Open question

enjenjo · November 04, 2004, 05:47:41 PM

A thought occured to me today, I know that is an event by itself, but to continue, how many of you are or were fans of Mother Earth magazine? I quit subscribing about 1990 because it got a little too "store bought" to suit me, rather than make it yourself. I bought an issue the other day, and it still isn't my cup of tea, one article on which $12,000 tractor was best kind of said it all

58 Yeoman · November 04, 2004, 05:54:39 PM

I used to buy it in the 70's and 80's; can't remember when I quit. I learned about troy bilt tillers, double barrel stoves, solar rooms, etc. while reading it. I was intrigued with the hybrid cars built from spare jet engine starters, etc., but never did try it.

HotRodLadyCrusr · November 04, 2004, 05:55:01 PM

Never heard of it

Bob Paulin · November 04, 2004, 06:09:32 PM

Quote from: "HotRodLadyCrusr"Never heard of it

You're showing your age - or more precisely, lack thereof, Denise.

LOL!!!

B.P.

purplepickup · November 04, 2004, 06:54:59 PM

I ran across this issue a while back while going thru some old Easy Riders. I'm pretty sure I've got issues #1, 2 and 3 too. Mother Earth News had a huge influence on my life for about 15 years until they got too trendy for me. Funny....that's exactly what made them popular at first is that they were anti-trendy.....for people that wanted to live a basic, simple life and do for themselves.

My cabin is a direct result of living that lifestyle as are many things that guide my daily life. I've still got and use a BCS tractor that I bought thru an ad in the early '70s and it still runs great.

.

couper · November 04, 2004, 07:12:51 PM

Mother Earth News.
Boy, that sure is a page out of the past. I never had enough dough to buy a subscription back in those days, but at least one of my friends back in San Diego (while in the Navy) always had one on the coffee/bong/munchie table.
I remember one issue in particular that showed how to ferment wine from everything from potatos to dandilions.
Lance

1FATGMC · November 04, 2004, 08:05:06 PM

I think I have all the early years up into the 70's. It was a major player in my life to.

Because of the magazine I started to build my house in Wyoming out of straw bales, but then they had a drought that year, which jacked up the price of straw bales so I went to wood slabs and sawdust for insulation. It was a great house and the total cost was under $4000. With my newest house I paid that much for all the permits and hookup fees.

The house only had one square corner in it as I was going to use the bales and the best way to use them was in a circle, so the ends of the house are all rounded.

I have a few pictures of it on my site:

My Wyoming House

I've thought about selling all of my issues that I have.

c ya, Sum

SKR8PN · November 04, 2004, 08:19:31 PM

Funny you should mention that magazine Frank..........I just bought one the other day. First one in prolly 15 years. I sure do miss the ORIGINAL magazines style. MY dream was always an underground house. I gave the subscription up for the same reason as everyone else.They sold out.
And the one I just bought? Will probably be the last one for a LONG time again........................

Crosley.In.AZ · November 04, 2004, 08:31:07 PM

Geezer

Quote from: "enjenjo"A thought occured to me today, I know that is an event by itself, but to continue, how many of you are or were fans of Mother Earth magazine? I quit subscribing about 1990 because it got a little too "store bought" to suit me, rather than make it yourself. I bought an issue the other day, and it still isn't my cup of tea, one article on which $12,000 tractor was best kind of said it all

tom36 · November 04, 2004, 08:42:42 PM

I still use the "best pair of sawhorses" you will ever use, built from a plan in Mother Earth News. I think I still have some early copies somewhere. Tom..

KustomLincolnLady · November 04, 2004, 08:52:07 PM

Quote from: "HotRodLadyCrusr"Never heard of it

Me either Denise :cry:

must be a dirty mans rag!! LMAO

enjenjo · November 04, 2004, 09:15:06 PM

Strangely, the people who I would have guessed were "Mother" people, are. And they lost all of us at about the same time. Another example of the Corporate mentality that infects most publications today.

Small world isnt it?

By the way, I still have mine. I still mine things from it now and then. I have been thinking about solar heat in my shop.

Sean · November 05, 2004, 06:51:42 AM

I used to read it as a kid, my Mom was a subscriber for years. Another good one was the "Foxfire" series of Books although its subject matter was more primitive. http://ashevillelist.com/foxfire_books.html

WZ JUNK · November 05, 2004, 06:58:20 AM

Okay, I will admit to reading it too. ( I think I have surrounded myself with a bunch of old hippies ) My first shop at the school where I taught was so poorly heated that we built a solar collector to help heat the shop. The collector plans were modified from one of the original designs in the magazine. I have built other projects that were in some way related to the magazine. Many of my student's projects came from ideas in the magazine.

The local Junior College has been very in evolved in solar energy for many years. They built the first solar car that crossed the United States and they have entered and raced in many of the solar car races, here and in Australia. I was an official for one of the races and I traveled the full race route from Indianapolis to Denver.

rooster · November 05, 2004, 08:29:48 AM

Sucking energy from the sun is smart stuff! You might check out home power Magizne. Past issues avable on CD rom!

http://www.homepower.com/