What do you think of the "new" Mother Earth News?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

With some of the changes taking place with Mother earth news recently (new owners and all) I decided to resubscribe after many years. The last issue I saw looked like they were finally going to stop catering to all those “yuppies” and get back to the old ways.

I got the November issue yesterday and am sorely disappointed. Instead of getting better it’s gotten worse! I did appreciate the articles on preserving, and growing garlic (although it didn’t mention anything I don’t already know!) but the rest is just schlock.

Goofy cartoon -like drawings, photos pathetically staged and obviously retouched (including the cover. does anyone really believe that girl is even outdoors, never mind sledding down a hill???).

And with all those diet ads I had to check the cover to make sure I wasn’t reading the national enquirer.

But the worst thing was the “country lore” section I was looking forward to, hoping to hear from readers (like countryside) and they run a story on tanning pelts that looked so familiar I had to dig out my old magazine pile til I found it. And there it was. The exact same article (word for word) was in the May/June issue of Backwoods home! They stole backwoods story and called it reader written!

So what do you think, is it them or is it just me? I know they have lots of readers so maybe it is just me. I just wish rthey had stayed on track.

-- Donna (rhandi@elk.net), September 21, 2001

Answers

Your post just reminded me that I wa sgoing to call MEN to complain about the magazine, it wa snot stapled together correctly and all the pages were loose. Its a wonder it made it through the mail in one piece. I am amazed that they cannot maintain any type of continuity with their magazine, they have been sold, re sold and sold again countless times. I think they may as well give it up! I collect all the older issues and have my collection almost complete. Still looking for the 1st issue too.

Well... maybe I should e-mail them and go to their website to see if anyone else has prob;lems. Did the author of the article that wa sin backwoods sumbit it to them or was it plagerized?

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), September 21, 2001.


Donna, I too thought the same thing about the cover photo. I've learned to "take what I want and leave the rest". And I've used that motto for magazines, news, tv shows, even dealing with certain family members. Not EVERYTHING is going to make EVERYONE happy. But this was too much! We have been re-evaluating our budget and would like to cut down on the $$ spent on periodicals. I think the MEN will be one of those to be cancelled.

By the way, we have been recently asked for ideas for Christmas gifts, and magazine subscriptions are greatly appreciated. Even if yours doesn't expire soon, the postcards that always fall out of the magazines have all the info needed to renew! Just hand it over to the gift-giver.

-- Charleen in WNY (harperhill@eznet.net), September 21, 2001.


Oh No !!! I just bought a years worth of the New MENS from a local high school kid. Oh well, help him out I guess. I too was impressed with the past issue. Thought maybe they were finally getting it back together. Oh well...guess we will have to wait and see. I just usually dig through the many boxes of back issues and re-read them all. Love to see the land prices...wish I had back then. Back Home Again is a pretty good magazine too.

-- Helena (windyacs@ptdprolog.net), September 21, 2001.

Mother Earth News is definately not as good as it used to be but then neither is Backwoods Home Magazine. I quit subscribing to BHM after their 4th year of publication. Decided to try it again and picked up a copy at the newstand yestereday, what a disappointment. Its still a political rag with only an occasional helpful article. I guess I will be saving money as Countryside is the only one of the three I find to be truely useful.

-- Jane (jwagman@mail.com), September 22, 2001.

Over the years I've subscribed to Mother Earth News, Organic Gardening (dating back to the days when it was Organic *Farming* and Gardening), Backwoods Home and Countryside. I dropped TMEN back in the 80s when it went yuppie. Picked up a copy occasionally on the newsstand or at a used book sale, but never saw anythng that made me change my decision. Dropped OG when I realized they were rerunning the same topics, just written differently, on a four-five year cycle. I had huge hopes for BHM in the early days, but dropped it after four years because it was so uneven and just plain shlocky. The only one I've stayed with is Countryside. There's still a "new wrinkle in every issue," even the not-so-good ones. It still gives value for money, IMO, and it's the only magazine I give for gifts.

This testimonial is not a pitch for a free sub, BTW ;-)

-- Cash (Cash@andcarry.com), September 24, 2001.



I Agree! I renewed this year thinking MTE would be better but was very disappointed. I won't be renewing. I prefer to get my advice from real homesteaders and not some armchair gardener with a masters in horticulture. I enjoy Countryside because it's so diverse. I prefer hearing from everyone not just those who are paid for their advice. I realize this sounds harsh but you're all right. Some of those magazines just recycle articles. Thanks Countrysiders for being such a WEALTH OF WISDOM!!

-- Vickie in Oklahoma (ouvickie@hotmail.com), September 24, 2001.

Dear Donna....I have issue #1 to issue #118 of MEN. I have dilligently indexed them based on what our families needs are. I must say, they just don't make the "Mother" like they used to! Stick with Countryside or find OLD copies of the MEN.

-- Harmony Bullington (harmonyfarm57@hotmail.com), September 24, 2001.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ