Wow! Her mid-winter crisis has already begun and it's not yet winter! The same predictable no hay, no firewood. Too early for frozen pipes.
Here is a novel idea. Why doesn't she just cut down some trees on her property? She's had all year. Oh wait, she was too busy binge watching TV, playing with her bird, making those stupid vlogs, and wasting time in general.
I wish she would just offer up a reason why she buys wood and doesn't cut it. It is bizarre to have six acres of wood lot and be in danger of "losing the farm" because of "firewood expenses". Where is the self-sufficient part? What happened to the unstacked pile of wood? If I were that "scared" I'd be out splitting wood - exhaustion is a wonderful cure for anxiety.
*airquotes because I don't believe her - I agree that this is a business plan. She received funding for the dental work, the vet bills were paid by poodles. And this midwinter thing? It's been going on for years.
Why do you guys keep kicking her when she's down? Come on, how's a girl supposed to buy makeup, leather jackets, boots, puppies, vinyl records, hair dye, Netflix subscriptions AND buy wood & hay?
For crying out loud, she can't even afford Equal and has to pinch it from Stewarts.
As for that 'get a job nonsense', if she had a job, how is she supposed to binge watch tv and spend her days hunting with her hawk? Give the girl a break already!
Boy, you sure do miss a lot when you're working 12 hour days. Hey, theres an idea...working 12 hour days.
Sad thing is she's really not willing to do "what ever it takes" to keep her farm. She's only willing to do what "she" wants to do to keep her farm. There's a bug difference.
If she was really concerned she would have worked a deal with the wood guy to trade work for wood. Or, like others have said spent the spring and summer collecting her own.
She could have done the same with the hay guy, trade work for hay.
The bottom line is, and will always be, she really doesn't want to work. She just wants readers to share her site so she has a new group of suckers to fleece. Which doesn't look like that's going to happen.
When you say you'll do anything that means anything, like cleaning stalls, dog walking, house sitting, cleaning house, baby sitting, job. Anything is anything that brings in a buck. That's why her farm is not sustainable.
Like any of these jobs, currently on craigslist. All of these are low-paying but could generate some dollars as temporary gigs to keep the repo man from the door. Yeah, right, don't count on it. Poodles are a better source of revenue.
Here's her response from a blog comment. Her logic is hinging on being able to sell X number of workshops or logos a week. If she can't sell 'em, she needs to find work. My mechanic has never pestered me for work I didn't need, either. Why doesn't she take out an ADVERTISEMENT on someone else's blog or in a magazine that caters to small farms. Sitting at home twiddling your thumbs, badgering people to buy logos/workshops is not more profitable than working. She can also part with any farm animal not paying it's way. She's so pathetic it's sad.
Jenna Woginrich said... Thanks for sharing and your comments!
Per the part-time job. I of course hear this often from folk, and I think they are confused how unrealistic it is since the idea of "getting a job" is everyone's answer to more money. Let's say I land a $15 an hour part time job. Pretty great right? Let's say I work there three 8-hours days a week. That comes to $360 dollars a week, without taxes taken out. Then remove 20% + for NYS taxes, gas money to drive there, and you might end up with $275 left if you are lucky for 3 days totally spent off farm. $275 a week is NOTHING to sneeze at. But if I sell 2 Logos a week, or one fiddle camp day, or one freelance gig all week I can make that same amount of money (or much more) while taking care of my animals, being here to heat my home, and not spending money on gas or having a giant chunk taken out for taxes (My accountant takes care of that). When I think of all the things happening here, I can't imagine being off farm for 10+ hours a day to commute to Saratoga or Albany or Troy (closest places with jobs that pay at least $15 an hour).
I lost money driving to Vermont for that archery gig an sometimes people didn't even tip. I could have spent those days here, not driving an hour and half in a run down truck, not spending all that time away from the place that actually earns money. That was learning the hard way but working in a place with hawks and archery as a job was worth it, still. I was happy being outside but it was no where near as good for the farm as advertising classes, workshops, lessons, logos and such here is.
So I hope that explains the situation. I feel that nobody asks the farmer at the Farmer's Market yelling about potatoes on sale to get a part time job when they see them offering deals or sales. No one walks into their local mechanic's office offering a killer discount on tires or oil changes to consider going back to night school. That's because we see those signs, farm stands, mechanics as "real job" being a blogger is not seen that way. Not a all. Being a writer isn't either, to most people, unless your a novelist at casting calls for their Young Adult hit about to become a movie.
So I understand when people suggest getting a job, but this IS my job. This blog and the stories I write, the ads I sell, the discounts I offer, the classes and stories and google ads and youtube videos are my job. They all produce income and it's usually enough, especially with a book deal to cushion things. Right now its been a year since a book deal and I need to really really sell those things I offer. All I was asking for in that last post was to help spread the word on social media. People did, and I really appreciate it. Just one sale this week keeps me on farm and helps keep me living a life I'm so excited to have It's worth fighting for.
If getting a job won't pay the bills, and selling logos/workshops won't pay the bills, then she cannot afford her lifestyle, period.
The answer is cutting expenses or earning more money. It's that simple. If she wants to stay where she is, she needs to get rid of animals not paying their way.
If that still doesn't help, then she'll have to give up her farm.
It is her responsibility and hers alone to support herself.
If she implemented the example she gave about working off the farm she could pay her mortgage every month and use the workshops/logos to pay for the other stuff. Her house could be secure working 3 days a week and she won't do it. Boggles the mind.
A rational response, except for one glaring piece. She is not selling enough "on farm" stuff to make ends meet. And, farmers who sell at the farm market have and do have "town" jobs to make ends meet.
So it begs the question...if selling logos and workshops to an exhausted audience is not paying the bills and working off the farm doesn't make sense (to her) then what does?
And, if she thinks she can only get a $15/hour job then she why does she charge so much for logos and workshops?
Last point, yes taxes are taken out of pay checks, but self employed people pay taxes too, and more than non-self employed people. They are just due at a different time.
If my mechanic was constantly asking me to buy his services regardless of whether or not I needed them, and always saying that he was about to go out of business if people didn't start spending their money with him, but at the same time saying all he needs is one contract with a taxi fleet to keep him going, but it's been a year since the last one, then yeah, I'd suggest that he get another job he can do in his downtime to keep his business afloat.
It's no different and she's delusional if she actually believes what she writes.
What she does is the equivalent of a mechanic saying "you're going to want new tires next year, so pay me for it now." Except, what she's selling isn't as useful as a set of tires, and when next year rolls around, she's spent the money and there are no tires.
She doesn't want to solve the problem. She wants the problem solved for her, preferably with no inconvenience to her or her life style.
If she was serious she would be marketing herself to larger audience. Problem is she can easily stiff some poor slob from the internet. Not so easy with a business person with balls enough to handle the situation. Accountability is not her thing.
What she refuses to "get", misrepresenting the part-time job suggestion: The idea is to ADD income with a part-time job she certainly has the free hours in the day to put in (running, endless tv, movies, hawking, gaming, martial arts, archery, riding Merlin). It's not like she's killing herself all day plowing, planting, harvesting, putting up food for the winter, making cheese or soap, winterizing animals structures, chopping wood for winter.
She insists on framing the argument as though people are suggesting she give up her blog/vlogs, logo selling/making, writing - her REAL jobs, so to speak - and instead go through the pointless rigamarole (and earn less money) traipsing far away to a job that nets her less than her current, real job.
Unfair readers. They just don't get her and the value of the things she brings to the earning table.
It is so ridiculous and obvious. She is continually burdening her readers with how precarious and scary her financial situation is and, of course, the job idea is to get MORE funds to keep her precious farm in her hands.
She clearly has the time to do the few hrs of farm chores, all she seems to put into her beloved place (she's not doing routine maintenance much, right? or dealing with crops) so it seems likely, given her leisure activities, that there is plenty of time to travel off farm for more money. The net $275/wk she posits, alone, would pay her mortgage. She still should have plenty of time to do her other design, etc. work.
Many, many people with personal responsibilities - like a family, say (for J, lets call her beloved, non-paying animals her family) also have full-time employment and are busy with those efforts from 6ish to 11 at night. If they can squeeze in an hour or two to chat with spouse, watch A show, read, do social media - they're lucky. People struggle with their endless responsibilities.
J clearly has many, many hours per week when she is not designing, blogging, or doing chores.
Crazy-making that she twists a very simple suggestion into her talents and ability to support herself being misunderstood. SHE is the one who keeps telling the world that she is hanging on by a thread and doesn't have enough money to support herself. It's one thing to put your merchandise on sale - another, entirely, to always tell your potential clients that you're about to go under unless they BUY.
That's what drives me nuts about her-- she makes it sound so sensible-- get a job??? but I could make so much more here!!
Then why aren't you, muffin?
As you say, she refuses to "get" the part-time option because she's not able to refute such a sensible solution to her money shortage.
"It's one thing to put your merchandise on sale - another, entirely, to always tell your potential clients that you're about to go under unless they BUY."
Yes, absolutely. Never has a mechanic or farmer tried to sell me something while also informing me of their dire situation. "Please, let me rotate your tires! My mortgage is late and I'm having trouble sleeping-- things are scary!!" Never.
I think the lack of responsibility is what drives me the most nuts about her. If we don't buy and your farm goes under that's not our responsibility. It is her responsibility for taking on too much financially or refusing to work at something that can give her a dependable income.
She is shooting herself in the foot because when she makes it sound like she could lose the farm at any second---why would anyone pay her $200+ for a logo/workshop that may never happen? She is operating under an insanely stupid business model
I know! Why would anyone pay for a workshop months away when she could be out of biz by then??
Not to mention, by always being in crisis mode and desperate, people's compassion is going to wear thin. Even the most enthusiastic enabler is going to come to the eventual conclusion that Jenna needs to don her big girl panties and figure it out for herself.
With all the time she spends hawking, hunting, watching the boob tube (2+ seasons Girls, 1 season Jessica Jones in less than a week!) sitting on a bar stool, riding Merlin and other recreational activities she could easily have a full or part-time job AND do logos and workshops on the weekend.
It doesn't need to be permanent. If she could make a living w/logos and workshops GREAT! But she's letting herself get further and further behind on her bills -- to sane people this would suggest that logos and workshops aren't bringing in enough cash. Time to rethink this strategy.
She should seriously consider selling the sheep. She can't seem to keep them contained, anyway. They're a liability in that regard as well as financially. The pigs might be making money, there's at least potential for profit if she's paying attention. They could use the sheep shelter.
AirBnB is a possibility. She has a guest room. A room mate is an option.
It's so ridiculous to expect to live the life you want-- live like fiction!-- without having to hustle or sacrifice for it.
"Things have always been tight and sketchy, but going into winter firewood costs, dental work, and hay bills have gotten me dangerously behind. "
This sentence should read:
"Things have always been tight and sketchy, but going into winter puppy costs, vinyl records, and micro-brews have gotten me dangerously behind."
anon at 2:22pm - that's exactly it. She can do both. Can someone post those Cambridge Craig's List adds as a comment on her blog with a statement that she could do these temporary or part time jobs? The comment wouldn't be up for long, but maybe some of her followers would see it. She simply does NOT want to work.
I'm not even going to pretend I'm not loving this. Long ago, when birtchhorn was pitched, most of us called that this very thing would happen. She has never followed through on a promise. Never.
It (she) is truly mind-boggling!!! Who in their right mind goes to a costly workshop on how to homestead and manage your "dream" financially, yet! - when the teacher is not actually doing much in the way of homesteading (or farming) work (gardening, canning, raising much of anything, making money from the products of the land or animals - nor can she show off skills on building, improving, maintaining a homestead. Or at least she only very rarely shares any of that real-life, educational stuff with her vlog viewers.
Won't even go into the how to make this happen money-wise thing. Not the lifestyle-funding guru one wants to emulate.
Antlerstock mostly features other farmers talking about raising animals, handling your woodlot, etc. Jenna seems to be in charge of how to shoot a bow, play a fiddle, how to raise rabbits (does she any longer?) how to afford the lifestyle, haha.
There is nothing wrong, at all, about her doing any of these things on her homestead or as part of her life. Any of it, endless TV included!
The problem, grrrr, is stressing out her readers about the struggle to fund her life, trying to sell another logo to yet another reader, and offering workshops as a homesteader who barely homesteads.
This coming late spring it will be 6 years since Jenna got her miracle, dream, beloved land/farm/fantasy. Her accomplishments after the amount of time, and the amount she has learned about how to make it work - while not feeling so vulnerable and always short-changing her poor animals in terms of year-long comfort, are pathetic.
I love the suggestion of at the very least setting up a separate point of info and sale for her graphic design "business". If it's so important - and a money maker - present it to potential clients and stop with the endless badgering (and shaming) your readers into pretending they need something they (usually) don't or sending pity-worry-charitable contributions.
If her life is her work, what she has to sell - she makes it very hard for anyone to want to buy.
Putting on lipstick and being "cool" is not what logo-needers and country living work-shopper are needing to see!!!!! OMG.
I feel like she had such an opportunity when her first memoir came out--if she had put the work into developing the homestead, cultivated a name as a speaker, wrote followup books that weren't the same book written again and again--actually did the work of a homesteader by chopping wood, selling items made there, building up a YouTube channel about useful things--she could be in such a better place now. But it seems clear that she never wanted to be a homesteader, she just wants other people to support her living her Outlander fantasy.
So...birchthorn is coming along, but JW can never promise a hard copy. Hasn't that already been promised...to the high dollar donors on kickstarter?
Interesting that fans gave some really good suggestions and real life experiences, but no shout out for having made a donation. Even goose goose a staunch supporter suggested paring down. The well is drying up.
Holy crap-I was bored and decided to look up the websites that Jenna did logo work for---either these companies don't exist, or they do and aren't using Jenna's logo! The one and only one I could find was the Hamlet Grove poultry. Other than that, it looks like Jenna is trying to make it look like she is selling a bunch of logos! No wonder she is hurting for money!!! So if you want to play the game, try and find a logo besides the Hamlet Poultry that actually exists!
That's all I could find and many, like a lot, I looked up were using different logos, not hers. Some websites didn't exist (although to be fair they could use a logo on their print materials, ads).
My sis is a self employed writer and she is busy all the time with multi-thousand dollar projects. But, she also spends countless hours drum ing up business, networking to keep the gigs flowing. Doesn't matter what the project is, could be a flyer or brochure one day or an annual report or marketing campaign the next, or just email blast or ad copy.
JWs worked in these areas she's just not pounding the pavement enough.
Even if she got yet another Hail Mary to save things, she is never going to keep it up. She's only had a few shares of her posts on Facebook, hardly any comments other than to stop buying beer, sell stuff and get a job. Sorry cupcake, but it's time to bail.
I was such a fan for the longest time, like so many of us here I imagine. She's good with the words - and doesn't she sound humble, sometimes? -although methinks protesting too loudly - that is, when she's not sounding like an out-of-touch narcissist.
It can be quite hard not to fall under her smooth, verbal spell, especially if you love to read about the rural life, especially someone who is "scrappy" (as opposed to those presenting super-polished "lifestyle" websites w/their beautifully made whatevers she disdains and puts down).
She is the real thing: the brave, single woman, with an honestly messy homestead "on the land", shooting, hunting, farming, hawking, scrapping, hard working. Again, sorry, I know this all has been said countless times, much more eloquently and edited, by you all - but then she dares to call herself a farmer and pretty much farms nothing.
Man, she is sending ME around the bend. All I was going to post was the fact that I think I didn't truly put all of this together until Friday arrived on the scene, years into this fantasyland I bought into: after the Birchthorn money, the wood shortage, winter traumas, dental emergency, vet bills.
Give your adoring, generous readers a damn break, scrappy lady - the ones that are still around patting you on the back admiringly. They will surely see the light, right? We did, and with a vengeance.
Remember toward the end of the VT cabin days, fall or winter 2009? When a neighbor called the authorities about her animal care, or lack thereof? And, of course, according to Jenna, the guy who came out ended up praising her for good works, or some such? I bought that version! How dare that person, or those people, think badly of my girl Jenna! Right.
She mentioned she'd sell everything she owns on eBay to keep her horse. Why not get a part time job (Or-gasp- full time job) to save her horse -and pay her mortgage ? Her thinking is so stubborn and irrational. If she has to sell her horse she has no one to blame but herself.
Goose Goose just hit the reality button, JW punches back that the hawk feeds itself, au contraire Mademoiselle Woginrich, that bird is another fake and you have to feed it roadkill. Then again some enabler says that "it is radical" for her to get a PT job, shit the revolution will not be vlogged you dummy. All you poodles waking up with advice, let me 'splain, you created this beast, now feed the beast, PayPal accepted. Pay my effin mortgage you criminals of capitalism, ask hubby if we can send old CAF a small "donation". Oh and can someone drop a dime to the IRS, I am sure she is cheating Uncle Sam big time, she's probably on welfare or will be. I will miss Merlin, not!
If she hasn't started selling her crap on Ebay, then she truly isn't desperate, yet. She could sell her record collection and a few kilts and make a good deal of cash. That's what a really desperate person would do. Notice how things are "scary" and "really scary" until someone suggest she give up beer or her pony, and then well..things aren't THAT bad....just trying to drum up some business here.
I know we bring Dave Ramsey up pretty often, but he has a saying that rings true: When you're desperate, you smell bad. Desperation doesn't get you that job you need or that promotion you want. It just makes you stink. People smell that. And you are the last person on earth they will hire.
It's really, really true. If you can't even budget your basic living expenses properly, why should someone hire you to do an important job for them?
I don't buy the 'job costs too much in gas' crap. I'm sure there are waitress or cleaning jobs in town. She can work AND do logos AND do workshops. She just won't be able to play as much.
She's only a few miles from Cambridge--- Subway, Rite Aid, bookstore, grocery store etc etc.....there's TSC in nearby Greenwhich......she could do part-time at all these places. There's a vet clinic less than a mile from her.....they would need kennel people....livestock auction up the road....they would need helpers on sale day. There's tons of farms of all kinds in Washington Co....needing all types of workers!!!
I just read everyone's suggestion about getting a job and cutting expenses. Anon 5:02 is right. Things are really scary until someone offers sensible advice. Then she backs down and says things aren't that bad.
I posted links to craigslist jobs either in Cambridge or telecommuter jobs so, no excuses about driving. These jobs may not be the right thing, but the point is, there are jobs available in town between her and say, Stewarts. They aren't 40 miles away.
There have also been some great ideas both here and on her blog about some home-based ways to make more $. But no. Really people should donate. No, Really. People should donate. Jenna needs people to donate.
One is for graphic design, which she is qualified for, it says telecommuting is okay. She should have been looking for something like that before she quit Orvis.
For once I actually agree with what you are saying about jenna.
I think she is afraid to face the facts that she needs external income in the name of a job and eat crow for what she has been saying about the working class. She could get a room mate but I'm afraid she is not the room mate type.
What she really could use is someone to look at her finances with her and show her on paper where she is failing. Seeing it in black aND white somehow makes a huge impact.
I thought she had so many animals and wondered why.she is keeping them instead of selling them as meat shares. She has sheep hasn't she spun any wool. Sell some hand made items. People eat that straight from the farm sh1t up!
I love how so many people start out by saying to her... I know you don't like advice... Hahahahahahahahaha... Face it, the wells gone dry. She has pumped and pumped it and people are learning. Or they are shaking their head and saying ah, get a freaking job, cut expenses, cull useless livestock.
Here's the thing. I think a lot of people come to her blog because they want to live the homesteading/rural country life dream. And aside from a few overpriced pig shares to locals, she has nothing to sell to those people.
Logos? Fan fiction? Workshops? (let's face it, even homesteading workshops are not really a thing to market to someone in California or wherever. And they are too expensive for such little real content or value)
But I digress. Nothing to offer all her book fans. Nothing.
Like someone said, if she made goat milk soap and candles and whatever, she would have those people beating down the Internet to get a little bit of CAF to fuel their dreams, which of course, most will never do.
Instead she whines and begs, plays Braveheart lass and pushes logos on them.
So outta whack. She is just selling the wrong stuff to the wrong market. Most of the rural dream wishers work for the man, in those cubicles she so abhores. They don't have their own companies. They don't need no stinking logos.
Duh... Jenna honey, get a freaking job. Or start making stuff. Or better yet, start harvesting wood, sell the sheep and get busy hustling and doing odd jobs. You mean to tell me that old man Nelson Green, who lusts after her, and is old, and has hay and cattle, he can use a young gal around his place to work for hay? Oh yeah, I forgot, that means doing actual homesteads farmer work.
"The goal is set to cover the price of publishing and mailing up to several hundred copies of the book, hire a professional editor, and pay the author a small advance to write it.
To avoid obstacles with the printer and mailing this will not be another task added to my own schedule. I will print from a reputable, on-demand, publisher that will hopefully have the option of drop shipping right to you. If not, books will be shipped from here at the farm every week until all are signed, sealed, and delivered."
There. That's where she promised this would be an actual book. NOT a digital signal/downloadable text.
She is going to be in big trouble I have a feeling when no hardcover book is ever delivered. The amount she got off Kickstarter divided by the number of donors (I realize they all donated different amounts) is an average of $65 per person. That would be the price of a really nice hardcover, illustrated (in color) book.
They were idiots from the get go and will receive what they deserve, a corrupted PDF file with a Trojan virus that hacks their PayPal counts and funnels all funds to Jonathan Woginrich in Nigeria
They'll only receive the PDF if she hasn't list the email list. She's used that excuse before.
"If you want your story email me, I've list the list and can't send anythi ng out". Not my fault, but your if you don't email me. But then I'll have trouble with my email so can't open them, not email...no book. Computers fault, not mine. You lose...again.
There are a couple of ways this could go and I hope her incredibly stubborn nature leads her to either paring down her animal feed needs and/or getting a steady income of some sort off the farm.
Another scenario has crossed my mind often in the past year and it's quite awful. I'm not thinking of only of losing Merlin or the farm. She swings wildly from over-confidence, fearlessness, and bragging (while trying to appear humble) to fear, darkness, and despair - and it's worrisome.
(Although I suppose it's actually quite possible for her to limp along like this for a few more years as long as new innocents keep turning up on her blog. It's been years, now, of hanging on - and Jenna the tenacious, anxious but blessed!, patching-all-the-income-scraps-together warrior woman, managing against all odds! has become her comfortable persona).
I also followed jenna a long time and am so sick of the crying and begging. Why should I have to go work my 2 jobs AND promote her or donate to HER dream or reading about HER watching TV for straight hours over multiple days?? No way..not $1.
I work a job that pays well and one that doesnt. Is my time worth less so I can work and send money to help her? I am networking in that job. Maybe one day it will open a door to something else. Even a $50 check a week is $200 a month and pays for SOMETHING. she is so lazy.
I lost a house to foreclosure. Once they actually start foreclosure, you just stop paying mortgage payments. And it takes a long time before they actually kick you out. For me is was 15 months! If she is really in arrears, I would consider selling the animals she isn't going to use or harvest soon. Keep the horse, and dogs. But then get a decent job and while waiting for them to kick me out, work like the dickens. Save up money in that gray time with no mortgage or rent. And then when they kick you out, go buy some other place cheap cheap, or rent a little farm. Surely Patty would out Merlin up for a bit. It's a thought.
She's a creative artistic person. I never understood why she didn't/doesn't use that talent to create things to sell. My DDs friend makes vintage looking signs out of used pallets and she is putting herself through college on her earnings.
Yes there was an initial start up cost of a few hundred, but she made enough in the first few months to pay that off.
Whoever said it is dead on...Jenna doesn't want help, at least not that kind. She wants money, lots of your hard earned money so she doesn't have to earn it herself the hard way. That's for us poodles, not a dire wolf like her.
"That's because we see those signs, farm stands, mechanics as "real job" being a blogger is not seen that way. Not a all."
If she's going to view blogging as a real job she should act like it and write more frequent and more interesting posts. How many times has she written a post that is essentially: I woke up to a 40 degree house, making coffee, tunes playing, life is tough but I love it.
She can't expect to recycle material in an endless loop and maintain reader interest. Honestly, her blog is so dull now. She has no business calling herself a "creative" when she's so creativity challenged. How about profiling other farms/farmers of interest in her area? Whatever happened to writing about the things that she actually does rather than these barfy, prideful "aren't I wonderful?" posts? Why not write more broadly about agriculture-- there's usually some hot topic on the sustainable ag front. More farm photos and animal news would be of interest to many. Nobody needs a mini bio of Anna Kendrick, that's for sure.
She has ideas, but no follow through. Every grade school age child can do what she does. Real artists understand that it takes hard work to produce anything worth seeing, reading or owning.
She'd sell Merlin before getting a job? Sad for her. Probably good for the horse, though. He's probably not worth a whole lot anymore. She said he's 20. I wonder if she could do a part lease on him to help with his feed bill? Dunno.
I'm sure the threat of selling Merlin will be her biggest money maker, ever.
"Merlin will have to be sold if it comes down to a roof or a saddle. But I am not there yet. I am just asking for help drumming up business. If I get to the point where it is sell Merlin or lose the house, I will share that and hope the blog helps me find him a good home. I think I would sell everything I own on eBay first though before losing that horse."
Essentially what she is asking her readers to do is get one of their friends or family to start donating to her live like fiction life. In other words get a loved one to purchase a logo that won't be created for months, a workshop that may never happen. Way to go JW get your fans/readers to do your dirty work. The well must have surely run dry and thank goodness because now maybe Merlin can be sold/given to someone deserving of him.
Hi Lil Antlers, its me, you know who. So I have decided to sell Merlin on Christmas Eve. Yes you heard that right, on a cold starry night as the baby Jesus is born I will be praying for the miracle that I know you will create. Only through the selfless love of my internet friends and supporters will we be able to keep all of God's animals in the mangers that they belong. May the angels sing, "Glory to Jenna in the highest, and on earth, money, good money towards me"
The whole selling all her stuff to keep her horse is such a sick attempt to manipulate people to dig deep into their pockets. It's a short term answer that will have her begging the same time next month.
Self sustaining my ass she is more of a dependent than my 18 year old son who lives at home. He at least goes to school AND has a job.
She is the same as people who are on welfare and take advantage of it.
Hopefully the karma bus is pulling up to put an end to all of this b.s.
And is it really possible she can't see the truth about her unbalanced, unrealistic efforts to keep her show going?
Sometimes I think she totally sees her part in the fragility of CA and just can't face the effort needed to move to a Plan B - and this is why she wallows in her unproductive leisure delights instead of facing the music and accomplishing something helpful for her animals or her future. I think lot of her activities are a form of denial and procrastination.
She pretends that she's working oh so terribly hard and so long to save her farm and that, therefore, she has earned her hours of time-wasting. Often it seems she believes it fine to veg for hours on end because she has busted her butt all day for her farm
Sometimes I think she really believes she has enemies out to get her just....because: they don't seem to like her though no fault of her own; they're jealous of her life; they don't like seeing other people succeed; haters just hate and they've picked her.
Otherwise, how does she have the gall - and stupidity, actually - to not be at all shy (to the say the least) putting out to the world so much material showing off all of her leisure time-wasting pursuits, crowing about how many episodes and hours she spends doing nada while owing contributors a damn book, owing her animals good winter shelter and solid fences, and wringing her hands about bills, mortgages, firewood, hay, and money! It makes my head start to explode.
And makes no sense for her to seemingly have no qualms about documenting her playtime.
She has more chutzpah than anyone I've come in contact with in either real life or online. Or, she is beyond clueless. I'm coming to believe it's brazen chutzpah, not lack of awareness.
She's not embarrassed because she doesn't feel she owes anyone, person or animal, anything that she's not already trying her very best to give them, book or shelter. She can do no wrong, everyone else is insensitive, inappropriately demanding, or just doesn't get her. It's the narcissist thing.
Not terribly long ago it seems, maybe springtime, I believe she made a huge deal out of writing - along w/photo and blog entry of it - a thank you note to someone. In that entry she said that she she's really bad about ever thanking people for anything - apparently referring to gifts, donations, etc. This is very telling for someone who has received so much from her fans (she has alluded to cards and gifts, along with the other stuff we know she gets plenty of, donations to the Jenna Charity).
This is very telling of her personality. She feels entitled to all the help, support, gifts, and all the stroking she gets from besotted readers.
"Otherwise, how does she have the gall - and stupidity, actually - to not be at all shy (to the say the least) putting out to the world so much material showing off all of her leisure time-wasting pursuits, crowing about how many episodes and hours she spends doing nada while owing contributors a damn book, owing her animals good winter shelter and solid fences, and wringing her hands about bills, mortgages, firewood, hay, and money! It makes my head start to explode."
It's called ADHD sister and we should take up a second colection here at the Church of Lost Farm Dreams for our little one who is now drinking coffee and listening to really hip music
I too am starting to be super curious about how many of us Anonymous peeps are writing here. Are we 8? or more like 40?
It's such a relief to have one's intense feelings about her shared - and it would be interesting and gratifying to have a clue how many we are.
Could each of us, perhaps, fill out one of these blank comment spaces with just the name of our town(or nearby town, or which part of a particular state we live in)?
Or some other specific that we all have. We all live somewhere, so that seems easy. Doing a stand-alone entry would be easier to spot, visually, for counting purposes, than if we each tried to remember to add something to a comment we make.
What do you think Meredith? Would that work for you ok?
Who's curious, is that you JW you swankily wabbit? Just follow the Golden Goose OK, you might have to look at cutting back on beer (brewery). And a hawk, and maybe a horse. Maybe do a little twerking of your main business model. But stop the logo express, and the begathon, GET AN EFFIN J O B
I'm verbose TR (not jw), the one writing far too long entries recently, who is curious. Long time admirer!, contributed several times, read all her books, every blog entry back to Idaho.
Falling off the fan-haywagon is like suddenly regaining your sight; J-world turns tawdry, unethical, containing nothing to respect, learn from, or enjoy.
Someone told her to cut some wood off her 6 acres, haven't we been saying that for years?!! Can we get that blond guy to come in and do a complete farm make over on HDTV? The biggest loser for homesteaders, the blog apprentice - she's fired.
You all do realize that she is only letting through the comments that she can handle and help her cause, right? I'll bet she has a lot more that she hits the delete key over... Hahah...
I'm surprised she's let through as many comments as she has... Not sure what it does other than let others see that people aren't just blindly throwing money at her anymore and are questioning what she is/is not doing
I was just about to ask why she doesn’t make more things to sell on etsy but then I remembered that horrendous cloak she made and tried to sell. haha
She is offended by people suggesting she get a job when writing IS her job, but if the bills aren’t getting paid, it isn’t working. I think she needs a FULL time job to get her out of debt and back at ground zero. Then she’ll have the breathing space to figure out a new business plan. The chances of her doing that are less than zero % so place your wagers how long it will be until her house goes into foreclosure.
I'm S. in NJ. First time posting here. I was a big CAF fan when I first discovered her blog. I remember going all the way back to the beginning of the blog to catch up and thinking what a brave, inspiring young lady she was. I recall the first time the PayPal button was suggested and how tempted I was to donate but didn't. I also recall how she intended to take down the PayPal but her fans suggested she leave it up. *smh* Anyhow, I questioned her decision to leave her job, I cried when Jazz died, I wondered why she needed another horse, etc. I also remember Meredith's many comments and how I, at that time, felt that she was picking on Jenna way too much. Then I began to see the pattern, that same pattern we are seeing today, and I thought to myself, "Really? Again? She's not even trying." I told my fella that I could see she was not the individual I thought she was. I was no longer inspired...instead I felt almost betrayed. I also can't stand her dismissive, careless attitude towards cats. Every time she got another poor kitty I cringed and wondered how long it would last till it was run-over or eaten. We all know, for Jenna, that's a preferable fate for her cats rather than being taken home by a stranger. Anyhow...Meredith, I know now that you weren't picking on her. You only saw, much earlier, what we weren't seeing. We've caught up though! I don't wish Jenna any ill will. I only wish for her to wake up out of this fantasy and face reality. Real life takes lots of work and responsibility of one's own. She needs to "man-up" and save the farm herself...if it really means that much to her. She's young, healthy, and able. Anyhow, that's my two cents. Have a great day everyone!
Well, ya know, she had to take on another mouth to feed for the sake of all the soap and cheese she sells every summer, at fairs, farmer's markets, and such like. Righto?
Or maybe she barters those products for feed and bedding so those aren't really extra expenses at all.
Her animals pay for themselves, dont'cha know. Actually, maybe she sells the kids. Can't remember. The CAF diary has all run into one rather icky tale of "you've got to be kidding me".
I've had goats, but never a buck. I know she doesn't have the setup. Bucks can range from cantankerous to just plain dangerous. That buck is not quite old enough to see which way it's going to go, but they are a handful and need their own accommodations other than being in with the does on occasion. Her fencing is definitely not "buck-proof".
When I saw the heading, I insanely thought that the entry was going to be about how she had finally "heard" reader suggestions and was going to announce the beginning of sane thoughts and decision - something sensible idea(s) about helping her situation out and SAVING THE FARM. JW had seen the freaking light.
Hahahahaha. Thought it a bit odd that she didn't say "the buck stops here" but figured it was, of course, the same idea but framed in a positive way because she's such a hopeful, positive, spunky gal!
Her nuttiness is making me lose all reason and create my own fairy tales on her behalf.
Wow - gonna lose the farm because of the hay bill and yes, that makes perfect sense. Buy a buck. That eats hay.
Does anyone believe she actually sells soap and cheese? Why doesn't she write about it if she does? I would love to see a step by step on chevre cheesemaking. My head hurts, too. many. lies. too. many. lies.
^^^ She has sold soap in the past and it sold out fast on Facebook. I always thought that would be a good year round project. People would continue to buy that soap up. I haven't seen where she sells cheese. Maybe that requires too much work and effort since it's a food item. What is our team count to -- 34?? WOW! Imagine how many more keeping themselves in the vapors because they haven't found this site yet.
See my post with links, further down, to her defunct Etsy shop (though she wasn't able to successfully delete ALL the bad reviews, just by deleting the storefront). People WOULD buy soap, hats, scarves, etc., but she doesn't follow through and SEND people what they PAID for.
The reason she won't do Etsy is because she USED to have an Etsy store (quite popular, she sold lots of stuff, advertised on her blog back when her blog was pretty neat with interesting projects and ideas), then she got lazy and got all kinds of bad reviews. She has since deleted the shop.
You can find some of her reviews if you look at this item, and then click on "Reviews (22)" tab.
https://www.etsy.com/transaction/6970063
or
https://www.etsy.com/transaction/25020992
And yes, if she was honest, she would do something like Etsy where you list an item, then you ship the item to a buyer. This Birchthorn thing is SO sad. But I'm not surprised.
I've been signing my posts as "~A", and have been commenting here since I was screwed over on one of her CSA scams some time ago. I sincerely think she's been operating more or less as a Ponzi scheme.... she used the money from Birchthorn to refund her CSA subscribers, and probably used the most recent donation to buy, house, and feed a new goat buck that SHE JUST ADDED EVEN THOUGH THERE ISN'T MONEY FOR HAY OR FIREWOOD.
I just.... can't. Can't even. I should stop reading. When I started to think that I was not being talked to honestly (by her), I started digging in, and found all kinds of sad things.... like the Etsy store that she deleted, and why she won't respond to all of the people who suggest that she make and sell things.
Wow thanks for the links - - I often wondered why she wasn't selling stuff on etsy anymore and now I know -- yet another example of her stealing people's hard earned money.
No problem. I'm actually not some psychotic stalker (I work full time like most people here), but I made a giant pile of bookmarks a few years ago when I was incredibly angry about the money I sent her, for goods never received. Sadly, there's giant trail of evidence that goes back years - not just one or two crazy people with a vendetta.
The point is moot on the Jenna fan. Jenna has a long track record of screwing people out of their money by not delivering goods or quality services. The bad reviews from etsy are just another example. I think things get boring or difficult and she just puts them to the side, ignoring her obligations to her customers. I mean, they paid up front after all, right?
Every verified review- Etsy (years ago) , logo forum (people ripped off years ago) webinars ( recent past) CSA (recent past), clan blog (recent), Birchthorn (recent), undelivered logos (recent) speak a pattern that this person has of promising goods, taking money, non-delivery of goods then disappearing. Only to pop up with a new name, a new game plan and a new way to rip people off.
Retired prosecutor, from your perspective who should I contact about the commonwealth attorneys office dedicating to prosecute a case and abandoning it 15 minutes before trial?
5:35--- your hero is a dud. She has a pattern of this behavior reaching back to her DeviantArt days right up to the present. If you ordered something from Amazon and it never arrived would you be so forgiving? Jenna is running a business and real people are being cheated of their money.
I saw One Woman Farm on the new and interesting shelf at Seattle library. I was really a fan. Then, the begging became obvious. I read her other books, but although I think she is a great writer, I think someone "Moved Her Cheese" and she just keeps looking for it in the same old place!
Lost money in the webinars, stopped reading after book 2 because even book 2 read like book 1. Stopped reading blog after year 2010. FB friend for 1 year, stopped because for 10 months of that year all her FB posts were either inflammatory, or donation drivers. Donated small amount towards tooth pain, er I mean, her dog Friday's fees. And last but not the least donated to Birchthorn last year? the year before? The tooth pain was my last donation. I've gone the email route, asking for a refund, agreeing to payments etc. etc over the years for the webinars-nothing. I'm thankful for this blog and for coldantlersham blog otherwise who knows. I might still be among the blind, cannot see. RW in Wisconsin
I purchased and paid for this print on Feb 4th. I know (from reading your blog) that you are in the process of moving but I haven't heard anything from you about this transaction. I have reported this to Etsy today. Sorry, but 3 months is really too long of a delay without any communication.
It's been a month and a half since I purchased this print. The money was taken out of my PayPal account right away, but I still haven't received the print and messages to the seller have not been returned. I am a fan of your book and your blog, and hate to do this, but have to report this to Etsy.
Anon Nov. 30 5:35 You are right. Why is everyone picking on JW for cheating someone in 2010? Come on guys, that was a long time ago. So was 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, etc.
Blogger doglady said... A number of people have suggested you find part time employment and I second that idea. I think you are seeing the reality of your farm not being able to sustain itself and that doesn't make you less successful. Every time you blog about being short of money and potentially losing your dream, you are also losing credibility. Every time you offer discounts on upcoming workshops you decrease the amount of working capital you'll have at that time which makes you over extended. You really need to find a way to increase your cash flow without looking to your followers. It is one thing to need help in a crisis but another when it is for day to day existence.
December 1, 2015 at 10:41 AM Blogger Jenna Woginrich said... Doglady I think you are misreading what was being asked. I am not asking anyone to do anything but help promote what I am offering with my business through social media. I am not asking for any sort of donation, and frankly, any sales or discounts I want to offer is literally - my business.
I addressed the part time job idea in great detail in a comment above. It is the number one fastest way to lose this farm. I'd make a lot more money selling 3 half priced logos in one morning than I would working at Stewarts 32 hours a week.
I can't control what you or anyone thinks of me or my credibility, and it is none of my business either. But I need to wake up every day and respect and love the person in the mirror. So I live a way that makes me feel like that, and part of it is understanding all the input (good and bad) I am given by strangers.
I appreciate everyone's comments and words. All I am asking for is some help spreading the word. I am not ashamed to share when things are hard here, not at all. It is my choice to share this part of my homesteading/small business/freelance life.
Go doglady!!!! I think JFW let that comment through so she could reply with her own brand of “logic.” Well, the proof’s in the puddin’ and her fans are right, her farm is not sustainable. It’s like hitting your head against a brick wall trying to get JW to see this. She could work off-farm AND do logos, AND do workshops, etc. It’s sooooo painfully obvious to everyone BUT HER that the way she is trying to make a living isn’t working. I think rather than “putting doglady in her place” as was her intent, her response just serves to show how really unreasonable and delusional she has become. Like a two-year-old stamping her foot, “I WON’T get a job! I WON’T!” It’s just surreal.
I unsubbed from From Scratch Mag too since you can't take them seriously if they employ the likes of JFW, but I did just look at their 2015 Holiday Gift Guide. Beautiful stuff in there made by real homesteaders. Even some graphic design stuff. Interestingly JFW's junk wasn't in there. Wonder why? NOT!
By the way, I haven't checked in yet, I'm in the midwest.
So cool! Where did they get it?
ReplyDeleteVery cool. The next Cold Antler Farm crisis has begun - 11/28/15
ReplyDeleteWhat crisis, this is the business plan. Cue scary guy, frozen pipes and Merlin for sale
ReplyDeleteAdd a health crisis and the wood's not dry....
ReplyDeleteDidn't she just get a job as an editor of From Scratch?
ReplyDeleteProbably doesn't pay money, just ad space, etc.
DeleteWow! Her mid-winter crisis has already begun and it's not yet winter! The same predictable no hay, no firewood. Too early for frozen pipes.
ReplyDeleteHere is a novel idea. Why doesn't she just cut down some trees on her property? She's had all year. Oh wait, she was too busy binge watching TV, playing with her bird, making those stupid vlogs, and wasting time in general.
Another novel idea - get a job.
DeleteI wish she would just offer up a reason why she buys wood and doesn't cut it. It is bizarre to have six acres of wood lot and be in danger of "losing the farm" because of "firewood expenses". Where is the self-sufficient part? What happened to the unstacked pile of wood? If I were that "scared" I'd be out splitting wood - exhaustion is a wonderful cure for anxiety.
ReplyDelete*airquotes because I don't believe her - I agree that this is a business plan. She received funding for the dental work, the vet bills were paid by poodles. And this midwinter thing? It's been going on for years.
Yes, midwinter is coming. Let the begging begin.
DeleteWhy do you guys keep kicking her when she's down? Come on, how's a girl supposed to buy makeup, leather jackets, boots, puppies, vinyl records, hair dye, Netflix subscriptions AND buy wood & hay?
ReplyDeleteFor crying out loud, she can't even afford Equal and has to pinch it from Stewarts.
As for that 'get a job nonsense', if she had a job, how is she supposed to binge watch tv and spend her days hunting with her hawk? Give the girl a break already!
Boy, you sure do miss a lot when you're working 12 hour days. Hey, theres an idea...working 12 hour days.
ReplyDeleteSad thing is she's really not willing to do "what ever it takes" to keep her farm. She's only willing to do what "she" wants to do to keep her farm. There's a bug difference.
If she was really concerned she would have worked a deal with the wood guy to trade work for wood. Or, like others have said spent the spring and summer collecting her own.
She could have done the same with the hay guy, trade work for hay.
The bottom line is, and will always be, she really doesn't want to work. She just wants readers to share her site so she has a new group of suckers to fleece. Which doesn't look like that's going to happen.
When you say you'll do anything that means anything, like cleaning stalls, dog walking, house sitting, cleaning house, baby sitting, job. Anything is anything that brings in a buck. That's why her farm is not sustainable.
Like any of these jobs, currently on craigslist. All of these are low-paying but could generate some dollars as temporary gigs to keep the repo man from the door. Yeah, right, don't count on it. Poodles are a better source of revenue.
ReplyDeleteChristmas help: https://albany.craigslist.org/ret/5276379153.html
Temp help labor, learn a useful skill, Cambridge: https://albany.craigslist.org/lab/5311296076.html
Labor, ten bucks an hour, Cambridge: https://glensfalls.craigslist.org/lab/5281298923.html
Graphic design, low-paid but telecommute okay: https://albany.craigslist.org/med/5329044155.html
Caregiver, Washington Co. : https://albany.craigslist.org/npo/5238118763.html
Here's her response from a blog comment. Her logic is hinging on being able to sell X number of workshops or logos a week. If she can't sell 'em, she needs to find work. My mechanic has never pestered me for work I didn't need, either. Why doesn't she take out an ADVERTISEMENT on someone else's blog or in a magazine that caters to small farms. Sitting at home twiddling your thumbs, badgering people to buy logos/workshops is not more profitable than working. She can also part with any farm animal not paying it's way. She's so pathetic it's sad.
ReplyDeleteJenna Woginrich said...
Thanks for sharing and your comments!
Per the part-time job. I of course hear this often from folk, and I think they are confused how unrealistic it is since the idea of "getting a job" is everyone's answer to more money. Let's say I land a $15 an hour part time job. Pretty great right? Let's say I work there three 8-hours days a week. That comes to $360 dollars a week, without taxes taken out. Then remove 20% + for NYS taxes, gas money to drive there, and you might end up with $275 left if you are lucky for 3 days totally spent off farm. $275 a week is NOTHING to sneeze at. But if I sell 2 Logos a week, or one fiddle camp day, or one freelance gig all week I can make that same amount of money (or much more) while taking care of my animals, being here to heat my home, and not spending money on gas or having a giant chunk taken out for taxes (My accountant takes care of that). When I think of all the things happening here, I can't imagine being off farm for 10+ hours a day to commute to Saratoga or Albany or Troy (closest places with jobs that pay at least $15 an hour).
I lost money driving to Vermont for that archery gig an sometimes people didn't even tip. I could have spent those days here, not driving an hour and half in a run down truck, not spending all that time away from the place that actually earns money. That was learning the hard way but working in a place with hawks and archery as a job was worth it, still. I was happy being outside but it was no where near as good for the farm as advertising classes, workshops, lessons, logos and such here is.
So I hope that explains the situation. I feel that nobody asks the farmer at the Farmer's Market yelling about potatoes on sale to get a part time job when they see them offering deals or sales. No one walks into their local mechanic's office offering a killer discount on tires or oil changes to consider going back to night school. That's because we see those signs, farm stands, mechanics as "real job" being a blogger is not seen that way. Not a all. Being a writer isn't either, to most people, unless your a novelist at casting calls for their Young Adult hit about to become a movie.
So I understand when people suggest getting a job, but this IS my job. This blog and the stories I write, the ads I sell, the discounts I offer, the classes and stories and google ads and youtube videos are my job. They all produce income and it's usually enough, especially with a book deal to cushion things. Right now its been a year since a book deal and I need to really really sell those things I offer. All I was asking for in that last post was to help spread the word on social media. People did, and I really appreciate it. Just one sale this week keeps me on farm and helps keep me living a life I'm so excited to have It's worth fighting for.
November 29, 2015 at 11:34 AM
If getting a job won't pay the bills, and selling logos/workshops won't pay the bills, then she cannot afford her lifestyle, period.
DeleteThe answer is cutting expenses or earning more money. It's that simple. If she wants to stay where she is, she needs to get rid of animals not paying their way.
If that still doesn't help, then she'll have to give up her farm.
It is her responsibility and hers alone to support herself.
If she implemented the example she gave about working off the farm she could pay her mortgage every month and use the workshops/logos to pay for the other stuff. Her house could be secure working 3 days a week and she won't do it. Boggles the mind.
DeleteA rational response, except for one glaring piece. She is not selling enough "on farm" stuff to make ends meet. And, farmers who sell at the farm market have and do have "town" jobs to make ends meet.
DeleteSo it begs the question...if selling logos and workshops to an exhausted audience is not paying the bills and working off the farm doesn't make sense (to her) then what does?
And, if she thinks she can only get a $15/hour job then she why does she charge so much for logos and workshops?
Last point, yes taxes are taken out of pay checks, but self employed people pay taxes too, and more than non-self employed people. They are just due at a different time.
Flawed logic as usual.
If my mechanic was constantly asking me to buy his services regardless of whether or not I needed them, and always saying that he was about to go out of business if people didn't start spending their money with him, but at the same time saying all he needs is one contract with a taxi fleet to keep him going, but it's been a year since the last one, then yeah, I'd suggest that he get another job he can do in his downtime to keep his business afloat.
DeleteIt's no different and she's delusional if she actually believes what she writes.
What she does is the equivalent of a mechanic saying "you're going to want new tires next year, so pay me for it now." Except, what she's selling isn't as useful as a set of tires, and when next year rolls around, she's spent the money and there are no tires.
DeleteI hope she is reading this because I have two suggestions to her hay and wood crisis.
ReplyDeleteGet rid of the animals who eat hay. You cannot afford them.
Cut your own wood.
Problem solved.
She doesn't want to solve the problem. She wants the problem solved for her, preferably with no inconvenience to her or her life style.
DeleteIf she was serious she would be marketing herself to larger audience. Problem is she can easily stiff some poor slob from the internet. Not so easy with a business person with balls enough to handle the situation. Accountability is not her thing.
What she refuses to "get", misrepresenting the part-time job suggestion:
ReplyDeleteThe idea is to ADD income with a part-time job she certainly has the free hours in the day to put in (running, endless tv, movies, hawking, gaming, martial arts, archery, riding Merlin). It's not like she's killing herself all day plowing, planting, harvesting, putting up food for the winter, making cheese or soap, winterizing animals structures, chopping wood for winter.
She insists on framing the argument as though people are suggesting she give up her blog/vlogs, logo selling/making, writing - her REAL jobs, so to speak - and instead go through the pointless rigamarole (and earn less money) traipsing far away to a job that nets her less than her current, real job.
Unfair readers. They just don't get her and the value of the things she brings to the earning table.
It is so ridiculous and obvious. She is continually burdening her readers with how precarious and scary her financial situation is and, of course, the job idea is to get MORE funds to keep her precious farm in her hands.
She clearly has the time to do the few hrs of farm chores, all she seems to put into her beloved place (she's not doing routine maintenance much, right? or dealing with crops) so it seems likely, given her leisure activities, that there is plenty of time to travel off farm for more money. The net $275/wk she posits, alone, would pay her mortgage. She still should have plenty of time to do her other design, etc. work.
Many, many people with personal responsibilities - like a family, say (for J, lets call her beloved, non-paying animals her family) also have full-time employment and are busy with those efforts from 6ish to 11 at night. If they can squeeze in an hour or two to chat with spouse, watch A show, read, do social media - they're lucky. People struggle with their endless responsibilities.
J clearly has many, many hours per week when she is not designing, blogging, or doing chores.
Crazy-making that she twists a very simple suggestion into her talents and ability to support herself being misunderstood. SHE is the one who keeps telling the world that she is hanging on by a thread and doesn't have enough money to support herself. It's one thing to put your merchandise on sale - another, entirely, to always tell your potential clients that you're about to go under unless they BUY.
Good post.
DeleteThat's what drives me nuts about her-- she makes it sound so sensible-- get a job??? but I could make so much more here!!
Then why aren't you, muffin?
As you say, she refuses to "get" the part-time option because she's not able to refute such a sensible solution to her money shortage.
"It's one thing to put your merchandise on sale - another, entirely, to always tell your potential clients that you're about to go under unless they BUY."
Yes, absolutely. Never has a mechanic or farmer tried to sell me something while also informing me of their dire situation. "Please, let me rotate your tires! My mortgage is late and I'm having trouble sleeping-- things are scary!!" Never.
I think the lack of responsibility is what drives me the most nuts about her. If we don't buy and your farm goes under that's not our responsibility. It is her responsibility for taking on too much financially or refusing to work at something that can give her a dependable income.
DeleteShe is shooting herself in the foot because when she makes it sound like she could lose the farm at any second---why would anyone pay her $200+ for a logo/workshop that may never happen? She is operating under an insanely stupid business model
ReplyDeleteI know! Why would anyone pay for a workshop months away when she could be out of biz by then??
DeleteNot to mention, by always being in crisis mode and desperate, people's compassion is going to wear thin. Even the most enthusiastic enabler is going to come to the eventual conclusion that Jenna needs to don her big girl panties and figure it out for herself.
We in the business call it donor fatigue.
DeleteWith all the time she spends hawking, hunting, watching the boob tube (2+ seasons Girls, 1 season Jessica Jones in less than a week!) sitting on a bar stool, riding Merlin and other recreational activities she could easily have a full or part-time job AND do logos and workshops on the weekend.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't need to be permanent. If she could make a living w/logos and workshops GREAT! But she's letting herself get further and further behind on her bills -- to sane people this would suggest that logos and workshops aren't bringing in enough cash. Time to rethink this strategy.
She should seriously consider selling the sheep. She can't seem to keep them contained, anyway. They're a liability in that regard as well as financially. The pigs might be making money, there's at least potential for profit if she's paying attention. They could use the sheep shelter.
AirBnB is a possibility. She has a guest room. A room mate is an option.
It's so ridiculous to expect to live the life you want-- live like fiction!-- without having to hustle or sacrifice for it.
"Things have always been tight and sketchy, but going into winter firewood costs, dental work, and hay bills have gotten me dangerously behind. "
This sentence should read:
"Things have always been tight and sketchy, but going into winter puppy costs, vinyl records, and micro-brews have gotten me dangerously behind."
She did say she would gladly take in refugees, maybe there's s govt stipend that comes along with them.
DeleteAnd maybe they can finish Birchthorn for her.
DeleteIf she's trying to run a design business why doesn't she have a website devoted to that? With examples of her work? Rates, product offerings etc?
ReplyDeleteThere's such potential there. It's on her if she doesn't take advantage of the opportunity.
anon at 2:22pm - that's exactly it. She can do both. Can someone post those Cambridge Craig's List adds as a comment on her blog with a statement that she could do these temporary or part time jobs? The comment wouldn't be up for long, but maybe some of her followers would see it. She simply does NOT want to work.
ReplyDeleteI'm not even going to pretend I'm not loving this. Long ago, when birtchhorn was pitched, most of us called that this very thing would happen. She has never followed through on a promise. Never.
ReplyDeleteIt (she) is truly mind-boggling!!! Who in their right mind goes to a costly workshop on how to homestead and manage your "dream" financially, yet! - when the teacher is not actually doing much in the way of homesteading (or farming) work (gardening, canning, raising much of anything, making money from the products of the land or animals - nor can she show off skills on building, improving, maintaining a homestead. Or at least she only very rarely shares any of that real-life, educational stuff with her vlog viewers.
ReplyDeleteWon't even go into the how to make this happen money-wise thing. Not the lifestyle-funding guru one wants to emulate.
Antlerstock mostly features other farmers talking about raising animals, handling your woodlot, etc. Jenna seems to be in charge of how to shoot a bow, play a fiddle, how to raise rabbits (does she any longer?) how to afford the lifestyle, haha.
There is nothing wrong, at all, about her doing any of these things on her homestead or as part of her life. Any of it, endless TV included!
The problem, grrrr, is stressing out her readers about the struggle to fund her life, trying to sell another logo to yet another reader, and offering workshops as a homesteader who barely homesteads.
This coming late spring it will be 6 years since Jenna got her miracle, dream, beloved land/farm/fantasy. Her accomplishments after the amount of time, and the amount she has learned about how to make it work - while not feeling so vulnerable and always short-changing her poor animals in terms of year-long comfort, are pathetic.
I love the suggestion of at the very least setting up a separate point of info and sale for her graphic design "business". If it's so important - and a money maker - present it to potential clients and stop with the endless badgering (and shaming) your readers into pretending they need something they (usually) don't or sending pity-worry-charitable contributions.
If her life is her work, what she has to sell - she makes it very hard for anyone to want to buy.
Putting on lipstick and being "cool" is not what logo-needers and country living work-shopper are needing to see!!!!! OMG.
I feel like she had such an opportunity when her first memoir came out--if she had put the work into developing the homestead, cultivated a name as a speaker, wrote followup books that weren't the same book written again and again--actually did the work of a homesteader by chopping wood, selling items made there, building up a YouTube channel about useful things--she could be in such a better place now. But it seems clear that she never wanted to be a homesteader, she just wants other people to support her living her Outlander fantasy.
DeleteSo...birchthorn is coming along, but JW can never promise a hard copy. Hasn't that already been promised...to the high dollar donors on kickstarter?
ReplyDeleteInteresting that fans gave some really good suggestions and real life experiences, but no shout out for having made a donation. Even goose goose a staunch supporter suggested paring down.
The well is drying up.
Holy crap-I was bored and decided to look up the websites that Jenna did logo work for---either these companies don't exist, or they do and aren't using Jenna's logo! The one and only one I could find was the Hamlet Grove poultry. Other than that, it looks like Jenna is trying to make it look like she is selling a bunch of logos! No wonder she is hurting for money!!!
ReplyDeleteSo if you want to play the game, try and find a logo besides the Hamlet Poultry that actually exists!
Sanders Tactical
DeleteWindwomen
Mossy Creek Mushrooms
Mountain Feed
Clever Raven Croft
That's all I could find and many, like a lot, I looked up were using different logos, not hers. Some websites didn't exist (although to be fair they could use a logo on their print materials, ads).
My sis is a self employed writer and she is busy all the time with multi-thousand dollar projects. But, she also spends countless hours drum ing up business, networking to keep the gigs flowing. Doesn't matter what the project is, could be a flyer or brochure one day or an annual report or marketing campaign the next, or just email blast or ad copy.
ReplyDeleteJWs worked in these areas she's just not pounding the pavement enough.
Even if she got yet another Hail Mary to save things, she is never going to keep it up. She's only had a few shares of her posts on Facebook, hardly any comments other than to stop buying beer, sell stuff and get a job. Sorry cupcake, but it's time to bail.
ReplyDeleteI was such a fan for the longest time, like so many of us here I imagine. She's good with the words - and doesn't she sound humble, sometimes? -although methinks protesting too loudly - that is, when she's not sounding like an out-of-touch narcissist.
ReplyDeleteIt can be quite hard not to fall under her smooth, verbal spell, especially if you love to read about the rural life, especially someone who is "scrappy" (as opposed to those presenting super-polished "lifestyle" websites w/their beautifully made whatevers she disdains and puts down).
She is the real thing: the brave, single woman, with an honestly messy homestead "on the land", shooting, hunting, farming, hawking, scrapping, hard working. Again, sorry, I know this all has been said countless times, much more eloquently and edited, by you all - but then she dares to call herself a farmer and pretty much farms nothing.
Man, she is sending ME around the bend. All I was going to post was the fact that I think I didn't truly put all of this together until Friday arrived on the scene, years into this fantasyland I bought into: after the Birchthorn money, the wood shortage, winter traumas, dental emergency, vet bills.
Give your adoring, generous readers a damn break, scrappy lady - the ones that are still around patting you on the back admiringly. They will surely see the light, right? We did, and with a vengeance.
Remember toward the end of the VT cabin days, fall or winter 2009? When a neighbor called the authorities about her animal care, or lack thereof? And, of course, according to Jenna, the guy who came out ended up praising her for good works, or some such? I bought that version! How dare that person, or those people, think badly of my girl Jenna! Right.
She mentioned she'd sell everything she owns on eBay to keep her horse. Why not get a part time job (Or-gasp- full time job) to save her horse -and pay her mortgage ? Her thinking is so stubborn and irrational. If she has to sell her horse she has no one to blame but herself.
ReplyDeleteGoose Goose just hit the reality button, JW punches back that the hawk feeds itself, au contraire Mademoiselle Woginrich, that bird is another fake and you have to feed it roadkill. Then again some enabler says that "it is radical" for her to get a PT job, shit the revolution will not be vlogged you dummy. All you poodles waking up with advice, let me 'splain, you created this beast, now feed the beast, PayPal accepted. Pay my effin mortgage you criminals of capitalism, ask hubby if we can send old CAF a small "donation". Oh and can someone drop a dime to the IRS, I am sure she is cheating Uncle Sam big time, she's probably on welfare or will be. I will miss Merlin, not!
ReplyDeleteYes!
DeleteIf she hasn't started selling her crap on Ebay, then she truly isn't desperate, yet. She could sell her record collection and a few kilts and make a good deal of cash. That's what a really desperate person would do. Notice how things are "scary" and "really scary" until someone suggest she give up beer or her pony, and then well..things aren't THAT bad....just trying to drum up some business here.
ReplyDeleteI know we bring Dave Ramsey up pretty often, but he has a saying that rings true: When you're desperate, you smell bad. Desperation doesn't get you that job you need or that promotion you want. It just makes you stink. People smell that. And you are the last person on earth they will hire.
It's really, really true. If you can't even budget your basic living expenses properly, why should someone hire you to do an important job for them?
I don't buy the 'job costs too much in gas' crap. I'm sure there are waitress or cleaning jobs in town. She can work AND do logos AND do workshops. She just won't be able to play as much.
ReplyDeleteShe's only a few miles from Cambridge--- Subway, Rite Aid, bookstore, grocery store etc etc.....there's TSC in nearby Greenwhich......she could do part-time at all these places. There's a vet clinic less than a mile from her.....they would need kennel people....livestock auction up the road....they would need helpers on sale day. There's tons of farms of all kinds in Washington Co....needing all types of workers!!!
DeleteGo wash dishes at the Burger Hut Jenna!!!!!
DeleteI just read everyone's suggestion about getting a job and cutting expenses. Anon 5:02 is right. Things are really scary until someone offers sensible advice. Then she backs down and says things aren't that bad.
ReplyDeleteI posted links to craigslist jobs either in Cambridge or telecommuter jobs so, no excuses about driving. These jobs may not be the right thing, but the point is, there are jobs available in town between her and say, Stewarts. They aren't 40 miles away.
ReplyDeleteThere have also been some great ideas both here and on her blog about some home-based ways to make more $. But no. Really people should donate. No, Really. People should donate. Jenna needs people to donate.
One is for graphic design, which she is qualified for, it says telecommuting is okay. She should have been looking for something like that before she quit Orvis.
DeleteFor once I actually agree with what you are saying about jenna.
ReplyDeleteI think she is afraid to face the facts that she needs external income in the name of a job and eat crow for what she has been saying about the working class. She could get a room mate but I'm afraid she is not the room mate type.
What she really could use is someone to look at her finances with her and show her on paper where she is failing. Seeing it in black aND white somehow makes a huge impact.
I thought she had so many animals and wondered why.she is keeping them instead of selling them as meat shares. She has sheep hasn't she spun any wool. Sell some hand made items. People eat that straight from the farm sh1t up!
So many possibilities.
Now playing on the turntable as I count the donations, thanks suckas of CAF, Gabby let's order Dominoes
ReplyDeleteThe best things in life are free
But you can give them to the birds and bees
I want money
(That's what I want)
That's what I want
(That's what I want)
That's what I want
(That's what I want)
That's what I want
(That's what I want)
You love gives me such a thrill
But your love won't pay my bills
I want money
I love how so many people start out by saying to her... I know you don't like advice... Hahahahahahahahaha... Face it, the wells gone dry. She has pumped and pumped it and people are learning. Or they are shaking their head and saying ah, get a freaking job, cut expenses, cull useless livestock.
ReplyDeleteHere's the thing. I think a lot of people come to her blog because they want to live the homesteading/rural country life dream. And aside from a few overpriced pig shares to locals, she has nothing to sell to those people.
Logos? Fan fiction? Workshops? (let's face it, even homesteading workshops are not really a thing to market to someone in California or wherever. And they are too expensive for such little real content or value)
But I digress. Nothing to offer all her book fans. Nothing.
Like someone said, if she made goat milk soap and candles and whatever, she would have those people beating down the Internet to get a little bit of CAF to fuel their dreams, which of course, most will never do.
Instead she whines and begs, plays Braveheart lass and pushes logos on them.
So outta whack. She is just selling the wrong stuff to the wrong market. Most of the rural dream wishers work for the man, in those cubicles she so abhores. They don't have their own companies. They don't need no stinking logos.
Duh... Jenna honey, get a freaking job. Or start making stuff. Or better yet, start harvesting wood, sell the sheep and get busy hustling and doing odd jobs. You mean to tell me that old man Nelson Green, who lusts after her, and is old, and has hay and cattle, he can use a young gal around his place to work for hay? Oh yeah, I forgot, that means doing actual homesteads farmer work.
Shesh, she really toasts my bread.
"The goal is set to cover the price of publishing and mailing up to several hundred copies of the book, hire a professional editor, and pay the author a small advance to write it.
ReplyDeleteTo avoid obstacles with the printer and mailing this will not be another task added to my own schedule. I will print from a reputable, on-demand, publisher that will hopefully have the option of drop shipping right to you. If not, books will be shipped from here at the farm every week until all are signed, sealed, and delivered."
There. That's where she promised this would be an actual book. NOT a digital signal/downloadable text.
She is going to be in big trouble I have a feeling when no hardcover book is ever delivered. The amount she got off Kickstarter divided by the number of donors (I realize they all donated different amounts) is an average of $65 per person. That would be the price of a really nice hardcover, illustrated (in color) book.
Good luck to the funders.
They were idiots from the get go and will receive what they deserve, a corrupted PDF file with a Trojan virus that hacks their PayPal counts and funnels all funds to Jonathan Woginrich in Nigeria
DeleteLOL!
DeleteThey'll only receive the PDF if she hasn't list the email list. She's used that excuse before.
Delete"If you want your story email me, I've list the list and can't send anythi ng out". Not my fault, but your if you don't email me. But then I'll have trouble with my email so can't open them, not email...no book. Computers fault, not mine. You lose...again.
There are a couple of ways this could go and I hope her incredibly stubborn nature leads her to either paring down her animal feed needs and/or getting a steady income of some sort off the farm.
ReplyDeleteAnother scenario has crossed my mind often in the past year and it's quite awful. I'm not thinking of only of losing Merlin or the farm. She swings wildly from over-confidence, fearlessness, and bragging (while trying to appear humble) to fear, darkness, and despair - and it's worrisome.
(Although I suppose it's actually quite possible for her to limp along like this for a few more years as long as new innocents keep turning up on her blog. It's been years, now, of hanging on - and Jenna the tenacious, anxious but blessed!, patching-all-the-income-scraps-together warrior woman, managing against all odds! has become her comfortable persona).
I also followed jenna a long time and am so sick of the crying and begging. Why should I have to go work my 2 jobs AND promote her or donate to HER dream or reading about HER watching TV for straight hours over multiple days?? No way..not $1.
ReplyDeleteI work a job that pays well and one that doesnt. Is my time worth less so I can work and send money to help her? I am networking in that job. Maybe one day it will open a door to something else. Even a $50 check a week is $200 a month and pays for SOMETHING. she is so lazy.
I lost a house to foreclosure. Once they actually start foreclosure, you just stop paying mortgage payments. And it takes a long time before they actually kick you out. For me is was 15 months! If she is really in arrears, I would consider selling the animals she isn't going to use or harvest soon. Keep the horse, and dogs. But then get a decent job and while waiting for them to kick me out, work like the dickens. Save up money in that gray time with no mortgage or rent. And then when they kick you out, go buy some other place cheap cheap, or rent a little farm. Surely Patty would out Merlin up for a bit. It's a thought.
ReplyDeleteShe's a creative artistic person. I never understood why she didn't/doesn't use that talent to create things to sell. My DDs friend makes vintage looking signs out of used pallets and she is putting herself through college on her earnings.
ReplyDeleteYes there was an initial start up cost of a few hundred, but she made enough in the first few months to pay that off.
Whoever said it is dead on...Jenna doesn't want help, at least not that kind. She wants money, lots of your hard earned money so she doesn't have to earn it herself the hard way. That's for us poodles, not a dire wolf like her.
Oh well, I'm off to pay bills:) and on time too.
Here's a sentence that stood out to me:
ReplyDelete"That's because we see those signs, farm stands, mechanics as "real job" being a blogger is not seen that way. Not a all."
If she's going to view blogging as a real job she should act like it and write more frequent and more interesting posts. How many times has she written a post that is essentially: I woke up to a 40 degree house, making coffee, tunes playing, life is tough but I love it.
She can't expect to recycle material in an endless loop and maintain reader interest. Honestly, her blog is so dull now. She has no business calling herself a "creative" when she's so creativity challenged. How about profiling other farms/farmers of interest in her area? Whatever happened to writing about the things that she actually does rather than these barfy, prideful "aren't I wonderful?" posts? Why not write more broadly about agriculture-- there's usually some hot topic on the sustainable ag front. More farm photos and animal news would be of interest to many. Nobody needs a mini bio of Anna Kendrick, that's for sure.
She certainly squanders her opportunities......
She has ideas, but no follow through. Every grade school age child can do what she does. Real artists understand that it takes hard work to produce anything worth seeing, reading or owning.
DeleteAmen, redhorse
DeleteShe'd sell Merlin before getting a job? Sad for her. Probably good for the horse, though. He's probably not worth a whole lot anymore. She said he's 20. I wonder if she could do a part lease on him to help with his feed bill? Dunno.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the threat of selling Merlin will be her biggest money maker, ever.
"Merlin will have to be sold if it comes down to a roof or a saddle. But I am not there yet. I am just asking for help drumming up business. If I get to the point where it is sell Merlin or lose the house, I will share that and hope the blog helps me find him a good home. I think I would sell everything I own on eBay first though before losing that horse."
Essentially what she is asking her readers to do is get one of their friends or family to start donating to her live like fiction life. In other words get a loved one to purchase a logo that won't be created for months, a workshop that may never happen. Way to go JW get your fans/readers to do your dirty work. The well must have surely run dry and thank goodness because now maybe Merlin can be sold/given to someone deserving of him.
DeleteHi Lil Antlers, its me, you know who.
ReplyDeleteSo I have decided to sell Merlin on Christmas Eve.
Yes you heard that right, on a cold starry night as the baby Jesus is born I will be praying for the miracle that I know you will create. Only through the selfless love of my internet friends and supporters will we be able to keep all of God's animals in the mangers that they belong. May the angels sing, "Glory to Jenna in the highest, and on earth, money, good money towards me"
The whole selling all her stuff to keep her horse is such a sick attempt to manipulate people to dig deep into their pockets. It's a short term answer that will have her begging the same time next month.
ReplyDeleteSelf sustaining my ass she is more of a dependent than my 18 year old son who lives at home. He at least goes to school AND has a job.
She is the same as people who are on welfare and take advantage of it.
Hopefully the karma bus is pulling up to put an end to all of this b.s.
Yeah, why sell her personal crapola and household items-- how much time would that buy her? Ridiculous. The readers will lap it up, though.
DeleteThere's nothing particularly badass about losing everything you own and desperately trying to avoid getting a job. It's just called being delusional.
Do you guys really think she reads these entries?
ReplyDeleteAnd is it really possible she can't see the truth about her unbalanced, unrealistic efforts to keep her show going?
Sometimes I think she totally sees her part in the fragility of CA and just can't face the effort needed to move to a Plan B - and this is why she wallows in her unproductive leisure delights instead of facing the music and accomplishing something helpful for her animals or her future. I think lot of her activities are a form of denial and procrastination.
She pretends that she's working oh so terribly hard and so long to save her farm and that, therefore, she has earned her hours of time-wasting. Often it seems she believes it fine to veg for hours on end because she has busted her butt all day for her farm
Sometimes I think she really believes she has enemies out to get her just....because: they don't seem to like her though no fault of her own; they're jealous of her life; they don't like seeing other people succeed; haters just hate and they've picked her.
Otherwise, how does she have the gall - and stupidity, actually - to not be at all shy (to the say the least) putting out to the world so much material showing off all of her leisure time-wasting pursuits, crowing about how many episodes and hours she spends doing nada while owing contributors a damn book, owing her animals good winter shelter and solid fences, and wringing her hands about bills, mortgages, firewood, hay, and money! It makes my head start to explode.
And makes no sense for her to seemingly have no qualms about documenting her playtime.
She has more chutzpah than anyone I've come in contact with in either real life or online. Or, she is beyond clueless. I'm coming to believe it's brazen chutzpah, not lack of awareness.
She's not embarrassed because she doesn't feel she owes anyone, person or animal, anything that she's not already trying her very best to give them, book or shelter. She can do no wrong, everyone else is insensitive, inappropriately demanding, or just doesn't get her. It's the narcissist thing.
Not terribly long ago it seems, maybe springtime, I believe she made a huge deal out of writing - along w/photo and blog entry of it - a thank you note to someone. In that entry she said that she she's really bad about ever thanking people for anything - apparently referring to gifts, donations, etc. This is very telling for someone who has received so much from her fans (she has alluded to cards and gifts, along with the other stuff we know she gets plenty of, donations to the Jenna Charity).
This is very telling of her personality. She feels entitled to all the help, support, gifts, and all the stroking she gets from besotted readers.
I bet whenever she hits the whiskey she checks out what's being said here...so it must be every day!
Delete"Otherwise, how does she have the gall - and stupidity, actually - to not be at all shy (to the say the least) putting out to the world so much material showing off all of her leisure time-wasting pursuits, crowing about how many episodes and hours she spends doing nada while owing contributors a damn book, owing her animals good winter shelter and solid fences, and wringing her hands about bills, mortgages, firewood, hay, and money! It makes my head start to explode."
DeleteIt's called ADHD sister and we should take up a second colection here at the Church of Lost Farm Dreams for our little one who is now drinking coffee and listening to really hip music
I too am starting to be super curious about how many of us Anonymous peeps are writing here. Are we 8? or more like 40?
ReplyDeleteIt's such a relief to have one's intense feelings about her shared - and it would be interesting and gratifying to have a clue how many we are.
Could each of us, perhaps, fill out one of these blank comment spaces with just the name of our town(or nearby town, or which part of a particular state we live in)?
Or some other specific that we all have. We all live somewhere, so that seems easy. Doing a stand-alone entry would be easier to spot, visually, for counting purposes, than if we each tried to remember to add something to a comment we make.
What do you think Meredith? Would that work for you ok?
California coast.
DeleteMassachusetts. Read since Idaho, never contributed.
DeleteI've read Jenna's blog for years and am now here regularly. MK in Seattle
ReplyDeleteI'm here and writing..TR from NJ
ReplyDeleteKB from B.C, Canada
ReplyDeleteAO from Colorado
ReplyDeleteSG from northern Ohio. Reader, writer and have donated to J four times.... Sadly.
ReplyDeleteSH from WI.
ReplyDeleteJM from So Cal
ReplyDeleteSonya..an American living in The Netherlands for now..making my way back :)
ReplyDeletecanada
ReplyDeleteNot wanting to reveal anything because jennafans but here
ReplyDeleteI'm from IL. Never gave JW $ but did buy Made From Scratch years ago. How I wish I never saw that book!
ReplyDeleteJD and I live near Jenna.
ReplyDeleteMichigan
ReplyDeleteDH in NC
ReplyDeleteJS from PA
ReplyDeleteVermont. I'm owed a copy of Birchthorn and have filed a complaint with Kickstarter.
ReplyDeleteRW from PA.
ReplyDeleteGeorgia here
ReplyDeleteWho's curious, is that you JW you swankily wabbit?
ReplyDeleteJust follow the Golden Goose OK, you might have to look at cutting back on beer (brewery). And a hawk, and maybe a horse.
Maybe do a little twerking of your main business model.
But stop the logo express, and the begathon, GET AN EFFIN J O B
PS. I am NOT a fan, call me Wendy from Wisconsin for all the Eff I care, I need a drink!
DeleteD. from Central CA
DeleteC. from IL
DeleteDuckmama. WA
Delete24 and counting (including Meredith). I'm sure there's others here who haven't seen the "count me in" post yet, too.
DeleteHC from TN
DeleteS in central NY
DeleteMinnesota
DeleteCentral Ohio
DeleteAbrah in VT -- I've been reading her blog from the very beginning. Hauling sheep in her (I think?) Subaru.
DeleteMindy in the Midwest
ReplyDeleteI'm verbose TR (not jw), the one writing far too long entries recently, who is curious. Long time admirer!, contributed several times, read all her books, every blog entry back to Idaho.
ReplyDeleteFalling off the fan-haywagon is like suddenly regaining your sight; J-world turns tawdry, unethical, containing nothing to respect, learn from, or enjoy.
Holding Merlin hostage will be a cash cow for her. Send money or Merlin goes to the glue factory!
ReplyDeleteHer fans are suggesting the same things we discuss here. Cut expenses, harvest her own firewood, and (gasp!), get a job.
ReplyDeleteI think she was expecting money, not advice.
Yes, the well must be running dry.
Someone told her to cut some wood off her 6 acres, haven't we been saying that for years?!! Can we get that blond guy to come in and do a complete farm make over on HDTV? The biggest loser for homesteaders, the blog apprentice - she's fired.
ReplyDeleteAnd that commenter worships her. Or did. I suspect there will be a new wave over here soon. Even adoring Goose Goose seems fed up!
DeleteYou all do realize that she is only letting through the comments that she can handle and help her cause, right? I'll bet she has a lot more that she hits the delete key over... Hahah...
ReplyDeleteExactly. She controls the comments. If she lets one in, she has a manipulative purpose for it
DeleteI'm surprised she's let through as many comments as she has... Not sure what it does other than let others see that people aren't just blindly throwing money at her anymore and are questioning what she is/is not doing
DeleteYes, I'm curious about her purpose in allowing those through too. and I'm in GA
DeleteI was just about to ask why she doesn’t make more things to sell on etsy but then I remembered that horrendous cloak she made and tried to sell. haha
ReplyDeleteShe is offended by people suggesting she get a job when writing IS her job, but if the bills aren’t getting paid, it isn’t working.
I think she needs a FULL time job to get her out of debt and back at ground zero. Then she’ll have the breathing space to figure out a new business plan. The chances of her doing that are less than zero % so place your wagers how long it will be until her house goes into foreclosure.
GET A JOB, SON!
ReplyDeleteD from VA here- gave money and bought 2 books.
ReplyDeleteI prefer to remain cloaked in mystery but I am here.
ReplyDeleteI'm S. in NJ. First time posting here.
ReplyDeleteI was a big CAF fan when I first discovered her blog. I remember going all the way back to the beginning of the blog to catch up and thinking what a brave, inspiring young lady she was. I recall the first time the PayPal button was suggested and how tempted I was to donate but didn't. I also recall how she intended to take down the PayPal but her fans suggested she leave it up. *smh* Anyhow, I questioned her decision to leave her job, I cried when Jazz died, I wondered why she needed another horse, etc. I also remember Meredith's many comments and how I, at that time, felt that she was picking on Jenna way too much. Then I began to see the pattern, that same pattern we are seeing today, and I thought to myself, "Really? Again? She's not even trying." I told my fella that I could see she was not the individual I thought she was. I was no longer inspired...instead I felt almost betrayed. I also can't stand her dismissive, careless attitude towards cats. Every time she got another poor kitty I cringed and wondered how long it would last till it was run-over or eaten. We all know, for Jenna, that's a preferable fate for her cats rather than being taken home by a stranger. Anyhow...Meredith, I know now that you weren't picking on her. You only saw, much earlier, what we weren't seeing. We've caught up though! I don't wish Jenna any ill will. I only wish for her to wake up out of this fantasy and face reality. Real life takes lots of work and responsibility of one's own. She needs to "man-up" and save the farm herself...if it really means that much to her. She's young, healthy, and able. Anyhow, that's my two cents. Have a great day everyone!
I too prefer to remain cloaked in mystery, but I am here.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I know when times are tough and money is short, the first thing I do is buy another goat. Yep. That's the first decision I make.
WTF, y'all.
Well, ya know, she had to take on another mouth to feed for the sake of all the soap and cheese she sells every summer, at fairs, farmer's markets, and such like. Righto?
DeleteOr maybe she barters those products for feed and bedding so those aren't really extra expenses at all.
Her animals pay for themselves, dont'cha know. Actually, maybe she sells the kids. Can't remember. The CAF diary has all run into one rather icky tale of "you've got to be kidding me".
I've had goats, but never a buck. I know she doesn't have the setup. Bucks can range from cantankerous to just plain dangerous. That buck is not quite old enough to see which way it's going to go, but they are a handful and need their own accommodations other than being in with the does on occasion. Her fencing is definitely not "buck-proof".
DeleteI just hope nobody gets hurt.
SH in CA. And I just saw that too, quite the 180...
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the heading, I insanely thought that the entry was going to be about how she had finally "heard" reader suggestions and was going to announce the beginning of sane thoughts and decision - something sensible idea(s) about helping her situation out and SAVING THE FARM. JW had seen the freaking light.
DeleteHahahahaha. Thought it a bit odd that she didn't say "the buck stops here" but figured it was, of course, the same idea but framed in a positive way because she's such a hopeful, positive, spunky gal!
Her nuttiness is making me lose all reason and create my own fairy tales on her behalf.
Wow - gonna lose the farm because of the hay bill and yes, that makes perfect sense. Buy a buck. That eats hay.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone believe she actually sells soap and cheese? Why doesn't she write about it if she does? I would love to see a step by step on chevre cheesemaking. My head hurts, too. many. lies. too. many. lies.
^^^ She has sold soap in the past and it sold out fast on Facebook. I always thought that would be a good year round project. People would continue to buy that soap up. I haven't seen where she sells cheese. Maybe that requires too much work and effort since it's a food item.
ReplyDeleteWhat is our team count to -- 34?? WOW! Imagine how many more keeping themselves in the vapors because they haven't found this site yet.
See my post with links, further down, to her defunct Etsy shop (though she wasn't able to successfully delete ALL the bad reviews, just by deleting the storefront). People WOULD buy soap, hats, scarves, etc., but she doesn't follow through and SEND people what they PAID for.
Delete~A
I'm all for it as long as this means she'll stop stealing creamer from the gas station!
ReplyDeleteIn all seriousness, it's just one more animal that will need a home when this "farm" goes belly up
ON, Canada here!
ReplyDeleteAdd one more from Kentucky.
ReplyDeleteThe reason she won't do Etsy is because she USED to have an Etsy store (quite popular, she sold lots of stuff, advertised on her blog back when her blog was pretty neat with interesting projects and ideas), then she got lazy and got all kinds of bad reviews. She has since deleted the shop.
ReplyDeleteYou can find some of her reviews if you look at this item, and then click on "Reviews (22)" tab.
https://www.etsy.com/transaction/6970063
or
https://www.etsy.com/transaction/25020992
And yes, if she was honest, she would do something like Etsy where you list an item, then you ship the item to a buyer. This Birchthorn thing is SO sad. But I'm not surprised.
I've been signing my posts as "~A", and have been commenting here since I was screwed over on one of her CSA scams some time ago. I sincerely think she's been operating more or less as a Ponzi scheme.... she used the money from Birchthorn to refund her CSA subscribers, and probably used the most recent donation to buy, house, and feed a new goat buck that SHE JUST ADDED EVEN THOUGH THERE ISN'T MONEY FOR HAY OR FIREWOOD.
I just.... can't. Can't even. I should stop reading. When I started to think that I was not being talked to honestly (by her), I started digging in, and found all kinds of sad things.... like the Etsy store that she deleted, and why she won't respond to all of the people who suggest that she make and sell things.
~A
Wow thanks for the links - - I often wondered why she wasn't selling stuff on etsy anymore and now I know -- yet another example of her stealing people's hard earned money.
DeleteNo problem. I'm actually not some psychotic stalker (I work full time like most people here), but I made a giant pile of bookmarks a few years ago when I was incredibly angry about the money I sent her, for goods never received. Sadly, there's giant trail of evidence that goes back years - not just one or two crazy people with a vendetta.
Delete~A
OMG bad reviews from 2010! Just as bad as Meredith's traffic violations. You brushed them off. Why? Cause she's not Jenna. You're point is mute!
Delete*moot
DeleteUmmm. ..traffic violations and screwing people out of their money by undelivered goods are two different things all together. Moot point on your end.
DeleteThe point is moot on the Jenna fan. Jenna has a long track record of screwing people out of their money by not delivering goods or quality services. The bad reviews from etsy are just another example. I think things get boring or difficult and she just puts them to the side, ignoring her obligations to her customers. I mean, they paid up front after all, right?
DeleteEvery verified review- Etsy (years ago) , logo forum (people ripped off years ago) webinars ( recent past) CSA
Delete(recent past), clan blog (recent), Birchthorn (recent), undelivered logos (recent) speak a pattern that this person has of promising goods, taking money, non-delivery of goods then disappearing. Only to pop up with a new name, a new game plan and a new way to rip people off.
Sign me,
retired prosecutor Hennepin County (MN)
Retired prosecutor, from your perspective who should I contact about the commonwealth attorneys office dedicating to prosecute a case and abandoning it 15 minutes before trial?
DeleteIf it was me I would start with the New York Attorney General
Deletehttp://www.ag.ny.gov/
Always start at the top and slowly, very slowly work your way down.
Ok. It's in VA, but I think for us that's Mark Herring.
DeleteBecca, traffic violations are very different than Jenna TAKING MONEY and not providing services promised. C'mon you're smarter than that.
DeleteOops sorry Becca that was aimed at Anonymous not you--sorry!!!!
DeleteThat wasn't Becca's post.
Delete5:35--- your hero is a dud. She has a pattern of this behavior reaching back to her DeviantArt days right up to the present. If you ordered something from Amazon and it never arrived would you be so forgiving? Jenna is running a business and real people are being cheated of their money.
DeleteSorry yes, http://www.oag.state.va.us/
DeleteIt's all good. :)
DeleteI can't see anything on the Etsy links - could someone copy and paste?
ReplyDeleteI saw One Woman Farm on the new and interesting shelf at Seattle library. I was really a fan. Then, the begging became obvious. I read her other books, but although I think she is a great writer, I think someone "Moved Her Cheese" and she just keeps looking for it in the same old place!
ReplyDeleteJFW here from the State of Denial.
ReplyDeleteJ Effing W, we know you're here, you hover above and below is, one step ahead of the Frankenstein that you created, where the Eff is my wool share
DeleteLost money in the webinars, stopped reading after book 2 because even book 2 read like book 1. Stopped reading blog after year 2010. FB friend for 1 year, stopped because for 10 months of that year all her FB posts were either inflammatory, or donation drivers. Donated small amount towards tooth pain, er I mean, her dog Friday's fees. And last but not the least donated to Birchthorn last year? the year before? The tooth pain was my last donation. I've gone the email route, asking for a refund, agreeing to payments etc. etc over the years for the webinars-nothing. I'm thankful for this blog and for coldantlersham blog otherwise who knows. I might still be among the blind, cannot see. RW in Wisconsin
ReplyDeleteDev - upstate NY
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI purchased and paid for this print on Feb 4th. I know (from reading your blog) that you are in the process of moving but I haven't heard anything from you about this transaction. I have reported this to Etsy today. Sorry, but 3 months is really too long of a delay without any communication.
ReplyDeleteThat was one review from etsy.
ReplyDeleteReviewed by
Anonymous
Mar 19, 2010
⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
It's been a month and a half since I purchased this print. The money was taken out of my PayPal account right away, but I still haven't received the print and messages to the seller have not been returned. I am a fan of your book and your blog, and hate to do this, but have to report this to Etsy.
Here is another review.
Wow. Thanks for posting the reviews. She is GROSS!!! Years of this behavior and she still gets away with it!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is G in Georgia. Found this blog when some Amazon reviews made me google Jenna.
ReplyDeleteK in the South.
ReplyDeleteIn Cali.
ReplyDeleteC in PA.
ReplyDeleteTS in TN
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how she sleeps at night!!! She has cheated people since her college days. She's a complete con artist.
ReplyDeletePartial quote from her in reply to a comment on her blog:
Delete"But I need to wake up every day and respect and love the person in the mirror. So I live a way that makes me feel like that"
Hmmmmmmmmm......
Anon Nov. 30 5:35
ReplyDeleteYou are right. Why is everyone picking on JW for cheating someone in 2010? Come on guys, that was a long time ago. So was 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, etc.
p.s. I believe you meant 'moot' not 'mute'.
Jean in Ca
ReplyDeleteBC in NE
ReplyDeleteBlogger doglady said...
ReplyDeleteA number of people have suggested you find part time employment and I second that idea. I think you are seeing the reality of your farm not being able to sustain itself and that doesn't make you less successful. Every time you blog about being short of money and potentially losing your dream, you are also losing credibility. Every time you offer discounts on upcoming workshops you decrease the amount of working capital you'll have at that time which makes you over extended. You really need to find a way to increase your cash flow without looking to your followers. It is one thing to need help in a crisis but another when it is for day to day existence.
December 1, 2015 at 10:41 AM
Blogger Jenna Woginrich said...
Doglady I think you are misreading what was being asked. I am not asking anyone to do anything but help promote what I am offering with my business through social media. I am not asking for any sort of donation, and frankly, any sales or discounts I want to offer is literally - my business.
I addressed the part time job idea in great detail in a comment above. It is the number one fastest way to lose this farm. I'd make a lot more money selling 3 half priced logos in one morning than I would working at Stewarts 32 hours a week.
I can't control what you or anyone thinks of me or my credibility, and it is none of my business either. But I need to wake up every day and respect and love the person in the mirror. So I live a way that makes me feel like that, and part of it is understanding all the input (good and bad) I am given by strangers.
I appreciate everyone's comments and words. All I am asking for is some help spreading the word. I am not ashamed to share when things are hard here, not at all. It is my choice to share this part of my homesteading/small business/freelance life.
Go doglady!!!! I think JFW let that comment through so she could reply with her own brand of “logic.” Well, the proof’s in the puddin’ and her fans are right, her farm is not sustainable. It’s like hitting your head against a brick wall trying to get JW to see this. She could work off-farm AND do logos, AND do workshops, etc. It’s sooooo painfully obvious to everyone BUT HER that the way she is trying to make a living isn’t working. I think rather than “putting doglady in her place” as was her intent, her response just serves to show how really unreasonable and delusional she has become. Like a two-year-old stamping her foot, “I WON’T get a job! I WON’T!” It’s just surreal.
So, what? There's about 40 of us here, not counting the ones who haven't checked-in.
ReplyDeleteI dare say, that's a far cry from "the same six people" complaining about her.
Another unique commenter
ReplyDeleteWhich one?
DeleteI unsubbed from From Scratch Mag too since you can't take them seriously if they employ the likes of JFW, but I did just look at their 2015 Holiday Gift Guide. Beautiful stuff in there made by real homesteaders. Even some graphic design stuff. Interestingly JFW's junk wasn't in there. Wonder why? NOT!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I haven't checked in yet, I'm in the midwest.
EH here for some time now in N.Dakota
ReplyDeleteSue in AZ. Catching up here after some time traveling over the holidays. What a riot!
ReplyDeleteCathy in NE
ReplyDeleteJennifer in southern Ohio, here!
ReplyDelete