Look! It’s a newsletter! Just what you need, more email! I promise not to flood your inbox. In fact, I set up this newsletter list over a year ago and I have yet to send out a single newsletter. How’s that for restraint? However! I’m making a New Year’s resolution (what, it’s February already?) to send out newsletters. Finally. I’ll be sending out the newsletter about once a month. The newsletter will include sneak peeks at upcoming posts, reminders and handy links from the past month’s posts, and best of all, extras. What kind of extras? Every month, all sorts of good stuff goes by the wayside due to time and space constraints in my daily posts. Cute farm animal photos, recipes, tips, and other fun stuff that just never made it onto the blog. I’m planning to scoop it all up and put the best of the best in the monthly newsletter.
If you’re a registered user here who registered before two days ago, you’re already subscribed to the newsletter. If you’re a registered user and you don’t want to be subscribed to the newsletter (hmmph!), you can unsubscribe when you receive your first newsletter–there will be a handy link in the newsletter to remove yourself from the mailing list. (When I reactivated the newsletter–that I’d never used–I imported all current registered users to the mailing list. So as of two days ago, all registered users are subscribed. As I said, you can unsubscribe easily.)
If you aren’t a registered user, or if you just registered in the past few days, you can still subscribe by using the newsletter subscription link in the sidebar to your right (just above the Slanted Little House photo). Or go here to register and subscribe yourself to the mailing list at the same time by checking the “subscribe to mailing list” box when you register. (Why not do both? It’s free!)
Once you’re registered, you can also post on the forum. We have 400 members on the forum now! Come join in the fun.
If you register and don’t receive your password in email (for some people, this is a problem) and you don’t find it by checking your spam folder, click the Contact button in the menu above and I’ll help you. (Even if it’s been a while back since you registered or if you got it and simply forgot it, I can fix it for you! Just let me know!)
Also, if you want your own gravatar (that’s the little image that appears by your comments on the blog and by your posts on the forum–go here to get your own gravatar. This is very easy, I promise! We’re all about fun and easy here. You can use any photo on your computer. (It doesn’t have to be a photo of yourself, just something representing yourself–your dog, your cat, a flower from your garden, etc. Or you!) You don’t even have to know how to resize your photos. The gravatar site will resize it for you.
Further down in the sidebar, you’ll see that I’ve now added a convenient link to the Community Cookbook page, which is a page with a linked index to all the recipes from the contributors in the Just Recipes forum. This page will be updated regularly to add new recipes as they’re posted in the forum. There is some delicious stuff in there! Check it out!
And–don’t miss the Map page. Where in the world are you? We wanna know! Besides, it’s fun. And we’re all about fun here. (You can also add a small photo of yourself–or something to represent yourself–to the scroll that goes across the bottom of the map when you pin it. MORE fun!)
Now for something truly important.
To answer the pressing question of what type of peppers I use in my pepperoni rolls. Here in West Virginia, we are very snobby about our Oliverio peppers. The Oliverio Peppers plant is located in Clarksburg, West Virginia, and is still owned today by the descendants of the Italian immigrants who founded it. You can find their peppers sometimes in selected stores in surrounding states and you can also find some of their products online. (Google Oliverio peppers.) Here, they sell them just about everywhere. We like them. We think they’re better than any other jarred peppers in the world. I use the Italian-style Peppers (mild rings) in Vinegar Olvero in pepperoni rolls. They also come in hot if you like it hot. I use the Italian-style Peppers (sweet) in Sauce Olvero on pizza sometimes and in all sorts of other recipes. They also come in medium and hot. Oliverio has a wide array of pepper products!
I think Oliverio should come sponsor my site now after all that. Oliverio? Oliverio?
I don’t think they know I exist. Just for that, I’m going to also tell you that if you can’t get Oliverio peppers, you can use any peppers that are available to you in your area and that you like in the pepperoni rolls. (Especially if you have home-canned peppers. I’m all about that. If I had home-canned peppers, I’d be using them myself!) Or use no peppers at all if you don’t like peppers or if you are a pepperoni roll purist and this whole discussion of peppers in pepperoni rolls is making you twitch.
Don’t forget to register, sign up for the newsletter, and get your groove on with your own gravatar. Then come back, pin the map, check out the Community Cookbook, and join us in the forum!
:dancingmonster:
(I love all my new smileys.)
P.S. Seriously, what can I do to get West Virginia companies to sponsor my site? This is quite probably the most trafficked blog in West Virginia. There’s traffic here somebody in West Virginia business, travel, tourism, something, oughta take advantage of and sponsor me. And save me from the ever-increasing hosting and technical expenses associated with the site monthly that are burying me. (Yes, I do run ads here, but if that was helping, I wouldn’t still be talking.) If you have ideas about how I can get business/corporate sponsorship, let me know!
P.P.S. If you want to, you can donate to my monthly site expenses. Thank you. :heart:
CindyP says:
Yay! A newsletter! You are a wonderful person, Suzanne… the time & energy you put into your wonderful blog, the forum that is available to all of us for our pure enjoyment (& learning, lots of learning!), and now just so we don’t miss anything that’s going on at Stringtown Rising we’ll get a newsletter!
On the peppers….. the only thing I’ve found around here is the mexican variety………i’m sure that’s much different than the italian types…….going to do some searching on these, thank you!
On February 8, 2009 at 4:31 am
Kathryn says:
Good morning! Guess what I found?
https://www.pennmac.com/page/386
I am ordering some today! Now, I can make “real” pepperoni rolls! Can’t wait!
On February 8, 2009 at 5:01 am
Heidi says:
Have you tried contacting them and doing your own presentation of the numbers of people you ‘reach’ each day? As smart as you are, I am sure you have thought that through well and I am just yammering!!!! LOL :moo: I love your new smilies tooooooo!!!!!!
On February 8, 2009 at 5:58 am
ulli says:
Suzanne,
You’ll never know what local WV companies will say about sponsoring you if you don’t ask. So, make a phone call and get permission to send them your newsletter, blog, newspaper clips, a free calendar, recipe photos (with their product in use and photographed of course)–market yourself, girl! If they have time, take them on a tour of your blog right then and there on the phone. Talk about the community of everyday people sharing their recipes, lives and ideas that has come about via the blog, and the national exposure their product will get. All they can say is no thanks and you haven’t lost anything. Move on to the next company then. Good luck!
On February 8, 2009 at 6:32 am
wkf says:
Suzanne-
Get me a web address and I’ll send them your site. :wave: I googled and I can’t find one. I found their number. They also package their peppers under the Delallo brand. Or you could snail mail your news letter too them.
On February 8, 2009 at 6:33 am
Sheryl (Runningtrails) says:
A newsletter is a great idea! I don’t know how you have the time for all that you do! I would love to do more with my farm and my site but just have no time!
I would like to do a magazine with in depth DIY artilces for country folk, but I just don’t have the time!
On February 8, 2009 at 7:38 am
Fannie M Wiggins says:
Good luck with getting a sponser. I’ll keep good thoughts :happyflower: and my fingers crossed. I am in agreement with previous posters, contact them, all they can do is say no. what have you got to lose by trying? I was wondering if there is another book in the future? I know you spend a lot of time with other projects but I’d like to see a new book. Have a great day and :hug: to all.
On February 8, 2009 at 7:48 am
Suzanne says:
Omigosh….I was a subscriber and didn’t even know it. Woo Hoo.
Seriously Suzanne, if you figure out how to get a sponsor, let me know. I am well read in northern Illinois and can’t find a sponsor either. I’m pretty dumb in the area of self promotion and marketing.
– Suzanne, the Farmer’s Wife
On February 8, 2009 at 8:43 am
wammy says:
Can’t wait for the first news letter! :ladybug:
On February 8, 2009 at 9:08 am
wvhomecanner says:
Glad to have found this blog and all the interesting goodies here.
I am in NC WV and only a couple of miles away from Oliverio’s packing plant.
Your pepperoni rolls look great, traditional or not :hungry:
I did finally get the home canned peppers in sauce downpat and have come very close to getting the pepper rings figured out also.
On February 8, 2009 at 10:06 am
Egghead says:
I agree Suzanne. If you don’t ask you won’t know. I made your pizza rolls last night and they were a huge hit. On half of them I put my home made pizza sauce as well and it was the best. I :heart: your blog.
On February 8, 2009 at 10:37 am
Gail says:
Regarding sponsorship from WV businesses…try contacting the local Chamber Of Commerce offices and see if they can help you.
Can’t wait for the first newsletter!
On February 8, 2009 at 11:21 am
trish says:
Well, I tried making grandma bread. Somewhat successful. I have signed up for the newsletter and I went in today and made a donation because I don’t want anything to happen to this amazing blog that I loved from the first day I read it. Oh and I signed up for gravitar.
I’m guessing you only get about 5 hrs. sleep. lol I’m with Fannie. When will your next book come out???
Thanks for the hours of fun!!
By the way, does my donation come with a visit to my home from big puppy. I am in love with him!!!!
On February 8, 2009 at 11:29 am
STracer says:
Uh Oh! I knew the name had Olive in it – and I am in WV, but I picked up Mt. Olvie mild peppers. I will use them and have something to compare to when I get the others next time. I have only recently starting to add extras like this to my cooking. FabHub never wanted anything “different” from Mom’s country cooking. I love the recipes that you have all shared on this website, there are lots of good home cooked meals with these wonderful additions. Thanks for being here. I hope you did well in the bloggies. :clover:
On February 8, 2009 at 11:44 am
Stacia says:
I wanted to let you know I made the chocolate-mint snow top cookies this weekend, and my family LOVED them. My husband declared them the best cookies I have ever made! Thank you and I love you site.
On February 8, 2009 at 11:54 am
catslady says:
I added myself to the map :snoopy: but I couldn’t find you??? Is it me (which is very likely)????
On February 8, 2009 at 11:57 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
I’m on the map! (My pic on the scrollbar is the Giant Puppy hanging over the gate!)
On February 8, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Steph says:
You often have to be the one to contact them. But you’d be surprised, but together a good case for yourself and they’ll often be thrilled to work with you!
(include posts like this, your newsletters, your recipes, yes, but also include some of your comments. That shows more or less concrete proof that you’re affecting people’s buying behavior)
On February 8, 2009 at 12:08 pm
LisaAJB says:
I’m about to make your peperoni rolls. I have some frozen pizza dough that I’m going to try as the crusts, so we’ll see how that works out. Thanks for the good idea!
On February 8, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Estella says:
I love the idea of getting a newsletter from you!
On February 8, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Susan says:
I’m looking forward to your newsletter! :snoopy: I’m on the map too! :wave:
On February 8, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Brandy says:
Here’s to hoping you find a local sponsor! WOO!
On February 8, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Birdi says:
Can’t wait to get the newsletter. Good luck with the sponsor. Don’t they know that you are the best of WV all rolled into one? Try one of the homesteading mags also. You are doing so many things…SOMEONE just has to sponsor!!! :hug:
On February 8, 2009 at 7:00 pm