Dear MOTHER: MOTHER’S Eco-Village Beginning

Letters from our readers about being part of MOTHER'S 50-year history and going against the grain.

By Letters From Our Readers
Published on October 31, 2019
article image
by Pixabay/Nature_Design

MOTHER’S Past

I remember MOTHER EARTH NEWS from the 1970s. I wish I would’ve kept every issue. I’d like to know more about its history, and where it’s printed now. Keep up the wonderful magazine, especially the articles focusing on DIY projects.

Theresa Reinhart
Alvada, Ohio

Theresa and other readers, we’re happy to give you some background on the anniversary of our 50th year in print. John and Jane Shuttleworth published the first issue of MOTHER EARTH NEWS in January 1970 in Ohio. They wanted to embrace the back-to-the-land movement and promote self-sufficiency while connecting with environmentalists around the country. From its birth, MOTHER had a strong do-it-yourself bent, advising readers about gardening techniques, as well as how to build structures, care for livestock, and install renewable energy on their properties.

After a few years, the Shuttleworths moved the magazine to a 600-acre property in the forested hills outside of Hendersonville, North Carolina. There, they opened a research facility they called the Eco-Village, with plenty of room for experiments in green living conducted by the staff (known as “researchers”). People came from all over the country to camp, visit, and innovate at the Eco-Village.

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