If you could change one thing about this blog, what would it be? Do you wish there was something here that isn't? Or wish something that is here, wasn't? Wish the background was different? Bigger font? Less stuff on the sidebar? Less muse and more practical tutorials (or vice versa)?
I ask out of sincere curiosity, as I honestly do care about what you readers think. And I'm open to making changes if y'all think something should be changed.
What catches your eye when you visit a blog? What makes you decide to stick around and scroll through posts? High quality pictures? Humor? Professional writing? Again, I'm curious about this. I know when I go "blog hopping", the first thing I notice is the background. I like either really light colors, or better yet, pure white. I like large, high quality images, and I like the writer to have a good, personal voice; as though we were sitting in a room together with a cup of tea (or coffee; take your pick).
I've gone back and forth about changing my blog background to white... Yes, I love that clean, tidy, professional look that it has, but I also love my current background!
So what think ye'? be brutally honest here (okay, actually, let's keep a polite tone; even farm girls can have their feelings hurt...). Want something changed? Want something added, or taken away? Have a tip?
I want to hear it. :) Honestly.
17 comments:
I rather like it the way it is. I've only recently come across your blog and I find it rather refreshing. There's lovely pictures with explanations, the stories can be humourous but also sobering and informative. There's just as much speculation as well. Not to forget a sense of joie de vivre (sp?) that makes its way into each post.
I love your design! I wouldn't change a think about it. :)
I also love your beautiful pictures; I think it adds a lot to blogs.
My favorite of your posts are about your life and your farm life because I am not a farm girl myself, although others might find tutorials useful. :)
Okay, I was honestly trying to think of some criticism... but I couldn't think of any. ;)
I echo the first two comments. I enjoy your blog as it is (including the grey tone)and have nothing to criticize.
I also like it the way it is. Font size is nice, I like the feel of the board background, but like the light color. Like your writing style, too!
Pam H
Hi, I have just found your blog & already love it!!! Have just finished reading a beautiful book called Goat Song by Brad Kessler. It has had a profound effect on me to say the least. I would love to join in conversation with others about goats as we have just purchased a 5 acre farmlet in South Eastern Australia. We are newbies & hope to spend our retirement living a self sustaining lifestyle as much as we possibly can. Ty for your sharing!!
Visually, I like it. It's clean and easy to read without :) However, when you're trying to find stuff on the side bar it's hard to navigate. It would be nice if you could do tabs that link to other pages that had FAQ's, links to your favorite products, and blogs that you follow so that your blog archive could be up near the top on the side bar. That way when we want to look up some of your older stuff we don't have to constantly scroll down. It's late, so if that doesn't make sense let me know :)
Something I want but isn't there...More Blog Posts!!!!
Honestly I Love you bog. It's neat and simple and the focus is on the writing. One thing that is a little difficult, is going back to try find a blog post from months ago. If I don't remember the title it's pretty much impossible.
If you're itching to change something...my sister follows this blog and I like her header. So just an idea if you want it. =)
http://www.celebratingmotherhoodeveryday.com/2013/04/to-scott.html
There, that was me being brutally honest!
Tasha
Well, I have to say that ijust LOVE your blog and come here every day. You have taught me so much already. I am fermenting grains now and several friends are too. So I am learning more by coming here. And it's always fun to see what other people are doing on their farms. And to see one so young doing all you do, is VERY encouraging to me, who is not so young.
I love to see lots of pictures on a blog. If there are no pictures and a whole lot to read, I usually don't. And most of the time, I don't look at side bars.
So thank you for being informative, a good writer to hold my interest and a nice person to boot. I love coming here to see what you are doing way out there on the other side of the country. Can't wait to see your new barn and all you do there.
(DOn't like the word verification though. Sometimes it takes 2 or 3 tried to get it right.)
Aw shucks, y'all are making me blush over here. ;) Thank you, thank you, thank you, for the sweet words and advice!
Anonymous, I will see what I can do about the sidebar tabs and what all else you suggested. Good idea!
Tasha, have you tried the "Search" engine on the sidebar when looking for a specific post? I ask as I just wonder if that thing actually works... LOL. I use it occasionally (even *I* have a hard time locating my own posts sometimes!), and I've used my search engine, but I know my way around the blog pretty well, so I think it's easier for me to use that thing... Oh! And I LIKE that header idea on the link you gave!! I've never been keen on my own header, but hadn't really seen anything else I liked. I may have to look into copying something like that. And of course I love that white background on that blog... ;) So nice and clean, and neat. LOL.
Kris, the word verification is terrible, isn't it!?!? I absolutely ABHOR it. -_- I took it off a few months back, and it was a whole lot easier for readers to leave feedback. The problem though, is that without the verification, I get about 30 comments a day that are horrible spam. And then I have to manually delete them. Oy vey. So in the end it was easier for me to have the word verification on, which means I have an automatic comment filter. Keeps out the robots, and lets in the real people! But yes, I do wish there was some other method...
I love so many things about your blog and have been reading for over a year now. Your willingness to try new things and openly share the ups and downs of your farming experience is what I appreciate the most. We all benefit from having a mentor when it comes to farming, but there just isn't that many folks in my area that do small scale farming. There are so many things you can't learn from a book!! Hence I enjoy blogs like yours where folks can read and share their experiences.
Heather in PA
Hey there! I do enjoy the occasional muse, but confess that I'm more interested in the content that teaches me something. I was fascinated by the post on growing fodder for animals during the winter. And I've loved the links to documentary videos. Love your pictures! Would also love more nuts and bolts on the finances of farming, how one can make back one's costs, etc. Just suggestions!
I write several blogs and found you trying to market one of mine. Signed on because I really enjoy your content and your writing style, the way you share you life. Also because I am moving to Oregon and want to know my farmers!!! I will be coming to visit later this year I hope.
I love your blog! We home school and I read it to the kids. They love keeping up with another farm that's farm more established than ours. I think the design looks great. I love the background and it is something I look forward to on a busy morning - just taking a break with your blog. I LOVE LOVE the photography (how do you DO that by the way?) but I confess I am still hoping for more info on the fodder project and anything related to how you feed your goats. Keep up the good work!
- Stephanie
I like it, I'd just like to see more photos of your life on your postings. BUT I know you're busy too, working hard! You shoot nice stuff too.
Im a new reader of your blog and what got my attention at first was your high quality photo's!
I also love reading about your specific ideas and intensions regarding your farm.
All the storeies about daily life with all your critters is great =)
I've been reading your blog for 6 months or so now. I look forward to the how-to's and tutorials, as I'm working on a sustainable farm here myself. I loved the broiler challenge posts, hearing about the pigs (thing about Tams as our future breed of choice), anything dairy, etc. I don't mind the musings thrown in as I LOVE your writing voice. I don't know you personally, and chances are we'll never meet, but I feel like I'm talking to an old friend when I read your blog or Facebook posts.
For what it's worth, I prefer the colors you have now to the starkness and sterility of white. This is soothing:)
-Nikki
I love the colors you've used here. Yes, white is more professional but its also more cold and impersonal which just doesn't fit with your voice. The one thing I would change is the center justified text. I do a lot of my reading on small screens and it doesn't adjust width when I zoom in for readability so I'm stuck scrolling side to side every line.
Its rather a testament to how much I enjoy your writing that I do that :)
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