Sustainable Harvest International

You may have noticed that our community currently supports Sustainable Harvest International.

A donation can be made direct through the Network for Good widget located on the right inside of this blog. So far we have managed to raise $320. A little while back we received a letter from SHI informing us how the donation has contributed to help farmers in Central America. They also included a letter from 57 years old Celestino Suarez from Nicaragua. I would like to share it with you:

” I am from the community El Coloradito. I am 57 years old with five years living in the community and four years working with Sustainable Harvest. The most important work with Sustainable Harvest has been the teaching of simple growing techniques which are affordable and without contaminants. I also recognize that they have supported us with infrastructure and seeds of different vegetables that we’ve never had before.

I used to know almost nothing about the work that is carried out by the Sustainable Harvest fiels trainers. Now I have learned in many training workshops about the preparation of the soil and the fields. I have diversified my farm, and they have even helped me to plant, because the local field trainers have worked next to me.

In my new fields I have more than an acre of coconuts and cocao, 60 palm heart trees, 300 banana plants, and cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, annatto and other spices. I have learned to take care of my soil and I have planted green fertilizer and a cover of velvet beans. At present I have almost 4 acres planted with this covering bean.

Also I would like to state that I no longer have to cut a lot of wood for firewood, because I have a bio-digester that has served me well, chiefly my wife who has cooked over an open fire during all her life.

One of the most important things that I have learned is to cultivate organically, as before I had never done it. I believe that with these techniques I am taking care of the health of my family and economy.

To close I would like to give thanks to the members of the board of directors of SHI, to its founder Florence and to the personnel of Nicaragua, as they are the ones that are always with us in country.”

We are Fuelmyblog: Postcards from the Funny Farm

This post is part of a series of interviews highlighting Fuelmyblog bloggers and their blogs, a great way to find out who are the bloggers part of the Fuelmyblog community. If you would like to feature in this series add your name in the comment box or email sylvie(at)fuelmyblog.com

• What’s your name?

Damien Riley.

• What’s the name of your blog?

Postcards from the Funny Farm

• What’s the URL of your blog?

http://postcardsfromthefunnyfarm.com

• How old is your blog?

1 year 8 months old.

• If you’re willing to share, how many visitors per day do you have to your blog?

102 visitors per day on average (past six months).

• How much time do you spend blogging every week?

A couple hours a day, more or less.

• Is it the creative process or the editing process which take you longest when writing a post?

Certainly for me it is the creative process. I do a lot of “template” creation where I can develop my ideas then when they come, it’s just a matter of putting the idea into that “template” if-you-will.

• What inspired you to first start writing a blog?

My first blog was a newsletter for my family and friends. When they weren’t interested in it, I learned about Technorati and connected with other personal bloggers. It became a rocket after that, it started to be a real passion of mine.

• What do you do to get inspired to write?

Tough question. Probably because I don’t do things to get inspired. I do things to capture the inspiration when it comes. I keep a clipboard by my desk at work where I jot down the juicy ideas that come in the day. I have the same at home by my desktop and by my treadmill (which I need to be using more by the way because it brings a hellacious amount of ideas to mind). I also take time to make sure my blog has all the tools and formatting it needs to promote posts. What good is an amazingly inspired post if it reaches no one?

• Is there anything that you simply refuse to blog about?

I quit doing memes a while back.

• If you went for a job interview and were told that you’d have to close your blog in order to get the job, how would you react/feel about it?

Well, I am quite secure in my job as a teacher so it’s definitely a hypothetical, but if it happened I would put feeding my family above any drive to have a blog. Of course, the way I am going, maybe it could feed my family one day!

• Do you talk about your blog with your relatives and friends or do you avoid mentioning it?

I beg them to read it and try blogging. I am very proud of what I do with my blog. They don’t seem too interested. Too bad because I am an enthusiastic blog coach and teacher.

• What is the biggest mistake you made when starting your blog?

I imagined myself as not being read enough and felt frustrated a lot at my low numbers. I should have focused on the ones that were reading me and let it grow naturally from there.

• Any tips for aspiring bloggers?

Wow, yes. Here’s my top 5:

1. Use a WordPress self-hosted platform.
2. Don’t “launch” until you have at least 20 posts (each 100 words minimum).
3. Join these traffic building services and put their widgets in your sidebar at the get go: Fuelmyblog, Technorati, BlogCatalog, Entrecard, BlogRush, MyBlogLog
4. Write an informative, but not too long “About” page and once you launch, submit it (along with your main url) to all the social media networks via http://socialmarker.com/

• Who are the bloggers that you look up to the most?

Oh wow. I have a solid network of mentors and friends that are probably up to the thirties. But if I had to come up with 5 to recommend to you here, I’d say:

1. http://DerekSemmler.com
2. http://lifeisrantastic.blogspot.com/
3. http://lorelle.wordpress.com/
4. http://thiseclecticlife.com/
5. http://www.growinghappiness.com/

• Do you still see yourself blogging in 5 years time?

That will be 2013. It almost sounds like a space odyssey or something. I don’t know. I think a year ago I would have said: “Yes, for sure.” I am chronicling my life on three blogs right now but the money I make is not that great so we’ll have to see. If I start making more than the $300/month I average now, then I could see myself doing it a long time. It really is about money these days. Time is precious when you are 39 with three kids and a lovely wife. If you do it right though, I think the blog can be a way to add money to your bank account and still leave you the free time with your family you value. If you have any questions, or you need some help/coaching drop me a line through one of my blogs below:

• http://postcardsfromthefunnyfarm.com
• http://diary.rileycentral.net
• http://teaching.rileycentral.net

Yearbook Yourself

As I was adding blogs this morning, I came across this site: Yearbook Yourself

It is really easy to use, upload your picture and you will appear through key decades in seconds!

I am hooked! Try it and leave your link in the comment box

We are Fuelmyblog: Jeff Baker Talks

This post is part of a series of interviews highlighting Fuelmyblog bloggers and their blogs, a great way to find out who are the bloggers part of the Fuelmyblog community. If you would like to feature in this series add your name in the comment box or email sylvie(at)fuelmyblog.com

• What’s your name?

Jeff Baker

• What’s the name of your blog?

Jeff Baker Talks

• What’s the URL of your blog?

http://jeffbakertalks.blogspot.com/

• How old is your blog?

Approximately one month old.

• If you’re willing to share, how many visitors per day do you have to your blog?

1 or 2 right now.

• How much time do you spend blogging every week?

About 10-12 hours.

• Is it the creative process or the editing process which take you longest when writing a post?

Editing sux… writing is fun.

• What inspired you to first start writing a blog?

I’ve always had these questions running around in my head, and the more I speak with people, it seems that many of us have the same or similar questions. I want to inspire conversation and see what happens.

• What do you do to get inspired to write?

Think or listen to music.

• Is there anything that you simply refuse to blog about?

I only blog about what interests me.

• If you went for a job interview and were told that you’d have to close your blog in order to get the job, how would you react/feel about it?

There are plenty of jobs out there. I blog because I want to and feel a need to get people to think. Maybe the guy that wants me to quit blogging in order to hire me should read my posts. Anyway, I work for myself… lol.

• Do you talk about your blog with your relatives and friends or do you avoid mentioning it?

I talk with everyone about it. I want feedback.

• What is the biggest mistake you made when starting your blog?

I didn’t save my draft on my very first post and I lost it all. It came out better the second time so no biggie…

• Any tips for aspiring bloggers?

Write only what you are passionate about. If you’re in it to make money, that’s ok, just keep the passion out front. Money will come, if it is meant to be

• Who are the bloggers that you look up to the most?

Right now: Robin Birch, Yaro Starak, and Neale Donald Walsh.

• Do you still see yourself blogging in 5 years time?

Yes. Indefinitely.