.50 monthly payment represented just about the most awesome figure I had ever seen . . . and the thought that I would be 58 years old when I eventually got m

Nowadays there are so many different types of cutlery that making a wise choice can be quite difficult, but many of the offerings are excellent, including handle material, blade choice.

With a few scraps of lumber and a little time, you can get a grip on woodworking projects, including diagrams, instructions.

Although it cost no more than a comparable surface structure, this earth-sheltered home satisfies the majority of its own heating and cooling needs, including air circulation diagram.

How a little bit of ingenuity combined a junked bicycle with a weed-filled vegetable patch and created a solution, including diagram, instructions.

A reader reminds us of a treat our grandmothers may have made, including recipes.

MAKE A NEW FOOT-POWERED SEWING MACHINE July/August 1981 by Glenn Jacobs Even though high technology seems to be sticking its nose into more and more facets of daily life, some old-fashioned ways of doing things never go out of style. My mother pur

BLOW MORNING GLORY SOAP BUBBLES July/August 1981 by Ananda Hartzell Here's a seven-year-old reader's clever idea for summer fun . . . I blow bubbles with morning glories. To do this yourself, first get some morning glory seeds. Pla

BACKYARD HOMESTEAD UTILITY July/August 1981 Free electricity? Free heat? Yep, you can have both with . . . Sometimes it's difficult to decide just which is a bigger financial burden . . . the expense of operating a motor vehicle or that of providing a house

Bits and Pieces July/August 1981 FAIR WARNING . . . In 1950, the U.S. population used 30 billion gallons of ground water daily. Now the figure has increased to 100 billion gallons a day .... Last fall—for the first time ever—690,000 residents of Tidewater Virginia were su

The two-way squeeze on median family income, including graph, historical comparison, future outlook.

More on the HUC, remote living and HAM radio.

Mother's Down-Home Country Lore Jim and Shawn Pannell recycle paper milk cartons into freezer containers; Charlotte Brown shares a jelly recipe; Barbara Day seals jars without wax; Mike McCain clips a bit from the minnow's tail for a more effective live bait; Ronald Wheeler uses foreign palettes for lumber; Jan

Briefs on Bill Tims, George McRobie, Mark Hatfield.

Couple advises on getting settled into the good life, the benefits of burning aged hardwood and setting up a greenhouse exclusively with fruit and nuts.

Successful Swaps July/August 1981 In issue 37, Bill Wodraska shared some of his thoughts regarding one of humankind's better ideas—barter—and offered up an interesting suggestion: I'd like to see a continuing feature on banter and skill-and-labor exchanges, said Bill. Maybe MO

Getting There July/August 1981 VIA RAIL CANADA When you have more time than money and want to travel from coast to coast, consider taking a scenic train trip through Canada, suggests reader Richard E. Grayson. The Canadian passenger railroad system, ca

Energy Flashes July/August 1981 CREMATORIUM COGENERATION? A 5,000-square-foot funeral home in Corvallis, Oregon is being heated by a $30,000 system that reclaims waste heat from the complex's natural gas-fired crematory. The setup permitted the mortuary's owners to take adva

Briefs on Marny Smith, Richard Allen, Oscar Mann, Alpha Delta fraternity.

A look at aesthetic diversions, knowledge breeds compassion, human arrogance and a touch of brightness and light.

Homegrown Music... and Musical Instruments! July/August 1981 dulcimers revisited! by MARC BRISTOL Even homesteaders need to relax and enjoy themselves from time to time, right? And almost everybody these days wants to cut his or her cost of living. So how ab

Mr. Digwell July/August 1981 The cartoon feature below, Mr. Digwell—as you may or may not know—was originally created for readers of the London Daily Mirror . . . which explains why its advice is often couched in peculiarly British terms. Despite the occasionally strange langu

BOOTSTRAP BUSINESSES July/August 1981 THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS, P.O. Box 70, Hendersonville, N.C. 28791 If you now operate, or have ever operated, a successful home business that was inspired by an article you read in MOTHER, tell us (in about 500 words) when and

Cartoon.

Cartoon.

Gardening guide to the United States, featuring chart of growing zones and planting advice for each.

The Last Laugh July/August 1981 Fill what's empty, empty what's full, 'n' scratch where it itches. Southern Saying Well sir, them hot, parched days of summer is here agin . . . and, as you kin imagine, people's temp'ryment tends to git a

LOCAL SELF-RELIANCE July/August 1981 Issue # 70 - July/August 1981 For the past several years, the good folks at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in Washington, D.C. have worked to help urban residents gain greater control over their lives through the use of low-technology, decentralist tools and concepts

Conversation between author and pediatrician/author/editor.

McCOY's MIRACLE LOAF Here's a recipe for supernutritious, healthy, whole grain, whole wheat bread that merits the title the staff of life. September/October 1981 Here's a bread that merits the title the staff of life Certainly we can't, and most people wouldn't want to, live by bread alon

Here's how one reader recycled his privy.

Recycle That Jug September/October 1981 The past ten years might well be remembered as the decade of shortages ...but if there's one commodity that we'll seemingly never run out of, it's empty, nonbiodegradable plastic jugs! And ever since the flexible flagons replaced glass and tin containers way back when,

Here's a portable, budget-stretching, easy-does-it logging technique.

A BRIGHT LIGHT IN A DARK WORLD September/October 1981 FINDHORN: I want you to see this center ...as an ever-growing cell of Light. It has started as a family group, is now a community, will grow into a village, then into a town, and finally into a vast city o

Author tells fictional story about birds

A mysterious disease characterized by an uncontrollable desire to spend hours dancing frantically to bluegrass music is filtering out of the mountains, and now you can learn how to participate.

John Jordan shares how to recycle charcoal; Connie Toops converts half-gallon milk containers into bird feeders; Harrold and Nancy Andersen share about their simple but effective homemade water heater; Cathy Amanti improvises a root cellar out of a trash can; Gary Albring heats his maul before outfitting it with a new handle; Jack Goulet makes custom woodpile tarps; Dave Johnson cleans his woodstove's glass with ashes; Gladys Carpenter stores apples with grain; Mrs. Charles Bowman shares how she stores raw eggs; Cynthia Burns reverses the top battery so it doesn't drain power; Jan Gervais retrieves pickle buckets from restaurants; Christina Liggitt-Elcholtz stitches shoes for her infant daughter; Eula Graber shares a recipe for homemade laundry soap.

At Home At Wilderness September/October 1981 Tom Brown, Jr. was reared in the New Jersey Pine Barrens and brought up in the ways of the woods by his grandfather, a displaced Apache named Stalking Wolf. Today, he is one of our country's—leading outdoor authorities, author of The Tra

 Build your own cider mill this harvest season; and you can press ... A TONIC FOR THE TASTEBUDS!

This exotic drink once nourished peasants and kings and now you can make it yourself with this recipe.

Learn how a sanitary service manager eager to cut fuel costs replaces his garbage truck with a horse-drawn wagon.

Join the folks who've found out that small but beautiful applies to poultry, too, including caging, feeding, breeding, hatching and chick care.

FROM BARREN TO BEARIN' September/October 1981Here's a way to encourage apple trees that are reluctant to set fruit.by John V. CreechAs summer begins to wind down (perhaps fooling us, a time or two, into thinking we've seen the last of its sweltering days for this year), orchard keepers look forward to sam

CAN YOU AFFORD TO WORK NINE TO FIVE September/October 1981 Janed Schofield My husband and I had long dreamed of the day when we could afford to forsake our suburban home and live a simpler back-to-the-land existence. Then one night-armed with pen and paper -I deci

YOU, TOO, CAN BE A STORYTELLER September/October 1981 Issue # 71 - September/October 1981 Telling stories is an exciting act of creation, both for the teller who spins out a chronicle and for the listener who re-creates the tale in his or her mind. It involves a special kind of sharing and enjoyment ...one that

THE STATE OF TOURS TO COME September/October 1981 To forget pain is to be painless ...to forget care is to be rid of it ...to go abroad is to accomplish both. (Mark Twain) Photos By Will Webber, Frank Shell, Sobek Expeditions, Inc. Air NEw Zealand, Findhorn Foundation

Ten Commandments For Raising A Backyard Dairy Cow: Part II September/October 1981 Randy Kidd Photos By The Author In MOTHER NO. 70, you were told how to select, house, and feed a homestead milk-producer. Now it's time to explore the all-important subjects of bovine reproduction and calf care. VI. BE AWARE O

How to set up this business for parents with little cash but a lot of love.

We've all heard the horror stories about tinkerers who've come up with million-dollar ideas, only to have their brainstorms stolen. Here's how to keep that from happening to you.