Slackin on the Blog

Ok, I'll admit it.

It feels like I've been slacking on the blog.

My head is all over the place.

Nevermind that I did however many entries earlier in the month. Could it really have been 21? And they all actually required thought? Wow.

Today my mind has been almost on fire with possibilities. I have some really great (imho) ideas for the next few months. Sometimes it feels like there's nothing going on upstairs, and other days I wish I had my mini recorder in my pocket. Back in the days of the shop, the old brain fired constantly and ideas came so fast and thick that we both carried notepads everywhere.

And I have to really wonder. Did that crappy shopping cart have me feeling defeated???

Like for instance, I just listed some stuff on ArtFire.com. You can list original art, books, magazines, etc there. Normally I would think, "eh... that's for artisans". Right now? I'm all in!
2009 is going to be a challenging year.
Those of us operating small businesses will need to be on top of our games.

We will need to seek out opportunities and be willing to play along.

I have my sneakers on. I'm ready. It might even be fun!
It might be time to put heads together with some other herb-type businesses and see what we can accomplish as a group. There are lots of businesses on the Yahoo group for the magazine (where we talk about all aspects of herbs - including business), and if you're looking for such a group, join us.
In this economy, it is not a good time to be out there alone.

She's so happy now.

I've been many things this weekend. It was moving time for the site and cart. It went well, I suppose, compared to some. For me, it is frightening from the first key-stroke and it doesn't get better until everything is perfect again. An entire business is effectively whittled down to fit on to a zip stick. That is very sobering.
On Friday, when things were going wrong, I was a raging she-bear. It was loud and messy, and I hate when I act that way. It's the fear.
Later, Saturday morning after a little sleep, I was plucky and willing to try different things to accomplish what was needed.
But in the afternoon when it appeared that all was for naught, I dissolved into a puddle. A hungry puddle, that felt much better after getting the first food of the day around 4 pm.
Finally around 10 or 11 (it is all a blur) everything fell into place.
In that whole 36 hours, the only thing that I did or thought about was getting that site and cart finished. And a little sleep. Oh.. and there was that hour or so when we marveled over the earthquake.

Then there was a whole AOL fiasco, but that's passed too. I'm happy.

But let me tell you why I am so happy.
For nearly a year, I've been limping along with a shopping cart that was unacceptable.
How bad, you ask? People wrote JUST to tell us how bad the cart was!
This cart did not have a comments section, so they had to email.
Payment methods were so complicated that (because I could see how many abandoned shopping carts there were) a good 15% to 20% of shoppers gave up, choosing not to keep trying.
Or worse (not for me, but for them), they would write and ask me to help them subscribe.
Figuring shipping was a nightmare. Oh, all of these things could have been fixed - if I had been willing (and capable enough with computer skills) to purchase "plug ins". $40 for this one, $50 for that, and another $100 there... Then of course finding someone who knew how to do whatever it is that needs to be done to make them work. It ain't me, babe.
There is no doubt in my mind that cart hurt our business. I could go on and on. It was bad - and it was not inexpensive either. I won't name them here, but write me if you're about to go with a cart that rhymes with Eva. K?
So if you're one of those people who wrote out of frustration, who accidentally ordered 3 of anything and couldn't get it out of the cart (and then had to write a frantic email), who couldn't figure out how to make it say Visa instead of MC, or who just had to tell us how pathetic the cart was, believe me, we heard you. It just took a little while to pull ourselves together from the last move and get up the guts to do it again.

The new cart was a dream to set up! Would you like to have a shipping base charge? No, but thanks for asking! Would you like to ask your customers questions before they go? Really? YES! How bout a simple dropdown with a few pages of clear, illustrated help? Ok!

I am confident that it will be a much more pleasant experience for our shoppers.

And she tapped her heels together 3 times and whispered to herself, "there's no place like home, there's no place like home".

Still working on the site...

I need to go to my quiet, happy place.
This is that place. Sigh. There is something so evil about moving a website. It was horrible last year, and it is torturous this year. IF we get this accomplished, I hope to never move it again. Ever.

Notice - Website Maintenance

I'm very excited to be getting rid of the world's lousiest shopping cart and putting a nice shiny workable cart on to The Essential Herbal site today.
However, that means that the shop and site are down for maintenance today.
If you would like to place an order, please go to our sister site. Those orders will be included in the contest too.

Herbal Holiday Gift Series #21 - Dropping the Ball

Ah, I'll bet you thought I was forgetting about #21, didn't you?
The truth is, in the hustle and bustle of rushing around to make sure you haven't hurt anyone's feelings or started some kind of world war in the imagination of the in-laws, we ALL forget #21. There is always that slightly sick feeling at the very end, when you realize that someone you care very much about slipped between the cracks. Let's say that all you've got right now is what's in the house or at the closest chain drugstore. What then?
It never happens with the people at the fringe of your caring. It is always one of the most important, because they are the hardest. My circle of loved ones are almost all "the hardest". Excluding my daughter who is an absolute joy because she is so easy to buy for, everyone else is difficult. Half of them get whatever they want for themselves the second it dawns on them that they want it, while the other half is trying to get "things" out of their lives.
Besides that, for 2008, our family decided to go with a January holiday... somewhere in the middle of the month. It's a lot like the story of the cobbler's kids having no shoes. We do the tree farm and shop up here during the last 6 weeks leading up to Christmas, and when it finally got here this year we just didn't have the strength. Add that to a sick family member, and POOF! you have something resembling Festivus only in January, without the "airing of grievances" or the fighting. Oh, and no alcohol.

Here are some quick ideas:

Make a batch of fudge using the recipe Rachel Ray used last year - melt a bag of chocolate chips, a stick of butter, and stir in a can of sweetened condensed milk. Pour into a buttered baking dish (mold) and chill until firm. Cut into pieces and serve (or wrap).

A coupon for Herbal Home Spa for recipient and x# of friends. This could be herbal steams, facials made with things like honey, yogurt, oatmeal, almonds, chamomile, avocado.... and then make toners using vinegars and hydrosols.

For the commuter - a card from the nearest gas station. They can gas up and grab a Joe to Go - on you.

If you happen to have a lot of dried lavender around, it makes a wonderful gift - as is! It can be used as potpourri, as a dryer sachet ingredient, as a carpet freshener, or for cooking and tea.

We have a bulk food store very near-by, and the nuts and candies are always good gifts.

What herbal project do you love to play around with? Do you have the things required so that you could make a kit for someone else to give it a whirl on their own? Better yet, offer to give them a personal class along with the kit.

And you know, I just have to say it... it is NEVER too late for a subscription to The Essential Herbal.

Contest - have yourself a Merry Little Christmas!

Between Dec 15 and midnight on New Year's Eve, we're having a little fun over at The Essential Herbal, and thought you might want to know about it.

Everyone placing an order for $10 or more worth of merchandise (excluding shipping) will be entered into a drawing. There will be 5 winners.
The prizes include:
4 ounces of TEH farm distilled lavender distillate...
A package of 10 teabags of hand blended herbal tea (by yours truly)...
A lavender wand, happily woven on the back deck here on the farm...
3 delightful soaps - also made here on the farm...
3 lip balms - another farm-made prize!

So, if you've been holding out on yourself and thinking that eventually you will get yourself something nice, NOW is the time.
Good luck, everyone! We'll contact you by email and announce it here on New Year's Day.

Herbal Holiday Gift Series #20 - Pet Gifts

BIRDSEED CAKES
Combine 1 oz unflavored gelatin and ¼ cup water in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved and add 1 1/4 cups of any combination of seeds the birds in your area enjoy. Mix until all seeds are coated. Pack the mix firmly into molds the shape of wreaths, hearts, etc. Large cookie cutters work well. (I used ones in the shape of cats and squirrels!) Don’t forget to make a hole to add a hanger; straws or wooden skewers work well.

DOG BISCUITS
2 Tbsp margarine, lard or bacon fat, softened
1 tsp brown sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
½ cup dry milk powder
½ cup chicken broth
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup wheat germ
½ tsp salt
8 large cloves of garlic, crushed
Cream margarine and brown sugar in mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, dry milk and broth. Add flours, wheat germ and salt; knead until soft dough forms. Shape into a ball. Let stand, covered, for 30 minutes. Roll ¼ inch thick on lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with garlic; pat lightly into dough. Cut with 3-inch bone-shaped cookie cutter. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 325F for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Cool on wire rack. Store in airtight containers. (Along the Garden Path)

For cats: TIGGER'S TOMATO AND TURKEY JERKY
1 lb ground turkey
2 Tbsp tomato paste
½ tsp garlic powder
2 tsp brewer’s yeast

Preheat oven to 120F or the lowest setting. Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Line a jelly roll pan with foil and spread the meat mixture in it. Using your hands flatten the mixture to about ¼” thick. Place the meat in the oven and prop the oven door open a crack using a wooden spoon, so the moisture can escape. Bake for about 2 hours, until the meat is quite dry. Remove the meat from the oven and place another sheet foil over it. Grasping both sheets of foil, flip the meat over and peel the foil from the top. Place the meat back in the oven with the door propped open, and bake for another 1-2 hours. The meat will be red and dry, like jerky. (Cat Nips! Feline cuisine)