Customer Reviews

Mother Earth News

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

For anyone who reads these reviews, If you want this magazine, please go order it off of the Mother Earth News website. It is only $10.00 a year on their website. I know because I just purchased a subscription on their website. Why would you pay $14.95 when you can get it for $10.00??

Somehow, the Mother became more like something else... Sunset? I dunno, but it really lost its way from the down-to-earth, get-down-in-the-dirt, raise-chickens-in-your-backyard-&-fertilize-with-the-rest viewpoint.

I miss the newsprint, non-glossy paper, the substantive articles for people who really are living off the land, not cruising over it in SUV's and entertaining themselves with dreams of organic lavender.

That said, it seems to be coming around the corner to its old self again, but it's a long, slow, return I think. I am heartened by the direction it is taking, and subscribe once more to hope it'll keep going that way. I mean, just the glossy paper alone makes it suspect amongst my crew! I'll hide it when the purists come, and hope it keeps getting back to the Earth.

We like this magazine, but the cover art is really cluttery, so they all look the same & we have a hard time going back to find articles we like. It covers a lot of basic info about natural living, gardening, farming, cooking, building, etc. A good resource, although some of the topics are covered more superficially than I would prefer, and some of it seems to be wishful thinking (like an article on how to build a home for $10,000, but that requires your whole family participate & that you have engineering expertise, not to mention owning equipment that must cost a lot more than the materials). But still a good magazine.

Love the down-home thinking with a modern twist. I didn't rate it a 5 star because it doesn't come 12 months. Some of the suggestions are also hard to do for those of us who work and have children and live in the city. Many articles are pertinent and do-able for city dwellers.

This is a great magazine! I have it on automatic renewal & it only costs me $10 a year because I choose to renew it this way! What savings on a amazing magazine! Loaded with information. It will take you a long time to read it's so packed! It has everything! Going solar, solar projects, hybrid cars, homesteading, recipes, livestock, reader insight & more! Check out Countryside & small livestock journal (I think that's the full name, I think of it as Countryside) it's great & has a heck of a lot less advertising than Mother. It's a more rugged type of magazine that is simply fantastic. I have a subscription to it as well & am very happy with it. I find that both of these magazines have much to offer!

This is the most comprehensive source of information on living in a self sufficient manner. They have a wonderful website as well that is chalked full of information. Mother Earth News is great for the experienced homesteader, or a younger person that would like to follow in their parents footsteps. Do not let this one get away. It is a great reminder of the simpler things in life. This should be a companion of yours.

This magazine is amazing. There is so much information on every page. I am new to organics, kind of, so I am still learning about everything. This magazine is great to have for reference and before you buy a house read it so you don't spend thousands on a regular house when you could build it so much cheaper with alternative methods- that are much prettier too.

As a kid my grandfather always had this magazine and we loved reading it. Now it has only 1 or 2 "real articles" worth looking at and not the magazine it used to be at all. I was expecting hands on self sustaining living and old world style "how to" info. I feel like I'm reading a magazine written by city yuppies geared toward them. Not for those of us living in rural areas all our lives.

My husband and I are not hardcore homesteaders who buy nothing, live only off our land and have carbon-neutral footprints. Nor are we aspiring to be. But, we are people who care about our own health, the health of our planet, the long-term consequences of our American lifestyles and are trying to be the best people we can be. We are trying to "live wisely," and Mother Earth News magazine is a lovely reference as we continue to try to do so.

Each issue, which covers two months, tends to feature articles on gardening, being energy efficient/independent, DIY projects, small scale farming (like chickens or goats) and special topics on things ranging from hybrid vehicles to genetically modified corn, making your own herbal remedies to roofing options. Unlike many magazines in its genre, Mother tries to address readers whose lifestyles range from full-time homesteaders with decades of experience to sub/urban wanna-bes who are trying to maximize their tiny lots and navigate city codes on chicken coops. To me, this inclusivity gives Mother a communal feeling, letting advanced projects challenge those with experience and provide inspiration to beginners, while simple articles give beginners a place to start and serve as refresher courses for the pros.

As for the hotly debated (at least in Amazon's reviews!) "politics" of the magazine, Mother's advertisers run the gambit from liberal to conservative, libertarian, Christian, secular spiritual to downright kooky. Given that each issue has an "Every Issue is a Green Issue" seal right next to its title (Mother Earth News), I didn't find it particularly surprising that the editorial often has an environmentalist tone. The bulk of each issue is apolitical, get-your-hands-dirty type stuff anyway, though if you REALLY don't like the thought that you might stumble across an idea you don't agree with, then Mother (and really, magazines and reading material in general) might not be for you. However, if you're looking for some self-reliant inspiration and help delivered bimonthly to your door, I highly recommend Mother Earth News.

Note: Check the Mother Earth News website for subscription deals before purchasing; they often have good prices. Also, if you're more of a paperless person, on their website you can browse recent articles (a good way to see if you want to subscribe), or purchase ALL their archives (40+ years!) on disc for a really reasonable price... Talk about making a wise decision!

Mother Earth News has helped us make the change from matrix-dependent suburbanites to off-the-grid organic farmers. I've been reading Mother since the early 70's. Now we're teaching our neighbors about things like Rainwater Harvesting, a vital activity in drought-ridden California.Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands (Vol. 1): Guiding Principles to Welcome Rain into Your Life And Landscape