Let's bring in some new members!

[TanksHill]

I spend time on TEG. I did notice folks are not just discussing their gardens.

It seems the forums have blurred.

There is still great info on both sites. You just have to dig for it.

g

 

[Joel_BC]

Same here. I never read the journals.
I come here to learn and share ideas for self sufficiency and certainly not to read someone's personal journal. As a result I find myself checking in here about once a week for only a few minutes. In my opinion we have totally lost a great website discussion group.

Since several people have said this, I'll suggest something. I think it's great that people living an SS lifestyle - whether in town, suburb, city, or in the country - have a place to host their journals about their lives. And to the journalists I'd say: when you have a bit of experience that you're posting about in your journal that could provide some help for others who log-onto this site, why not also post it either in an existing thread that treats that type of topic, or start a new thread on the topic? Sometimes all that would require would be a simple "copy & paste" from what you've written for your journal.

That way, you keep your journal going for the people who like to participate in that with you, and you provide good info for the SS members to don't ever or consistently read journals here.

 

[tortoise]

I might not be popular after this, but the core members mostly post on their journals. While I enjoy the journals, much information is lost in pages and pages of journal instead of entered under a more precise heading. If I need a home remedy, I want to look under Natural Remedies instead of sifting through a journal where I read it, but now can't remember where. I know I can do a general search for key words, but that is sifting through pages of posts as well. We have a great group here and I love SS.

You put into words what I was thinking. I don't read the journals either and found that the threads way back in the archives are much more "helpful" when looking for certain things. I started out here by lurking and not joining and reading the older threads and when I found I had something to ask or say I joined but there is a big difference between threads on certain subjects and having to sift thru pages and pages of journal to find posts on what it is you remember reading.
Not that I don't peek every so often and that I don't like the members who journal. I do.

Agreed. I try to follow a couple journals, but it's impossible because they are so clogged up with banter that I can't find the updates. So I gave up.

I check occassionally for an active thread with substance. I usually don't see anything and move on.

 

[the funny farm6]

so now we can see a couple things that are needed. more members to bring fresh ideas, and to make sure the ideas and knowledge we DO have makes it to a thread.

 

[baymule]

Same here. I never read the journals.
I come here to learn and share ideas for self sufficiency and certainly not to read someone's personal journal. As a result I find myself checking in here about once a week for only a few minutes. In my opinion we have totally lost a great website discussion group.

Since several people have said this, I'll suggest something. I think it's great that people living an SS lifestyle - whether in town, suburb, city, or in the country - have a place to host their journals about their lives. And to the journalists I'd say: when you have a bit of experience that you're posting about in your journal that could provide some help for others who log-onto this site, why not also post it either in an existing thread that treats that type of topic, or start a new thread on the topic? Sometimes all that would require would be a simple "copy & paste" from what you've written for your journal.

That way, you keep your journal going for the people who like to participate in that with you, and you provide good info for the SS members to don't ever or consistently read journals here.

Great idea Joel. Journalers, we love ya'll and your journals are intensely intresting. Can ya'll do like Joel said and maybe do a copy and paste under the proper headings?

And I have to admit that I have been posting mostly on TEG because I am pretty much house bound taking care of my mother. I have turned to my chickens and garden to keep from going stir-crazy, so it seems I have more to say about vegetables lately.

I just finished butchering 9 roosters and will get on and post about it later tonight. I will post about the canning I do this summer and make more of an effort to keep things intresting. Personally, I have learned so much from this site and I am grateful to others who have shared their knowledge with us. I now mill wheat and make bread, thanks to SS. I have buckets of staples thanks to SS. I dehydrated produce from the garden last summer, thanks to SS. Each of us has something to contribute, so let's get busy on it! And invite your friends to join us, maybe send a link of a particular subject they might be intrested in. I do that quite often, but so far, nobody has joined us.

 

[Joel_BC]

Each of us has something to contribute, so let's get busy on it! And invite your friends to join us, maybe send a link of a particular subject they might be intrested in. I do that quite often, but so far, nobody has joined us.

Boy, I think that hits the nail on the head. Sending a link is a good idea. Too bad no one seems to have joined.

I've sent a description (& a link) out to a few people. Some may have joined - but under a different member name, dunno (people often use different user names on each W-site or forum).

Baymule, you've definitely got the right spirit.

 

[Marianne]

I wish I could help bring new members to the forum, but! I am an island where I live. Almost.

My family and closest friends think the perfect kitchen is a coffee maker, microwave and some vending machines. My closest neighbors are pretty self sufficient as it is, busy with critters, canning, etc etc. They don't need suggestions, they need more time to get the daily work done. Both have been here before, too.

Personally, I don't come here as often as I did because I was spending too much time here! I would peek at journals, but there was info in the old posts to dig up. I learned a lot and now I'm busy living the SS life (or as close as I'm going to get to it).

I think forums tend to cycle. If people are bored here, how 'bout if they research something and tell us about it? Or try something new and tell us about it? Or figure out a new way to do something?

Or if you find a very old post that has good information, bring it to life again!

 

[Nifty]

Great discussion everyone!!

Community engagement ebbs and flows, and members come and go, but there are definitely some things we can work on to improve stuff around here!

I think we're well overdue for a newsletter to go out to the members. Having people come back, feel welcome, etc. will be a big step in the right direction!

 

[Wannabefree]

If you can get them to come back....there are currently 11 members online, and I'm the only person who has posted in the last 3 hours you gotta admit, that's pretty bad

 

[FarmerJamie]

If you can get them to come back....there are currently 11 members online, and I'm the only person who has posted in the last 3 hours you gotta admit, that's pretty bad

Says she with the highest number of posts now.