Mother Earth News Fair

I've written before that homesteading is a way of life. It encompasses areas of your day-to-day existence that are unexpected, and can lead a person on an adventure of self exploration ad infinitum. New ideas abound, and often take a farm or homesteading venture in a completely different direction than ever anticipated. Simple decisions change lives. The Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, PA certainly changed my trajectory.

Alternative technologies and methods are often met with staunch skepticism. Sometimes, it can seem like an uphill battle to break through tradition and spread outside knowledge of possibility. Sometimes, a person thirsts for new ideas, commonality, and a sense of being collective in the struggle. Sometimes you just really want someone to be as excited as you are about chicken nipples.  

With over 240 workshops, and more brilliant minds than you can shake a handmade broom at (thank you, John Holzwart) , Mother Earth News Fairs definitely deliver the goods. The Seven Springs Mountain Resort is an amazing venue, providing a serene background and plenty of clean, fresh air;  the perfect ambiance to share possibilities, ideas, and new knowledge on or approaches to age old quandaries. There's plenty of action to be had as well, lest you think this is some bland group of intellectuals, spouting droll rhetoric on the virtues of compost. What you are more likely to find are vibrant, young minds, regardless of physical age, eager to find new solutions, share experiences, and offer support for others who also have a mind for improving their quality of life, and the lives of those around them.  

Each of the fair's speakers hold a wealth of experience on various topics, and oftentimes show their diversity by speaking on multiple subjects. Presentations range from soapmaking, to swarm collection, and pasture management to alternative energy sources. One might check out the alternative energy car show on one side of the grounds, catch a demonstration on packing with llamas on the ALBC stage, and watch a portable sawmill demonstration on the other side of the grounds, all while enjoying some local delectables prepared by The Piper's Peck, or any of the other fine food vendors and exhibitors. No matter how much you cram in, there is bound to be something you wish you could've seen, tasted, or learned.  

Just breathe, and remind yourself there is always next year.  

Editors from the magazine can be spotted roaming the event, and are always excited to chat about any of the booths or workshops, which, combined with all the other friendly people both exhibiting and in attendance, creates an air of camaraderie that I haven't found at other events like this. It's surprising how many wonderful conversations are spawned simply by bumping into someone at the food court, or while watching a needle felting demonstration.  

With such a broad range of topics covered at the Mother Earth News Fair, there is absolutely bound to be something that will apply to your situation; be that finding information on raw milk, organic and heirloom seeds, heritage breeds of livestock, and solar energy, or an interest in picking up the latest innovatons in homesteading equipment, or natural home products. It really is an incredible array.   Or maybe you just get excited about automatic poultry watering systems... (It's okay, me too) to which I can only say....

Welcome home.