Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, PA

This was our long-awaited, first time attendance at the Mother Earth News Fair and we were not disappointed!  Wow! is the best way to describe the experience.  There were over 150 workshops plus dozens of exhibits, a poultry show, and hundreds of vendors offering everything from home-made

soaps and jams to seeds to electric fencing and solar ovens.  Everything imaginable for the self-sufficient homesteader.  All this for the price of our ticket.... $20 each for the entire weekend and all the workshops we could manage to attend.

We attended the Seven Springs, PA venue at the Mountain Resort of the same name.  The location is beyond description.  It consists of thousands of probably the most beautiful acreage in western Pennsylvania and offers hiking paths, fishing, golf, skiing, and so much more.

There was the Livestock Conservancy tent which presented workshops regarding choosing and
raising the livestock for your farm or homestead.

The Livestock Conservancy works toward preserving heritage breeds and supporting breeders interested in preventing the extinction of historical livestock including chickens, ducks, turkeys, cattle, horses, and more.

In the Sustainability Tent there were many workshops designed to assist homesteaders in learning the day-to-day tricks, tips, and skills they may need to become, or improve, their self-sufficient life-style.

In nearly every tent it was standing room only for all the presentations.  Each presentation lasted an hour, and was worth standing for.

Get the "Scoop on Poop" or  Making the Best Compost for your garden,
whatever topic was best suited to your needs was available.

And there was always time for questions and answers.

We attended workshops every hour from the time the gates opened to closing time.  Some workshops we attended together, but mostly we used the divide and concur method in order to cover as many workshops as possible.

the Heirloom Gardener tent...standing room only!

Nick attended workshops on butchering rabbits to lambs, how to distill liquor at home, tractor maintenance and accessories, and more.  I listened to people talk about raising Devon cattle, heritage fowl, livestock grazing rotation, making the perfect compost and how to grow and preserve garlic.
Lisa from Fresh Eggs Daily talked about raising ducks and chickens together.  Getting to meet Lisa and listen to her presentation was a pleasure since I have been following and enjoying her blog for quite a while.

At the Heirloom Tent I learned how to grow garlic, the right way.  I already knew I had been doing it the wrong way.  As quickly as I could, after the presentation by the owner of Enon Farms, I got over to their booth and bought a mixed pound of their heirloom garlic for my garden.  Now I just need to wait a few more weeks to plant them into my new garden at the farm.          

Enon Garlic Farms 

As with all fairs, there were vendors selling everything from home made jam to solar ovens to electric fences and, for arthritis sufferers, Turmeric!  This was incredibly fortuitous since I decided a few months ago to stop taking my arthritis prescriptions.  I just couldn't stand losing sleep worrying about the possible damage that medication was doing to my liver.  Having been taking it for several years had already cost me my once beautiful teeth, I didn't want to risk ruining my liver as well.

I had read of the benefits of Turmeric in the treatment of arthritis and how it reduces, or eliminates, inflammation, and had been searching for a source without having to rely on the spice department of the supermarket.  As I rounded a corner there it was, that big,  beautiful banner which read:

Turmeric powder, capsules and oils

On Saturday morning my joints were hurting so badly I thought I would not be able to attend the fair, but I took two capsules, as Vincent recommended, and by the time I was dressed all the pain had gone!  The relief lasted throughout the day, so the next morning the first thing I did was to take two more capsules and once again, I was ready to face another pain-free day.

I can't say these turmeric filled capsules will do the same for any of you, I only know what they have been doing for me.  Next on my shopping list is the oil which is applied topically to sore, inflamed joints.

Not every booth in the vendor areas was about selling, there was one in particular about giving.  And, for a change, they were not asking for our money!  The founder of the Billions in Change foundation was the one who was doing all the giving!  They do not accept any donations.

Their mission statement is:  "Our mission is to build a better future by creating immediate and simple solutions to serious global problems around water, energy and health."

John is a volunteer who is ready to tell everyone about
Billions for Change, answer questions, and NOT take any donations.

"Manoj Bhargava, creator of 5-hour Energy, founded Billions in Change as a way to positively impact humanity."

I had read about this man some time ago and was greatly impressed by his generosity.  He literally has been giving away 99% of his billion dollar fortune to improve the earth and the lives of its inhabitants.  All in all, a totally amazing man!  Learn more about him and his works here and here

Over at the Poultry Show we found this beautiful pair of American Buff geese which are on the "watch" list.  These geese are not only beautiful, they are gentle and docile as well as good mothers.
They are the largest of the medium size geese, weighing it at about 16 pounds for the geese, and 18 pounds for the ganders.  These birds are definitely on our "must have" list.

American Buff Geese pair

There isn't enough space on this blog to tell you everything, so I will suggest that if you ever get the opportunity to attend one of these fairs, do it!  They are held in six states, in six different months and if you buy your tickets early you can get the weekend passes for less than the price of a day pass purchased at the gate.