q&a submissions

“Peasant’s Wedding Dance”, Pieter Brueghel the Younger, 1607

Author’s note: This week I opened up our chat to my paid members. That means if you want to ask a question of the fellow readers here or start a thread about sourdough or children’s footwear or in-law problems, you can do that. I considered opening it up entirely to all subscribers so there would be a more robust discussion, but there’s something about keeping things to those that are paid subscribers. Maybe it’s that there’s more of a reciprocity there. Or maybe it’s your decision that the work I share is of value or appreciation of what I offer here that led some of you to pay for your subscriptions. Whatever made you make that decision, I deeply appreciate and thank you.

It can be a tough sell for people to change their perspectives on the internet with what is valuable and how they want to pay for their usage. We can support each other directly or we can pay with our data and time that pays big corporations that curtail and heavily censor content with their algorithms that push addiction and division and… wait, what was I talking about? Oh yes! Let’s consider this a time of taking back and being more active in our dollars. Even if those dollars don’t go to my paid subscriptions, maybe they go to others you think worthy. Maybe, best of all, local farmers and artisans and craftsmen and other people that are doing things you like. On my end, I have a great gaggle of readers of which 7% are paid subscribers. I hear this rate is just the way it is around these parts. Some Substack authors are building in advertisement sponsorships, offering courses, or finding other ways to boost their revenue to make their efforts more sustainable. It’s hard to shake the idea that the internet should be free. But, man, oh, man does it feel better when there’s a relationship and an exchange, a valuing of each other. And money does that in lieu of other possibilities.

What does all of that have to do with opening the chat as an open forum to paid subscribers only? Well, the tone, the respect and commonality all come through in the discussion. The moment the floodgates open without filters, the combative tone and extractive questions come pouring in. This was why I ultimately left Instagram, save some generic posts with no time interacting one on one there anymore. There’s a zeitgeist that comes with social media, one of getting what we can from this person or that person - people who become an “account” to get recipes or advice or recommendations or tips from.

I love that Substack has evolved the possibilities for writers. Those that are here, and on other writer’s pages, tend to have a more developed and respectful way of interacting. We collectively see the need for more than just a flashy reel or false ideals. I get the feeling that those of us here want more than the influencers and soundbites. We’re a bit of a motley mix of assorted odds and sods, but we are earnest in our desire for authentic connection, the raw truths of life, and living meaningful, loving lives. That looks like a whole lot of things to different people. What I want to do is treasure that and preserve that here in this little corner of the internet. Hence paid subscribers only in the chat and in the comments. And that feels right to me.

And as thanks for your ongoing support and for making this website and our chats so alive with your intelligence, wit, and warm hearts I build in small gifts of appreciation - the audio recordings of Wednesday posts, my Saturday posts sharing some of the food and farming adventures we get into including a new recipes or things we’re foraging or making throughout the seasons, and these question and answers I try to do on a semi-regular basis. And with that, here we be. Q&A time!

Paid subscribers, please submit your questions in the comments below by 1800hrs this Sunday, May 26th. If there’s any couple/relationship questions, I might be able to talk hubs into doing a bonus TnT chat with me, too.

These questions are printed off on Sunday evening so don’t bother submitting your questions late. No late submissions will be seen. I mean it! I really, really mean it! 😉