Dear MOTHER April/May 2017

1 / 5
Bakers use a bench knife, also known as a bench scraper, dough scraper, or pastry scraper, to move dough, slice it, or scrape a work surface.
Bakers use a bench knife, also known as a bench scraper, dough scraper, or pastry scraper, to move dough, slice it, or scrape a work surface.
2 / 5
Sandra Bruno's chickens are right at home in their backyard coop.
Sandra Bruno's chickens are right at home in their backyard coop.
3 / 5
Reader Mary Carnes built this rocket stove and fire pit for outdoor cooking and warmth.
Reader Mary Carnes built this rocket stove and fire pit for outdoor cooking and warmth.
4 / 5
Students at Chambers High School worked together to design a model resilient home.
Students at Chambers High School worked together to design a model resilient home.
5 / 5
Making soap using “old-fashioned” techniques is a fun and rewarding project that doesn’t require specialized or expensive equipment.
Making soap using “old-fashioned” techniques is a fun and rewarding project that doesn’t require specialized or expensive equipment.

Just Plain Encouraging

I started reading Mother Earth News back in the early 1970s, so I guess I’m a longtimer now. I always find something of interest in each issue, but I decided to write to say “thank you” for the December 2016/January 2017 issue in particular. It has great articles, practical recommendations (I like stuff I can use!), and is overall just plain encouraging.

I’ve been baking bread for more than 40 years, but I’m still learning new techniques all the time, so I’ll be trying Wendy Akin’s recipes (“Daily Breads: Potato, Oatmeal, White, and Rye with a Starter”). I love “Make Soap the Old-Fashioned Way” because of the detailed, step-by-step directions that I can actually put to use. I’m planning to grow sweet potatoes again this year, so I enjoyed those tips (“The Gardener’s Table: Sweet Potatoes & Shallots to Savor in Winter”). The older I get, the more I realize how important community is; “Farming the Neighborhood” and “Grow a Community Giving Garden” are both practical and inspiring. I guess you get the idea — thanks for a great magazine!

Jill Woodward
Covington, Georgia


  • Published on Apr 14, 2017
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