Feedback loop
About a month ago, the Tidal Creek newsletter started showing up in co-op owners’ mailboxes. Included in the newsletter was the press release about the Co-op Month contest as well as a reprint of my post on foraging pecans.
The pecan post generated the most comments out of any here on Cricket Bread (so far). During the first week the newsletter was out I was stopped in the store at least a few times every day just to talk about the articles.
Folks want to talk to me about the project, share a story about their experiences with food or offer some thanks on getting them to think differently about what they eat. These conversations are invariably short, and I am usually putting out fruit and vegetable stock when they spot me.
But I sense that these conversations are valuable in that I make this project approachable, tangible and human.
Most of the folks who come up to me have never said much to me besides the usual pleasantries. Those who know me know that, despite how much I like to share myself through writing, I am not a talker in person. I think this frustrates some people who might think they are going to get a great story out of me – you know, about the time I wrestled a deer to the ground and ate its liver or something like that. I hate to disappoint. I will offer up advice on farms, what is in season, how to cook what and so on in conversation, but I tend to do better with stories when I write them down or when I am with close friends.
All this said, I would like to get more comments here on the blog and get more back and forth going. I check the stats; I know ya’ll are visiting and spending a lot of time reading what I have to say, but I would like to know what you think about what I’m saying. Book, blog and website suggestions are also welcome as I tend to get focused on certain things and miss out on the million other things out there…
6 Responses to Feedback loop
January 16, 2008 at 8:25 am
I dreamed last night about foraging some kind of nut; it wasn’t pecans, though. They were on the trees in clusters, with shiny chestnut-like shells. I recall thinking it was quite a coup.
It’s somewhat bizarre that you wrote about your pecans today. I had already forgotten that dream.
Anyway, you do probably already know I read here, but consider this my comment.
January 16, 2008 at 9:25 am
You and I sound like we are very much alike, except that you are much more serious about your mission in life that I am. Perhaps that comes from not being married to a fast food addict and having to make adjustments.
My mother has pecan trees and she hasn’t gotten a harvest in two years. I miss picking them up. It is a Thanksgiving ritual for me.
January 16, 2008 at 9:27 am
I’m new to your site and I am enjoying what I read here. I too am not much into face to face conversation and do better when writing or with clode family and friends. It’s a good thing what you’re doing though, and I hope you keep at it. SOmetimes all it takes is a little bit of info to get a person to start thinking of food, and their foodshed in a different way.
January 16, 2008 at 8:46 pm
I have to admit that I would like to start to get out of strictly writing about local food and make this more of a biographical epic. I feel that I have much more to offer. Cricket Bread needs to not only get people thinking about their foodshed but also about the other things I can write about. Stay tuned…
January 17, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I’ve got the no-comments thing going on, too, Trace. Some days, over 300 people read my site but I will get only 2 comments. I can’t figure it out.
That said, I actually wish to be less biographic now; I guess I’m just not too comfortable being really public with my life. But I think YOUR site has been really helpful with people trying to forge their own paths toward what is possible. Foraging, for example, is something a lot of us do and are somewhat ashamed to admit it! (I mean, I do have the dough to get walnuts at the store, but, well, why would I?) And watching your progress as a landowner and homesteader will be a really fascinating story for many of us. So don’t drop all of the local food stuff, but bring it into the bigger picture…is my 2c.
January 17, 2008 at 12:23 pm
I will certainly keep with the local food, and bring in more details on some other projects as they develop. The land and home aspect will start to creep in more and more as we begin to get that underway.