I just got an email from a woman – lets call her Denny – who said she was severely disappointed because I had “sold out” by starting the private membership area.
And here is what I wrote back to Denny “that is not selling out – that is the reality that I cannot continue to give out content for free and somehow cover expenses.”
Just today every one of my websites was repeatedly hacked. I have absolutely no clue how to deal with that, and thank goodness our web guy, Justin, totally got the situation under control.
BTW, thanks so much to those of you who wrote in or called to alert me about it.
Turns out the attack was not directed at me or the message of growing food – there was an outbreak of sites that were attacked and it was done by some kind of impersonal web bot that crawled through the web and attacked any security vulnerabilities it found.
There has been some fun jokes about possible Gov’t motives… what a group we are, huh? LOL, But seriously I don’t think there is any conspiracy on this one.
The hacker that created the “attack bot” actually did me a favor – nothing on the sites was damaged – it was a warning and showed of weaknesses in my security. Security I didn’t even know I needed! We’ve always been very uber careful about the checkout processes and customer records, but as I learned, security needs to be much more extensive than that. We are now working with HostGator doing a thorough sweep of every file to ensure there are no bugs, hidden codes, or viruses.
Anyway, Justin our web guy, is a family man who works really hard and rents a home and provides for his homeschooling wife and three kids. Justin honestly does a lot more work than I can pay him for. And Justin’s kind of expertise needs to be paid for. That is just one of the many expenses it takes to keep this business going. It costs money to do research, write, keep up websites, editing, software services, card processing, marketing, tech people, bookkeeping… it goes on and on.
My 12 year old daughter packs the shipments and attaches the shipping labels.
BTW, if you get a package with a silly little smiley face – well, that was from Kimber – hoping to make your day. And she apologizes for those recent orders where she accidentally put the wrong videos in the packages.
Now I have spoken with many of you and I know there are some on very limited fixed incomes. Also, there are lots of people with very valuable information to share – people that just aren’t participating much in the Federal Reserve Note system. And I am going to work out a way for scholarships or work trade for access to the membership area. Actually, some of our best information comes from people who have already ‘dropped out’ to some extent. And that is definitely welcomed in this community. So I will absolutely come up with a way to accommodate.
Of course, I will continue to send out free info.
I don’t know Denny’s financial situation. But I am very surprised that someone like her that has gotten so much from what I’ve produced and given away – that she would then tell me I am selling out because I am offering extra focused quality content, providing a safe private area for our community, and only asking for a tiny amount.
So here I have to clear this up. If you feel that I’ve “sold out” –
then I’ll tell you what I told Denny.
“Please unsubscribe”.
PS: Now I know you are going to comment! And I love it. I do want to hear from you. The absolute best way is to write your words in the comments section below. Yes, I read all the comments – it is the best way to get to me directly.
Marjory Wildcraft is an Expedition Leader and Bioneer Blogger with The [Grow] Network, which is an online community that recognizes the wisdom of “homegrown food on every table.” Marjory has been featured as an expert on sustainable living by National Geographic, she is a speaker at Mother Earth News fairs, and is a returning guest on Coast to Coast AM. She is an author of several books, but is best known for her “Grow Your Own Groceries” video series, which is used by more than 300,000 homesteaders, survivalists, universities, and missionary organizations around the world.
COMMENTS(0)
I don’t think you’ve sold out, but $10/month is moire than we can afford. My wife & I are in our 70s, on a fixed income, rearing a teenaged grandson we’ve had since he was 6 weeks old, and have been the sole support of a son with a family of three for the past 30 months.
Marjory,
Calm down, girl. I would be more than happy to contribute $10 per month and join your private list but I have some suggestions.
1. Along with every weekly newsletter, or special newsletter or whatever you want to call it, attach a YouTube video or link showing what you are doing as I have seen several excellent videos from you.
2. Quit asking for money all the time, just put a link at the bottom of your newsletter that “Your contributions are both needed and appreciated.”
3. Have a section for an article or video weekly from contributing authors or participants. This will take some of the pressure off of you and should give interesting perspectives.
4. Put your “Membership Sign-up” or “Donate Here” box on the home page of your newsletter. We are an emotional and sometimes lazy bunch (speaking for myself of course, so as not to offend) and don’t like to have to search for where to pay…give us a box.
5. Please remember to spell check, as I have seen many grammatical errors which are both unnecessary and a turn off.
Love you girl,
Michael
Michael,
thank you so much. Yes, all very good.
You’ll see the changes as I can make them.
Thanks again.
Marjory
This is not a reply specifically to Edwin, it is because I could not find another place to post a comment. I do agree with him, though, about findint it difficult to afford it.
I do understand the problems with running a website and the need to pay people and incur expenses, and I do not at all think you have sold out. However, one sad thing about the economy in which we live is that people who cannot afford to pay fees are the ones who end up getting cut out, both from learning and help and from the opportunity to contribute when and what they can. It is sad, but ranting against it or accusing you will not fix things.
It would be wonderful if we could all live in proximity and find ways to help one another. This not being the case, the online community is a great idea – it simply follows the structures of the times and mostly limits itself to those who can pay.
My own position is that of a part time free lance teacher. In other words, I teach children whose parents can pay (and some who can’t) mostly after school, evenings or weekends. I have been supporting my daugher on what I can garner. Sadly, I cannot contribute either my own skill at teaching young children or my skill at writing as payment for online membership. I am not much of a gardener, though I would very much like to learn to be one. I don’t know that I believe in hordes of armed people running around to attack others, but I certainly believe in being prepared for hard times that I feel will come. I believe that the very best way to live is in cooperative community. So yes, I would love to be a member of the site.
I have also another problem, which others may or may not share. I do not do financial transactions online, nor do I let others into my bank account (which isn’t very large anyway) to do direct debit or deposit. For me, I would either need to send a monthly check, or to pay up front for a year’s subscription, like a subscription to a magazine. In addition, I do not do well at learning by sitting in front of a screen. I need to read or interact with others. Thus, for me, an online membership would be greatly enhanced by being connected with other people in my area, so that I could meet with them. Hopefully, we could help each other.
No, Marjorie, you are not selling out. I think you deserve to be recompensed for services you offer. However, for several reasons, things are difficult.
All the best. Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
You bring up good points. I too don’t like spending a bunch of time in front of a screen – so glad I make it part of my life to grow at least half of my own food – it gets me out of the office
The online world is what we’ve got and while it is not perfect it does offer a lot. Huge actually.
I will work to see how we can setup an offline payment system.
Step by step… hang tight.
Marjory
This is off topic, but I found it in an online issue of Yes magazine and thought it would be of interest. I do not know how to use the system well enough to submit it any other way. Elizabeth
The Surprising Healing Qualities … of Dirt
A doctor discovers exposure to healthy farm soil holds keys to healthy bodies.
Document Actions Email Feed Share by Daphne Miller
posted Dec 06, 2013
— tags: Theme, YTW Feature
YES! Photos by Paul Dunn
Recently I’ve been enjoying dirty thoughts. I spend my days in a sterile 8×10 room practicing family medicine and yet my mind is in the soil. This is because I’m discovering just how much this rich, dark substance influences the day-to-day health of my patients. I’m even beginning to wonder whether Hippocrates was wrong, or at least somewhat misguided, when he proclaimed, “Let food be thy medicine.” Don’t get me wrong—food is important to our health. But it might be the soil where our food is grown, rather than the food itself, that offers us the real medicine.
You would find little to support these assertions within the medical literature. Enter the terms “soil” and “health” into a PubMed database and the top search results portray soil as a risky substance, filled with pathogenic yeast, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, radon, heavy metals, and pesticides. But move past these grim reports, and you will uncover a small, but growing, collection of research that paints soil in a very different light. These studies suggest that soil, or at least some types of soil, can be beneficial to our health.
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The scientists investigating this soil-health connection are a varied bunch—botanists, agronomists, ecologists, geneticists, immunologists, microbiologists—and collectively they are giving us new reasons to care about the places where our food is grown.
Lively soil, better food
For example, using DNA sequencing technology, agronomists at Washington State University have recently established that soil teeming with a wide diversity of life (especially bacteria, fungi, and nematodes) is more likely to produce nutrient-dense food. Of course, this makes sense when you understand that it is the cooperation between bacteria, fungi, and plants’ roots (collectively referred to as the rhizosphere) that is responsible for transferring carbon and nutrients from the soil to the plant—and eventually to our plates.
Given this nutrient flow from soil microbes to us, how can we boost and diversify life in the soil? Studies consistently show that ecological farming consistently produces a greater microbial biomass and diversity than conventional farming. Ecological farming (or eco-farming, as my farmer friends call it) includes many systems (biodynamic, regenerative, permaculture, full-cycle, etc.) that share core holistic tenets: protecting topsoil with cover crops and minimal plowing, rotating crops, conserving water, limiting the use of chemicals (synthetic or natural), and recycling all animal and vegetable waste back into the land. Much of this research supports what traditional farmers around the world have long known to be true: the more ecologically we farm, the more nutrients we harvest.
Allergy-fighting microbes
While soil scientists are busy documenting these soil-to-food links, immunologists and allergists in Europe are working above ground to uncover another intriguing soil-health connection, the so-called “farm effect.” Why is it that children raised on ecologically managed farms in Central Europe have much lower rates of allergy and asthma than urban children or those raised on industrialized farms? Once again, almost everything points to microbes—in manure, in unpasteurized milk, in stable dust, on unwashed food and, yes, in the soil. In one study, researchers cultured farm children’s mattresses and found a potpourri of bacteria—most of which are typically found in soil.
How soil microbes and other farm microbes protect against allergic diseases is still a matter of debate, but research is increasingly pointing to a new idea which, for lack of a better term, I will call the “microbiome exchange hypothesis.”
Infographic: Michael Pollan Says Home Cooking Might be the Single Best Way to Improve Your Health
The standard explanation for the “farm effect” is the hygiene hypothesis, which contends that early life (including in utero) exposure to a variety of microbes dampens the allergic response of our adaptive immune system. The problem with this theory is that our immune system is surprisingly simplistic and seems to react similarly whether it is encountering the diverse portfolio of microbes on an ecological farm or the relatively homogeneous collection of microbes typically found in an urban apartment or a conventional farm. But what if our own immune cells are simply a backup mechanism to a more sophisticated first line of defense—our resident microbes?
And what if a healthy and diverse soil microbiome can foster a more diverse and protective human microbiome? In fact, newer research suggests that this is the case and that an ongoing soil-to-gut microbial exchange might offer the real “farm effect.”
Gut-level gene swapping
Of course this is all very new—and for me, as a physician, somewhat disorienting. In medical school I was taught that our internal bacteria belong to a private club and that they have nothing to do with the microbes in our external environment. Pathogens such as salmonella or E. coli might pass through, as happens when we suffer from food poisoning or other infections, but their influence was considered to be transient—albeit occasionally devastating. But now that we can sequence the DNA of an entire microbiome, using a technique called metagenomics, we’re beginning to connect the dots and we’re discovering that genetic swaps can take place between our microbiome and the outside world—particularly the places where our food is grown.
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A group of French microbiologists were among the first to document this game of pass-the-gene when they identified the exact same sequence of DNA in two different Bacteroidetes bacteria species, one living on seaweed and the other in the intestines of Japanese people. They concluded that the marine bacteria had hitchhiked their way into the human gut via sushi and other seaweed dishes and passed their seaweed-digesting DNA on to resident microbes of the human host. The end result of this exchange is that many Japanese—and possibly people from other seaweed-eating cultures—have acquired a greater ability than the rest of us to extract valuable nutrients from their nori.
Justin Sonnenburg, a microbiologist at Stanford who studies how our environment influences our microbiome, told me that the findings from this nori study are, most likely, just the tip of the iceberg. He believes that we’ll continue to discover ways that the microbes in soil and oceans are interacting with our microbiome and playing a huge role in our health.
Rx: dirt
Impressed by the growing evidence that our health depends on healthy soil, my “dirty thoughts” have turned to action. I now tell my patients that food grown in well-treated soil might offer distinct advantages when it comes to scoring the best nutrients and building a healthy immune system. Of course, identifying this food can be tricky since USDA Organic certification, while certainly a helpful guide, does not always lead us to the healthiest farms. Many certified organic farms do qualify as ecological, but some large-scale farms with this certification still till deeply and use approved pesticides—both practices that damage soil and the microbes in it. On the other hand, there are farmers who can’t afford organic certification who are implementing the practices of eco-farming, practices that have been shown to produce a rich soil and a thriving microbial population. Since there is no “healthy soil/healthy microbe” label that can steer us toward these farms, my suggestion is to ask this simple question:
“Does the farmer live on the farm?”
Farmers who live on their land and feed their family from it tend to care for their soil as if it were another family member. Going to farmers markets and joining a CSA (community-supported agriculture) are reliable ways to get this type of produce, and supermarkets are also beginning to support local farmers. Remember, the more we demand it, the more they will carry it.
Photo by Paul Dunn
Of course, another option is to grow our own food. Eating fresh-grown food from healthy soil is not an all-or-nothing proposition, and even a daily handful of herbs from a container garden can have a positive impact on our health. Whether it is homegrown or from a local farm, I do mention to my patients that they should think twice before peeling or scrubbing their farm bounty. After all, who knows what beneficial bacteria might be coming along for the ride? By the way, eating fermented farm-fresh vegetables is a great way to get a mega-dose of soil bacteria.
I also tell patients about other (non-edible) health advantages to connecting with healthy farms. For example, although the data is far from conclusive, spending time on a local farm might offer a relatively safe, low-tech prevention strategy for families predisposed to allergies. “Farm time” looks especially attractive if it obviates the need for allergy shots or rounds of antihistamine. Emerging research says time spent working the soil is a means to build community, improve strength and fitness, slow dementia in seniors, and improve school performance in teens. It would be simplistic to promote a connection to healthy farms as a panacea for all that ails us, but it has become an important part of my medical toolkit.
Caring for our dirt
Finally, I have come to see my patients as an integral part of a farm eco-cycle where the flow of health is bidirectional. In other words, our choices directly influence the farm’s health, which, in turn, impacts our health. For this reason, composting is a way to nourish local farms and ultimately fortify ourselves. I encourage patients to protect the soil like they protect their bodies. While many of us are aware that chemicals used in the soil might be harmful to us, we rarely consider how products that we use on ourselves or in our homes—such as triclosans, VOCs, parabens, PBAs, PVCs, and lye—might affect the health of the soil and its microbes. (By the way, rosemary or basil extracts make excellent antiseptics, vinegar is the best cleaner, shea or cocoa butter are perfect moisturizers, and diluted baking soda is an excellent shampoo.)
Similarly, while I’ve long recognized how antibiotics, steroids, and other bactericidal drugs might cause unintended side effects in my patients, I now understand how these drugs can impact the microbial life underfoot and ultimately our own cells.
Certainly, any chemical that decreases microbial diversity will, in turn, decrease the nutritional value of our food. But there is another concern: microbiologists at Washington University in St. Louis have recently noted that soil bacteria exposed to antibiotics and other chemicals can develop antibiotic resistant genes which, similar to the nori-digesting enzyme, can be transferred to our microbiome, turning otherwise benign resident bacteria into “superbugs.”
Thinking of a healthy body as an extension of a healthy farm, and vice versa, is a paradigm shift for many of us. But when we consider that all of our cells get their building blocks from plants and soil then, suddenly, it all makes sense. In fact, it is not too much of a stretch to say: We are soil.
——————————————————————————–
Daphne Miller, M.D., wrote this article for How to Eat Like Our Lives Depend on It, the Winter 2014 issue of YES! Magazine. She is a family physician, writer, and associate professor at U.C. San Francisco. Her latest book is Farmacology: What Innovative Family Farming Can Teach Us About Health and Healing (William Morrow, 2013).
Elizabeth,
that is a really good article.
I have also heard that kids that eat some soil get immunity from tetnus. I am hoping to find that study somewhere and post it.
thanks for bringing this forward.
Dear Marjorie,
For me, one of the very best things you could do (especially to build community) is to connect people who live in the same area, so there could be human contact and sharing. If you or your computer person develops a system for collecting residence areas (addresses, or cities-states, or zip codes or the like), I would certainly be happy to provide my information. I would suggest that email addresses of people in the same area be given out, not addresses or phone numbers. Just a suggestion. Elizabeth
Elizabeth,
yes, thanks we will work to incorporate more physical connectedness. Carefully though as you mentioned.
You are just suffering from growing pains with your life. Remember you can’t keep everyone happy. However you must take care of your business and do what is necessary to continue to grow. I have enjoyed the information you have given away and wish to thank you for doing so. Keep up the good work and keep growing because that is the natural progression of things.
I am keeping my subscription, but I most likely will not be signing up for the higher level since I am on a very limited social security benefit….but I do really appreciate the info freebees I receive from you…..I hope a kazillion folks become members for the $10.00 per month … God Bless,
Cam
Hi there, Marjory,
No, you have not sold out. You are a part of that wonderful and threatened world of American small business. I admire your gumption, you deserve to get a profit for your efforts.
I may not be able to sign up for your service because money is tight but you absolutely are on the right track.
I wish you the very best in your endeavors. You are making the world a better place, helping people and it is fitting that you should make a living while doing that.
Daniel
I will not unsubscribe. I appreciate all of the info. I have ordered the dvd’s to help with a group of kids next spring, and, I just joined your community.
Don’t let the Denny’s of the world get you down. There are always folks who want something for nothing. I understand all about, what we here in Arkansas call it, “poor folks”. I are one, lol.
While I have been a gardener all my life, I am always finding a lot of new information in your emails. Keep it up.
God Bless,
Ray
Thank you Marjory !!!
I just bought your DVD set as a “Christmas present” that my children can give me. Only watched the first few sections, but I have learned a ton from them. Looking forward to the rest. As for “selling out”, I don’t think so !!!
Unfortunatly, I don’t have the financial means right now to join, but as soon as possible I will. I think it will be well worth the price.
Thanks Again
Roger
1st off thank you for all your time in posting info for us people who want to do more for our self . i know how much time it takes to look up info online much less in other places and it does cost money to do that. so you go girl your time is worth money and i thank you again for all you have done giving us free info keep up the good work.
greg
Marjory:to me you are really a blessing, I really appreciate the sharing of your knowledge with us,thank you so much !
DW
I am relatively new to your website, but so far have found it helpful. I totally agree, if “Denny” doesn’t like it, she doesn’t have to subscribe. It’s like the old pastor told the congregation member who was complaining about having to put mney in the offering plate, The Gospel is free, but it costs money to pipe it to you!
Besides you are looking into a system to help those who can’t afford the cost, so what is the complaint?
God bless,
Shelayne
FORTUNATELY THERE ARE NO FREE LUNCHES OUT THERE FOR MOST OF US WHO VALUE QUALITY INFORMATION OR I FEAR THE MEAL SERVED WOULD NOT BE WHAT I WOULD CHOOSE TO EAT….THOSE WHO DEDICATE THEIR LIVES TO PROVIDING FOR THEIR “TRIBE” DESERVE COMPENSATION. IN LOVE AND GRATITUDE I WOULD PREFER TO PAY FOR CONTINUING ACCESS AND INPUT IN ONE LUMP SUM. YOU MIGHT CONSIDER A SPECIAL CHARTER MEMBERSHIP FOR THOSE THAT SIGN UP AS ANNUAL MEMBERS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW A MAILING ADDRESS TO SEND MY CHECK FOR AN ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP. PLEASE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK FOR THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICES. SORRY ABOUT YOUR HACK-IN, MESSAGES COME IN ALL KINDS OF PACKAGES AND EVENTS. KAREN
Hi Karen,
Thanks for your suggestion. Yes, an annual amount is planned. One step at a time.. huh?
Thanks so much for your kind words and support.
I hope this one person is not the straw that broke the camels back as the things you do and the information you provide is essential to the survival of so many enlightened people (not illuminati as they already have information that they hide from us so-called ‘useless eaters’).
Peace to you and all. My fervent prayers for your safety and continued wisdom that you give us.
Don’t you dare let her make you feel bad for one single second. This is YOUR business. There are many takers in this world that want nothing more than to suck the life (not to mention your time, talents, and money) out if you. Dont let them. If their boss wanted them to work for free they would laugh and quit, yet they are wanting you to do that very thing. Most people don’t realize what it takes to run a small business from home. They must think little fairies do all the leg work while you sit back and collect a check. I can tell you it’s WAY more work than a normal 9-5. Don’t let her get you down. This is actually a good thing- it will separate the ‘real deal’ folks from the freeloaders. From a survivalist standpoint I thank you!
Thanks so much Nichole,
You are so right. Most people don’t have a clue about how much work is in a small business.
Thanks for all you do, Marjory!
I find it interesting that making money doing something you are passionate about is viewed as “selling out”. I call it having the courage to live the life the life you were meant to live. I applaud you. (Speaking from someone who prostitutes 70-100 hours a week doing a job they would rather not be doing.)
I have your DVD & really enjoy your emails, even though I’m not growing a single thing at this time. Having a separate membership area to help support classes, webinars, & the free content makes sense.
It would be great to live in a world that didn’t require those green-backs……and perhaps we will arrive there someday….in the meantime, we must find a way to generate them. I am very impressed with your work and how you are educating all of us! The amount of FREE information you have provided is awesome.
I just bought your DVD – looking forward to receiving it.
As for the $10 per month, take it or leave it…….I don’t see the controversy? That is how much I pay per month to listen to my spiritual teacher. It is a choice I make to help me with my life, seems like a small price. (Although I do understand those who are limited in the $$ department).
Blessings to you Marjory – thank you for helping create a better planet!
Katy
Hi Marjory;
I DO-NOT think you are selling out. You provide a valuable service to the community and deserve to be paid for it. Unfortunately there are
people whom always have the ‘Something for Nothing’ mentality.
I say ‘Keep up the good work’ and Tell those freeloaders to go ‘Suck a Duck’ if they can’t pay.
By the way- Where can I subscribe?
OOOps! I meant to write ‘ If they won’t Pay. not if they can’t pay.
Hi NW Prepper – great name BTW, I just met the Southern Prepper – a super nice guy.
Thanks so much for your kind words. Here is the link to subscribe – see you in the membership area soon. On Monday I am doing a whoe thing on How To Find A Survival Retreat and if you sign up before Dec. 8th you’ll get the ebook “7 shortcuts To finding The Perfect Survival Retreat” (normally $27) for free.
http://www.growyourowngroceries.org/member-login/
Nothing wrong with charging for information that is useful. Running a website and/or providing interesting articles all the time can be very time consuming. Most authors post stuff that is readily available on the Internet with minimal research. I would pay $10 for cutting edge new ideas or How-To’s. I guess some folks feel that the Internet should be FREE.
Well, got to say I love that name “Methane Creator” LOL
Thanks for writing in.
Marjory
I just read your post. I totally understand why it is now necessary for you to request a monthly payment. Good for you for being able to do this and, hopefully, make some money for those who depend on you. Unfortunately, my husband and I will not be able to continue receiving your posts due to the cost (which is not much), but this year has been especially difficult for us due to his health diagnosis and losing his job. With both of us being unemployed, we have to cut corners wherever we can. So, hope all continues well for you and your family. And, we hope your business, like your garden, grows and grows. Thank you for all the information we received from you.
Sheryl,
there will still be lots of great free stuff. And I hear your plight. Let me work something out.
I think it is a “no brainer” that you need to fund your business.
Totally behind what you are doing.
Unsubscribe No Way! Work exchange? Let me know what you need and maybe I can provide something! Currently it’s not a good time for me to add another expense. We are working on buying our little homestead and every $$ counts.
Take Care and don’t listen to people who say you have sold out… in the society we live in, money is required to pay expenses, in a perfect world it would not be.,.. but BARTER? Now that is a wonderful way to do things! I make signs, banners, tshirts, magnetic signs, etc…. my prices are as low as I can make them and still make a reasonable profit, without gouging anyone, but I still have to have some cash customers to make sure I can afford to replace materials…. Lets be realistic!
I appreciate all you do and your willingness to share. I bought your DVD set many years ago under the other name, and am so glad to have it. We have been in a financial famine for 7 years now (long story), so I am currently unable to pay for a membership, but value all your information, time and energy, and in no way feel it is inappropriate to make those changes. I have skills that I can offer as trade, in the energy medicine genre, if you’re interested.
Katya, give me some time to set it up – but definitely interested in articles about home made medicine.
One way I reign in my budget is by purchasing info in small chunks, and by not doing “auto-pay” on my cards.
Maybe you could bundle up some of your blog topics into sell-able, downloadable/email-able pdf.s? Oh, by the way, I bought your DVDs, but I’m using your web-link to access the same info until I can figure out how to reboot the DVD thingy on my laptop. Great info.
I’m considering purchase of your “Alternatives to Dentists” in next pay-check or two or three. How much of that info concerns prevention vs. treatment? Seems like the people in my world wait until the pain is unbearable before they look for help.
Barbara
Hi Barbara,
Good suggestions, thanks.
The Alternatives To Dentists covers a range – yes, with certainly a stronger emphasis on prevention but also treating acute situations such as abscesses.
I have Backyard Food Production. Is it the same?
Hi daryll,
Yes, backyard Food Production is the original packaging. Same content. doesn’t the name “Grow Your Own Groceries” sound better? LOL
Marjory
Hey Marjorie, I don’t feel you’ve sold out. As another solopreneur I know that we have to make a living, and for now we’re in this particular system that uses money. I was disappointed only because I can’t afford to become a member at this point. I am happy that you will look for ways for folks with few $ to participate. Keep doing what you’re doing, and let the naysayers fall by the wayside. You can’t please everyone, but if you please some then you’re doing okay!
I have thoroughly enjoyed your website and your video clips you have online. I’m a mother of 4 on a painfully limited income, and unfortunately cannot yet afford to purchase the video you sell, but I hope to be able soon! Please keep doing what you are doing, some of us need this great information desperately! God Bless you for all that you do, as well as those who work with you!
Sincerely,
Angie H.
SOLD OUT? To whom did you sell to? $10.00 per month shoot you can raise that much money a month collecting cans or better yet selling the food they grow. It takes time to build a business and you have given and given. The growth and changes are wonderful I hope you continue to grow learn & share. Those that think you should do for free 100% of the time sorry you don’t need them. Obviously they can not see the value.
You teach grow your own food. If you follow what you say to do they will save hundreds each and every month on food alone. If they can’t take $10 of that savings to help keep you going well they are greedy self absorbed type of people that this country is full of right now. They are the ones that are part of the problem.
Keep spreading the word. I pass your info on every chance I get. I for one can not even begin to thank you enough for all you have done. You will never know the so very important part you have played in giving me and my family a better life.
With all of my heart thank you & keep up the fantastic work.
Danelle
Washington
SOLD OUT? To whom did you sell to? $10.00 per month shoot you can raise that much money a month collecting cans or better yet selling the food they grow. It takes time to build a business and you have given and given. The growth and changes are wonderful I hope you continue to grow learn & share. Those that think you should do for free 100% of the time sorry you don’t need them. Obviously they can not see the value.
You teach grow your own food. If you follow what you say to do they will save hundreds each and every month on food alone. If they can’t take $10 of that savings to help keep you going well they are greedy self absorbed type of people that this country is full of right now. They are the ones that are part of the problem.
Keep spreading the word. I pass your info on every chance I get. I for one can not even begin to thank you enough for all you have done. You will never know the so very important part you have played in giving me and my family a better life.
With all of my heart thank you & keep up the fantastic work.
Danelle
Washington
PS
I have read your 7 shortcuts to finding the perfect survival retreat. Have to say that saved us a new perspective on what we really wanted and were looking for. We were just about to make an offer on a place even though we had some very real concerns with it. Your information saved us thousands of $$ not to mention a huge heart ach of purchasing the wrong place.
Thank you so much Danelle.
I gots to be lika Duck an let em roll off my back and go Quack! Quack!
Love what you do – thanks for showing me all I do not know and have not the time to learn as you said
you are the distillation of what I need to know – also I need to send you back a video as you sent me two.
I had changed addresses and so the first one was delayed and I was so excited about getting it I wrote to inquire where it was and you simply sent me another.
Does that sound sold out BABE?
Double meaning there –
Born Again Believer Eternally
Where there are two or more we are also BABE’s / Sanctified !!!
Seriously thanks for the info –
I have 52 acres and we are planning on starting with a greenhouse and a small area to begin in and grow from there.
However the Cmex plant down the road has dried up the ground water as there is not a limit on individual usage so we have to drill deeper and hope we can have some too.
We have about 4 areas that would have water in them otherwise so we are going to put down liners and fill them.
Anyway do you have or could you “Tell me where to go” in a nice way to someone like you but bigger scale non GMO and all the other man poison stuff…
Love and Shalom
RawManRaines
Ah David, I thought you were flirting with me. Hey, at 50 I am thinking it feels great to be called a BABE.
Neighbors sucking up all the water big problem. We’ve got all of San Antonio lusting after our aquifer – and most likely they will get it eventually.
RawMan, did you write in recently asking about more raw foods and the raw foods diet?
Marjory
A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. But even tho it is a bargain we like some others just don’t have anything to spare. My hubby is out of a job until spring & altho we are seniors there is no room for retirement or the fund for it either. So as long as we are healthy we can keep on keeping on. We appreciate your site & take notes. We have gotten your vids and tapped into some on your network, but right now we have nothing to spare & will most likely be using credit before the winter is over AND that isn’t to give anybody “Christmas” – it is to just get by.
BUT we won’t unsubscribe – unless it just gets too painful to keep seeing the deals and not be able to participate.
🙂
“You can’t please all the people all the time. You can only please some of the people some of the time.” While I have to wait a little while for the subscription due to finances, I do want to thank you for all the free books (I have downloaded them all!!)and awesome information. I swear I learn something new or a new skill every time I read a newsletter from you!! Please continue to offer your services to us. In a world that is getting increasingly harder every day, your information is invaluable!!
Thank you so much for all your past sharing. I find everything to be very interesting. I have not had the time nor property to put the suggestions into place but I love to read and listen to all you have to say. I bought the set as a Christmas present. I understand the reasons for charging a membership fee now; however, I am saddened that I now won’t have the ability to pay that fee. We live on one SS ck and it simply won’t fit in the budget.
again, thank you
shawn
Shawn, I am trying to work something. I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from folks on very limited budgets.
Marjory could you please ck on my order it appears to be missing or stuck somewhere in texas, according to the tracking number.
shawn
Got it – Shawn, its taken care of
Marjory,
You and your family/friends/community are wonderful and deserve to make a living. Your lifestyle and knowledge are so far in the opposite direction of “selling out” that I can’t help but think those who believe otherwise need a swift kick in the butt. I completely support your decision to charge for premium content and don’t let any negative comments discourage you. PLEASE keep up your amazing work! Someone has to get this knowledge out to the masses!!
I wish only the best for you and yours. Happy holidaze 😉
Jim
Sold Out!? Didn’t you have some big corporate job which you left to come hang out with all us crazies-:) Jack had recommended your videos and I went and bought them and have watched them many times. The value of them is beyond measure. Whatever you need to do to continue on this path and share your knowledge with us you have my support. Good Luck.
THANK YOU for all you do! You do what you must. Just keep doing it!
Much Peace, Love and Joy to you and yours, All Ways 😉
While still a newbie at this prepper stuff, I have so much catching up to do, so unsubscribing is not an option for me. You have given me so much information, especially the compost box/worm juice-which both of my grandsons thought to be pretty cool. You’re such a smart lady, don’t worry about what “Denny-downer” says, she’s probably confused with all of the corporations out there and cannot recognize real folks when she sees them. We do what we can to earn an honest dollar, and it’s all good. 😀
Dianne
“Unfortunately, my husband and I will not be able to continue receiving your posts due to the cost…”
I’m assuming that the regular email updates and blog posts go on as they have been, right? There’s just now a paid “Members Area” with value-added features?
I think people tend to jump to the wrong conclusions when they only read part of the information. I sometimes observe people as they get part of the message, and begin to formulate their response before they get the rest of the message. Excuse me while I go buy a pack of email stamps. 😛
Thanks for all of your hard work Marjory! =)
I have learned a lot from your emails and DVD’s so if you don’t mind I’ll just keep paying my ten bucks a month!
Thank you Marjory,
I hope to keep getting your e-letters. They are helpful and encouraging; but,I won’t be able to put out any extra money at this time. I am hoping to get some articles together to share one of these days.
No, you don’t come across as a sell-out so just ignore those silly comments and do what you do best.
Hi Yvonne, We would love your articles. Send them in when ready.
Hi! I read your email and I don’t think you have sold out at all. I am on a limited budget and I know how it feels to need money just to cover exper ses. So I say go for it and keep up the free stuff too since I believe we should give to others freely and make a living.
“Sold out”? Sounds like more whining from the kumbaya cargo cultists who have enshrined the idea of their getting a free ride off others’ hard work, as a kind of religion.
Sustainability. It’s not just for environmental issues. Sustainability is just as critical in economic endeavors, if economic life is to continue. We call that sustainability “profit”, but that p-word is an obscenity for the people who want their weakness and dependence to be treated as a virtue and then rewarded with *our* hard work.
Carry on, Marjory. You’re doing just fine.
Marjorie, don’t let it get to you. There will always be people that disagree with you or even dislike you or me or anyone. You know in your heart that you are not selling out. And just so you know, I don’t think you’re selling out. You’re being perfectly reasonable. 🙂
Marjory,
No, you have not sold out. I saw this coming earlier this year, as your emails requesting feedback on what we wanted to see, etc.
Others have said much of what I would say, so I won’t repeat their comments.
Two thoughts though:
What you know and know how to do is worth something. It’s best to be asked for advice and compensated for what you deliver. You are great at all of it!
Henry Ford: Find a need and fill it. That’s what you are doing.
In our busy lives, we don’t have the time to become experts in everything and often not the discipline to do what we should. A growing, but still small part of the population, know things are not right and we best be becoming as self sufficient as possible, quick.
Thanks and keep it going!
Gary B./North Central Florida
I will not unsubscribe.
I will be satisfied and pleased tosubsist on the few orts I can glean from your leftovers.
Don’t you quit either.
ee
Marjory is such a caring soul.
She works unbelievably hard for her business and family. (And her 12-yr-old works hard too… I’ve seen young K. in action, at crazy-busy Prepper Expos, moving the merchandise like a pro!)
It must have pained Marjory to even consider charging for the premium product she develops for her website –knowing three’s some folks on fixed incomes– but at some point we all need to pay the bills. (Well, at least GROCERIES are nicely covered for the Wildcraft clan!!)
Alas; there’s always a tiny percentage of folks like “Denny” who want something for nothing, or who feel entitled to the sweat off other people’s brow. (Read the Ayn Rand books “The Fountanhead” and “Atlas Shrugged” for a crystal clear look at that particular human evil. BTW; the movies sux, read the book!)
Alas; all businesswomen are faced with a dilemma:
“THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT! (…but dang, this particular one is a clueless @$$h*le!)”
After pleasing 98%…. sometimes you have to cut the cord and let the 2% problem-children of your customers just drift away…
Cap’n Dave
Contrary to what is being touted in our society today, profit is not a four letter word! From what I understand you aren’t even trying to do that but are rather trying to break even. Well, I subscribed yesterday and I say GO FOR THE PROFIT! This will let you continue to grow, i.e buy more land, experiment with different techniques, products etc. You will then pass on the knowledge you gain to all of us and we all come out ahead. Don’t know why the concept is so hard for some people to grasp!!!!!!
I’ve been waiting for two years for a hip replacement and am scheduled for surgery on Jan 13th. Haven’t been able to much in the way of gardening for the past couple of years but with my new hip and subscription I plan to cmd out roaring next spring!
Best of luck and I say “You go, girl!”
Anthony,
thank you so much. Yes, doing more research is the main point!
Hey Marjory,
I can’t afford it either, right now. We’re both unemployed and not on unemployment, but … I don’t think you’ve sold out either! Ya gotta make ends meet somehow! Some day I will be subscribing too! Thanks for all you do!You’re awesome and I hope to meet you some day!
Susan
Dear Marjory,
I have been a lurker for years. I love your site and it gave megreat courage to have a very productive, raised bed garden in south central Texas 2 years ago. I have since moved and my husband and I have unexpectedly become parents again to 3 of our grandchildren. I do not intend to unsubscribe. I value the information you have offered so freely over the years. I thank you for all you have done. When times are not so tight I would love to be able to upgrade my membership. Merry Christmas, to you and yours, Marjory. May God bless you with great abundance !
Sold out? No, it sounds like the “Free Enterprise System” to me.
I work in an industry where for some reason people expect information to be free but nothing in life is free! Someone, somewhere and at some point in time paid the price – whether it be in research time, filming (video-making,) experimenting, interviewing others, etc., etc. I appreciate all the information I have received since I subscribed to your email. It has been very informative!
A lot of the people who subscribe to your emails or visit your website have paid for a college or technical education and didn’t think twice about it (though they may have complained a little about the high cost) but you are offering an extremely valuable education and are charging very little for it. Let the complainers unsubscribe and see if they can get a better education elsewhere!?!?!?
Yes, exactly!
Dear Marjory
I am sorry to hear you are not a woman of means. I was seriously beginning to fancy you.
Keep it up with growing your own and with the slave labour (Kimber) and hopefully you will be OK.
Love you and your emails etc.
John
PS You Americans can’t spell “labour”!
Oh my, is this like a “Dear John” letter? but from John… LOL
i love your info and understand money needs. Just FYI my last bank statement shows a NEW $10 fee & i am now seeking to find another bank to send my Social Security checks as direct deposit OR, if possible, just send ME the checks without a bankers intervention.
At this time of year $10 is a lot of money and i suspect i may have to pay the bank fee each month for the rest of my life.
My Christmas spirit is still in tack and I hope to give generously to family and loved ones.
I DO wish you and yours a happy Christmas and prosperous new year 🙂
Check out online banks or credit unions that offer no-fee banking when you set up a direct deposit (like a SS check).
Id like to thank you, Marjory!
Thank you for all of the great info you have GIVEN to me free of charge.
I bought your DVDs after I heard you on coast to coast. I was blown away by you.
Have you thought about accepting donations? Justin can add the “donation button” to each page so it’s always available to us. And there’s nothing wrong with you reminding us about it in your newsletters.
Or If you don’t want to do that maybe you can include a link in your newsletter that will direct us to a website where we can donate.
I will subscribe but on a sporadic basis.
Thank you Vincent, I’ll get this donation idea put into place a.s.a.p.
I appreciate your support.
Marjory,
I’ve listened to you on C2C and love listening to your information. While I cannot afford your fees right now, I remember your first promotional email of solicitation not long ago. Honestly, it seems to be the next logical step for you.
Most of us lived an examined life; which means we have a conscience. My business endeavors have a built in charity component. I’m sure you’ve done the same over the years.
This is a critical time for humanity, I came from a family of Kansas farmers who were never without food because they lived on the farm. Most don’t have any idea about growing their own food which troubles me. We don’t have the time or money but it’s good to know you are out there making this information available! So thanks for doing what you do! Keep it up! Keep encouraging people that they need to know how to do this. They need to know by the region they live it!
Truly,
Kevin
Some people need to learn the meaning of words before they run their mouths.
Selling out would be if you starting promoting products that are crap simply because they are paying you. Ignore people who are leeches, they rarely have anything good to offer. If you need the info, then pay or work something out. Or here’s a thought, find a way to squeeze some money out of the budget, find a way to make some spare cash etc.
What are we communists all of a sudden? You need to do what you need to do to make ends meet, put food on the table, etc. If you need to charge $10/month for specific content to make that happen, then you shouldn’t think twice about it… naysayers be damned. If you need to charge $50/month then that’s what you do and see if the market will bear it. That’s capitalism.
You can’t help others if you can’t first take care of yourself. Period, end of story. Value provided should be compensated as that’s what makes the whole capitalist system work.
Pay no mind to the many entitled ones in our society today. Do what you feel is right and leave behind those you must, if that’s the end result. There is way too much “should” in our society today. Your first obligation is to yourself, your family, and God.
My two cents…
Karl
Thank you for all you do. I think your information is great. I can’t afford much. Everything is so expensive.
If you can get 60% approval then that is a landslide. As Merriam-Webster Dictionary said “an overwhelming victory.”
Life is not about pleasing anyone or anything.
Some people don’t want to hear your truth so I say God Bless You and go on with your victory.
Joe
I see the changes in your ‘business model’ as being positive.
I have been teaching/coaching small business businesses for over 30 years. Successful businesses continually evaluate their plans, their business model, their products and services, their customers and changing technologies.
All independent self-employed entrepreneurs need to find a business model that works for them or their efforts will be just an ‘expensive hobby’ supported by other activities. Revenues might come from subscriptions, 3rd party advertising, sale of products/services, coaching, public speaking or other activities. Networking and collaborating with other entrepreneurs, as you have been doing, is also good.
You current model may not be what you finally settle on, but I believe you will find one that works for you and the rest of us. You have been providing a lot of helpful information for a lot of people.
Good luck
George
Marjory,
I don’t think it’s about you… though you need to ask yourself “Do I believe in what I’m doing? Do I feel it has a value? Would I pay for similar content offered by someone else (if I didn’t have the expertise)?” If you can answer yes to those questions, then the problem is not with you.
I always now kinda shake my head when people say “I can’t afford…” whatever it is. If you have listened to some of Joel Salatin’s words, he has an interesting take on it–you can ‘afford’ soda, but not good organic food? you can ‘afford’ internet, satellite TV, new shoes, but not… whatever it is. It’s a subjective thing.
Are there people that are eating rice & beans, with the lights off, no TV, no vacations, no extras or luxuries of any kind? yes. there are some. Are some of them your readers? I’m sure there are some. BUT.. let’s think about the other 99.9% of people that really *could* afford it, if they felt it was a high enough priority. The vast majority of us have some kind of ‘mad money’ or things we pay for that are not truly NEEDS. (though a lot of people don’t really understand the definition of ‘need’ vs ‘want’.)
How about a small list of things that really are ‘wants’:
Starbucks coffee.. give up three of those in a month, and there’s your $10
Soda, chocolate (no, it really isn’t a need), eating out, magazines, newspapers, books, new clothes, new cars, etc, etc, etc, etc.
So, next time someone says “I’m on a fixed income. I can’t afford it.”, you really know that USUALLY (not always, but usually) what they are saying is “I have a limited amount of spending money and my priorities are placed elsewhere.” And there is ultimately NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT either for them or you. Don’t let people guilt you into thinking that you should provide everything for free. if it was a high enough priority, they would find the means in 99 out of 100 cases, even if it means working an extra PT job (hey, if it’s that important…). And the ones that say “I’m disabled, I can’t work”, well then, not to be harsh, but they probably can’t manage a garden either. There are almost always ways that people can contribute to society.
All that said, and sorry for the soapbox, I’m still deciding if I will subscribe. Not because I think the cost is exorbitant (I don’t think it is), but because I am finding that my TIME priorities are elsewhere at the moment. I’m just coming off a 52 hour work week, when I also have disabled parents and two kids schooled at home… Does that mean I CAN’T participate? no, of course not, but you see I have placed my priorities in other areas for now. Still debating if I want to commit. Eventually, I probably will, but now quite ready yet for that.
Paradox
PS> I agree with the person that suggested an annual subscription. Even if you offer a 10% discount or something, it improves your cash flow up front.
Paradox,
I don’t mind the soapbox rant – this is an open forum.
I am working on the yearly subscription idea.
Oh I love Joel Salatin.
I do community Gardens with Seniors.
You remind me of myself 10 years back.
These days I am doing more permaculture style.
Go here, scroll down to the bottom to watch this film for free
http://www.backtoedenfilm.com/
Now… explore your own heart and actions.
Did you send the film makers a donation? Do you want to? DID YOU?
Or are you going to take that knowledge out into the world and finance/support growing the movement?
I understand it can get to be a drag on the wallet.
But as a professional pain in a ass dogooder?
Let me share that when you do it right, it becomes a loaves and fishes thing.
Example… Our local food bank does not take home canned goods.
But I had so much extra.
So I picked up jars at Second hand stores and started making jam, relish, chutney and giving it away.
With the stipulation that I give to them, they give something to the local food bank.
Honor system. It works. They give me back empty jars, some buy me sugar. Whenever a friend has a box or bucket of fruit it gets dropped off.
I get a heads up when people go on holiday to take care of ther garden and pick the ready produce.
This year our tiny community send 4 pick-up loads of food to the food bank.
We have already won the lottery by living in North America. Us in here in Canada.
It costs about $200 a year which is about what I would send to the foodbank anyway.
So… I would challenge you. to reduce somewhere else.
Gets quite easy when you retool your brain.
Decide if it is a business or a ministry. God doesn’t support a business the same way because your input is different.
Your quantifying of rewards out the other end is different.
The modelling you show your kids and their reward paradigm is also different.
Something to think about hard.
Like is an adventure and a process, This challenge is an opportunity to grow personally.
And the surest way to ruin something you love is to slap deadlines and a business plan onto it.
Hug N
Hi Marjory,
I have read a lot of these comments but not all so forgive me if this is a repeat. Why not have a try one month free trial? If people like what they see, they can continue and if not, they can simply cancel. This way people will be able to see the great content you will have in the membership area.
You could also offer a barter situation where someone sends in content and if you use it, they get xxx months of free membership depending one what is agreed upon. I have often shared content with other online sources and have received things like a free 3 month printed version of a newsletter, free 6 month membership to paid content and such.
You could also offer a membership a couple times a year as a giveaway. Just a few things I can think of off the top.
I know you will get things set soon…take it easy and don’t worry about a few naysayers.
Good points Kim. Thanks.
Marjory, I don’t have the time this morning to read everything, so someone may have already said this, but if you need to set up some scholarships, some of them could be based on donations. I for one, would be happy to donate something to make sure that others can get this information, and I would dare say there are others who would be willing to do so as well, voluntarily.
I have been a member of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in the past that also took voluntary donations and used them to provide low-income families with a share of the crop (no food stamps or government handouts needed), or also traded work for a share.
I run my own business, too, and know that you can’t give everything away for free, even if you would like to, and still take care of your family.
Thank you Dawn,
I am working with Justin to set a donation system up.
Thanks.
May God continue to bless you. I enjoy your letters and your site, sorry to say, funds do not allow me to help financially, but I will be praying for you. Just remember the DEVIL works where Good is done, so tell the devil to get behind you and you continue to do what you can, you are a blessing to many that can not even go outside their homes, you bring joy to many. This is not a sell out, just consider the source of the remark and do not let it get you down, you go forward and do what is needed. I am sure many will support you with funds, just wish I was one of them, wish I could. You have a blessed day my friend ♥
Marjory,
You are a joy, an Angel and a god-send! You haven’t sold out! You are just trying to live doing what you love, growing good clean food, and sharing that knowledge with other like minds in a capitalist system where we have to pay for everything. Don’t let the Denny’s of the world get you down. Those who can pay will and those who really want the membership area information will find a way to pay for it. Maybe a one-time or one week or one day pay pal pass so people can have a look at what in in the member area might entice some of those on the fence to come on in and pay. Sometimes a sale brings people in the door, but good quality, unique and hard to find items and info make them stay. You could put teasers into the newsletters/emails you send out about what valuable insights are in the pay area that people may find indispensable. Maybe you could offer an al-a-cart system where people could pay for particular kinds of info like reading a menu of things and picking only what interests them at a reasonable fee? It might end up adding up to more than the $10/month fee. Then they could weight if it is better to do al-a-cart pricing or the monthly fee? Financially it is a win-win for you because they would have to pay for the info either way, but maybe for those on fixed incomes, all they really want are 1-2 items and that may be enough for those folks, but either way it works out for you. You would be compensated for your efforts as well you should. Might be work for your web developer, but it might also be well worth it for him as offering an al-a-cart menu might end up paying for more of his services. Just a thought. You are not selling out Marjory, you are being real in the real world. I love you and all that you do! Keep it up and don’t feel bad charging for it. Throughout history when people really want or need something, they will find a means to pay for it.
Wow Stefanie,
Thanks so much for your kind words. And good ideas.
I have enjoyed the DVD training and it has helped in several key areas. I plan on paying the monthly fee to get even more information. Being a small business owner I understand- the costs of business. It is time for your business to move forward. I call Marjory – “The Garden Babe”. I am now looking to include more like minded people in helping each other.
the Garden Babe? LOL. Well, I like it.
I really do not blame you for trying to cover your expenses, and I don’t consider your doing so as “selling out.” I am retired and on a fixed income myself, and may have to find a way to supplement that income in order to survive and I do not think of that as “selling out,” but I think of it as “making ends meet.” I will miss out on all the info in your private group, but I am thankful for your video, your updates, and all the information I have gotten from you up to now. So thank you, and may the Lord continue to bless you.
Marjory, as an aside, I have a special talent for and experience in proof-reading. If you think your newsletter might benefit from a thorough proof-read before you hit the Send key, then talk to me. I have an eye for catching typos, grammar and spelling issues, and have years of proof-reading experience. Now as a stay-at-home retiree with a nice veggie garden of my own (thanks to you), I would love to help your business by proofing your written messages. If you think I can be of help, please contact me. Perhaps we can swap my proofing services for a monthly membership in your private group, and thereby make both ends meet!
Marjory I don’t feel you have sold out at all and if my own budget wasn’t so limited I would upgrade my membership. You have valuable knowledge and deserve to get paid for it. Thank you so much for the info you provide at no charge and I am enjoying the DVD’s I ordered before going to Herbalismo.
Marjory.
I feel your pain. It’s a constant struggle between wanting to get the word out, encourage others to be more self-sufficient, build healthy community bonds for tough times ahead and the struggle with the real-life behind the scenes costs that no one else sees.
Websites, hosting, and maintenance cost. It doesn’t just go up on the web and sit there for free for all to enjoy…no matter how much we might wish it did or want to help others for free. There is always a cost.
Time = dollars too. Most people drive to work and exchange hours at a task or skill for a paycheck every week or two. Not so with the entrepreneur or homesteader. Our work is 24/7 – always around. It may be what we love but we have bills to keep what we love afloat just the same.
My hat’s off to you my friend. This is a difficult decision to make – when your heart wishes the world ran one way and reality tells you that a worker is worth his/her wage.
Be Blessed with Peace about this and keep up the good work!
Donna Miller
Heck I’ve even bought extra vids. the content you share free is available to anyone. ( willing to do all the research you have done) I Thank you for all you have done and will do, so don’t let sour grapes make you feel bad. David/earthbiscut
Don’t listen to anyone that feels you are obligated to give everything away for free. None of this is free to you to provide all this info.
Do teachers, professors or consultants all work for free? I think not. I see no reason why someone that has been building a following, amassing a small mountain of information and giving almost all of it away couldn’t, shouldn’t, supplement their income from all that effort.
If you cant afford it, don’t buy it. The web is huge and information abounds. Go find it. But don’t begrudge someone for looking for a return on their time, effort and years of generosity.
Just sayin’
Thank you for the wonderful presentation on how to find one’s own space for a suvival (or spot to create a new world) space. Is there any way that I can find out contact info for people who live in my area and are learning or interested in growing foods and healing? I am not especially interested in the guns and bandits part, but definitely feel called to learn about food and medicine. I am following your advice about prayer (connecting with a higher power), and so far am finding thngs difficult to do. I would love to connect with people who are trying to do the same thing, and who live near enough to meet in person.
Elizabeth, Sterling VA
Hi Elizabeth,
I have two suggestions – the first is I’ll post in a few days a podcast I did on “How To find Like Minded Neighbors And Build Self-Reliant community Without Sacrificing Security”. I promise to get that up in a few days. You are subscribed to the free newsletter, yes?
Second is check out the American Preppers Network for local groups in your area. I certainly hope to have these kinds of connection made in the members area, but it is just too small right now to be of use to you.
Dear sellout,
I’m just messin with you. But, you know what would be cool. If someone used the knowledge from this website to produce something that paid for the subscription/member fee for this website. Like growing and selling herbs. Or other members could pay for other members, or micro loans. People could send a check to a member who is more comfortable with online transaction and they could pay.
People still have a really weird attitude towards money. Like a gun, money never hurt anything, it was aholes lacking ethics. Money is just another resource. So good on you for running your business like a business. “adapt or die” -the movie Hannah
And how dare you teach a child entrepreneurship, abuse like that will only lead towards a productive stable future. Although I’m sure that bit about your child “working” is a typo, ya know, laws or something. I answered the phones for my dads biz and shovelled snow between ages 8 and 12. Eh, not so bad. The smiley faces are a good idea though.
Peace out, Godspeed and all that.
Hi Bruce,
Yeah my kids used to complain I was treating them like Roman slaves (we were studying world history at the time). but now it is because they want money for one thing or another.
I do hope to put up an area for members who sell products to be able to offer them.
And donation buttons…
Sponsorship and scholarships. Good idea.
One step at a time. I’ll work on it.
Marjory
Lifelong entrepreneur here (so we’re definitely on the same page). IMHO, you don’t owe anyone an excuse for doing what’s necessary to make your business sustainable.
My area of expertise is based on decades of experience with commercial/residential construction methods and materials. I’m also a pretty good wordsmith.
Please let me know if you need input on such things as they apply to the subject matter (no cost).
SH
Your info pays back a hundred fold – you don’t take the place of great grandma who knew how to survive with the lost arts – that took thousands of years to develop – you can’t put a price tag on knowing how to survive. I’m broke as well and thankful for what i can get… thanks. It’s people like you who will be bowed to and held up high wshtf… no brown nosing – just truth.
I would like to unsubscribe, not because of selling out? but because the information is not pertinent for me at this particular time. Will continue at a later date if the need arrises.
Thank you. Have totally enjoyed watching and listening to you Marjory
Please cancel my e-mails.
I hope you receive this message as your website is the most difficult I have encountered to unsubscribe.