What happened to the 2 piglets she just purchased in May?
http://coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-boys-are-here-pair-of-tamworthold.html?m=1
...and my late to the game zinnias are sprouting. I put 9 small packets in one bed and excited for a splash of color late summer into fall. I recall in the past enjoying them through October.
Not sure I'll be at this farm or not but they're bound to catch someone's eye and bring a smile.
Planted 6/16/14
Gorgeous seedlings; I always plant some nasturtiums alongside my cukes and zukes for a little extra zing and color. Regarding the piglets, I have no idea. I try and resist the urge to check that blog regularly, and I'm mostly successful. But I did look a couple of weeks ago and saw that once again, the chicken flock was ravaged by predators. (This was enough to keep me away for a few more months at least lol) She speaks of this as if its an expected thing each spring, but if you provide a secure roost, nighttime predation does not HAVE to occur. Sigh. Things like this make me very sad -- such a waste of energy, money and lives -- which is why I no longer read her blog on a regular basis. Too frustrating. Enjoy your late summer color with your zinnias!
ReplyDeleteLet's not forget letting Gibson walk around with a wounded paw for a week and trying to treat it herself to save money.
ReplyDeleteLost a few turkeys too. Her approach to finances is a real puzzlement. She lives so close to the edge and it's her animals who suffer. When she finally took Gibson to the vet, she remarked that it would put her further behind on her mortgage payment. I don't know if she thought that would make her sound heroic or if she was looking for sympathy donations. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. I don't understand why she doesn't get her financial house in order first, then start accumulating animals. Better for her, better for the animals.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering what happened to the hawk, been pretty quiet on that subject.
ReplyDeleteJenn
I am very worried. She's posted a lot lately and there are zero mentions of him. If he's gone I hope it was just that he flew away. But I feel like if that had happened, she would have posted about it, the way she posts about the poultry losses and sheep getting out...which would be fine, because that's how life goes. Could be a good learning experience, even. However, the complete silence worries me.
DeleteHmmmm...I must not have read that one. The last time I read her blog I thought her writing had really gone downhill. Her syntax was awful and I couldn't figure out what she meant, she seemed to randomly put words into sentences. I also wonder what happened to the hawk. I didn't really think he'd survive her.
ReplyDeleteIt's possible her mentor made her let it go, that's why the program has mentors -- to make sure the hawk's welfare is being seen to. I am NOT a falconer so this is just my guess, but it does seem to me that the longer you keep one in captivity, feeding it by hand rather than taking it out and hunting with it on a regular basis, that it could lose its ability to hunt for itself, once released. I hope it has been let go.
ReplyDeleteD.
I hope so too.
DeleteI hope that is what happened. I forgot about Italics.
DeleteStrange too that there is no mention of Jon Katz's emergency heart surgery on her blog or her coming to help a friend on his. I thought he was a mentor of sorts.
ReplyDeleteJ
They seem to have had a falling out a while back--he made some blog posts about her living on the financial edge and begging for donations that I'm sure didn't endear him to her.
DeleteI can't keep track of her animal deaths. I forgot she got pigs- hopefully they ran away- would have a better chance at life that way.
ReplyDeleteCurious, no mention either of Maude's little bottle lamb that was a constant companion... she doesn't show up in the work schedule posts of all her daily labor. Hmmm..... dead or sold?
ReplyDeleteSo my concern about Italics seems to have been answered by a post over on Going Slowly--some friends of theirs came to help with the house build and wrote a guest post that included a photo of Jenna with Italics on her arm. I think their visit was pretty recent. So Italics is alive and kicking, and looked healthy. I am glad he's okay, though I had hoped he'd been returned to the wild by accident or intention. I wonder why he's not getting any air time (so to speak) on the blog.
ReplyDeleteWhere are you going Meredith?
ReplyDeleteUm, in her most recent blah blah blah aren't I a cool farmer.. she wrote that she kills animals because she can't grow vegetables? Is she *serious*? Oh good LORD. I guess maybe that would be news to all my pals who life not far from her, who *do* raise veggies, and turn a profit. No, Jenna, you can't raise veggies to any degree because it is real work. Yes, you know, that four letter word.
ReplyDeletePigs are fine (growing nicely-can't wait to get my share soon), Italics is fine, lamb is fine and her garden is growing nicely, thank you very much. Why do you post as anonymous?
ReplyDeleteBecause Jenna's self-styled "defenders" that occasionally show up over here can get downright nasty. Not all of them are like that (you seem fairly even-handed) but a lot of them are quite abusive.
DeleteYes, Anon. Cat H, since you know Jenna so well, can you please ask her to come here and answer some questions? We would *love* it, since she does not let us ask her any questions on her blog. Just to clear up any mis-conceptions, you know.
ReplyDeleteI understand. I try to be even handed, everyone deserves politeness. I can ask her. Also, I to like to read this blog - I enjoy the farming aspect of it. I just don't understand why all the Jenna bashing? Did something happen?
ReplyDeleteIt's a little bit of a saga, going back several years, so this comment is going to be in multiple parts because it’s so long. I'm not sure if you read her blog back in the day, but it used to be that she wrote wonderful posts about her homesteading journey and learning about farming and meaningful work. She even made and sold some things like soaps and dried herbs, once upon a time. The comments section on her blog was *insanely* active--it was a real community, with experienced folks and newbies communicating and sharing information. The experienced farmers/homesteaders would answer Jenna's questions and we would all learn something.
DeleteBut then things started changing. I think the train starting going off the tracks back when she introduced the wool CSA. Everyone was SO excited--her farm was starting to pick up steam and it represented her first major product. I gather the first season went all right, but after that things went downhill. She didn't have the fiber arts experience (and didn't do the research) to know about the differences between breeds and which ones have wool suitable for spinning vs. felting. (I sympathize, because navigating the world of fiber processing can be difficult and I know alllll about the challenge of having a breed of sheep with beautiful wool, but which most mills aren't set up to spin correctly.) Long story short, the wool CSA limped along for a few years, but ended with some people having paid $150-200 dollars for a share and still to this day have not received their wool. They also have not received full refunds--at least one person came over here and said that they inquired about getting a full refund but Jenna told them she couldn't afford it and could put them on a "payment plan" of getting a little bit of money monthly for a number of months. The problem being, of course, that the CSA money had long since been spent, and Jenna didn't have enough of a financial buffer to do right by her customers.
This same sort of situation--people paying for product never delivered but unable to get a refund because the money's already gone--also played out with the webinar subscriptions Jenna offered a few years ago. I'm sure it's happened as well with some of her more recent offerings (wool cloaks, Clan Cold Antler), though no one has been here yet to talk about those things specifically. So poor business practices is one part of the equation--some of the people who got the raw end of one of her deals have made their way here to vent (and rightfully so, because Jenna has stopped responding to their emails, won't refund their money or deliver the product, and screens their comments on the blog).
But probably one of the bigger reasons for the comments over here is Jenna's (very public) stumbles during her ongoing education about animal husbandry. Animal welfare is always a hot button topic on the internet, and there were a lot of passionate animal lovers among Jenna's readership, which at one point consisted of a ton of fellow homesteaders and farmers. These folks understood what she was going through--with predation issues, with ketosis and white muscle disease in the sheep, etc.--and offered a lot of helpful advice, along with the occasional tough love comment because a lot of the issues she was dealing with were connected to her learning curve and all were fixable with better facilities, better management practices, improved pastures, and so on. Of course, since she had such a large readership, so many people chiming in got really overwhelming for her. (Understandable.) Unfortunately, that got her dander up--she was a published homesteading author, after all, and had been trumpeted by Mother Earth News as an expert (even though she was way too young and inexperienced for that title), had spoken alongside Joel Salatin himself--and she would often get defensive about her livestock practices, or tell people that she was doing her best and couldn't afford to do any more. That would set the older homesteaders and farmers off, because in their worlds that wasn't an acceptable answer--you move heaven and earth for your animals, and if something's wrong you keep working on it until you fix it OR if you really can't make it a good situation for your animals then you sell them or slaughter them and learn your lesson. But Jenna kept making (and posting about) the same mistakes over and over again, so it turned into a vicious cycle. She's still making those same mistakes, unfortunately, so there is still a lot of talk over here about animal welfare.
DeleteAnd on top of all that, she started begging for money. She was always in a bit of a financially precarious situation once she bought the farm, but then she HAD to have Merlin. She posted about wanting him a lot, and the homesteading and farming readers pretty much all cautioned her about such a huge expense. But she wouldn't hear it. I think that's what really turned a lot of the homesteader and farmer readers against her--they'd invested all this time over the years reading her blog and supporting her, offering their experience, trying to give good advice (however bluntly)--and she was dead-set on jumping right off that cliff and romanticizing it while she was at it. I think that was around the time she started deleting comments from certain people or even blocking them.
Of course, Merlin was VERY expensive and paying for him--along with riding lessons, and archery lessons, and and and...--pushed her over the edge financially. She could have handled it SO much better--she's a writer and a graphic designer, for pete's sake, she could have thrown together an ebook or five and sold them online to bring in extra cash, she could have created any number of other online products (like resurrecting the webinars and doing it right), or whatever. Because being a single, young, female farmer myself, I absolutely, positively understand the pickle she was in: there's only so much one person can do re: farming, and even if you kill yourself one person still can't produce enough meat, wool, veg, fruit, etc. to support a farm. She had long since realized this--hence moving away from trying to sell farm products and concentrating on the book deals--but for whatever reason she couldn't or wouldn't get it together to offer an alternative product that played to her strengths and that would provide value for people. Instead, she started guilting people into donating ("I spend a lot of time working on this blog and don't get paid for it..." which might have flown in 2004, but definitely not in 2014 where online business is a real thing and your blog is a way to direct people to your actual products), making posts about how people came to repossess her truck and if she didn't get the money together she was going to lose everything, and so on. She was really in dire straits--that was never in question. But she went about it all wrong. People in the comments got more and more exasperated, and basically started telling her that the reason she was in this trouble was because of the poor decisions she'd made. It was true, but it got pretty harsh. She felt more and more attacked and miserable, so eventually turned the comments off entirely. (She's since turned them back on, because the old readership gave up and left, and her new readership doesn't know anything about the backstory, so the comments section has changed entirely. The only thing that remains is her defensiveness--when any of the new readers try to offer advice, I notice that her responses to them almost always detail why she CAN'T do what they're suggesting, or why that WON'T work for her. She's very closed down to her readers these days.)
DeleteAlso, she still hadn't (hasn't?) learned anything about customer service or really connecting with her readers because she doesn't even bother to send a thank you email to people who donate. I donated to her in the past because I felt sorry and wanted to support someone I empathized with, but didn't get anything but a Paypal receipt. In her blog posts, she would just say things like, "Thanks to my readers I have enough to cover my next truck payment now but I'm still two months behind on the mortgage...", always asking for more.
She's actually done a much better job of avoiding this lately (in my opinion), but there was someone who posted here this past winter who said that her publisher had taken note of the unsustainable begging behavior on the blog and was either considering dropping her or had already decided to. Maybe that was a wake-up call and part of why she's toned it down so much.
I'm skipping over a number of things that the commenters here take issue with so I can wrap this up (it's getting a little long)...my take on it, that I've shared here before, is that Jenna enjoyed some success early in her homesteading/farming career (with her first book or two) and got in over her head. Suddenly her job was writing memoirs about a life she'd only just begun to live. There is a lot of wisdom in "faking it til you make it," but Jenna currently lacks the core of experience you really need to be an authentic writer/blogger in this day and age, and it shows. I think she's trying SO HARD to get there--reading her posts, I see huge amounts of false bravado, of self-consciousness and insecurity, of terror over her financial situation, and defensiveness that comes from feeling like the world is against her. But she's kind of trapped herself in that cycle and it's going to be hard to get out of unless she makes some big changes. Personally, I hope she gets there. I'm actually coming from a pretty similar place, only I've been lucky to have more family support, so I know just how much she could be doing with her skills--the webinar thing was actually a great idea, if only she'd executed it well. She could be doing ebooks and ecourses, videos, all sorts of online content (not free--PAID!) that would help her bottom line and finance the stuff like Merlin that makes her happy. She needs to get a Wordpress website up and running, stick the WooCommerce plugin in there to run an online store, and start writing and designing ebooks. She's into the Wheel of the Year, so she could do a series of ebooks, one for each season or month, with an essay about what's going on on the farm that month, pictures of the garden and the animals, homesteading tips, tips for connecting with that month/season...there are so many options.
DeleteAnyway, I've been reading her blog for a long time because when I started, I thought she would be the example to look up to, the one I could look at and say, "if this young, single woman can make it farming, so can I!" and I've been really disappointed and sometimes upset by her trajectory. A lot of her "defenders" come over here and ask who we are to care, or waste our time talking about her. I can't speak for everyone here, but I comment here BECAUSE I care. I care that she's damaged her reputation with poor customer service. I care that she just keeps losing chickens because she won't make some serious changes in her facilities. I care that it took her years to figure out that a lot of her sheep issues were due to her poor land management and that she's only just getting around to fixing it. I care that she's made some silly financial decisions and now she's dealing with the consequences. I care that she seems to be enrolled in the school of hard knocks. I care that her comment section is a pale shadow of what it used to be--I care that that has gone away. And sometimes, because I care, I get irritated, angry, exasperated, disappointed and I come over here and vent. She hasn't wronged me personally, so I don't have nearly the resentment and hurt that some of the folks over here--who were wronged personally, whether through the wool CSA, or the past battles in her comments--have.
So that's just my take on it--pretty much all the information I reference above is available to the public in her blog archives if you want to go digging and see what's happened for yourself. Thanks for being a really rational person asking an honest question. :)
Thank you for that very honest and pleasant response. We've known Jenna for three years and I have read through the archives in her blog. Yes, knowing her in that amount we have seen some stumbles and since I'm old enough to be her mom I look on it as "if she doesn't ask my advice, I'm not giving it." Maybe that's wrong in some people's eyes but I have found myself in some sore situations with others because I've given my opinion when it wasn't wanted or asked for.
DeleteI can see, from your writings, why some folks would be upset with her. But the Jenna I know and spend much time with is a good person. I cannot tell you how much she has taught us and how much she has helped my son, who is autistic. I guess I just don't understand why once the dirt has settled on things, Meredith stirs it back up again. Nothing about CAF discussed for quite awhile and then the post about the piglets. I just don't get it. I'm not trying to pick a fight, I guess I'm just trying to find answers.
If you don't like what someone is doing or saying on their blog, ignore it. I've done that with Jon Katz. The man was just plain nasty and I'm done with promoting him, buying his books or reading about him. As much as I would like to bash him in my blog, I don't because it just gets me angry and doesn't serve any good.
I give Meredith kudos...she has taken the homesteading horns by the hand and looks to be doing really well. I went back and read the archives and love the photos. Thanks again to you too for being a rational person. Take care! :)
I agree that Jenna is more than likely a good person at heart. (I can't say with 100% certainty because I don't know her personally like you, but that's the sense I get.) Like I mentioned above, I can understand some of where she's coming from. I'm not sure I have any satisfactory answers for you, and I don't presume to speak for Meredith because I don't know her well, but I do remember that she was one of the readers and commenters that Jenna got into it with the most. I imagine the reason Meredith made a reference now rather than another time is because it involves the pigs. And the reason that people here respond is because there are no other outlets any more--none of these issues can be brought to Jenna directly and receive any response, so they're given voice here.
DeleteI hear what you're saying with your example about Jon Katz, but it sounds like that's a different case--you genuinely dislike him as a person. For some of us over here, that is not the case with Jenna--we still care. We're not happy, but we still care. And I have no idea if it's the same with Jon Katz since I don't read his work/blog, but in Jenna's case, there are also some legitimate business issues being raised here. It's hard for people to just walk away and ignore it when there's money involved.
I've stepped away from commenting here a time or two because, like you said, I've gotten angry and it doesn't serve any constructive purpose. But I also don't think there's anything wrong with the folks here venting. No one here has ever organized any kind of campaign against Jenna, we've never invaded her comments en masse to post all of the issues we have, we've never bombarded her with emails or harassed her on facebook--things that happen all the time to people in the public eye (very unfortunately, I might add). So I would respectfully submit that until or unless one of those lines is crossed, Jenna and her friends and supporters are also free to ignore what people are doing and saying on this blog if they don't like it. I think it's lovely that you enjoy reading through Meredith's blog, and understand that you might be bothered by some of the references she makes to Jenna, but that doesn't mean you have to click through to read the comments because it sounds like it is unsettling for you as her friend.
In any case, if you would like to, please feel free to tell Jenna that some of us over here are rooting for her to succeed. And I hope you will also take care and have a wonderful day. :)
Yes, I need to not look at the comments because I do enjoy reading the other stuff. Thanks! You have good day, too!
DeleteTo add to the already awesome comments here, I do not think Meredith is posting about this in order to stir things up. I think its frustrating for a good farmer to see animals disappearing, or unnecessarily preyed upon, or not receiving proper care. She's already tried to help JW with advice and expertise, and been rebuffed. I am glad she has made her comments and thoughts public; regarding animal care and husbandry it's important to keep each other on the right track, even if she has to post this on her own blog.
DeleteCat H, there were several things. A couple of years ago there were some people who signed up for goods from Jenna who paid and never received their purchase (may have been wool?). Some donated to Jenna's general fund in one of her MANY times of need and were never thanked. Others got tired of the regular posts asking for donations, or the posts which implied she was about to lose her truck or farm if people did not help her financially. Others were mortified at the mortality rate on the farm, and the ease with which she could have prevented those deaths just by practicing responsible stewardship and learning from mistakes she'd made. Others were upset that she bought two horses and started the expensive sport of falconry when she still indicated she wasn't making ends meet (hence resulting in more posts asking for donations and pay-to-attend workshop after workshop after workshop!). Others find her tendency to speak in gaellic, wear kilts, and attend medeival fantasy weekends to just be weird. And I suppose, some resent that she spends her afternoons riding and shooting arrows instead of working someplace and then cries about how behind on the mortgage she is, and asks people who DO work regular jobs to help support her. I started reading when she was a vegetarian living on a small plot of land, with a pack goat, sled dogs, some rabbits and chickens. She worked in an office, and balanced her farming with her job. LOVED her blog back then,as it seemed grounded in reality. But its changed a lot, and for me, not for the better (just my opinion). Not trying to be a hater or bash anyone, just sad that this girl seems so unhinged and doesn't realize it -- and gets much support in staying that way. I fear someday she's going to require medical care or total her truck or have a truly expensive veterinary issue with one of her horses, and then what? Beg for more money again? Very sad way to live a life, but that's her choice. But her animals will probably suffer for it, which doesn't seem fair to me.
ReplyDeleteCat H,
ReplyDeleteI used to enjoy the blog too. I think that Jenna gave me hope - hope that I too could quit my office job and live the life that I wanted. She was such an inspiration.
Then came the pleas for money. It was very difficult reading about how she would ride her horse, shoot arrows, or hunt for falcons on a weekday afternoon while I was stuck in an office.
If I remember correctly, when she wanted to buy Merlin, she asked for donations, which she received. It wasn't enough to buy him outright, so she set up a payment plan. Then recently, she asked for donations to pay him off. I thought self sufficiency was about being self sufficient, not asking others to pay your bills.
Because of her precarious financial situation, she waited a week before taking Gibson to the vet after he seriously injured his paw, because she couldn't afford it.
What will happen when (not if) Merlin needs a vet? She will have to beg, and how will her readers be able to turn down her pleas?
And what about her mortgage? How can you be so chronically behind and not be in trouble with the bank?
How can one encourage others to take the giant leap of quitting a job to homestead when one cannot pay one's own bills?
I think this is what is so frustrating for her readers. I actually like a lot about Jenna. She does make me think in ways I would not have otherwise. And I think she is a gifted writer.
Sorry this is so rambling, and I will close without strong editing. Just wanted to jot down my thoughts.
All of your comments are far better than I could have come up with, and I thank you all for that. Bottom line is Jenna is yesterday's news. There are *so* many other blogs who share ideas, and stories, written by people who farm, and have responsible lives. Remember how we used to say we read because it was like a slow motion train wreck? Well, the wreck is over, damage done. Her's is no longer an inspiring life, it's replays (just like the date with Merlin- at least twice that has been described). She has stopped growing, maybe she never really did, she just got swept up in her once popular blog writings.. Sad sad sad.
ReplyDeleteJenna,
ReplyDeleteSince I see you're taking requests (just saw the post on Maude's up until now never mentioned lamb, thanks!), can you stop misusing the word "entropy"? I know you think saying "losing friends to entropy" is a cool new saying you made up (since you use it every chance you get) but that butchering of the English language is just annoying and makes you sound like an amateur (which I guess to an extent you are, published books or not).
For me it was the constant begging for money to pay her bills while at the same time she is buying luxury items and pursing hobbies (expensive horse, hawk, etc). I work hard for my money and often have to make choices. Do I pay the bills or buy something fun I want? Guess what, part of being a responsible adult means making sure the bills are taken care of before I get to play.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteOne cannot "farm alone" it is a myth, maybe it sells books and workshops but it is a myth. The hipster mythos is one of false self reliance, radical unhinged pseudo nostalgia and immature development. This worldview of chicken farmers in the city who raise chickens but do not eat the eggss
ReplyDeleteAre there really city chicken keepers who raise chickens but don't eat the eggs?? I pay way too much in feed and in building my chicken palace to not eat the freaking eggs. That was the whole point in getting chickens!!
DeleteThat was great Anon. Jenna does NOTHING alone. There is not one thing Jenna can accomplish that does not require her either getting help with it, or writing about it to garner sympathy and money. She is the absolute opposite of a farmer. BUT she writes about it, so people can live through her.. She's a carpetbagger to Joel Salatin at best. Those of you reading here, come on out to my place and I will show you real farming. You can work your @ss off and I won't charge you a dime. But, you will learn what real farming is.
DeleteWhat a insightful statement, and so true. "False self reliance and unhinged pseudo nostalgia and immature development." Brilliant. Once you understand that this is the reality of things there, you cannot read anymore, because you know it's just fiction and if you're going to read farm fiction, there are far better reads in the "historical fiction" section of your local library. Probably more grounded in reality too.
DeleteI want to say that I enjoy following Jenna’s blog. She is a gifted writer and story teller. However, I am puzzled by some inconsistencies.
ReplyDeleteShe states that she heats her house only with wood. Then last winter, she wrote about buying prepackaged wood from a convenience store. When someone asked why she didn’t use wood from her own lot (she has about 3 acres of woods), she said she didn’t have time to chop her own.
There are a few things I don’t understand about this. First, pre-packaged wood is the most expensive way to buy wood. If you heat only with wood, wouldn’t you want to spend as little as possible, especially when your mortgage is several months behind and you’re having a hard time paying your bills?
If you do buy wood, wouldn’t it cost less to just buy a cord of seasoned wood? Or better yet, if you don’t have time to chop, why not barter for someone to come in and chop (like her friends from Common Sense Farm). Or have a wood chopping party?
She mentions being into prepping, so wouldn’t chopping your own wood be part of prepping?
Also, she said she likes to work her body hard. That is why she carries buckets of water rather than using a hose. She said she enjoys hard, physical labor. Wouldn’t chopping and splitting wood fit that bill?
She talks about stalking rabbits with her hawk, which must take a lot of time. Wouldn’t it be more cost effective to spend time gathering wood from your own property than to stalk rabbits? If her finances were in good shape, I can understand the stalking, but wouldn’t it make more sense to do physical labor that would save money?
She went into great detail about the time involved in a locally produced hamburger. Nothing wrong with that. I just don’t understand why she can’t spend the time harvesting wood on her own property.
I want to state that I like Jenna and find her life interesting. I would ask this question of her myself, but I’m afraid she would think it is an attack, when it is not. It really is an honest question.
If I am wrong about this, or if there is wood prep going on on her property, can someone let me know?
As Anon 11:07 mentioned, part of the wood drama last winter that arose from her purchasing packaged wood was that she DID have some firewood on the farm (can't remember if it was purchased or not) but that it wasn't being stored properly and it had gotten wet. It's possible that it wasn't completely seasoned in the first place too. So she made a big point of saying that the packaged wood was "just" to get the fire in the stove hot enough for the wet wood to burn. Which is still a waste of money and dangerous to boot--because if she'd taken care to prevent the firewood from getting wet in the first place, she wouldn't have needed to waste money on really expensive packaged logs.
DeleteI hope she's making good preparations for this winter already, but won't be surprised if she's not. Over the years I've noticed a pattern--during the summer and early fall months everything is WONDERFUL and she makes posts like the recent hyperbole-laden "No Downside, At All!" but when winter comes along and brings all the challenges of heating and keeping the animals watered, it all comes crashing down and she makes a lot of posts bemoaning her physical and financial circumstances. It puts me in mind of the fable of The Ant and The Grasshopper--Jenna is the grasshopper, through and through.
Although I stopped reading her blog a couple years ago, I seem to recall that someone here mentioned something about her wood supply getting wet. I think it was wood that she had purchased, though, not harvested from her own property. Practicality is not a hallmark of CAF. If you can enjoy her blog for what it is, fine. If it makes you want to put your head down on your desk, you have to step away.
ReplyDeleteThe only wood prep (or work) being done on that property is when she holds "workshops" which really mean "please, adoring public, show me how much you love me by doing my work". Fools and their money are soon parted. I notice since this thread of comments started, Jenna has n ow stated in her blog that her older pigs are in the barn- that fetid, dark disgusting place she cleans ONCE a year- if that....
ReplyDeleteI also remember during the posts about heating her house only with wood that a couple of weeks later there was a picture posted of the inside of the house -- with an electric heater sitting right there. And there's nothing wrong with keeping warm with an electric heater, but then you shouldn't really say you are kept warm purely by wood heat. That's just ethical journalism.
ReplyDeleteYes these city farmers do not eat the eggs, but the chickens provide "locovore cred" and they blog about it also, along with their pickle making and composting abilities. Self promotion and pictures of chickens on social media are my religion.
ReplyDeleteAs others have said, there's been so much needles loss of life at CAF. Most of the deaths could have been prevented by simple common sense(don't leave your dog alone with baby chicks) and education in animal husbandry. Any advice from more experienced farmers falls on deaf ears.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, Jenna seems unwilling to learn from her mistakes.
I stopped reading about the time she bought Merlin. A few weeks before she got him, she was posting about how she was having trouble making the mortgage. It's a slow-moving train wreck
Anon 6:39- LOVE it... YOU I could read all day!
ReplyDeleteI did a quick Google search on keeping wood dry, and it seems easier than I thought. There was a nice brochure by a Cooperative Extension Agency that showed wood stacked and kept dry with layers of tarp on top and in between. So even if one doesn't have a shed, you can still keep wood dry.
ReplyDeleteThat would take work, and she has not, as yet scheduled her "stacking wood" workshop, but after either she, or her minions read this, maybe she will have one :) Oh, the the lightening fence? What does "since time out of mind" mean?
ReplyDeleteThat whole blog post was just incomprehensible. I knew exactly what she was talking about from the beginning, but it was just such a weird mishmash of purple prose and "Hi, I'm Billy Mays here for Oxiclean!!!!" that it made my head hurt. She could have written a really fun post in the style of an infomercial for her "lightning fence" but that would have required much tighter writing and editing.
DeleteAnd "time out of mind" is actually a real phrase (it means "time immemorial") so she was using it properly in that case. Hard to believe, I know!
I agree with Anon 1:26 PM. I stopped reading about the time she bought Merlin. I've owned horses for about 40 years, through some tough times. I've had to sacrifice from time to time in order to keep a horse and care for it. I've never paid $8,000 for a horse (and I've owned some pretty nice show horses), I've never made payments on a horse, and I've NEVER begged for other people to help me pay for said horse. I've also never chosen a horse based on how well it would go with my SCA costume, or my fantasies of living in the "Outlander" books. There are so many good horses and ponies out there who would have been just as good for her as Merlin, and not cost her 1/10 as much. Her unwillingness to think of an alternative on this issue really turned me off, and I did try to "discuss" it with her a few times. I may not do workshops on "The Farmer's Horse" but I do have 40 years experience. She doesn't want to learn. When she also got the hawk, again, refusing to think about the bird or his experience of this experiment, I knew. She doesn't love the animals, she doesn't understand the animals or try to think about their lives from their point of view, she's in love with a fantasy.
ReplyDeleteSo many people love to tell her what a wonderful writer she is, I really don't see that either. I don't think she has a mastery of the language at all. She does write passionately about her views and her fantasies, she does do a good job of selling her fantasies to people online. I even agree with her about a lot of her ideas and views, just yesterday I cooked a hamburger meal with meat grown on this farm, lettuce, tomato and onion, oven fries and cole slaw from my garden. I can do what she does and more, and I don't need her workshops. I think she would have a hard time keeping up with the work on a real farm, and even though I'm over twice her age, I don't think she could do half the work and chores I do.
As I remember though, she begged for contributions when she bought that "farm," that should have been a red flag, and I should have quit reading her blog then.
I always thought Jasper was a fine little horse, and probably would have done a great job, given more time, energy and training.
DeleteShe seriously paid $8,000 for Merlin?!? All the while she was unable to keep up her mortgage payments??? And, begging other people to share their hard-earned money with her so she could make ends meet?!? Please tell me I am not the only one who has been concerned with her mental health - and the mental health of the ones who "support" her and her life-style.
DeleteV
I too am a little mystified as to why people keep telling her she's a wonderful writer. She's prolific, but her writing is not polished at all. I'm sure a lot of it is inexperience--a strong voice and a considered use of language takes a long time to develop--but pure passion does not equal good writing.
ReplyDeleteI have used time immemorial, but have never heard time out of mind.. that seems just weird!
ReplyDeleteThe only place I've ever heard the term "time out of mind" is in a song by Steely Dan, which oddly enough references drug use ("chasing the dragon" refers to smoking hashish or opium). It goes: "Tonight when I chase the dragon, the water may change to cherry wine, the silver may turn to gold. Time out of mind." It makes sense in that context since I guess you really are spending time out of your regular mind when you're stoned, but not so much anywhere else.
DeleteSome of you mentioned blogs that were better than CAF and I have no doubt there are. Would you share their titles or links so we can all enjoy them?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jenn
The Hot Flash Homestead:
Deletehttp://hotflashhomestead.blogspot.com/
Maggie's Farm:
http://bundaflicka.blogspot.com/
I adore both gals and thoroughly enjoy their blogs -- honest, real, sometimes funny, and genuine to the core.
I love HotFlashHomestead's blog. It's full of wit and wisdom. And she writes beautifully.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anon. 10:48 and Elaine P. You're always welcome at my place! : )
DeleteLet it go, ladies. Just let it go.
ReplyDeleteValid or not, at some point it just gets too bitchy to be either amusing or cathartic. It's just ugly.
Then would you and other fans of J please stop coming here to stir the pot and keep things going? I come here because I enjoy Meredith's honest writing and her photos, not because of J. I originally came here a few years ago because I was surprised at Meredith's comments on J's blog. I found her to be refreshing and not afraid of going against popular (J's) opinion. I stay because I have found her to be much more authentic than the other one. Yes, she is young and has more learning ahead of her, but she doesn't appear to be afraid of constructive criticism or growth. She also learns rather quickly from her successes and mistakes. Meredith has a love for others and animals that shines through in her writings. I certainly don't get any of those impressions from J. So please, "just let it go" and go away.
DeleteAnd you NEVER hear bitchiness on CAF? At least we don't have to pay to be part of a "Clan" so we can discuss things secretly.
DeleteYes, go away. Go back to Jenna's blog where you can learn how to neglect and abuse animals to death. Go there to be patted on the back for having your animals get eaten by RATS IN your own home (that is one of the most disgusting things I have ever heard of, and it illustrates how dirty the place must be.. well, I sort of know that- I was there, and the smell really took me aback (IN the house). Meredith on the other hand is open to learning, and being humble as she goes along. I would hire her in a second to work on my place- you need a job Meredith?? Dead serious here! Anyway, Jenna fans, please go back to Jenna's site.. we prefer persons with a bit higher IQs here.
ReplyDeleteYes, well said. We here at Meredith's site, have a bit higher IQ than is inherent in the folks who heed J's blog...
ReplyDeleteThis has been a pretty respectful thread; I don't know when things like concern or even outright criticism became re-branded as being "mean" or "bitchy," in our society. But what's sad is that we seem to attach those labels to when WOMEN talk about something they're concerned about, and that's actually very sexist. When comments on this blog start to specifically call out some of the less brilliant CAF livestock practices going on or financial practices that affect livestock, someone from Camp Jenna always shows up and makes a comment about how "mean" everyone is being for expressing concern or dismay, or that she's being "bullied." Let's run down some definitions here, just so we're all clear: If people were on HER blog, threatening her well-being or physical safety, THAT is the legal definition of bullying. If people were complaining that her hair doesn't look nice, or that she weighs too much/too little, THAT is probably a good example of being bitchy, or a "mean girl." Criticism about her livestock practices, or even her writing, is neither bullying or bitchy. Just adults expressing their opinions about a PUBLIC FIGURE, which she has deliberately and consciously become by blogging, writing books and styling herself as an "expert" in certain things and holding public workshops and speaking at public events. No different from Martha Stewart, Kim Kardashian, or The Beekman Boys. And as I said, the comments on this blog are pretty well-thought-out, intelligent and respectful -- no profanity, no threats, no "troll" type hate-spewing. If this is the worst she hears, she should consider herself lucky. The internet is capable of so much worse.
ReplyDeleteD.
D, thank you! That was very respectful and very well-written.
DeleteHere, here. Most of the comments here aren't nearly as aggressive as some of the ones she gets on her posts over at HuffPo. Jenna's fans do seem to play the "you're just being mean/catty/bitchy" card a lot, as if Jenna is just some poor kid on the playground who doesn't fit in. Um, no. As D. very astutely pointed out, Jenna is a PUBLISHED AUTHOR, a PUBLIC FIGURE, and a TEACHER. People in those positions, across all industries, are subject to the public's opinion--by their own choice, I might add. You put your work out there, you get critiqued. Now Jenna (and all the other people who put themselves out there) are totally free to ignore us and anyone else who critiques her--and in most cases public figures *should* ignore their detractors because it just comes with the territory.
DeleteSo I recommend Jenna's fans do the same, and take your own advice: "Let it gooooo, let it goooooo, turn away and slam the door!" Because her critics, including us, aren't going anywhere because we have every reason to bring up and discuss these issues.
Anyone here have access to clan cold antler? According to her blog yet again things are 'scary' and she's been writing about it over there. Instead of donations, this time she's asking for a prayer. A ploy to join clan cold antler perhaps? Maybe the normal donation requests have to be worked up to slower now because readers are so skeptical of her.
ReplyDeleteThere are a couple of ways that could have been interpreted. Her fans will say she's just asking for good thoughts (and there's nothing wrong with asking for good thoughts).
DeleteI agree with you that this could be a ploy to get more people to sign up for the Clan. Because perhaps she's fallen too far behind on the mortgage again.
I'm really not a raging hater. I don't want to see her homeless. I'm just exasperated by the vagueness of it all. If she straight up said that she was in financial trouble and owned her mistakes and asked for guidance and listened to it, I would applaud that.
Instead, she sounds like she's still stuck in the fantasy that she can make the farm work on her own terms and it's okay if she's behind on some bills ...
Talking about the stones in the jars doesn't help. Like I said, I don't have a problem with the request for positive thoughts. I do it myself. I send positive thoughts and light. I think her writing was a little clumsy and that may put some people off. The way that I'm put off by what I interpret as "Yikes things are scary and you can read about them in my Members Only Club which I won't mention you have to pay to join."
Ugh!!! That post made me want to vomit. Blah blah blah woe is me, I'm scared, save me. How many times is she going to play that song before realizing the path out of her mess is to hunker down, dig in, do without or make due? Being financially inept with little maturity will NOT get her there. No matter how many stones people drop in a glass.
ReplyDeleteJenn
I think she would like to ask for money but is afraid if she does, she will receive a barrage of emails suggesting she get a job, which she does not want to do. It would also create a flurry of discussion here, something I'm sure she wants to avoid. Although I think she is strongly hinting for donations but does not want to come out and say it.
ReplyDeleteI have wondered about her Cold Antler Confidential workshops. She has suggested many times that people should jump into what they want and "just do it", without proper financial preparation. She cites her own lack of money and poor credit score as an example. She calls cautious people "naysayers". She suggests crowdfunding, which is another way of asking other people to pay for your fantasies.
I had no idea Merlin cost $8,000. Is buying an $8,000 horse you can't afford any different than buying an $8,000 Prada bag? If you can't afford it, the most prudent course is to save until you can. Otherwise, it's instant gratification, no matter if it's a horse or a handbag.
I would like to see her succeed. I really would. Instead of asking for stones, intentions or money, I would like to see her ask her readers for good, practical advice about digging out of her mess. There are a lot of smart people out there and I'm sure they can help her get back on track.
^ This. A thousand times this.
DeleteShe got herself into this mess by being stubborn to a fault. Now, she needs to channel that stubbornness to get out out of this mess. She can romanticize the situation all she wants, but it boils down to this: she needs to increase her income. Period. And that's probably not going to happen by selling workshops. There is no way it takes her all freaking day to care for a handful of animals. She could probably get at least a part time job at another farm to get some more income coming in. But that doesn't really fit into her fantasy. It's sad to see this happening. Creditors and mortgage-holders don't care how many good thoughts and intentions you have. No matter how accommodating they may seem at first, eventually, your bill WILL come due, in a big, big way. It all boils down to money, whether we want to acknowledge that or not. If I were her, I'd be taking every outside job possible to get myself out of this mess. I've been there. I've cleaned houses for rich people and picked up their dogs' crap. I've cleaned gutters. I've weeded and hoed and painted and scrubbed decks. When I was trying to get out of debt, I took every single thing that came my way. It worked. She could get her animals taken care of in a couple of hours each morning, go out and make some money, and come back and do it again in the evening. Lots and lots and lots of people do it every single day--myself included. But she won't do it. There's something to be said for stubbornness. It can be a great asset. But when you combine it with foolish pride, it's a recipe for disaster. :(
ReplyDeleteWell said. I'm just gobsmacked that she gets people to pay (Clan Cold Antler) to listen to her complain! Really? All my friends are happy to complain for free.
DeleteAnd as far as people giving her suggestions or financial advice, the only piece of advice she needs is "make more (as in get a job) and spend less." This is not a complicated issue. Being self sufficient means being able to support yourself, not begging or "crowdfunding." Who's more self sufficient, the person who raises a handful of lettuce and a few chickens and then needs to beg to have enough money to meet her financial obligations, or the person who has a job and pays her own way? And there's no reason at all that you can't raise a fair amount of food while holding down a full time job, lots of people do.
I see a difference between stubbornness and tenacity. Stubbornness is an unwillingness to make changes even if they can be to your benefit. Tenacity is the willingness to do whatever it takes to succeed. Anon 9:26, I applaud and admire you for your tenacity. Jenna needs more than stones and intentions. If she would follow your example, she could work herself out of her mess in short order.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone here know how long you can be several months behind on your mortgage before the bank takes some sort of action? Can you go on being several months behind for 30 years as long as you pay something each month? Or, at some point, does the bank start foreclosure procedures? Even if the bank doesn't foreclose, the late penalties must really add up.
ReplyDeleteI have seen homes actually on the auction block and then called back because the owner got current with the arrears they owed at the last minute. But at a certain point the amount is so great (3 - 6 months worth of mortgage) that people often do not have the ability to come up with a lump sum of that magnitude, and without it a bank WILL move forward on foreclosure procedures. At a certain point they don't want a PORTION of what's owed, they want the whole thing brought up-to-date completely.
DeleteHas anyone else noticed a pattern to the beg and buy cycle? First, she says she's behind on her mortgage, vehicle payment or needs money for wood, hay or something, gets donations and soon after is making another large (and unnecessary) purchase. It seems to repeat at fairly regular intervals. Who knows if she's genuinely behind on payments or just has her eye on something else she wants?
ReplyDeleteOh my Lord, this stone post has got to win an award.. not sure for what. Jenna, no, we are not paying to join your clan cold antler k-vetching board, for a fee, to see you write about how scary life is, Life is scary, especially if you refuse to grow up and get a job and pay your way. Even your most fervent supporters must be tiring of your whining. True farmers get it done, they do not whine un-endingly about things they can actually fix... which you could.. if you actually tried. What a LOSER, yes, I said it. You are like the kid who never moved out of your parents' house... except your parents are your readers...
ReplyDeleteIt's the hypocrasy in her writing that gets me. One minute touting how "ALIVE" this life makes her feel with its uncertainty, edginess, down-to-the-wire living and then she turns right around and talks about pacing the floors, waking up in the night scared to death that she may lose it all.
ReplyDeleteWell dear...we all wake up from our fantasies eventually, one way or another. We either see the light ourselves or life hits us up side the head because we refused to heed the little warning signs.
Normally I would suggest getting involved with a good money management class, like Dave Ramsey's, but digging yourself out is A LOT of work and we all know she doesn't want to do that. Secondly, it would require making sacrifices to get yourself back on track, which might mean paring down, getting rid of animals, selling stuff, not spending unnecessarily, spending only on bare bones necessities and there again that's not what she wants because that's not fun. So far her pleas and begging have worked so why would she change her ways. In the long run though everyone has to grow up and take responsibility-even Peter Pan did. Life has a funny way of forcing that on us.
I'm sure that anyone here could take one look at her out going funds and her operation and see a dozen ways to cut costs, pair down and make a workable budget. But, as we all know only mature responsible people do that.
If she needs proof that this way of living doesn't work in the long run she only has to look at the millions of free loving, free living hippies of the '60's and '70's who eventually became gainfully employed. Why? because at the end of the day they wanted to eat more than they wanted fun and free love.
As many have said before it's a slow train. But, sometimes I wonder if this is all just an act, that she really is not that bad off, but the begging has become just another revenue stream. Her lack of integrity and ethics in other areas makes this a possibility too.
Every time I read about JW's financial woes, I think of all the things Dave Ramsey would tell her to do: sell the horse, get extra jobs, and STOP MAKING EXCUSES. That's what really gets me--whenever anyone suggests to her a way she could make extra money or gain firmer footing, she immediately responds with an excuse as to why she can't do whatever it is. Her excuse in the winter is usually that she can't leave home because she HAS to keep the wood stove going and keep the snow raked off the roof...but if she sucked up her pride and bought some heating oil and scraped together the bucks to have her roof fixed properly, she'd be far better off in the long run, because the money she would make doing extra jobs would probably outweigh the cost of a full tank of fuel for the winter. Same with her excuses that she has to stay around the farm in case the sheep escape. I've worked on a lot of farms, and we never had issues with DAILY animal escapes. Because we started out having decent fencing. If you can't afford safe fencing, you can't afford a farm and the animals living on it. Dave Ramsey would tell her to call the WAAAAHmbulance and start acting her wage.
DeleteDon't ya love Ramsey! Even with his tough love approach.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there are lots of things she could do for money. My DD worked at our county fair last year and made $1000 for the 2 weeks. She was dead as a dog afterwards, but it paid a lot of school expenses.
There's also mucking out barns, working at a local cafe, pizza delivery, many things, but she lets her ego get in the way.
What happened to her part time job at Orvis and the resort where she was teaching archery?
The point is...mature people suck it up and do anything they can to solve the problem.
Maybe she can work for one of the poodles she wrote about. They have lots of money and no brains...according to JW.
I make my living working for poodles. There's a lot of money to be made that way. When rich, bored women have nothing better to do, they pay me to come redecorate for them, and they sometimes foist their "old" appliances, shoes, and cocktail dresses off on me, in addition to paying me in cold, hard cash. I once sold two pairs of Italian leather loafers someone gave me on Ebay for $400! And I have a great stand mixer and food processor thanks to the Stepford Wives, as well. :)
DeleteDave Ramsey would have a field day with JW.
ReplyDeleteI love Dave Ramsey. He really changed the way we looked at money, starting with the idea of having an emergency fund equivalent the amount you'd need to survive six months without a job if injured or laid off. It's all about having enough in savings that you don't have to be afraid and panic. But some people would rather spend today and panic tomorrow, and there's nothing you can really do about it if they won't listen to common sense. Plus it takes a lot of sacrifice and patience to build up a nest egg of any sort.
ReplyDeleteShe's just bat crap crazy, plain and simple. People like her never stop to think that people might be smart enough to see through her schemes. Well, I guess some people aren't, as they keep supporting her. Enabling will not fix her problem.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that she hasn't gone and applied for welfare, food stamps, HEAP programs and such like that. She probably qualifies. I doubt she reports all her cash donations and such. Of course, it wouldn't look so self sufficient when the state is helping her out a bunch. But at least she could possibly apply her extra resources to getting herself up to date.
ReplyDeleteI do think suggestions like "sell the horse" and all are a bit cold hearted, afterall, she really does adore the animal and she's already nearly paid him off. People go out and get jet skies, motorcycles, cars and stuff that are the same or more cash... and besides, selling him for what she paid is probably going to be really tough. But there are so many other ways to get yourself out of debt... like people have said, short term part time gigs... not the whole work 9 to 5 stuff. Heck, around my rural neck of the woods, you can make decent cash with baling hay, or picking rocks from fields, shoveling out barns, gardening help, harvest help... house and barn cleaning, etc, etc. Yeah, it's hard work. But it's a day or a week or so... and usually pays pretty good... oh, but that's really hard work. That doesn't seem to suit her.
I dunno. I just shake my head at it all. it's hard not to watch. It's like a what not to do blog for homesteading! I read a ton of others and just admire everything hard working thing they do!!! They go without, they make do, they create in so many ways from nothing. And they inspire me! J just kind of reminds me of what not to do...
Totally agree that for me, her blog has become a "what not to do" kind of read. It's sad, but incredibly instructional. And I see this same process happening with my brother--living above your means, reluctance to take ANY job and holding out for only a very specific type of work, debt, bill collectors calling, etc. And like Jenna being enabled by donations from her readers, my brother has been enabled by my parents saving his bacon every time he's about to face real-world consequences, like losing his drivers' license because of unpaid speeding tickets, or the power being shut off because he didn't have the money to pay the bill and didn't want his fiance to know. At a certain point, you have to let people in those situations face the music--the enablers wise up that this adult human being who has literally dozens of options for getting out of this pit prefers to sit at the bottom and call for ropes that they then won't use to climb up out of it.
DeleteIn any case, I think folks over here are suggesting more of a general animal downsizing than her selling Merlin in particular--but if she wants to keep Merlin, then it would be a good idea for her to sell Jasper and the sheep. She's not getting any income from wool or meat that we can see, and the occasional bartered lamb doesn't come close to covering the costs of feed, fencing, etc. Her animals aren't well-bred enough to command breeding stock prices, so the sheep are really just a money pit at this point.
And if she downsized the livestock and kept only Merlin and a handful of layers, one of her excuses would melt away and she'd suddenly have lots of "free time" that she could spend working odd jobs or a part-time job!
And yet....can you imagine if she sold Merlin for a little more than what she paid for him and used that 6 to 8 grand to get current on her bills? I know she loves him but reasonably, if he needed significant veterinary care, could she even afford it?
DeleteI doubt there's another person on the planet who would pay more than $2,000 max for that pony. The problem with all the "sell this or that, take a temporary job doing menial labor" suggestions is that those ideas are short-term thinking. The real problem is that bills and expenses keep coming. Forever. Which is why most of us have full time jobs.
DeleteWell said!
DeleteI'm a rabid horse lover and horse owner for 40 years, and I believe it's really cold-hearted of her to keep a horse she can't afford. My latest horse was a rescued foal that cost me $300. Sounds cheap? I spent at least $1500 on him in vet bills the first year getting him gelded and stitched up twice when he got rambunctious in the field. She may be able to feed and keep him for now, but he's aging, and if he needs a vet or special feed or regular medicines, she won't be able to provide those things and he'll suffer. If I was her, I'd try to sell him to a beginner child, and give them Jasper as a companion, which horses need.
DeleteShe has tried to sell Jasper, no one is interested. The sheep have been down sized, but if she sold them, I think she would feel like she is less than a farmer and writing about them is what she likes to do. You all are repeating what we have known for years. She's a train wreck in slow motion.
ReplyDeleteShe's tried to sell Jasper on her own, but there is *always* the option of the sale barn, which actual farmers rely upon when they need to cull animals that aren't needed or aren't producing and just need to go. She might only get $50 for him and he will likely be headed for pet food, but she'll immediately start saving money on feed costs. Same for the sheep. If her straits are really that dire, at some point she's going to have to set aside sentimentality and do what needs to be done.
DeleteBecause, frankly, she knows virtually nothing about horses. She may say she adores Merlin, but he's a prop for her SCA costume/fantasy. She hasn't done anything to improve Jasper since she got him. If she merely brushed him and harnessed him every day, his whole attitude would improve. She can't handle him, and therefore cannot sell him to anyone who wants a pony that can be used. THAT is the #1 reason horses go to slaughter. People just don't do anything with them, they can't be handled or used, and if the owner outgrows them, falls on hard times, or gets hurt by one of them, they get shipped off to an auction and no one wants them.
DeleteNeedless to say, I have a problem with people like that. They really p*ss me off.
I think my biggest fear for Jenna is that it seems she is one emergency away from financial ruin. If Merlin steps in a gopher hole or colics, or the sheep are stricken by some sort of mass disease, or even something like her basement flooding (she's always constantly worried the sump pump will break) or roof finally giving up the ghost. All of these things are very, very possible--and would probably prove more than JW could handle. It has to be a terrifying prospect for her, but I guess it's not scary enough to put her into action beyond the usual.
ReplyDeleteI respectfully disagree with the poster who suggested J apply for welfare or food stamps. Those programs are safety nets for those who are unable to work or cannot find work. They are not for able-bodied people who won't look for work. I don't think she should depend on the taxpayer's (read: our) dime.
ReplyDeleteHere here! Jenna is the last person that should be on welfare or food stamps. I hope she doesn't get any ideas.
Delete-H.
There are thousands of farmers out there that work an off farm job in order to make ends meet, provide a steady cash flow while waiting for the harvest or just to provide medical insurance.
ReplyDeleteThe unfortunate thing is that her lack of maintenance on the property, facilities or livestock has probably reduced it's value. The sheep are not bred well enough to be interesting to anyone who knows what they're doing, so the expedient thing would be to sell them at a livestock auction. The same could be said for Jasper.
If she does lose it all she'll be selling at a loss because the house and property are in such disrepair.
Dreams are fine but even her most admired Agrarians have off farm jobs or had them before they became self sufficient or prolific writers that could fund their on farm dreams.
Her problem is she wants it all too fast without doing the unpleasant things that lead up to realizing the dream.
Anon 10:56, you are correct. It's called instant gratification.
ReplyDeleteI remember a post from last year when she was scared and asked people for stories about how their lives changed for the better in an instant. That word 'instant' got to me. She wasn't asking for stories about how they spent years digging out of their mess. Or about the sacrifices they had to make. She was looking for magic.
I don't know if she got what she was looking for, but I do know she got a lot of emails from people telling her to get a job. That is when she posted all the reasons she couldn't get an off farm job.
I remember that too. I did email her and told her getting a job was her only option, unless she has a rich relative about to kick off and leave her money. She told me to get lost. She even told me that the "tone" of my letter scared her. It was supposed to, she claimed she wasn't sleeping at night, etc. People living that way have a really bad habit of dying suddenly. It happened to two of my friends, so I wanted to scare her into taking meaningful action.
DeleteThat's one of the reasons I thought she should forget about trapping a hawk. She really has no reason to have one, even if it doesn't take a lot of money to keep it, it takes a lot of time and energy, and in her case, time is money. She needs to be spending her time and energy working on a more sustainable life style. It's wonderful to pretend you live in the middle ages and grow or hunt and forage for all your food, but the truth is, those people rarely lived over 45 years. That kind of insecurity kills. Every time she writes one of those "I'm so scared I can't sleep" it just makes me sick to my stomach. I lost a very dear friend like that last year, and I'm still mad at her.
These are profound and full of meaning. Wonder if she'll understand them.
ReplyDelete"Excuses are tools of the incompetent, and those who specialize in them seldom go far."
"Nothing is impossible; there are ways that lead to everything, and if we had sufficient will we should always have sufficient means. It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible."
--Francois De La Rochefoucauld
My issue (besides her animal husbandry) are the misleading statements and false advertising.
ReplyDeleteHer 2 May pigs have been kept inside a barn going on three months, probably going "nuts". I can't imagine keeping healthy pigs stalled for any length of time, especially on a 6 acre lot with supplies available to keep them outside with no additional purchases (solar box etc). I highly doubt those 2 piglets she pictured are old spot Tamworth mixes (likely Yorkshire mixes as an old spot/tam mix isn't likely to throw a majority white coated prick eared pig), but it's even more mind boggling why one would take hearty heritage breed pigs meant to live outside and readily forage a portion of their diet and keep them confined in a barn. Its unfathomable ethically and financially.
Her dear friends at Common Sense Farm have 6+ acres dedicated to vegetable cultivation.
" I live in upstate New York. A place where farming vegetables does not make sense. This is a far cry from southeast Asia or southern California. Our growing season is around 100 days. What we can grow here in bulk is grass, and by extension the meat that eats the grass. We can let hogs range our woods and eat grubs, vegetation, and nuts. We can buy local non-GMO feed grown by our neighbors and give our animals full lives, outdoors and on pasture! Eating meat here is eating in a way that respects our region's food shed.
We can graze our animals in ways that returns good nutrients to the soil and heal the earth. We can grow two or three harvests of those grasses and feed them to animals like sheep, cows, and goats all winter. This is what my part of the world eats if they are serious about saving the environment"
Graze her animals to heal the earth? When I see her hilly sheep grazing paddock I think soil compaction, erosion, and parasites, how is that fence still standing?
DeleteWish I could do a day trip and teach her how to fence and encourage her to rotationally graze all animals with a really nifty fencing strategy.
That must be news to the Essex Farm people (The Dirty Life), they're farming several hundred acres in upstate NY and have 200 people in their CSA.
DeleteDid she write that second to last paragraph? I haven't kept up much with her blog because of stuff like that. She is mentally lazy if she truly believes that kind of crap. And I can't believe she's found more than a dozen readers who are so stupid they don't question her. What about Elliot Coleman and Barbara Damrosch? They make a living growing vegetables in Maine. Their gardens are beautiful. I'm sure they have hired help now, but at one time they did it alone and worked their butts off.
DeleteI live not too far from her and grow all the produce I eat during the summer in a modest little garden. I start with seeds inside in the late winter. She just isn't willing to put in the time and effort to do the same.
DeleteWhat about Helen and Scott Nearing, who grew many large gardens each year and lived very self sufficient...in Maine! Much further north than upstate NY. Oh wait, the Nearings actually worked their tails off with the help of other hardworking farm interns. Something Jenna isn't familiar with.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed at her following and equally dismayed. There are a LOT of how do I put this gently? Stupid people out there. There is not one thing that she does in the way of farming, that real farmers would label farming. Can you imagine the pigs in that barn? It's a sty, you got that right- the entire place.
ReplyDeleteI stopped reading her blog (for the most part) several months ago after finally getting sick to death of the broken record. What I did see, before I left, was her casually mention in the comments that she was working part-time at her old job, Orvis.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure why they took her back, or if she still is working there, but she just so happened to forget to mention that in the main body of her blog.
Hmmm, interesting.. more of the same from her.. lies, and demands for attention..
ReplyDeleteShe mentioned she had a part-time, temporary work-at-home job with Orvis. Must have been some special project. In a later post, she said the Orvis job "dried up".
ReplyDeleteWhen Jenna wrote that a lot of scary things were happening at the farm, but only shared the details with the Clan, I suspected that she was too ashamed to admit on her website, that she's having problems with the bank/mortgage. She'd have to admit that all the people who warned her she was overextended were right. One poster asked why her family couldn't give her a loan? Why indeed. Jenna said it's not possible. Does her family hate her that much? I don't feel sorry for Jenna. I feel sorry for Gibson, who had to suffer with a paw injury, Italics, who doesn't get to hunt on a daily basis like he should, and her horses, who don't have a warm barn for shelter during blizzards.
ReplyDeleteI agree. She is definately too ashamed. She's having a field day over on Facebook though, selling pony harnesses, Merlin's pony cart, fiddle lessons, archery lessons, and announcing a new kickstarter campaign to self publish another book (that money will likely go into her pocket though and the supporters would never see their reward).
DeleteIt may not be that her family hates her, it may just be that they have long since ceased enabling her because she's a monetary black hole. Doesn't mean they don't love her (I think she posted recently about her parents coming to visit), it just means they can't or won't help finance her fantasy life. Based on some of her blog posts, it sounds like they've never endorsed her "fools rush in" style of farming/life.
DeleteIf she's kickstarting to self-publish a book, it's a fairly safe bet that her publishing company has dumped her. Alas, reality does come knocking at the door eventually. And writing essentially the same book over and over is not a profit-making endeavor. Neither is workshopping, unless you are willing to travel pretty frequently as a public speaker, which of course she is not. Very sad.
DeleteYeah, Kickstarter + Jenna = recipe for disaster. The lynch pin of a successful Kickstarter is good rewards (and, by extension, the actual fulfillment of said rewards). First of all, what value can Jenna possibly offer donors? If she had anything of real value to offer, she wouldn't need a Kickstarter. And second, if her idea of rewards is as half-assed as most of her money-making schemes over the last couple of years (new chapters of an unedited novel, a private blog where she dishes about how tough her life is, a chance to be her BFF for a day), then there's no way enough people will go for it and fully fund her campaign. Kickstarters live and die based on the quality and desirability (and even scarcity) of their rewards. Even if she thinks she's going to just use pre-sales of the book as the rewards, that's not going to entice very many people to donate. Donors typically want something special, that they won't be able to get any other way.
DeleteAnd assuming she DOES manage to get funded...does anyone honestly think she can handle the fulfillment of all those rewards? Her track record in that realm is pretty sad. Though I guess at that point the money will be in her bank account and there's nothing the backers will be able to do about it.
She left her family and their advice.. there is a truce of sorts, but her parents do not understand how she has become so self - centered. She stopped visiting her parents at the holidays with the excuse of having to care for the animals, and from then on, things have broken. She is very self centered, perhaps almost Freudian levels. It is only a matter of time before what is left of her followers see all the holes in what she does and says. There is nothing new for her. She is a broken record. She has lost her energy, and she is yesterday's news. If only she had not been a petulant kid and actually grew up and taken ahold of her responsibilities...
ReplyDelete"Be of use" meaning pay to join clan waa waa I need money, seriously?
ReplyDeleteHow many donors does she have left now? Probably not enough. They are already paying to be clan members, all of them have probably sent donations multiple times, paid for workshops and season passes, bought all her books, etc..etc...how many people does it take to support her and keep her bills up to date? This is a math problem, she needs to take a 3rd or 4th grade math class, a little bit of adding and subtracting will show her the error of her ways.
ReplyDeleteAs long as there are new readers, unaware of what's gone on in the past, there will be new donators. That's the beauty of the internet. Most of the "yes ma'am" types on her blog now have only been with her a short while, meaning a year or two. I used to know a lot of the old names who would comment -- back from when she lived in the rental house, and they are gone now. Will it be enough? We shall see I guess. This is not a charity where she can rely on the same people to donate over and over, though. It will require a constant stream of NEW people who think whatever bad thing is going on is the FIRST time it's happened.
DeleteI don't think there is going to be any working for poodles. She is trying to get her readers to pay her to write Birchthorn. From her Facebook post, "one level gets you listed in the back as a birch twig, higher rewards get to be killed by Birchthorn or become a main character". She also wants an advance to hire herself to write it.
ReplyDeleteShe mentioned that the farm is in scary shape right now and she needs a lump sum to save it.
This is beginning to sound like a broken record, over and over.
SURELY you jest?!! She is seriously doing that with Birchthorn? OMG.
DeleteYou mean THE Birchthorn she pledged to write EVERY Weds and managed to do it only a few times and not EVERY Wednesday??? That one???
DeleteShe is a borderline personality Narcissist who will never change. It's all about her and always will be. The damage she does to the homestead movement but what about those innocent animals who suffer at the hands of her willful neglect. She is stuck at about a 12 yr old mentality of wanting it but not willing to take care of it. Those who give to her are enablers. At least the enablers are adults and if they choose to support her with their hard earned dollars, then so be it. It's all a very sick circle. I want to know what she does with her time. My daughter works fulltime, raises two kids, and has the time to actually take care of her farm and garden. So....what does she do with her time but drink? You can play at being a farmer but it's only that.......playing at it. She will never grow up until it's too painful for her to keep playing.... let's call it for what it is: a Con game. Proof of this is that she keeps coming over here to see what we are saying. She is not a child............she's mid thirties and well aware of everything she does. No pity for her...only her poor animals.
Needing a "lump sum" to save the farm...sounds like her mortgage has finally and truly come due. This is sad. She could go out TODAY and get a part time job of some sort and snag herself an extra $400-$500 per week. She could take on a boarder. SHE COULD. There are a number of people who would happily live in her extra room and pay rent and help with the farm chores--you KNOW there are. But she prefers living alone, she says, so that's out of the question. But when you're about to be foreclosed on, it's not about what you prefer. It's about what you have to do to fix your mess. A farm-capable roommate would be a HUGE help to her--financially and chore-wise. This person could do evening chores or whatever so that Jenna could go out and deliver pizzas or something. With half her mortgage being paid by a renter and freed-up time to pursue a part time job, she COULD fix her mess--and it may not even have to be more than a temporary solution while she comes up with something better. But she won't. She won't, she won't, she won't.
ReplyDeleteYou are right - your solution makes so much sense. And you are also right - she won't.
DeleteAgree with the roommate idea. I've been thinking that for at least a year, that she should get one that could help around the place, too. It's really a fairly easy solution that would bring in the most bang for the buck. Get a PT job, get a roommate, financial woes mostly fixed.
DeleteI am actually in a position where I may need to take in a roommate, too. I don't really want to, but... I already work a bazillion hours from home, and have my acre and birds/animals to take care of, and if taking in a roommate is something I have to do to pay my mortgage, I'll do it!
A roommate would get to know who she really is and she can't have her cover blown!!!
DeleteIt's beginning to sound like a hostage situation - send money or the farm dies.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if her Clan is getting tired of the requests for donations. Maybe some are even telling her to get a job.
There have been so many wonderful suggestions on this board about how she could work herself out of her mess. She won't do any of it. Sad.
She thinks using kickstarter will be a quick fix to her mess. I hate to break it to her, but even if she does get fully funded with the amount she needs to save the farm, kickstarter will not provide her the funds in time. They hold the money for something like 4-6 months, then add on the time it takes her to create the video and other information, the month it takes kickstarter to review her submission, the additional time it takes her to make the changes they require, then the time while your kickstarter is gathering funding, and you're looking at 7-8 months minimum til you see any money. My husband's best friend funded his business a few times over with kickstarter, and it was 6 months after it was over til the money was in his bank account. He did great, had good rewards he followed through with, and has built a $500k business. But the secret ingredient to his success was hard work. A lot of it. He worked nights, days and weekends doing random menial jobs to help fund his business and still be able to pay for his house and other bills. He did whatever it took. I don't see that coming from Jenna.
ReplyDeleteJenna, I sincerely hope you are reading this. Kickstarter won't save your farm. Please get some part time job or jobs and dig yourself in to save your farm. There is no easy way out. Life's not easy for anyone, you just do the best you can to survive. You aren't doing the best you can, you can clearly do more.
I'm confused. First it's "No downside at all". Now it's 'scary'. Which is it?
ReplyDeleteWell, in her most recent post she's back to "it's worth everything." I think she's confused too.
DeleteFrom her latest post: "If Cold Antler is to thrive it is not because people want to learn to raise their own dinner parties. It is because they want to know why they crave learning it."
ReplyDeleteAll I have to say is wow, I'm surprised she came out and explicitly said that she's not in business to teach anyone how to actually *do* things, she just wants to make money telling people how romantic her lifestyle is so they can live vicariously through her. I think that sums up in a nutshell why her old readers are now gone and the new ones spend their time telling her how great of a writer she is. All fluff, no substance.
I'm just confused as to why she would take the skin off the chickens. That's the best part!!
DeleteMy guess would be she skins her birds because she doesn't have a hot water bath or a plucker and plucking a dry bird by hand is time consuming.
DeleteWait, she takes the skin off her chickens?! What a waste! All you need is a propane burner, a big stock pot full of water, and an instant-read thermometer so you can scald them to pluck. So here she is writing a big post about how holier-than-thou of a homesteader she is, and she isn't even doing her chickens properly. Geez.
DeleteProbably because she's too lazy to scald and pluck the feathers!
DeleteShe herself said she is a 'farmer of words'......ROFL
DeleteWhat I don't understand is her comments about learning from her mistakes and working to make things whole or right again. But she clearly hasn't learned from her biggest mistake of all and that was buying a farm on a wing and a pray.
ReplyDeleteShe got soooo much great advice back then about how to pair down cut costs and save a decent down payment or cash buffer to give her a safety net but she never did.
What's worse is while she was scrambling to buy the farm she was also Making arrangements to buy the sheep, which she also could not afford.
Her whole mode of operating has been diving in every new want or fantasy without much thought or planning and definitely without much or no money to back or sustain the venture. It's all well and good to have dreams, but it's better to live realistically.
She really turned me off when she kept writing negatively about people who don't jump in and follow their dreams, who play it safe working the 9-5 job just to have security. She constantly wrote about how those kinds of people are dead souls afraid to take a chance. She fails to recognize that those dead souls are the ones who have been bailing her out all these years.
She also doesnt recognize or want to recognize that those Soul less people may have similar dreams but they don't include scrambling to pay bills, fending off collection agencies, worrying about foreclosure proceedings or begging for money.
I know my dream certainly doesn't. When I move to my farm it will be bought for cash - free and clear, and will be stocked with equipment that's been used successfully for years and more knowledge and experience than JW will ever acquire.
Soul less NO, cautious planner YES. That's why my life works and JW's never will. Like someone said earlier only fools rush in, but it is the biggest fool of all who rushes in time and time again.
Jenn
Thank you Jenn! I took it personally when she did the whole Stephen/Laura post. Stephen (you know, the poor fool who has some money but no balls) was so inferior because he let fear hold him back. I think a healthy fear of animals is wise. I would rather wait 20 years to buy one chicken than let one animal die under my watch due to negligence. With her kick starter post the other day (to replace someone's flock) I was tempted to write "don't you think if she can't afford chickens, she shouldn't have them?" But figured it would only end with nasty comments towards me. Just because you dream something does not mean you deserve it. Jenn, your comment really was a relief to read.
DeleteI think she doesn't understand maturity and responsibility. It seems like being soul less to her, because it may mean she doesn't get what she dreams of getting right now. The world doesn't end because you don't get to fulfill all your dreams. I can understand why her family feels she is self-centered.
DeleteAnd I agree with SAJ, that post about Stephen?Laura was the one that made me wonder about her. Especially her reactions to the comments, and then she got so mad about not getting 100% agreement that she shut off the comments. Now she wants to shut these down too.
You just can't have everything you want.
Was that the post about the girl keeping a flock of sheep IN AN APARTMENT? Yes, it made me wonder about her, too. How anyone could entertain an idea like that for a moment was beyond me. Real life consequences (like being put out on the street with all your possessions) never seem to occur to her.
DeleteJenn- you have it together. Even if you did not have cash to buy a place, I am positive you would not run out and buy all you could.. just to sate your desire to be a farmer.. None of us adults do that.. As to Jenna's most recent post, and yes, I am now sure she is reading this.. Homesteading is not you Jenna. Homesteading means you take responsibility for your own needs. It does not mean using kick starter, clan wa wa memberships, or outright begging for money. It means making due with what you have. It's like calling yourself a minister.. you can espouse all you want, but until you are ordained, you are a deacon at best. When you stop buying fire wood at Stewarts, and stop using electric heaters, and stop requiring help to get anything done at your place, and begging for money ad nauseum, you are no homesteader my dear, you are a girl who refuses to grow up and THAT my dear is what is upsetting your parents. That their girl with so much promise.. has decided she does not have to fund her own life. What a waste. Pride goeth before the fall....
ReplyDeleteI detect a tone of superiority about her way of life. Who does she think is funding it though? People with jobs. Or as she calls them, "consumers, domesticated people, neighbors driving by on their way to the supermarket, or people who turn their backs on what it means to get dirty, bloody, tired and free".
ReplyDeleteAnd I am sure that most homesteaders and farmers (who also get dirty, tired and bloody) have some type of off farm job.
Oh yeah, she's got it all wrong. There are more and more articles coming out in farming publications, like Acres U.S.A. and Stockman Grass Farmer, that are talking about how there are really only three options in modern farming: (1) do it as a hobby and maintain an off-farm income, (2) do it full-time on a small scale but work yourself to death and never make it financially, and (3) go big, scale up, invest in infrastructure and employees that do the farming for you.
DeleteI'm glad this conversation is starting to happen in actual farming circles, because Jenna is absolutely perpetuating misconceptions about homesteading and small farming when she feeds her readers lines of bullshit like the ones you mentioned. It's a-okay if farming/homesteading is a hobby and you have an off-farm income. It's a legitimate option. Jenna's hypocrisy shows when in one post she proclaims herself a "word farmer" and acknowledges that she wants to write for a living (aka, not farming for a living) and then turns around and condemns those who maintain off-farm jobs to support their farming and homesteading efforts.
She's such a phony.
People on facebook are trying to give her advice on self-publishing, people that have self-published their own books and made GASP money!, are giving her many good options that would eliminate the need to a kickstarter. It's pretty clear she just wants the lump sum of money, because for every good suggestion she just give 10 reasons why a kickstarter is the only way she can write her book *cough* stall foreclosure on her home *cough*. If she ever does this kickstarter thing I can bet she won't follow through with the book. It's the Wool CSA all over again! Some things never change, which in this case is really unfortunate.
ReplyDeleteAlways excuses with her! I wonder when/if someone will chime in with the info a commenter above posted--about how long it takes to get the money even after you have a successful Kickstarter campaign. Keep us posted on the facebook delusions.
DeleteWish you anons had profiles so I could tell if there's a repedative voice of reason or dozens of like minds.
ReplyDeleteAnd another anon here with a full time job and hobby farm.
DeleteHi Meredith, Julie here :)
ReplyDeleteI would imagine people post as Anon so they don't have to deal with the flood of nasty comments on their own blogs. That's why I post as Anon.
ReplyDeleteJenn here:)
I am a separate anon, as well.
ReplyDeleteAs am I.
ReplyDeleteValerie here :)
ReplyDeleteD. here.
ReplyDeleteSeparate anon--M. here.
ReplyDeleteH. here!
ReplyDeleteBeth here :)
ReplyDeleteHere it is from Facebook as to why she wants to do Kickstarter:
ReplyDelete"Yes, it is the time thing. I don't want to do it all myself to make sure it gets done and mailed out. So i am handling all the writing, hiring an editor in the CAF community and then hoping to print a pile up at once plus get paid to write the thing."
" this is a self publshed book to help secure the farm, right now it is in scary shape and with winter coming I can't wait for payments over 18 months. I need a lump sum of cash to save the place, and I'm going to try."
The concern is, will there be a finished project for the donors? We all saw what happened to the Wool and Webinar CSA. Once she receives her lump sum and pays off her creditors, will there be enough to pay an editor and get the books printed? And if so, how long will the donors have to wait?
I believe the key is "hoping" to print. But, as with most thing CAF does there isn't enough money, like getting the wool processed. People paid, she spent and when it came time to process the wool there wasn't any money for that so it didn't happen. I believe this Kickstarter thing is just another money grab, pure and simple.
DeleteJenn
I asked my in-law who self-published a book once, who told me this: You write the book and hire an editor. The publisher prints your book, issues you an ISBN number and distributes to mostly online places, with a few brick-and-mortar stores thrown in -- upon THEIR request for it. You don't see royalties for the first six months, because your publisher first wants to re-coup their printing costs. After that, it's a modest check you receive every few months, which dwindles quickly within a year or two from a few hundred dollars to just a few dollars a check. You also pay an annual fee to keep your book in print. Vanity press companies make a lot of money -- their authors do not. The best-selling self-published authors usually end up with regular book deals for their formerly self-published book (authors DO own the copyright to their work when its self-published) and usually go with the bigger publishing houses, happily, since they pay better than self-publishing does. I don't see how this will rescue her farm or especially, get her benefactors paid off. It's very sad that this is her last ditch effort to save her farm. It's probably too late now, but gainful off-farm employment could have kept her in that house and on that property for YEARS to come with heating oil, a fixed roof, and proper fencing for the animals. But she was just too stubborn to see it.
ReplyDeleteD.
Jenna's been getting heat on Italics; hence the new post on Italics hunting training. Hawks do not need to be trained to hunt. They do it naturally. Hawking is supposed to be a sport -- Hawk and owner are supposed to go out together every day to bond in the sport. Jenna is too busy helping people build their straw bale house, helping bale hale at other farms and so forth to do what the sport requires. I knew that Jenna would not put in the time that the hawk needed. Her mentor is also at fault for not investigating her more carefully. If someone showed up at my house and said they wanted to have a hawk, I'd take a good deal of time investigating them. Her mentor apparently did not. Her best bet would be to take the bird back to the wild, sell the mews for some money and put that on her bills. A-123
ReplyDeleteWhat puzzles me is if she has the time to write a book, whether it's for a publisher or kickstarter project, then she has time to work off the farm, which is a more steady source of income. And, if she was worried about winter why not work a deal with the wood and hay guys to work in trade for wood and hay?
ReplyDeleteBut, perhaps the goal is not to find viable solutions but to find a way for others to solve the problems she's created. Regardless, the sage and the song remains the same.
Apparently, the prospect of being homeless and jobless are not motivating factors, so I'm not sure what will ever make her see the light. I guess we'll find out. So sad to see something that didn't have to be.
Jenn
"But, perhaps the goal is not to find viable solutions but to find a way for others to solve the problems she's created."
DeleteUnfortunately, you've hit the nail square on the head with this sentence.
Here's my prediction:
ReplyDelete1. She loses her home. It's inevitable, even if she digs her way out this time. There will always be a next time in the near future, since she does not seem to see the error in her ways.
2. After losing her home, there will be a mad scramble to rehome the animals. She won't prepare ahead of time, even when she knows her home is on the auction block, because she is a narcissist and believes she deserves to and will have other people bail her out. But the help never comes. Common Sense farm takes the goats and sheep, Jasper goes to a rescue or the auction block, and her friend Patty takes Merlin in. The chickens and pigs are just set free and the rabbits are left to fend for themselves. I can only hope by this time that Italics flys away the first chance he gets!
3. Jenna moves in with Patty, her chief enabler and pseudo-mom. Jenna does not seem to get along with her family. She can say it's because they are "domesticated" or "poodles" and she is not, but let's face it, they don't get along because they probably tell Jenna things she doesn't want to hear. A big no-no in Jenna land. So Jenna will move in with Patty, who I can't believe still associates with her. How can she not see what a mess Jenna is? But then again, we don't know Patty's situation. She could be just as irresponsible as Jenna, but have a financial cushion to save her.
4. A new Kickstarter! Buy Jenna a farm (or a downpayment on one) that the mean evil cruel nasty unfair bank stole from her!
5. The whole cycle starts over again. I just hope there aren't too many animal casualties.
-H.
Very funny!
DeleteThe thing about the mortgage she got, is that if you default, they own *everything* you have on that property.. animals and all. They take them and sell to recoup money.
ReplyDeleteWOW. Never even thought of that. She's in worse shape than I thought. Now it's even more bizarre that she's taking this risk with Merlin and her other animals. If I were her I'd be taking every job I possibly could!
Delete-H.
No, that's not true. The bank does not own the animals, just the property.
DeleteActually it is true, my uncle just got his farm foreclosed on and all his livestock was possessed by the bank and sold at auction. His dogs and cat weren't taken though, just anything considered "livestock"
DeleteOoops meant to write this in reply to your post, not the general thread! Maybe because your uncle made a living raising/selling/ producing livestock products, and that was his job. There would be a fine line between "pets" and livestock at CAF. Because, really, she makes her living writing and running workshops. So, they may not take her animals, as they are not her direct source of income. Just a thought, I'm not really sure.
DeleteHer writing is based on the livestock, and she sells pig shares. I think all of it will be fair game. She's in big trouble, things are about to get real for her. And my uncle never sold any livestock. He sold corn. He raised beef, pigs and chickens for his family to eat and the bank took those to recoup the mortgage costs. They also took his daughters horse which was purely for pleasure. He had a USDA Loan and I think it had to do with that.
Delete"It's worth dissapointing your parents over. "
ReplyDeleteQuoted exactly as posted. I hope her future editor can spell.
I'm definitely a city girl, so those of you with experience, can you explain burying the entrails in the woods? Wouldn't some of her animals benefit from eating these? She seems to hope to feed small critters with them - wouldn't they attract larger critters, i.e. predators?
The entrails of chickens are absolutely the one thing you DON'T want to feed to your animals or eat yourself. It's a bad, bad thing to even pierce the entrails of a chicken as you're butchering it--the bacteria can ruin the meat. The entrails are where salmonella lives. I have seen chicken intestines used as a bizarre ingredient, but those things must be specially cleaned or sterilized. When we butchered chickens, we threw the entrails out into the woods, buried them, or added them to the burn pile.
DeleteThank you for explaining that.
Deleteunfortunately the chicken most people buy has been finished in a factory farm, then killed in a factory farm butcher-shop, meaning it sloshed about in e.coli for quite a while before you purchased it....(this coming from a beef farmer who does not eat pork or poultry for just this reason)
DeleteNot to worry, they wash it with ammonia water to kill the bugs! They also put arsenic in chicken feed to kill parasites, so you don't have to worry about that either!
DeleteShe buried with leaves? Typically, no you do not want gut piles near your place because they attract predators. She has already shown that she is okay with losing her animals to predators. Please, spread the word- nothing she does makes any sense in the real farming world. Please come here any and all who have questions- and those of us actually doing it can help out.
ReplyDeleteThe situation seems entirely self-made to me. Kudos to her for giving the independence thing a go, but surely the increasingly dire financial straits should have made common sense kick in quite some time ago?
ReplyDeleteI used to really enjoy the CAF blog (even read the first book and liked it a lot) but increasing requests for $$$ at the same time as taking up expensive hobbies and knocking the very people that are being beseeched for donations has taken the gloss off it for me.
I am so disappointed. She said she would do anything to save the farm, but that is clearly not the case. It seems she would do anything to have others save the farm for her.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many ideas from the above posters with good, practical ways to earn extra money from folks who have been there. I just don't understand why she won't.
I just read the Stephen/Laura post. I've known several Lauras, and it seems to me the Stephens of the world are the ones who mop up after the Lauras.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Jenna's system of classifying people, I certainly can fit into the classification of an "otherling," at times, a "Stephen" at others and even an occasional "Poodle!" It's basically just one lone person trying to be cool by labeling others. No different than what goes on in any Junior High School on a daily basis, so take it with a grain of salt and wear those white pants and some mascara with pride when you head into town lol.
ReplyDeleteAs Stephen (and I think the inspiration for "Stephen", but maybe I flatter myself), I'm definitely a poodle too. Because being clean and driving a BMW makes me worthless to the world. Of course I did purchase Made From Scratch three years ago.
DeleteOh no!! Would she actually do that? The spelling of the name is certainly identical. I hope it was just a wild coincidence. Stephen, I've known you through blogging for awhile and you will make a wonderful, responsible farmer whenever you decide to take the plunge! And you should not take one step towards it until your inner time clock says so. Preparedness and becoming educated about what you're doing (before you do it!) are not crimes, they're the actions of a wise person,and your homestead will stand, healthy and strong, for years because of your advance preparation and caution.
DeleteHey...I wore white pants and mascara and even eye shadow to church yesterday!
ReplyDeletePoodles UNITE!!!
Then I came home and worked on the farm...sweat, dirt, mud, straw, paint, etc. which would make me a grunge.
My preferred label and many more in this I would bet is...
VERSATILE
Jenn
Maybe because he made a living raising/selling/ producing livestock products. That would be a fine line between "pets" and livestock at CAF.
ReplyDeleteBecause this conversation isn't ANYTHING like what goes on at a Junior High School on a regular basis, HFH!
ReplyDeleteNope, Anon 4:08, it's not. Junior high was all about calling people out on the color of their pants, their make-up, designer clothing, and whether or not they looked like they fit in based on if they made the cheerleading squad, how much money their parents had -- stuff like that. Kind of like someone would do if they passed you in the aisle of a store and labeled you a "poodle" or some other funny name solely because of how you dressed that day. There was very little criticism of livestock practices or financial management of public figures in junior high that I know of, except in history class.
DeleteD.
Yep, just like you're doing with her. Her post about "poodles" was merely a commentary on the fact that there are lots of ways to be a woman, just as there are many breeds of dogs. She didn't criticize the woman she referred to as a poodle, but rather observed the differences between that individual and herself, concluded that both approaches to life are valid and found it interesting that such divergent lifestyles were possible in the same area of Washington County. I refrained in my earlier post from suggesting that those of you bashing her on this blog get matching drill team uniforms, but the thought did come to mind. And now that you mention it, I think that you SHOULD. Having gone to junior high and high school in Texas, I can tell you exactly what they should look like and where to get them. I suggest white, short cowboy boots and white cowboy hats to go with your little drill team outfits.
ReplyDeleteAh, and here is another member of Team Jenna trying to shut valid criticism down. When did criticizing a published author and public speaker get called "bashing," just because we disagree strongly with some of the things she says and does? Are you "bashing" Congress if you disagree with their decisions? Are you "bashing" Kanye West if you disagree with some of his statements? Or are you just expressing YOUR own opinions. Whether you like it or not, people felt judged by that "poodle" post she made, but if classifying people by what kind of dogs they are is HER right, surely discussing things she says and does on her blog or in her books is OURS. If you want to help Jenna, please send her lots and lots and lots of your hard-earned money to help her stay in the lifestyle she would like to be kept in, but stop trying to shut up criticism of her. It's legal, it's valid, and if you look at most of the comments here, they are not petty or silly, they come from extremely valid concerns.
DeleteWe are not bashing, we are commiserating over the disastrous state of affairs over there. The same disastrous state of affairs that has been going on for years now. Always DIRE, and SCARY, and yet some how she throws a hail mary, and it all ends up okay. Problem is, people like you, mistake her prose for actual knowledge in farming. What is absolutely unbelievable to me is that she has any supporters left, being that in order to follow her, you have to pay... doesn't that tell you something? Please, do yourself a favor, and go to a real farm, even a real hobby farm where all the work is done by the owners, not through workshops to get free labor. Do that, and then see if what she does compares *at all*
ReplyDeleteThe fake white boots and white hats are to go with your fake ranches and farms. And your fake outrage!
ReplyDeleteLOL, Anon 5:57 PM, you're such a cute little troll.
DeleteP.S. Let us know when you have a legitimate point to make, rather than just hurling weak-sauce "insults."
DeleteYou know, instead of making silly "drill team" comments, would you mind telling me why you think someone who is on the verge of disaster financially (truck repossession, mortgage foreclosure) due to her many ill-advised decisions and refusal to work at a regular job should be given carte blanche for offering workshops with tips on how to do things the SAME WAY she did? Do you think it's ethical that she asks for money so she can continue doing things the same way she always has, and then holding herself up as an example of how to do it successfully when the walls are closing in financially due to those same decisions? If saying we need costumes to go with our "fake" ranches and that is really the best you can offer in J's defense, that does not speak well to things. Please, if you can, provide some commentary as to why you think J is someone worth supporting, worth NOT criticizing, and why her animals are all well enough that we should emulate how she keeps them?
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Why do you think this is ethical or fair to those who pay for workshops or buy books?
Oh Lord, are you insinuating that Jenna has a "real" ranch/farm? Are you kidding? I have been there. I have seen it. This is 6 acres of mostly woods, and weeds. The trees are giant SUMAC trees, another weed. The pigs in the barn live in a tiny pen, in the dark. The horses have a thin strip to stand in (and like the sheep they break out whenever they can). It is at BEST a farmette.. It is not a working farm, it is her muse. Those of us who have real farms know what it means to maintain them and find it egregious that she is taking all that is noble in farming (humility, hard work, and dedication) and selling a snazzy package to you and others who have no clue about farming. Some day you will see... her next book may be "how I survived foreclosure"
ReplyDeleteWe have only your word that your farm is "real". Prove it.
DeleteOh my goodness. Who is foolish enough to pay 100 bucks to go to a cider workshop where they don't even make cider? Just talk about it and walk around and look at a couple ancient wormy trees in her backyard? Could you learn that and so much more on the internet with pictures and videos galore? It's how she learned it. There is a sucker born every minute. Golly.... I need to start having workshops at our homestead!
ReplyDeleteYour concern for the welfare of others is inspiring. Since you're all so public spirited, I have an idea: why don't you see if Exxon or BP have blogs on their websites? Then you can alert the world about THEIR business ethics! Once you've rid the world of oil, you can move on to arms dealers. Think of all the good you can do!
ReplyDeleteOoh, girlfriend (or boyfriend, I don't want to presume), you just gave us a prime example of the fallacy of relative privation--aka, your argument is invalid because you fail at logic. Google it and then get back to us.
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