Mother Earth News Fair 2013 and reading list

Llamas at the Mother Earth News Fair in Seven Springs, PA

A couple of weekends ago, my son and I took a little road trip to Seven Spring, PA to attend the East Coast Mother Earth News Fair.  It's a three-day hands-on learning, sustainable living event featuring workshops, vendors and demonstrations.  The topics range from activism, gardening and farming, alternative power sources, cooking and preserving your harvest, eco-friendly building and many entrepreneurial topics.

 Fair grounds at the Seven Springs Resort

This is our second year to attend, and there was so much to see and learn with events happening on 14 stage and rooms simultaneously plus demonstrations of all kinds of equipment, tools and techniques.  In the mountains, it alternated between picture perfect beginning of autumn weather and monsoon rains, but the inclement weather didn't hamper many of the activities.  I ended up attending some workshops I wouldn't have experienced had I not been inside during some of the heavy rains.

I attended workshops on making organic body products, herbal health care, how women are changing food and farming cottage industries, gardening,and simplified sustainable living to name a few.  Ed Begley, Jr. was one of the keynote speakers and he gave an inspirational talk about simplifying living by starting exactly you are now and doing what you can no matter how small it seems.

Heritage Breed Chicken Oprah Henfrey

I heard so many inspiring stories from both the presenters and people I met during the event...many ways to try to leave the world a better place while enjoying a fulfilling life.  I picked up a few books after attending some of the workshops and have added a few more to my reading list for later.



The Good Life Lab:  Radical Experiments in Hands-On Living (Wendy Jehanara Tremayne)
An inspirational story of a couple who ditched their careers and life in New York City to move to rural New Mexico to build, make, forage and grow all they need to live a self-sufficient lifestyle while discovering a sense of value and abundance during the process.  The book also includes tips and tutorials.



Medicinal Herbs:  A Beginner's Guide (Rosemary Gladstar)


Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health (Rosemary Gladstar)
Rosemary is a renowned herbal teacher and practitioner whose workshop has inspired me to add even more herbs to my garden for next year.



Organic Body Care Recipes (Stephanie Tourles)
Stephanie's workshop has me excited to try making even more beauty products at home after sampling some of her favorite masks, creams and oils.  My previous experimentation with whipped shea butter and bath fizzies is just the beginning!

I would highly recommend a trip to the fair location closest to you next year if you have any interest in sustainable living.

Thanks for reading!

 Windmill farm in the Pennsylvania countryside

You may also enjoy:
Mother Earth News Fair 2012