THIS is the first anniversary of the Journal. When I started the Journal, my hopes were not high—I figured two or three readers a day. We have had 128,000 pages viewed from all countries of the world—except in inner Africa and a couple of South American countries. You can see the map of global visitors here but some stumbled on the site by mistake or came to just rip a pic. I don’t know how long they stayed– since I cannot get Google Analytics to work for me yet.
Those I intended to provide the Journal for were the ones that seemingly could care less. The readers and their comments are the best part. I have talked to some, met some and I have seen their blogs or websites and corresponded with many. I see many on my Facebooks (I’m the Brown Swiss cow) They are all into real food and farming, some are health professionals, chefs, writers and lots of homeschooling moms with big families. The rewards come in so many ways.
M y interviews with several of those busted by the food police in the Farm and Food Wars—including a SWAT team raid– gave me a special purpose and motivation. Perhaps I could be of some value and comfort to those whose lives have been upset for doing good—and help in disseminating their stories. The biggest events for me were the Family Farm Field Day with 6000 Amish, the Ohio Raw Milk Conference and the Weston A. Price Foundation annual conference. These stories are buried here somewhere.
Over the year, I have been able to integrate several web-based technologies (along with a few widgets, add-ons and plugins) through Meetup.com, Facebook, WordPress and Yahoo lists (the latest is my Twitter– and I tinkered with Ning too) to design a spoke-in-the-wheel to connect folks in this fast growing real food, farm and health freedom movement.
Besides Ohio Connections for related statewide events, I recently started a personal Facebook page—only to discover you cannot write your friends all at once, so I opened a Facebook group called U.S./Global Connections to Natural Food and Healing . I am just getting familiar with my Twitter tool. Wisconsin Alliance for Raw Milk (WARM) is the latest venture on FB.
The Founder and CEO of Meetup.com said in a NY Times article recently that he wanted to use the computer to get people off the computer. In the case of this blog, get connected to the food and nutrition education and then get off the computer and get to a farm, an event, into the kitchen to cook with your kids or another mom, and be with other like-minded folks.
Thanks to the frequent readers and commenters of the Journal and also to my wife Annie for some of the editing and ideas. I have placed a tip jar for her at the upper right.
Have a healthy and nourishing New Year.
Augie
Some of the best stories did not get many reads, some of my favorite stories did not make the top 10 or 20 and then the latest good stories have not had time to come to the top— but the recent posts on Bone Broth, the Raw Milk Survey and the Wisconsin Alliance for Raw Milk (WARM) are coming up fast. This post will be placed in Augie’s Doghouse.
Top Stories (complete with truncations)
Journal of Natural Food and Health 
Congratulations, I noticed that even Taiwan, where I lived for almost 7 years had 24 hits- and it is a small island with a predominantly Chinese speaking population!
Way to go and keep up the good work! I appreciate it!
Hey, congratulations there, Augie. Your blog is part of the solution!
Love your website and blog. I repost many on facebook and twitter. Thanks for all you do.