http://coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com/2014/12/how-i-get-by.html?m=1
I too no longer have a cell phone plan. I can use it for internet where there is WiFi, the map/GPS works, and it's still works as a camera and takes video.
It's not called homesteading, it's called not having the money. I'm not proud and can admit to not being able to afford a monthly phone plan. You don't have to wrap it up in a pretty bow and call it homesteading.
I have to agree with you. I also noticed that although it was preceded by a long narrative about friends, community and learning how to manage with less, the post contained yet another reference to making late mortgage payments and keeping "the wolves from the door for a few more weeks". That statement strikes me as a subtle way to obtain further sympathy and financial contributions. After reading the blog for a couple of years, the points you and others have made about her financial habits are clearly evident in this post. What happened to the money raised through Kickstarter? Why did she buy a cart that she obviously could not afford, since she had to sell it only a couple of months later? Why have a cell phone in the first place if you're unable even to pay your mortgage on time? And why not obtain work if you are constantly worried about foreclosure, particularly when she clearly is physically healthy? Everyone who owns a home should know that you need to have some savings for the inevitable repairs or an unexpected loss of income. I don't understand why she is so determined not to work outside of the house (I think that it's inaccurate to describe her house as a farm or homestead). What's wrong with employment? It would make her financially solvent (or closer to achieving that goal) and no longer dependent on other people. It would also be easy to fit part time work into her daily routine, which isn't at all busy based on her description of her activities. It seems that she is receiving a great deal more from her community than she gives in return. I can't imagine having someone do my car repairs for me in exchange for dinner. What an imposition! Her neighbors are probably just uncomfortable at the thought of having her trapped in her home in winter, with all the possible consequences that could arise from that situation. I guess I don't see what value she is providing to others in her community in return for all the services that they perform for her. At what point will they tire of rescuing her and expect her to stand on her own? I suspect that day will eventually come. I was raised to be self-reliant, and am extremely uncomfortable with asking anyone to help me do ANYTHING, no matter how minor. In fact, I usually avoid doing so unless there's really no alternative. Besides, I don't really NEED any help. I can support myself and provide the majority of the financial support for my nuclear family, pay the mortgage and do my own housework, yard work, cooking, snow shoveling and pet care. I'm a woman, but I grew up working hard both physically and mentally and have continued to do so throughout my adult life. I think that my parents were pretty harsh, but at least I don't have the delusion that my friends, family, community or internet readers should support me! Anyway, I get a lot of enjoyment from helping others and finding what I can do to make my home, community and world better. If she has any desire to help others or does anything for her neighbors, she doesn't talk about it on her blog. And someone on Get Off My Internets described her as a "mooch", something that, if true, I think her readers should know more about. Not cool!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I work in an office. It might not be the ideal job, but I know that it's what I have to do to support myself. Luckily, I found a job that is only 40 hours a week and gives me lots of free time for my family, hobbies and other interests. And I don't have to ask anyone to help me or do my car repairs!
ReplyDeleteBourbon is a pretty pricey way to baste your dinner when you're struggling to make ends meet...
ReplyDeleteShe talks about "adult beverages" A LOT. I think she's trying to prove how grown up she is, even though she acts like a high school girl. I think she has very low self-esteem.
DeleteWow! I don't drink hard liquor, but I looked up the price of bourbon. Seems the average price per bottle is about $30 !!!
DeleteThat's where a good portion of the money goes, maybe?
$50 or $60 per bottle if you buy something that's actually drinkable, and won't turn you blind. And yes, with the constant references to "adult beverages," unless she has a still in her woods, I've often wondered if this isn't where a good portion of the money goes.
DeleteYou can buy a small bottle of drinkable bourbon (Maker's, for example) for around $20. Higher end stuff (my preference) like Buffalo Trace or Eagle Rare will run you around $30-40 and it goes up from there. My favorite is Blanton's, but I've only ever taken sips from the bottles of generous friends, because even a small bottle runs around $60.
DeleteAll that said, I love bourbon, but it's a total luxury for me. When I get a bottle, I tend to make it last as long as humanly possible--which means not dumping it all over my food (even though I love to cook with it). Good alcohol is just plain expensive--and when times are tough, I surely do miss it--because it seems like the tough times are when I wish I had some!
HEck, just buy bourbon flavored sauces in the condiment aisle instead of wasting the good stuff on cooking. The alcohol burns off, so you're wasting half the good part of the booze. There are lots of good sauces available... oh but wait, those aren't homesteading like, like little packages of wood at the convenience store or coffees and ham sandwiches... hmmm..... she's just scamming everyone. She has cash. If she plays the poor card all the time, people will always fall for it and help her out. If I was one of the fools that fell for the kickstarter thing and then read she was outta money again, I would be pissed. Those fancy books are never coming out. Notice how she never mentioned Birchthorn anymore? Like NEVER.... just another wool CSA over everyone eyes!
DeleteSo, as much I as agree that JW makes poor financial decisions (mainly just the one: not having an off-farm job until she can work out a better business model for CAF), I really disagree with where this line of conversation is going. I think that many people feel like just because poverty doesn't always look like we think it "should", poor people are doing something wrong. Why have an expensive cell phone with a data plan? Because having a telephone and an email is pretty much a prerequisite for every decent job out there, and having a cell phone w/ data is so much cheaper than land line and cable, especially if you don't have a reliable permanent residence. Why cook with expensive seasoning? Because eating unseasoned rice and beans for weeks on end will keep you alive but it's also f***ing depressing, and poor people deserve enjoyment out of life too. It's not that I don't think that the people here don't already know this, and I'm not trying to compare JW to individuals who are doing everything they can to make ends meat and still struggling. I just wanted to make sure that we as a community actively acknowledge that this is real problem for many people, and the decisions to have small indulgences (like a homemade bourbon sauce) isn't something that should be judged on the internet. Witnessing someone in poverty experiencing a small luxury doesn't give us access to the whole picture of their lives. For a really good discussion of this, I'd recommend: http://killermartinis.kinja.com/why-i-make-terrible-decisions-or-poverty-thoughts-1450123558
Delete-MJ
I think it does a disservice to people who are actually impoverished for reasons beyond their control to compare Jenna's situation to theirs.
DeleteI should have been more clear: I don't think that JW's situation is similar to those of people who are struggling with endemic poverty: she has been lucky enough in her life to have the social and personal resources to improve her financial situation if she chooses (for instance: she has a college degree, a white-collar job skill set, and the social and cultural resources to present herself well during an interview). I do think, however, that people in general tend to focus in on small things and make broad generalizations from them. I want to make sure that we are actively avoiding some of those generalizations by verbally acknowledging that in some instances (as in the case of people who are living with poverty that is not of their own choosing- although this too is a statement that is riddled with its own judgements and assumptions) they are not appropriate.
Delete-MJ
MJ,
DeleteI completely understand your concern over judging people who are struggling financially for purchasing the occasional treat. I grew up in a poor family, we were sometimes reliant on assistance for food, yet those little rare treats like candy bars or sodas that my mother brought home meant the world to us. I am sure those few dollars could have bought a little more real food, paid down a little more debt.
Still, we are talking about someone who could work, but chooses not to. Someone who relies heavily on donations to get by, when she could likely even earn some income off of her farm if she put herself to it. Someone who writes long, pathetic posts about her financial situation, in presumably an attempt to garner more donations, only to speckle her posts with images of some pretty expensive non-essential purchases. Imagine you had sent her a donation, thinking it was going to be used towards the mortgage, only to hear all about pouring expensive liquor all over a chicken the next day? Sent a donation thinking it was going to go towards the hay & feed bill, only to hear her then claim she goes out for lunch and coffees daily? I'd be furious.
If she earned her own dang money, I'd have no problem with her choices. If she was incapable of working or unable to get employment, and had to rely on government assistance, I'd have no problem with her choices. So long as she scams and begs off the unsuspecting for a living, I'll keep having a problem with it.
-B
B-
DeleteI guess I felt like by concentrating on the bourbon basting the conversation made it sound like that individual act was problematic in and of itself. I think that the real issue is the greater trend in JW's choices that prioritize her fantasy-image/homesteading hobbies over her financial obligations to others, and potentially the well-being of her animals.
Now, certainly any person who is owed money by JW has reason to be frustrated when they read about her spending habits. Any one who is concerned about her animals' welfare has a good case to complain about too. But I'm not so sure about those who donated money to her. If it was a general donation, then it was a gift, and Jenna can use it as she pleases. If it was a donation earmarked for a specific purpose, she may very well have spent it on that purpose, but it will still free up her own funds to be spent as she chooses, and again the donor doesn't get to have a say about that. If donors are displeased by the decisions that JW makes, then they should stop donating. I guess I was just raised to believe that if you give someone a gift, you have to be willing to accept whatever it is they do with it- otherwise it's not really a gift, is it?
I think that the much bigger issue that we should all be complaining about isn't any specific instance of JW's poor spending choices or any single "mooch" (is that how that term works? Do moochers engage in acts of moochery?), but rather the pattern that these repeated decisions make, and the message that sends to the general public about the values of those in the homesteading community whom JW claims to represent.
And realistically, I think that it is the pattern of behavior and the message it sends that most people here are complaining about. We want to say "her decisions and values are not mine, she doesn't speak for me: her homesteading/farming is not my homesteading/farming." (Or, as my hero Inigo Montoya put it so eloquently: "That word: I do not think it means what you think it means") I just want to make sure that in our zeal to separate our lives and our values, we do not end up disavowing the choices of people in positions of honest-to-goodness poverty (rather than just being broke- for a great piece on that distinction, check out: http://www.thenation.com/article/172272/what-girls-and-shameless-teach-us-about-difference-between-being-broke-and-being-poor#).
-MJ
You know, after thinking about it some more, the Poor/Broke dichotomy really speaks to the heart of my original point: JW's made some choices which have created a situation in which she's broke. She's made some more choices which have perpetuated this situation. We tend to criticize her for those. Let's not make the mistake of also criticizing people who suffer from the condition of poverty for making choices that may appear superficially similar to JW's. (Again, not that I think this is what any one intended, just that we were kinda headed in that direction.)
DeleteOkay. I'll try to stop monopolizing the comments section now. Thanks for putting up with me.
-MJ
I think that's the least of her problems!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Meredith, that she never once mentions doing for others. It's all about what others do for her. Also she mentions, "comments strongly encouraged"???? Yeah, right. Only "go-girl" comments, and comments with money attached...
ReplyDeleteShe asks for comments for one reason-in hope it will look better to publishers, that people are commenting. She also does a lot of her own commenting on her blog, to make it look like there are more comments. A lot of people do this, nothing wrong with it, but is's so superficial with her. But I doubt she cares what anyone says. Unless they are flattering her as being a wonderful 'farmer' [cough]
DeleteMeredith- good for you. We gave up the "plans" a couple of years ago. I have enough bills I can't avoid paying to keep one more debt. Tracfones and prepays since then. Worse case scenario, you do without for a bit, but you can always reactivate, as opposed to the plans that can chase you for years, and I'm sure most parents have also encountered the hunreds of dollars over the regular bill scenario caused by their kids. Uggh.
ReplyDeleteDev
I noticed (on facebook) that one of her relatives--her sister, I think---sent her a Christmas gift...and then posted to her wall saying, "Did you get it??" to which Jenna replied that she had, and then thanked her.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed this troubling trend with Jenna over the years...she never thanks anyone for anything unless prompted to do so. It bothers me. A lot. It's a small thing...but it's very telling.
Dear Jenna! You only write this because you KNOW there are many that ARE catching up to your true ways. I know someone in your area who has lived there some time, and the buzz is around about your ability to play the 'poor' card, but it is wearing thin! Constantly taking 'free' service because you can't 'afford' a mechanic- please, this person might just be an extra nice guy, or maybe he thinks he's going to land a book deal too! The barter system is part of country life for many-myself included-but there is fine line between fair and equal barter, and being a mooch. Poor little Jenna, can't afford a mechanic, but she can buy Bourbon! What a joke you are.
ReplyDelete-Working for a living in Utah-
I am just glad to see more and more are seeing her for what she is, a scammer. She is not poor, she simply prefers not to earn her money. Her entire personna is a sham. A total sham. She's lied to everyone so long that she would not know the truth if it landed on her doorstep. Soon the locals (as it appears they are starting to do) will wise up to her and then maybe she will wake up. Oh, and not thanking her sister for her gift? What a piece of crap she is. I suppose I should not be surprised that she treats her family like this, as years ago when she made her mother cry because she could not visit for the holidays, it did not seem to bother her at all. Jenna, keep it up and all you will have is your lies to keep you company, because no one will be able to stomach you.
ReplyDeletePer Facebook, "my biggest obstacle these days is trying to find common ground with people who consider convenience and happiness the same thing"
ReplyDeleteHmmmm...like heat in the house? Like being able to write a check to pay bills and not have to beg first?
Also, there will be another kick starter once she finishes Birchthorn. She'll use it to do a calendar. She cannot afford to keep the cart, but in another post says it won't be long before she gets another horse.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteWhile I agree with most of what is written here, I do find some things get blown out of proportion when I check their original source (for example, the bit on facebook about the gift from her sister). But, also on Facebook, on Gerda's Animial Aid Horse Rescue, she did say on Dec. 21 that she would take a Haflinger that had been just rescued. That Haflinger is now sick and in quarantine, so I don't know what will happen about that. We all know that if she is as low on cash as she claims to be, that taking on another horse at this point would be a ridiculous choice. Well unless she expects her friends to supply feed and vet care.
ReplyDelete~k~
Wow, I had to check that out - she did, indeed, offer to take in a 13-y-o Haflinger mare from that rescue. Unbelievable. Hopefully the people at that rescue don't fall for her lies (and I sincerely doubt she'd pass a home visit anyway!)
DeleteThe reason its pretty obvious that she is not really so bad off is that she takes on these things, like another horse or whatever and it shows that she is very confident that she can either take care of it herself, or that her loyal wanna bes will chip in. Can you only imagine the pouring of money-love when she writes about her poor sweet rescue mare and the horrors she suffered at the hands of some evil poodle and how she needs help now... for this med or that care or whatever? Holy smokes... it will come rolling in. That mare would be a good prop for her CSA scam and workshops and all that with her PR spin and twist. She's smarter than you think. If she were really tight in the budget, she might dream of another horse, sure, but she wouldn't be able to swing it with out worrying about keeping it long term, etc., like most sane people do when contemplating taking in something that will cost them from the get go. Nope, she's confident her business/ life plan will work just fine with such a sad case in her corner. Hopefully the rescue people are decent enough to check references and such. But it's been my observation that the rescues want to rescue more and are occasionally not that picky if you have the adoption fees in hand and can put up a reasonable front. With her "homesteading author" and "blogger" fame and such, she will most likely blow smoke up their skirts and get that mare... or another. Because they can exploit her and her fame as much as she will exploit that poor rescue horse. I dunno... just thinking outloud. The whole thing just sickens me.
DeleteAnimal hoarder....
DeleteThe not acknowledging the gifts received by her sister is actually very telling. Jenna routinely receives gifts and donations in silence. There are endless inquiries on her blog of people asking is she received this or that. When it is expected there is no point in thanking. You don't thank your office for the direct deposit of your check, she doesn't thank people for the gifts and $ because they aren't special they are "deserved"...and also unnecessary. Believe me, when you are struggling every dollar feels like a million bucks and worthy of a celebration!
ReplyDeleteWonder how much food italics has been held captive to provide for her? Nothing? Release him and spend the time elsewhere and money feeding that "pet" on car repairs.
She doesn't understand anyone for good reason. Has nothing to do with lifestyle, but because she is delusional. Anyone worth knowing is going to steer clear before the attempts to defraud begin.
Jenna is poor by choice. That is why people object to the fact that she begs for money and spends her funds on things she cannot afford.
ReplyDeletewell put!
ReplyDeleteI can support myself but I still use Tracfone because I get a phone that can make and receive calls, take a mediocre photo, and text for $8.00 a month. Doesn't feel like suffering to me. Being self sufficient feels great to me. Being able to hold my head up high because I do not beg, feels wonderful to me. Knowing I earn the roof over my head and am warm and content is priceless. Truly if she was suffering, she'd do more than beg. She will probably always wake up on Christmas morning cold and alone. I just read a great book about narcissists ...The Narcissist Next Door. Fascinating! Jenna is a black hole and always will be. Just make sure you stay far enough away from the edge so you don't get sucked into it as well! Sadly, nothing will ever change.......there is no empathy and no remorse. As me how I know..........because I was raised by one and married one as well. I am just happy I survived the ordeal and escaped!. To all who love honesty and justice, a very Happy New Year! Hugs, Deb
ReplyDeleteI'll look into a tracfone. That's my speed. Where I live had WiFi and a land line. I would like a phone for emergencies though. Can one dial 911 on a phone that is turned off? I was month to month.
DeleteI too was raised by a narcissist and am terrified of possibly marrying one. I feel the guy I'm dating now has some red flags.
You should be able to dial 911 from your phone if any mobile service is available in your area - regardless of carrier or payment status. You should also be able to skype over a wifi connection.
DeleteMeredith, please don't ignore red flags...they are usually correct.
DeleteValerie
She's pimping her dog out on Facebook...likely for pick.of the litter. Her dog has no credentials so Its who wants a litter out if the son of Riggs? Pimping her dog based on the dogs fathers accomplishments because hers is not proven in any type of herding. Do reputable border collie breeders not provide health certifications like hips and such?
ReplyDeleteI believe the key word there is "reputable"...
DeleteTo be fair, Gibson could probably be an outstanding herding dog and worthy of spreading his genes if he had been placed with someone that could have used him to his potential. JW is certainly not doing anything with him to help him reach that goal of his birthright. He's just a pet dog, which is nothing wrong with that, but that doesn't give him worthiness to breed. There are thousands of pet dogs put down every day.
DeleteIf the at-large working border collie community finds out, they will go @pe sh!t.
DeleteShe canceled the puppy she was supposed to buy from a breeder last year, so apparently now she's looking for a less expensive way to add a puppy into her menagerie.
Never mind the other 4-8 puppies in the litter.... or maybe they'll be viewed as a gold mine of income. I've been dreading this ever since she made it clear that he'd been left intact, and her references through the years to "future puppies".
~A
Maybe Gibson "could" be based on his breeding. The fact.of the matter is he is not. Jenna hasn't set him up to succeed nor is he worthy of breeding on genetics alone. The Riggs line isn't endangered of going extinct. At this point Gibson is nothing more than a pet...nothing wrong with that but certainly doesn't make him worth breeding.
DeleteReputable breeders first prove their dog is worth breeding. Chasing a few sheep around a pen is not proof. They also have hips scored and do DNA testing for at least CEA. Preferably, they also DNA test for IGS and TNS and check hearing. The only people who would take her up on her offer are ignorant fools who have no business breeding.
DeleteOh, and she *needs* another puppy? Excuse me? She doesn't even need one dog to manage the few sheep she has. Yeah, I need a luxury car. Who wants to buy one for me?
The sad thing is it's doubtful she'll care who or what she breeds Gibson to - she WANTS a puppy, so she'll get a puppy.
DeleteAnd then Gibson's breeder will have his name on papers for poorly bred dogs. I wonder if he has any idea?
DeleteThat's why you should screen the people you sell your dogs to. I have no sympathy for a breeder who sold to Jenna. Do a little research and you'll find out what a mess she is.
DeleteAre you kidding Meredith? Seriously? What did she write on FB about Riggs? I just gotta know!
ReplyDeleteI can only shake my head. She's hopeless. If she was walking down a road and came to a fork and there was a sign pointing one way saying "this way to security and self sufficiency" and another sign pointing the other way that said "this way to poverty and ruin" she would choose the second and with every step she would deny what she had chosen.
ReplyDeleteFrom fb...can't afford to fix her car but can buy beginner taxidermy tools? She's got money to burn.
ReplyDeleteJenna Woginrich
Well, Godoy A Jose, let's see how it turns out first. I bought the form, fleshing tool, knife and cottontail kit from this place. http://www.vandykestaxidermy.com/Default.aspx 1 · More · 2 hours ago
If her dogs came from reputable breeders, they would have a clause in their contracts specifying whether or not they could be bred in the future. To leave dogs intact when you are merely dabbling in breeding is, imho, reprehensible. Yes, it's a strong word, but there are enough unwanted dogs (and horses) out there already. I have no problem with breeding dogs in general, but it's a serious undertaking, and she's not, well.... serious. This from a woman who ditched one horse and is looking to "rescue" another (cooler) one. Uck.
ReplyDeleteOn another point, can you imagine the sales pitch she lays on unsuspecting business about how many sales they'll reap if only they give her free stuff? Taxidermy people probably don't know what hit them.
And I didn't mention this a couple of posts ago, but I wanted to reiterate that she's no expert on chickens except for killing them. Just from reading her blog it seems to take 2.2 baby chicks to get one to adulthood at Cold Antler Farm. I hope that her readers with Barnheart learn that her chicks have died from predation IN HER HOUSE! Lots of them. Double uck!
Dev
Dev, I disagree on this one. The sheepdog world is different in many aspects than pet/agility culture. Generally, we keep males and females in tact, unless we specifically do not like something about their work/temperament that would preclude them from breeding IF they are well bred. Riggs IS well bred. Riggs was ruined by Jenna early on by having him work on inappropriate sheep that were not dog broke, and a bottle lamb. The poor dog is no better off than Katz's Border Collies are/were. Thankfully, Jenna's reputation is starting to precede her, so good breeders will be made aware...
ReplyDeleteRiggs is her dogs (Gibson) sire. You don't breed exclusively on the genetics of grandparents...
DeleteThat is rather obvious... Just saying that Riggs is a good dog, and Jenna ruined this pup, like she ruins everything.
ReplyDeleteRe: her post of 12/30/14, what is the consensus? Does she or does she not have student loans?
ReplyDeleteUm, she went to college, so like most of us yes she probably has student loans? What does it matter, she went to a state college so they probably aren't much per month. Are we analyzing all her bills now? Why should we care if she has student loans?
DeleteSorry, but you might be wrong about the amount. It depends on which state college she attended and how much she decided to take out in loans. If she comes from a family of comfortable means, I highly doubt she qualified for grants or scholarships.
DeleteI know what college she went to, I went there with her. What I'm trying to say is, what business is it of yours if she has student loans for her education? That's her personal business. I don't agree with her asking for money for the mortgage instead of working, but she's never flat out asked anyone to pay for her student loans.
DeleteI wonder where anyone gets the idea the money sent in for specific "requests" is actually used for that. It certainly sounds much more pathetic to ask for help keeping a roof over your head rather than paying off student loan debt or buying a cart.
DeleteAnon 7:24, if you know her that well, would you please make an attempt to get her the mental help she so needs? There is more to her story than just someone making dumb choices. She needs help. Serious help.
DeleteAgree
DeleteHow does she manage to pay her mortgage and student loans late so often? My house would be foreclosed upon.
ReplyDeleteI'm questioning is the veracity of her statement that she has student loans, since I believe she said in the past that she does not.
DeleteVeracity is not in Jenna's dictionary. She has no concept of the truth. Seriously, she has become one big lie. Take a close look at her writings over the years.. then you tell me where the truth is.
ReplyDeleteExactly. She wouldn't know the truth if it bit her on the nose.
DeleteOkay, so I happened onto her Twitter feed. How does she have that much time for social media?!? I have 2 acres and no animals and feel like I am busier that a one armed man in a paper hanging contest. Twitter is the last thing I have time for. I mean, really??
ReplyDeleteSorry. Needed to vent.
-Q