#91: Happy Newsletter First Anniversary

Kate McDermott's Newsletter is one year old today!

Today is the one year anniversary of Kate McDermott’s Newsletter! I can hardly believe it. When I signed up to publish at Substack I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I’m so glad that I made the leap to this very supportive community of readers and writers. Over the past fifty-two weeks I have written about recipes, gardens and chickens, music, book recommendations, and stories about my life. I’ve shared with you about wearing braids, having wrinkles, music being my mother tongue, an unexpected tea in Ireland, my walks with Gretapie, and what my days are like. There have been community threads for us to share with each other, posts to keep you updated about upcoming virtual and in person classes, and together we donated to World Central Kitchen, too.

The Art of the Pie blog I wrote for fourteen years was never monetized with ads and I dreamed of offering my pie-making workshops on a pay-what-it-is-worth-to you-and-what-you-can-afford-basis. How would that work, you say? Well in a pie-fect world, if $5 is all that one could pay then that is what I would receive, BUT if $10,000 felt like a $5 latte at the espresso stand for another then that is what they would pay. I would keep what I need and share and donate the rest. When I shared this idea with a dear friend, she wisely asked me two questions:

• Do you have enough money to buy food, pay your mortgage, car payment, insurance and taxes?

• Do you have enough in savings to see you through six months if you are unable to work?

Well, her questions kinda blew a hole in my lovely idea but I will always hold on to it and maybe someday I will be able to offer workshops on the pay-what-it-is-worth-to you-and-what-you-can-afford-basis. In the meantime, teaching and this newsletter help to pay my bills.

So, on this first anniversary of Kate McDermott’s Newsletter I’m asking my free subscribers if you might please become paid subscribers…

My paid subscribers to please consider giving gift subscriptions…

Or to donate subscriptions to those who cannot afford one.

Every little bit helps.

So Happy Anniversary, thank you to all my subscribers, and here’s to another year!
Kate