Maybe Kalliopeia grant? I feel like being mainly grant funded has a lot of downsides though and that crowd funding would be the more ideal way to go. I think a paid subscription would be great and I would love longer video versions of your Instagram posts! I am very wary of the tourism avenue but feel you are already approaching it with integrity and the goal of having it be non-extractive which is great... and I would love to do a trial run of a pastoralism educational tour- sign me up!
I concur with Lora who already commented - I've always felt that National Geographic might be a natural fit. Perhaps there's a grant available through them, or the organizations she mentions. Additionally, Weston A. Price Foundation is another organization that might have funding available to support your work - the raw milk connection is undeniable, and your work shines a light on their own research. And by the way, it IS work - it's extremely important work that you are doing. The crowd funding idea is also another great idea (perhaps this in conjunction with a grant?). FoodTank is a thought - I know only what I've read in their annual reports and emailed articles. There is the Conservation Fund, and The CS Fund (this one might only be able to guide you to the right place, rather than be a direct grantor). And in a totally radical thought, what about World Central Kitchen? Even touching base with an individual at these organizations could connect you with the right fit for funding. What you do is so unique, special and important. We will support as best we can!
Personal donations are a great idea! Also, it seems there should be other organizations that would support your work. Slow Food? National Geographic? American Cheese Society? A grant would be a great way to have a clear chunk of money to do this, if someone, one of your followers, knows of a family foundation. You might need a fiscal sponsor. They may want to see a plan/ timeline, a budget and outcomes.
I would be very happy to pay a monthly prescriptions for longer form content. Diving into the finer details of practical transhumance and cheese making.
I would also be interested in paying for a tour, or even a 'travel-agent' service to put us in touch with cheesemakers willing to have a family stay with them for a while.
Your content is very valuable, don't be afraid of charging for it!
I am new to substack and like you have debated a lot about the role of the ethnographer and the avenues for making a living that are not extractive, recognize my own privilege, and are not transactional. Unfortunately, many of the old forms of knowledge production (grad school, patron funding, institutional grants) have been used in the past to create expertize and detach it from the people who have maintained the knowledge alive. The new forms of knowledge production and dissemination (social media, paid newsletters, and magazine/book writing) are not only extractive of the original knowledge holders, but also of the content producers (like you). There is no way to make a living and maintain savings being a "freelancer". However, I increasingly think there needs to be more done to amplify the voices of the original knowledge holders. For this reason, I would recommend that you try to integrate the voices of those you visit and allow them to also share in the knowledge production. Ask to share their contact details and open the space so that others can reach out to them directly. Hopefully, at some point those looking to support, learn, or even buy products from the original knowledge holders will be able to contact them directly. Allowing knowledge holders to maintain their agency goes in my opinion a long way into opening up the system that has allowed so many other to be extractive. You are doing good work.
Really enjoying your work, Trevor. Considered grad school? Anthropology or Rural Sociology? Could be a good conduit for funding and it would lend the work more mainstream legitimacy, if that’s a priority. Let me know if I can help connect you with those departments at Univ of Wisconsin, even just as a starting point for surveying the wider field.
I like the idea of donating money because I support your work. I don't want to "pay" you and put you in the position of you owing me. I think that will compromise the work you are doing. Does that make sense?
Hæ Trevor, I like the idea with crowd funding, because this project so much is “for crowd=us all” in the literal meaning, and obviously not meant for profit.
Also you could give a thought to volunteer donations, it might in the end bring more money than a fee. Many people stop following when it comes to paying (or clicking), but a returning reminder of the cultural contribution that needs costs covered might open more purses than having to pay.
Good luck with your projects, I like following them. Bless, Dagmar
Maybe Kalliopeia grant? I feel like being mainly grant funded has a lot of downsides though and that crowd funding would be the more ideal way to go. I think a paid subscription would be great and I would love longer video versions of your Instagram posts! I am very wary of the tourism avenue but feel you are already approaching it with integrity and the goal of having it be non-extractive which is great... and I would love to do a trial run of a pastoralism educational tour- sign me up!
I concur with Lora who already commented - I've always felt that National Geographic might be a natural fit. Perhaps there's a grant available through them, or the organizations she mentions. Additionally, Weston A. Price Foundation is another organization that might have funding available to support your work - the raw milk connection is undeniable, and your work shines a light on their own research. And by the way, it IS work - it's extremely important work that you are doing. The crowd funding idea is also another great idea (perhaps this in conjunction with a grant?). FoodTank is a thought - I know only what I've read in their annual reports and emailed articles. There is the Conservation Fund, and The CS Fund (this one might only be able to guide you to the right place, rather than be a direct grantor). And in a totally radical thought, what about World Central Kitchen? Even touching base with an individual at these organizations could connect you with the right fit for funding. What you do is so unique, special and important. We will support as best we can!
Personal donations are a great idea! Also, it seems there should be other organizations that would support your work. Slow Food? National Geographic? American Cheese Society? A grant would be a great way to have a clear chunk of money to do this, if someone, one of your followers, knows of a family foundation. You might need a fiscal sponsor. They may want to see a plan/ timeline, a budget and outcomes.
Someone mentioned venmo for money transfer.
I would be very happy to pay a monthly prescriptions for longer form content. Diving into the finer details of practical transhumance and cheese making.
I would also be interested in paying for a tour, or even a 'travel-agent' service to put us in touch with cheesemakers willing to have a family stay with them for a while.
Your content is very valuable, don't be afraid of charging for it!
I am new to substack and like you have debated a lot about the role of the ethnographer and the avenues for making a living that are not extractive, recognize my own privilege, and are not transactional. Unfortunately, many of the old forms of knowledge production (grad school, patron funding, institutional grants) have been used in the past to create expertize and detach it from the people who have maintained the knowledge alive. The new forms of knowledge production and dissemination (social media, paid newsletters, and magazine/book writing) are not only extractive of the original knowledge holders, but also of the content producers (like you). There is no way to make a living and maintain savings being a "freelancer". However, I increasingly think there needs to be more done to amplify the voices of the original knowledge holders. For this reason, I would recommend that you try to integrate the voices of those you visit and allow them to also share in the knowledge production. Ask to share their contact details and open the space so that others can reach out to them directly. Hopefully, at some point those looking to support, learn, or even buy products from the original knowledge holders will be able to contact them directly. Allowing knowledge holders to maintain their agency goes in my opinion a long way into opening up the system that has allowed so many other to be extractive. You are doing good work.
Really enjoying your work, Trevor. Considered grad school? Anthropology or Rural Sociology? Could be a good conduit for funding and it would lend the work more mainstream legitimacy, if that’s a priority. Let me know if I can help connect you with those departments at Univ of Wisconsin, even just as a starting point for surveying the wider field.
Andy at Uplands Cheese
I like the idea of donating money because I support your work. I don't want to "pay" you and put you in the position of you owing me. I think that will compromise the work you are doing. Does that make sense?
Hæ Trevor, I like the idea with crowd funding, because this project so much is “for crowd=us all” in the literal meaning, and obviously not meant for profit.
Also you could give a thought to volunteer donations, it might in the end bring more money than a fee. Many people stop following when it comes to paying (or clicking), but a returning reminder of the cultural contribution that needs costs covered might open more purses than having to pay.
Good luck with your projects, I like following them. Bless, Dagmar