| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| frugal234 |
Posted - Jan 16 2009 : 11:04:01 AM
Hi,
I'm new here and wanted to inquire about magazines that are down to earth, i.e. not "upscale," that anyone knows about. I know MJF has a good magazine and I used to subscribe to County Woman but am unsure if it's still going to be as good now that it has been purchased by Reader's Digest.
I would like to find other magazines that are for the "non-upscale" folks, ya know what I mean? I have little interest in any ladies magazines these days that are mainstream........ LHJ, Good Housekeeping, Redbook, Southern Living, BH&G, etc. I've gotten Southern Lady and Victoria, but even these are a bit too slick for what I'm looking for.
Hope to read some good recommendations!
~Robin in Alabama |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Old Spirit |
Posted - Feb 06 2009 : 3:40:50 PM
I agree with the magazines that show only skinny perfectly made up women. Who has time for that in the real world? Even though now a farming magazine, Today's Christian Woman is a pretty good magazine as well.
Rae
I love living in the country!! |
| electricdunce |
Posted - Feb 06 2009 : 1:42:41 PM
I love Piecework magazine,I subscribed to it for years, but it is a bit expensive. It's lovely, all kinds of needle work, published by Taunton. Check it out at the library, it is a real delight...
Karin
Farmgirl Sister #153
"Give me shelter from the storm" - Bob Dylan
http://moodranch.blogspot.com
http://domesticnonsense.etsy.com |
| shepherdgirl |
Posted - Feb 06 2009 : 12:19:55 PM
Amen to THAT Joy!!! I would rather learn USEFUL things myself as well. I LOOOOVE farm life and the critters don't care what I look like!
Even when I was young I didn't read all those frou-frou glamour magazines. NO ONE looks like those pictures in real life ANYWAY! Not even the women in the pictures! I'm so glad that many Hollywood stars are stepping up and saying --- "Yeah, I look that AFTER a TEAM of experts have painted, taped, plastered, stuffed, powdered, POOFED, and AIRBRUSHED my photos." Valerie Bertinelli was the latest star to have cameras follow her around BEFORE and AFTER a photo shoot. It's nice to see that SOME of those celebrities are rather humble folk like us and want to pop the bubble of "Perfection" Hollywood has created. It lets young people know that most-- if not ALL of what they see in that particular world is nothing but pure fantasy.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
| ChicChick |
Posted - Feb 01 2009 : 3:10:54 PM
I think Mother Earth News is great! I've read various "Letters to the Editor" about people hating the new format but I really like the articles, especially the ones which are stories of people who've gone "back to the land". I believe it's part of the Ogen Publication group out of Kansas, but am not positive. I like Grit, Countryside, MJF, Hobby Farms and others as well. I wish there were even more of these types of magazines and less of the ones which show impractical houses, clothes and livestyles which make women feel bad. In fact, I've pretty much stopped reading all my old favorites because of the way I felt after reading them. Better to read this type of "do it yourself" magazines, which support independence and frugality.
Visit me online! www.achickwithaconscience.blogspot.com |
| MotherLodeBeth |
Posted - Jan 27 2009 : 10:23:09 PM
Countryside and Small Stock Journal, Backwoods Home, Back Home and even Mary Englebriets Home Companion are the ones I sub to. I miss the old Victorian magazine. The there is the goat and chicken magazines.
~MotherLodebeth- I was born in the wrong era~ |
| mikesgirl |
Posted - Jan 27 2009 : 09:22:08 AM
Tracy - what a great idea to subscribe and donate to the library!
Farmgirl Sister #98
Check out my new online store
http://www.shopthefrontier.com/VFstore/index.php?manufacturers_id=79&osCsid=6be4b25bf9555031c6e2e86bbde23dba |
| shepherdgirl |
Posted - Jan 27 2009 : 09:08:05 AM
For those of you ladies who want to read the magazines but not purchase them, you might try looking in your local library. Ours carries several of the ones mentioned here-- "Mother Earth News," "Backwoods," "Country Woman," and a few others-- no MJF though.. guess I will have to mention it to them.... (LOL!)
I used to have a subscription to "Martha Stewart Living" but I didn't want to have to "store" the magazines so I bought a 3yr subscription and "Donated" it to the little library just down the road from me. (we live near TWO libraries!) The Librarian says it's the most "Checked out" magazine she has! (the Menonite ladies sure appreciate it!) After awhile those magazines start to pile up at the library too, and often a person can pick up an older copy for as little as 25 cents!
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
| Old Spirit |
Posted - Jan 24 2009 : 05:19:20 AM
Thanks for info on Mother Earth News, I used to get it many years ago. Didn't realize someone bought them out but makes sense in the difference when I have picked up one once in a while. Will have to check out the Hobby Farms Home.
Rae
I love living in the country!! |
| graciegreeneyes |
Posted - Jan 21 2009 : 06:26:26 AM
Dawn - totally agree about the extra stuff and the subscription renewal issues. Very annoying. I used to get Country Living but realized that it was basically just pictures anymore so I decided not to renew - I got so many letters from them saying I owed them money even though the last issue I received was the last issue I had paid for
Anyhow - I like Countryside, Hobby Farms Home, Mother Earth News, MJF (of course:))
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" |
| Buffalomary |
Posted - Jan 20 2009 : 8:43:59 PM
For me it would be Backwoods Home, Countryside, Back Home, and the original Mother Earth news. Somewhere in the 90s (don't remember exactly at the moment) MEN was sold to some guy in England, who fired the old staff and changed the format. That was about when I stopped getting it. It became too yippie for me. I now just pick up a MEN if there is a specific article I want. The old MEN staff started the Back Home mag which had feel of the old MEN.
Buffalomary
Farmgirl Sister #293
You can take the farmer's daughter off the farm but you can't take the farm out of the farmer's daughter!!
Please visit me at my blog: http://buffalomaryscorner.blogspot.com |
| 4forMe |
Posted - Jan 20 2009 : 12:30:58 PM
Another vote for Hobby Farms Home. It is my current favorite. I used to get Country Woman, but I couldn't stand the publisher. It used to come in a plastic wrap with a mini catalog and flyers and the like, I couldn't stand all the trash that came with it AND they were constantly sending me statements to renew right after I subscibed. I still get "Birds and Blooms" which I think is the same publisher because it has the exact same problems. My sweet husband reordered it for me when the subsciption expired and I didn't have the heart to tell him that I wanted that one to go away.
Sewing, knitting, gardening mom of 4. |
| Especially For You |
Posted - Jan 20 2009 : 07:09:27 AM
Robin,
I subscribe to a magazine on line called New Harvest Homestead. I came upon it by chance. Just got the new one downloaded today. I love that it is on the computer i can put it in a file, or print it off if I want to. Just Email her and she will send you a free one to see if you like it.
Tina
|
| lacisne88 |
Posted - Jan 19 2009 : 3:16:08 PM
I also like Hobby Farms and Hobby Farms Homes as well as Mother Earth News.
Chelsey
Farmgirl Sister #283
http://farmgirlpleasures.blogspot.com/
http://aminiatureworld.blogspot.com/ |
| Woodswoman |
Posted - Jan 19 2009 : 2:44:37 PM
One of my favorites is Mother Earth News. I love seeing the other ideas-I'm going to check them out as well!
Jennifer
Farmgirl Sister #104
"Nature brings to every time and season some beauties of its own".
-Charles Dickens |
| Nancy Gartenman |
Posted - Jan 19 2009 : 11:01:27 AM
Looking for back issues of HOBBY FARM HOME. Are their any out there?
Nancy Jo
www.Nancy-Jo.blogspot.com |
| Old Spirit |
Posted - Jan 19 2009 : 07:06:13 AM
Robin
I really like Country Woman because of it being a little bit of everything. I also like Backwoods Home a lot. Some articles aren't quite for me but they overall have a lot of great information.
Progressive Farmer is a bit more in depth on somethings but yet I have found some good information for us.
Good luck.
Rae
I love living in the country!! |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Jan 18 2009 : 6:11:59 PM
I still love Country Woman, and really all their magazines-Country, Country Extra, etc. lol
A free one I've been liking is from RFD, totally FREE! Is called Living the Country Life, it's not a very big magazine, but it's free, and it's good!
http://www.livingthecountrylife.com/
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
| mikesgirl |
Posted - Jan 17 2009 : 08:37:22 AM
I don't really care for 'Back Home' magazine - it's very "survivalist" oriented, but once in awhile there are some good gardening or cooking articles.
Farmgirl Sister #98
Check out my new online store
http://www.shopthefrontier.com/VFstore/index.php?manufacturers_id=79&osCsid=6be4b25bf9555031c6e2e86bbde23dba |
| Ms.Lilly |
Posted - Jan 17 2009 : 07:13:31 AM
We get Backwoods Home too and I agree- down to earth.
Lillian |
| Contrary Wife |
Posted - Jan 17 2009 : 07:01:19 AM
I agree that COUNTRYSIDE & BACKWOODS HOME (not to be confused with BACKWOODS) are good choices if you want down to earth magazines.
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
MJ's Heirloom Mavens Badgebadger
MJ's Heirloom Mavens Bookclub Coordinator
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
| frugal234 |
Posted - Jan 17 2009 : 06:58:28 AM
Wow, thank you all so much for these recommendations! I'm checking out their websites now and hoping to find an introductory offer.
~Robin |
| miraclewelsh |
Posted - Jan 16 2009 : 8:20:33 PM
I would definitely recommend Hobby Farm Home magazine, it's one of my very favorites. Hobby Farms magazine is also good, as is Grit.
*******************
Miracle Welsh Ponies & Cobs
Blog: http://www.foxhillphoto.blogspot.com
Website: http://www.miraclewelsh.com
|
| StarMeadow |
Posted - Jan 16 2009 : 5:57:05 PM
I like Hobby Farms Home and Grit. Those are the two I consistently buy. I used to read Backwoods Home quite a bit. Oh, and Mother Earth News but it got kinda "glossy". This month's issue of HFH has a great article @ baking bread and making butter. I haven't tried the bread yet but I did make the butter. Surprisingly simple. There is also an article about knitting a sweater (and breaking free of patterns) and starting your own book club. Oh and a couple really nice gardening articles that have piqued my interest too. |
| mikesgirl |
Posted - Jan 16 2009 : 5:29:20 PM
We love Backwoods Home.
Farmgirl Sister #98
Check out my new online store
http://www.shopthefrontier.com/VFstore/index.php?manufacturers_id=79&osCsid=6be4b25bf9555031c6e2e86bbde23dba |
| sweetproserpina |
Posted - Jan 16 2009 : 4:35:04 PM
There's a great country living magazine in Canada called Harrowsmith.
Really good, fun magazine, read by country and city folks alike. No decorating features, frilly ads etc. just neat articles (gardening/cooking/animals/environment, etc.), tips, recipes and some country humor thrown in.
Not sure if you can buy it in stores in the US, but you can definitely subscribe from there :)
"Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--it's such an interesting world."
http://quaintandkeepinghouse.blogspot.com New Homekeeping Blog!
http://theprimroseway.blogspot.com/ |
