you asked
In this rousing second edition of “You Asked”, recorded by beeswax candlelight in the dark morning of December, I somehow touched on questions ranging from dairy cow raising to butcher freezer paper to what I do to keep my sanity during these crazy-making times. Your questions mixed with a smorgasbord of bits and bobs from my brain and heart.
My New Year’s projects are many, but part of my focus will be on how we can interact and connect in more robust and meaningful ways for those of you interested in doing so. I have so many lovely, ordinary people I would love to share with you and I would love to hear more from you, too. I’m looking into that. I have so enjoyed communicating more fully with some of you here. I know many of you found me through Instagram and I’m grateful for that. But, truth be told, the censorship and “quickness” of that social media platform leaves me feeling a little hollowed out. There is a “taking” on social media that doesn’t feel reciprocal or meaningful. It just feels like a skim of real life. But it feels different to communicate with many of you here. I wonder, do you feel that way, too? Have you had the sense that things are ratcheting up on social media?
I remain on Instagram in hopes that for those that are looking for more, I might have them join us over here. It’s here that I can say what I want and take the time to say it with honesty and authenticity instead of in soundbites that are so easy to misconstrue or judge with anonymity. But my time there is limited, by choice or force. I am grateful to have something here that feels more real to expand into. Thank you for being here with me.
But there’s more to be done. Deep and real and honest. I am excited by my ideas and for how we might grow this minute little corner of the interwebs for good with discussion and sharing and then getting out into our own real worlds and spreading some of that around. I mean, shouldn’t we feel that our lives have been enriched and positively challenged by what we consume? If we feel darkened by what we feed ourselves, should we not reconsider our foodstuffs? I think so.
At the urging of some people that I respect and at the behest of the ever-evolving situation we find ourselves in, I’ve made the decision to open up my subscription to a paid or free option. Either way, you will receive my newsletters into your inbox as soon as they are published. If you have the means and the desire to support my writing, you can click on the subscription button and go for a paid option. If not, for either category, just stick with the free version. They’re both the same content, either way. Should I ever move towards adding content only available to paid subscribers, I will let you all know first and I will always make everything I offer free to anyone that needs it to be so. No questions asked. Ever.
you asked
I am no longer on instagram (or other social media) and am so so so grateful to be able to enjoy your writings here. I have wanted to comment for awhile now (but try and limit my computer time) just to express my deep, heartfelt gratitude and love for all of the information you have ever shared. you have influenced and inspired my family to make countless batches of headcheese (from our hogs AND the hog heads of friends), start going label free, hard line our internet to mitigate EMFs and find dirty electricity in and around our home, wear natural fibers, make my own vinegars, make a solar dehydrator, run our cows in the forest, buy (and use!) the river cottage cookbooks, eat eyeballs for vision health, the list goes on and on. probably most dear is to not second guess our high standards for our young children and not feel so evil and utterly alone in the fact that they need to put high quality foods into their bodies, only have screen time once per week on family movie night, complete their age appropriate chores, shovel shit with the rest of us, etc.
you once wrote something along the lines of "challenge your comforts or die a soft doughnut" and soft doughnut has become somewhat of a euphemism in our household for how the other half (most?) live :) we also use it to check ourselves, like when i just reeeeaaally dont want to do a cold plunge and my husband looks up with a little head shake and says.. soft doughnut. we cherish having you as an example of someone out there living in her integrity, illuminating so many things as possibility.
Oh Tara I love these sessions with you so much. I feel like it’s the next best thing to sitting with you over a cup of coffee. No need to make these more polished in my opinion. Raw, authentic, and from the heart is so much more meaningful. Thanks for sharing with us today. Hugs.