The Boring Bit

Or, if you prefer . . .

A Look at the Cash Flow of this Grower Networking Effort

Michael speaking now, one to one. Time to let go of that editorial "we" that I've tried hard to reflect in writing most of the other pages on this site.

What follows is apple accounting: honest, simple, and without guile. I need financial support to make a legitimate go of the Holistic Orchardist Network. You in turn need to trust the story and not merely be taken in by the glitter. I'll post each year's finances here in this form until such time as more people give credence to "more normal" bookkeeping, if such can truly be said of non-profits and other bureaucratic twists and turns.

2004-2006 The orchardist pages on my farm website were initially financed by web sales of my Apple Grower book. Internet sales average about 60 copies a year, netting about $900 a year (after I in turn purchase books from my publisher and pay for shipping). These earnings covered the costs of site hosting and paying our talented webster . . . but I eventually came to recognize why I could never afford a decent orchard sprayer! My many hours of writing and research time were donated to aspirations of what might be.

Michael Phillips, organic apple orchardist, sets out for a day's work at Lost Nation Orchard (photo: Frank Siteman)

2007

Golden Apples is introduced as a means to share the costs with the grower community, very much like Public Radio does. Only we don't have pledge drives! Six good people are inspired to donate $200 total. This covers the costs of registering a separate domain name (GrowOrganicApples.com), site hosting, and a portion of computer costs. No research updates are posted as there's no additional funding for Sienna, our webster, to do the "voodoo speak" that makes it possible for you to see dazzling new insights on the worldwide web. I send out two newsletters and start saving for that sprayer.

2008

I spell out a very specific plea in the winter newsletter: The time has come to launch GrowOrganicApples.com but funding is needed for all sorts of page encoding on Sienna's part. Six very inspired supporters donate $900 total; this covers the bulk of the transfer and new page set-ups. I myself am in for another $600 at this point (July) in covering the infrastructure costs and the rest of Sienna's time. I bet I have as much time in on this "network project" as I have contributed in all the past years combined. Of course, I still don't have the sprayer but I now have a legitimate tractor (Kioti 30 hp, complete with monthly payments) to put it on when next spring comes.

Beyond A base network budget of $4500 would realistically cover the costs of an active site and allow me to set aside interview and writing time enough to keep everyone intrigued. Infrastructure costs run about $500, webster time could easily be $1000 annually to post all sorts of info and research results, and frankly, coordinator remuneration of $3000 would enable me zero in on holistic understanding on a more regular basis. I'm not into membership dues at this point to cover such a budget. This really comes down to enough people in the fruit growing community valuing a vision of bringing health to the fore. I'd like to think my skill in articulating deep nuance might be recognized as well. Any funding beyond this base amount would empower holistic orchard research . . . which is where I hope a few resourceful apple lovers might someday step to the plate to help us all.

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