# Mother Earth News & Grit Magazines



## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

These two magazines are my favorite reading material, by far. Since I live on a 20 acre homestead, I'm interested in country living and as a prepper, I'm interested in gradually becoming more self-reliant. Not only is it good, clean, healthy, outdoor living... it makes me more likely to survive a SHTF event. This lifestyle keeps me connected to the land and away from most people. So thought I'd recommend this reading material to others with similar likes, or those who might want to have a reference library for living off the land. Grit magazine has been around since the late 1800s where Mother Earth News started in the 1970s. They are sister publications owned by Ogden Publications.

Each issue contains all sorts of articles pertaining to subjects such as gardening, livestock, cooking, tools, bees, chickens... well everything to do with country living. All articles are based on doing this by the family and not some huge farming enterprise. I always find in depth articles on topics that should interest any prepper. In the current issue of Mother Earth, there is a fascinating article on making soap the old fashioned way, where you make your own lye by leaching wood ash. I learned in the old days, they could concentrate this lye solution by heating it slowly. Initially a fresh egg will normally sink to the bottom but will start to rise as the concentration nears the correct strength. So an egg floating in the middle of the lye will make a mild body soap but if you continue until 1/4 of the egg floats above the lye, you will have stronger laundry soap. Maybe I just don't have much of a life, but I find this fascinating. In the current issue you will also find articles on sweet potatoes, building more energy resilient homes, bread recipes, tools for no-till plots, cordage (how to make your own rope & which plants to use), basics of battery power, best fuels for a blacksmith forge, etc., etc. Current issue of Grit discussed heirloom cabbage, livestock care, how Russian bees might solve the bee crisis, cast-iron cooking, a great article about grain mills, both hand cranked & electric, lots of recipes, etc., etc.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Grit! Haven't seen it in decades. Gonna have to look for it.


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## Hemi45 (May 5, 2014)

Actually, I was at the book store this week picking up several mags and both you mention were in my pile. Mother Earth I'm familiar with but this was my first Grit. Seems like good stuff.


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## Targetshooter (Dec 4, 2015)

I will have to look for them the next time I am at the store , good post , ty .


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## Redneck (Oct 6, 2016)

After reading Sasquatch's thread about his "fish wrangling", I remembered this issue of Mother Earth had an article on aquaponics.


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