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Community

Crafts

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Knit a Folk Art Basket

Photo by Danielle Atkins; Project sample knitted by Megan SeniniExcerpted from Knitted Baskets: 42 Hip, Happy, and Handmade Projects to Keep Your World Organized (Spring House Press).Stranded knitting has a rich tradition in Scandinavia and the British Isles. Hats, mittens, socks, vests, and sweaters sport bands of decorative and whimsical designs. This basket captures a little ...

Nola Heidbreder And Linda Pietz | Feb 16, 2021

Health

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Taking Things At the Right Pace

 Have you ever had one of those weeks where one day is fantastic, the next day you just want to punch a wall, and by the end of the week, all of your projects are in chaos, and you’re not even sure which direction is north? That happens to me a lot more than I think it should, but it usually boils down to me trying to do too much in a given time period, aka ...

Keba M Hitzeman | Nov 2, 2020

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Heart Of The Home

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One Farmer’s Library

 We love to read. Our library has everything from classics, herbals, history, art, science, sports, animals, military, cooking, faith, fiber arts, writing, and philosophy, to pulp novels and how-to books. And definitely books about farming. Every time we’ve moved, I’m pretty sure the packing, moving, and unpacking of books has taken longer than the rest ...

Keba M Hitzeman | Apr 9, 2020

History

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Preserving Giant Trees

 Photo by Adobe Stock/StephenDid you know that trees have their own beauty pageant? Well, they do. In 1940, American Forests (called American Forestry Association at the time) spearheaded the National Register of Champion Trees to locate the largest living trees throughout the United States. The goal was to raise awareness of the importance of preserving mature trees, not ...

Kristi Cook | Dec 8, 2020

Humor

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10 Things You Learn on a Farm

Reader Contribution By Charlotte McMullen I grew up in a rural farming community. From my parents’ kitchen window, I could see the farmhouse my father was born and raised in. Living in the country was nice, but I never dreamed I’d actually live on a farm when I grew up. It’s not that I thought I was too good for farm life; I simply had dreams of a career in the city. ...

Staff | Sep 14, 2020

Mail Call

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Don’t Let ‘Em Get Your Goat

Photo by Rachel LeystraWhen I was in seventh grade, I went through a rough patch in my life. I didn’t really have any friends, I was often bullied, and I needed a healthy distraction. When a new member joined my 4-H Club, I signed on to her goat project. I fell in love with the goats instantly, and told my mom I wanted one. She quickly pointed out that farm animals ...

Rachael Leystra | Feb 12, 2020

Nostalgic Stories

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A Secretly Decorated Forest Evergreen Becomes a Farm Family Tradition

While winter and the holiday season holds many allures for each of us, my favorite seasonal rituals center around trees. When I was a wee girl, we lived on a 50-acre farm in central Missouri. Much of the property was woodland comprised of oak and hickory interspersed with cedar. From a very young age, my brother, 6 years my elder, and I owned the task of providing our family ...

Sarah Joplin | Dec 29, 2020

People

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Apple Crate Furniture

Shortly after the Great Depression — when money was especially scarce in small rural towns like ours — you could buy an empty apple box for a nickel in my part of Texas, in Dime Box. Since growing apples was, and still is, next to impossible in Texas, apple boxes, both empty and full of apples, were imported from places like Mequon, Wisconsin. One tree could ...

Ray Spitzenberger | Jan 17, 2021

Reader Letters

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Mail Call: Backyard Wildlife

Photo by Larry OppermanBackyard WildlifeI've attached some wildlife pictures from our yard and around our house. We live in Soldotna, Alaska, and have a bounty of wildlife to view. Even in the city, wildlife is abundant. In our yard alone, we see moose, caribou, rabbits, squirrels, otters, ermine, porcupines, and birds. And while we haven't seen them in our yard, our ...

Grit Readers | Feb 16, 2021

Travel

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Travel by Water With Kayaks or Canoes

 Photo by Dana BennerPeople often ask me what I consider my most important tool. I’ve learned that the most important tool is the one you need at that moment. One item that could be useful to many people is a canoe or kayak. When a disaster hits, your life may depend on your ability to move quickly and silently. A canoe or kayak will allow you to do this. Since ...

Dana Benner | Dec 8, 2020

Weather

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Weather Info for All Seasons

  Photo by Adobe Stock/MDesigner125 Over the past five years, I’ve written many articles for Grit about weather, from life-threatening storms to weather folklore. This time, I want to tell you where to get weather information and how to use it. All the sources I’ve cited are from the United States and Canadian governments’ official ...

Ed Brotak | Feb 15, 2021

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