Mother Earth News Fairs

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Mother Earth News Fairs

Postby Lollykoko » Wed Mar 28, 2012 2:42 pm

In the fall of 2010 my brother and I attended the first ever Mother Earth News Fair at Seven Springs Resort in PA. I have raved about the experience ever since to such a degree that I'm doing it again this year. A girlfriend and I are planning on loading up her "trike" and heading east about the time of the fall equinox.

Joel Salatin will be there! As will another dozen people (or more) who have written articles or otherwise added to my understanding of what sustainable living is all about. I am sooooo pumped! :D :D

Anyone else planning on making one of the fair dates? They are September in Pennsylvania, and June for the Puyallup fair. The list of workshops at this link is for the June dates. http://www.motherearthnews.com/fair/wor ... allup.aspx
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Re: Mother Earth News Fairs

Postby matt walker » Wed Mar 28, 2012 5:28 pm

Wow, Lolly, awesome! Thank you, I had never heard of this. Puyallup is about three hours from me, and those workshops look amazing! I'm going to try to attend for sure. I wish you were heading west instead, but they do seem geared towards the local climate, so I understand the east coast workshops will probably be more useful to you.
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Re: Mother Earth News Fairs

Postby Lollykoko » Wed Mar 28, 2012 7:47 pm

If I thought I could get away with the time and expense, I would head out for your area program as well, Matt. I've got friends scattered across the country that I'd like to spend a few hours visiting with on the trip back and forth. Maybe next year. :)

The fair is a great opportunity for networking. I still have a stack of business cards from the one I attended back then, and those businesses are about 450 miles away. Now that I'm getting closer to making dreams a reality, it's time to dig out the card for the guy with the plans for the top bar hive; or perhaps just buy the first one flat-out and reverse engineer the second one from there. Or contact the woman who makes the bat houses and special order a couple that I can pick up while I'm there.

My first trip there, I found that cash is a great thing to have when you go. At that time very few of the vendors took credit cards, I didn't have an ATM card, and it was much too far away for writing a check. There were SO many things I wished I'd had the ability to take home with me.
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Re: Mother Earth News Fairs

Postby pa_friendly_guy » Thu Mar 29, 2012 12:42 am

7 Springs is just up the Mountain from here, 20 min to 1/2 hr drive. It is a lovely Resort, I enjoy it there. We used to have a cabin at Roaring run as you start up the hill from Champion toward the Springs. Very beautiful area. I will look into going this year, I had not heard anything about it Locally. It didn't make the Mt Pleasant Journal, lol. :lol: The October Fest is a much bigger deal here Locally at the Springs.
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Re: Mother Earth News Fairs

Postby Lollykoko » Thu Mar 29, 2012 3:01 am

I ordered the 3 day pass at a rate of $25 each, Guy. I would be interested in knowing about hotel rooms in the area. I'm not prepared to tent camp after making an 8 or 9 hour bike ride to get there, but $400 for a weekend in the lodge is the other end of the spectrum. I'm sure there is a Super 8 or something within a highway on ramp, isn't there?
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Re: Mother Earth News Fairs

Postby pa_friendly_guy » Thu Mar 29, 2012 1:22 pm

There are a number in the area. There is a Holiday Inn Express in Mt Pleasant along Rt 119. I am guessing that you will be coming in Rt 70 to New Stanton, There are Motels there but maybe 45 min to the Springs. Mt Pleasant is more like 30 min. There is a Small older place in Laurelville at the bottom of the Mountain. Just off the Donegal exit on the pike [ The closest place to the springs ] There is a Days Inn that should be a little cheaper and close to 7 Springs. I think there are several Motels in Somerset Pa, off the pike but that exit is maybe 45 min farther for you to get to. Its not that far from the Springs, but farther to get to. I would shoot for the Days Inn I think. Look up motels in Donegal Pa and there will be some options that show up on that page. The ones in Latrobe and New Stanton are much farther away but with in a reasonable drive time. There are also several Bed & Breakfast places in the area. I do not know them all but look up Bed & Breakfasts in Westmoreland County Pa or Somerset County Pa. That should point you a direction, if I can be of any more help just let me know. I think the 3 day deal is much better also, I thought it was $35 for the 3 days. I think I may attend myself.
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Re: Mother Earth News Fairs

Postby pa_friendly_guy » Fri Mar 30, 2012 1:04 am

I forgot the Duncan House in Acme. It is a Frank Lloyd Wright house that was built in 1957 in the Chicago area. It was to be torn down but they saved it, stored it for several years in 5 tractor trailor trucks untill it found a new home here. They give tours a couple of days a week, but you can actually rent out the house and stay there. It sleeps a bunch of people, maybe if you get others to share it so that the cost may not be too bad. I think it is pretty pricy, but it is a Frank Lloyd Wright Home. There are 2 other " Cabins " on the land. They were designed by Wrights Students. A good friend of mine father built what they call the Blum House. Bobs father and a friend bought the farm in the 1950's I think. Bob built a house there that they now use as a resturant. Its pretty cool. There are also a number of Bed & Breakfast kind of places, prices vary. Good Luck in your search. :)
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Re: Mother Earth News Fairs

Postby Lollykoko » Fri Mar 30, 2012 4:38 am

Thanks so much, Guy, I have a list of locations to check tomorrow, before I go back to the farm for a few days. The quicker I can get the reservations taken care of, the more time I have for moving dirt.
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Re: Mother Earth News Fairs

Postby pa_friendly_guy » Thu Oct 11, 2012 2:53 pm

I had the pleasure of attending the Mother Earth News Fair at Seven Springs a couple of weeks ago. I was there for 2 days and got to visit several talks by the presenters as well as helping to man the booth for the Three Rivers Electric Vehical Ass. We had an informational booth there with 2 electric cars, an electric bike and an electric tractor on display. The cars were a big hit, I got to talk with alot of very interesting folks.
The 1st talk I went to was about what to do when Technology fails. It was given by Mathew Stein who has written a book about the subject and has a blog about it as well. He spoke about all of the major disasters that can befall us. One point he made was that 37% of the people in the USA live with in 50 miles of a nuclear plant. He felt that if there was a disaster those people needed to get out of Town, and quickly. Another major point was that the Cities live on a 3 day food supply in the stores. If they can't get any deliverys everyone is out of food quickly. He felt that you needed a 3 day supply of water [at least 1 gal per person per day ] and food , some basic medical supplies, some clothing blankets etc that you have ready to grab and go. Since you will not be able to buy gas in the emergency you will only be able to drive as far as the gas in your tank, plus what ever you have in 5 gal cans in the garage, will take you. He felt that being prepaired was the key. Take the family primative camping, build your own fire, see what you need, what you can live with out, and what you really do need. He of course loves camping and hiking and has done this sort of thing for many years. You always see pictures on the news of displaced people walking along the road fleeing the disaster. They are hungery, thirty and tired, you can be in better shape if you are a bit more prepaired. It was a good talk, but I personally am not going to loose any sleep worring about what Might Happen, I can get water from the springs and I have some food in the pantry and a wood stove and oil lamps if needed. If the house is totally gone in a tornado or a forest fire or earth quake I guess I am screwed anyway, :o I guess I am as prepaired as I am going to get. :D
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Re: Mother Earth News Fairs

Postby Lollykoko » Fri Oct 12, 2012 4:32 am

Guy, you have already set up your port in the storm. Are you within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant?

I just checked to make sure that isn't something I need to worry about. This site shows the plants around the world. http://www.icjt.org/an/tech/jesvet/jesvet.htm
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