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Roger Doiron explores the continuing legacy of Helen and Scott Nearing and their Forest Farm homestead. Learn about their principles of simple living, The Good Life Center in Harborside, Maine, and how the Nearings have influenced generations of homesteaders, including the suburban variety.

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Most treadmills and stationary bikes use electricity, but what if you could produce electricity while exercising? With a pedal-power generator, you can! And you can use the electricity immediately to power a television, computer, stereo or other electronics — or store it in batteries to use it later. While you probably won’t produce enough electricity to power your entire house, pedal-powered generators can play a small but useful role in some homes.

Freelance journalist Mary Zanoni is suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for access to records they’ve compiled on livestock owners across the country. The USDA is constructing a directory for these owners known as the National Premises Information Repository, as part of the National Animal Identification System. They claim that the records apply to an exemption in the Freedom of Information Act, and can be kept from the public.

With the rising cost of energy, making your home more energy efficient is no longer simply an admirable goal, it’s a necessity. Not sure where to start? Most of these recommendations can be implemented yourself, but you can also hire someone to do the work for you. In either case, here’s expert advice to help you slash your utility bills.

Buying or building a small home is a great way to significantly reduce your energy use, and you don’t have to sacrifice comfort or style to do so. If anything, having less house to furnish and decorate often means more budget for fewer items — resulting in small, efficient and beautiful abode. Read about the Speed family’s success with their custom made petite home in Franklin, Maine, and learn how you can make the most of minimal space to create an efficient and enjoyable home of your own.

If you are planning an escape, but you’re worried about the environmental impact of your travels, here are a few ways to get out and about with less guilt.

Today’s bland hybrid corns are a casualty of the industry’s focus on mass production and multi-purpose. Why not grow your own corn, one rich with history and flavor? Gourdseed corn is delicious eaten fresh or grilled, and ideal for dumplings, puddings, flat breads and even pound cake. Don’t skip this recipe for Skillet Corn Bread!

How modern medicine has failed us: Learn why dietary fat isn’t as bad as its rap, how modern medicine and media have gone astray, and what’s really causing our obesity epidemic. Plus, it turns out grandma really did know best.

A garden that is efficiently laid out and attractive to look at will be more fun to work in. By developing permanent growing beds, your soil will be able to mature over the years into airy loose soil. Paths, spaced to allow you to move hoses and tools, encourage you to spend more time in your garden, enjoying the fruits of your labor.