Mother Earth News and Friends

Ever wonder what it takes to grow and care for carnivorous plants? It's probably less daunting than you think! In this episode, we're talking with Jacob Soule all about the many different types of carnivorous plants as well as successfully jumping into carnivorous plant care.   To see more podcasts, visit our  Mother Earth News and Friends  page. Check out the  MOTHER EARTH NEWS Bookstore  for mor...

Pollinators – bees in particular – have crucial roles to play in our world, but the threat of parasites on a colony can be daunting. What's a beekeeper to do? In this episode, we're excited to be talking with entomologist Dr. Sammy Ramsey. We'll be chatting about some of Dr. Sammy's expertise and research on insects, and we'll be tackling the topic of protecting bees from parasites and preventing...

Our planet looks a lot different than it did even a few decades ago. How can we move into the future and find ways to live well while also valuing Earth and people? In this episode, podcast team member Kenny Coogan chats with climate scientist Eloisa Lewis about her mission to help build sustainable communities as well as sustainable solutions for our changing world. To see more podcasts, visit ou...

Story by Linda Bowen, read by Jessica Mitchell. With a little knowledge of bird biology, you'll be prepared if you encounter a wild bird egg or baby bird this spring. This story comes from the April/May 2023 issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS magazine. For more great articles on livestock and land management, large and small farming, and even bees, go to the MOTHER EARTH NEWS website . If you're intereste...

Story by Andy Wilcox, read by Jessica Mitchell. Restore your soil's ability to circulate nutrients by cultivating the intricate and fascinating networks between plants and microbes. This story comes from the April/May 2023 issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS magazine. For more great articles on livestock and land management, large and small farming, and even bees, go to the MOTHER EARTH NEWS website . If y...

Story by Kenny Coogan, read by Jessica Mitchell.  What makes goslings so fun to raise? Learn from a long-time geese-raiser about what you need to know to successfully incubate, hatch, and care for goslings. From the February/March 2023 issue of Backyard Poultry magazine. For more great articles about chickens, geese, ducks, and other manner of fowl, head to the Backyard Poultry website . If you're...

Summer and fall will be here before we know it, which means it's not too early to start thinking about when you want to welcome some new chicks to your property. We're talking with Queren King-Orozco, associate producer for national events at Ogden Publications and a chicken-keeper herself, about the ways you can understand your environment and gather resources to prepare for new summer and fall c...

Story by Bruce Ingram, read by John Moore. It's Day 22, and no chicks. What should you do? From the February/March 2023 issue of Backyard Poultry magazine. For more great articles about chickens, geese, ducks, and other manner of fowl, head to the Backyard Poultry website . If you're interested in workshops about everything from cheesemaking to soil health to building around your property, you can...

Story by Ed Brotak, read by Jessica Mitchell. Knowledge and preparedness is key to anticipating the spectrum of damage that hurricanes, winter storms, and more can bring to the grid. This story comes from the March/April 2023 issue of Grit magazine. For more great articles on livestock and land management, large and small farming, and even bees, go to the Grit website . If you're interested in wor...

Story by Dana Benner, read by John Moore. Shop sustainably with local farms and discover the lively place they occupy within the community. From the September/October 2022 issue of Grit magazine. For more great articles on livestock and land management, large and small farming, and even bees, go to the Grit website . If you're interested in workshops about everything from cheesemaking to soil heal...

Story by Wren Everett, read by John Moore. Keeping cabbage, collards, and carrots in the garden for their second year of growth will gift you with more seeds than you need for the next growing season. From the September/October 2022 issue of Grit magazine. For more great articles on livestock and land management, large and small farming, and even bees, go to the Grit website . If you're interested...

For 300 million years, dragonflies have been a part of our world. What makes these insects so important, and why do we want to encourage them to be a part of our property? In this episode, Kenny Coogan chats with Virginia Overstreet to understand more about these remarkable flying hunters.   To see more podcasts, visit our  Mother Earth News and Friends  page. Check out the  MOTHER EARTH NEWS Book...

On-farm classes can supplement your income without the need to peddle a product. Learn how to host a full day of in-person learning that'll leave participants happy and well-educated. From the October/November 2022 issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS magazine. For more great articles on livestock and land management, large and small farming, and even bees, go to the MOTHER EARTH NEWS website . If you're in...

Story by Cary Rideout, read by Jessica Mitchell. Build camaraderie while standing your ground to get the best bargain in a country negotiation. This story comes from the March/April 2023 issue of Grit magazine. For more great articles on livestock and land management, large and small farming, and even bees, go to the Grit website . If you're interested in workshops about everything from cheesemaki...

Story by Amelia Eigerman , read by John Moore  Keep your home Earth-friendly and dog-safe by guarding your compost bin against curious pups. From the February/March 2023 issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS magazine. For more great articles on livestock and land management, large and small farming, and even bees, go to the MOTHER EARTH NEWS website. If you're interested in workshops about everything from ch...

Have you ever heard of biodigesters? Whether you're familiar with this system or not, you're in the right place to learn more about them. In this episode, Kenny Coogan chats with Dr. T.H. Culhane all about these "domestic dragons."     To see more podcasts, visit our  Mother Earth News and Friends  page. Check out the  MOTHER EARTH NEWS Bookstore  for more resources to help you achieve your health...

Story by Doug Ottinger, read by Jessica Mitchell. Find out how many males you need in your flock for fertile eggs. For more great articles on livestock and land management, large and small farming, and even bees, go to the Grit website . If you're interested in workshops about everything from cheesemaking to soil health to building around your property, you can take our online classes and attend t...

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

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

For many of us, springtime is just around the corner! To celebrate, we have a special springtime gardening podcast episode with Joe Lamp'l. We'll be learning about caring for your garden and how to welcome new plants to your property.   To see more podcasts, visit our  Mother Earth News and Friends  page. Check out the  MOTHER EARTH NEWS Bookstore  for more resources to help you achieve your healt...

Myriah Towner is a storyteller. In 2019, she started traveling around her home state of Texas with a team to document the stories of Black farmers and ranchers. Four years later, her nonprofit, Black Farmer Stories, is on its way to releasing the first collection of these amazing stories. In this episode, Myriah joins Editor Jessica Mitchell on the podcast to share more about how Black Farmer Stor...

Matt Stephens has been a guest on our podcast before and has written articles and spoken at our MOTHER EARTH NEWS Fairs numerous times. This year, MOTHER EARTH NEWS is proud to be publishing his new book, Adventures in Agritourism ! To celebrate that, podcast team member Kenny Coogan chats with Matt about his book and how anyone can follow their dreams to create a viable agritourism business. To s...

Dalia Monterroso is a frequent guest on Mother Earth News and Friends, where she shares her knowledge and experience on keeping chickens. This year, she's publishing her first book — titled Let's All Keep Chickens! — and we're excited to interview her about the writing process, what's in her book, and what she hopes readers will take away. To see more podcasts, visit our  Mother Earth News and Fri...

Do you want to raise chickens but live in an area that experiences extreme cold or extreme heat? Good news – you can still achieve your poultry-raising dreams! In this episode, Dalia Monterroso of Chickenlandia shares a collection of chicken breeds that can adapt well to extreme environments, in addition to steps you as the chicken-keeper can take to keep your feathered friends safe and healthy.  ...

Whether you live in the country or the city – or somewhere in between – chances are, you're able to grow house plants. So, we're dedicating a whole episode to them! In this episode, Darryl Cheng of House Plant Journal joins podcast team member Kenny Coogan to talk about the joys of house plants, how to care for them, and more. To see more podcasts, visit our  Mother Earth News and Friends  page. C...