I am going crazy here. When is the next Countryside coming out?? I can't stand it! I need my Countryside fix.

-- Susan in Northern Michigan (cobwoman@yahoo.com), February 01, 2002

Answers

what is countryside magazine???

-- Kristean Thompson (pigalena_babe@yahoo.com), February 01, 2002.

Kristean, You have GOT to check this out. It's the Countryside Magazine site. I couldn't live without it! http://www.countrysidemag.com/

-- Susan in Northern Michigan (cobwoman@yahoo.com), February 01, 2002.

I can't wait to get mine either. Kristean-I guess I'm going to show how computer stupid I am but how did you get to this forum without knowing about CS mag?

-- Terri in WV (mrs_swift_26547@yahoo.com), February 01, 2002.

Countryside and Small Stock Journal is the magazine that sponsors this bullitin board. You can recieve a sample issue by going to www.countrysidemag.com

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), February 01, 2002.

Anne-marie sent the March/April 02 issue to the printers on or about January 15th. Printing and distribution depends, in part, on their schedule. Those who generally get their copy first, should do so within the next week I would venture.

At one time the entire issue went to the printers on a 3 1/2" diskette. It might be sent electronically now. Jd was among the leading edge in using technology in magazine publication.

For those not familiar with the history, Countryside magazine started, like many things, as somewhat of a fluke. In about 1969 Jd Belanger wanted to know how to cure a side of bacon, as I recall, and put an ad in TMEN. Didn't really get an answer, but several people wrote saying if he found out to let him know. He started a small newslatter called Countryside, after the name of the family print shop. At the time the home and business were located in an old creamery. An issue was put together by the family (Jd, Diane, Dave, Anne-marie, Steve and John) collating it by trips around the kitchen table.

At the creamery they also had small livestock. One day he was speaking with a potential advertiser or someone on the phone and a rooster crowed outside the window. That is how the rooster came to be the unofficial mascot of Countryside.

On the Small Stock Journal aspect, it is really a separate publication printed in conjunction with Countryside, which is why you see the name given as Countryside and Small Stock Journal. At one point Countryside purchased that publication. Really it, and not Countryside, is 86-years old, being started in 1917. This can cause some confusion. Maybe ten years ago now the Hearst Corporation decided to put out a slick-page yuppie magazine called Countryside. Whoever researched the name didn't associate the names of Countryside and Small Stock Journal as two separately copyrighted names. Jd and Diane sued and won damages in court. The Hearst publication lasted out a year before folding, but still caused problems. Some people didn't renew thinking this publication was the one which had folded.

In Waterloo, WI Countryside publications produced several magazines besides Countryside, to include those specializing in rabbits, goats, sheep I believe. Gradually all of these were intregrated into CS&SSJ. Countryside Publications also produced several books.

At one time the Belanger family had the Countryside General Store in Waterloo, WI. This started out as the result of Jd trying to find a good tomato processor as I recalled (something like Vita-mix). Jd reasoned if he had trouble finding such items, others probably did as well, and so was born the Countryside General Store. It lasted a couple of years, being closed for a variety of reasons.

Countryside has had it ups and downs since 1969. As you might expect, it tends to do well in a recession and not as well during an economic boom. At times Jd has been the sole employee, with Diane working as an RN to support the family. I remember one time when Jd had the money to have the magazine printed, but not enough to mail it. It has probably been close to being to going out-of-print on several occasions due to economics or Jd burn-out or perhaps both. I have kidded Jd "A new wrinkle with each issue" applied to him and now the publication. I have a lifetime subscription (sorry, no longer offered) and Jd use to say it was either my lifetime or Countryside's, whichever came first.

Although they stay someone involved, Jd and Diane have passed the publication on to their children with Dave as Publisher and Anne- marie as as Managing Editor. Diane remains the bean counter. Jd likes to think to himself somewhat as an old warhorse now put out to pasture. Son Steve participated for about a year as Technical Editor and mainly kept up the various alternate energy systems used to put out the publication working. He has since gone back to the construction business.

Its been some years now since Jd did an article on the history of Countryside. Perhaps Dave and Anne-marie can prod him to do so again.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), February 01, 2002.

thanks for the history lesson Ken. guess my gnawing fear that Countryside will yuppie-up someday like some other magazines I used to subscribe to is premature.

-- B. Lackie - Zone3 (cwrench@hotmail.com), February 01, 2002.

WARNING: Countryside magazine is addictive.

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), February 01, 2002.

Get the magazine! It's better than ever. We used to subscribe many years ago. We will renew now that we are moving to the country again.

-- Hank (hsnrs@att.net), February 01, 2002.

I received mine last week. That was the Jan/Feb issue. We get it very late in England. I don't think all you spoil sports should be able to discuss any articles until every subscriber has got their copy:-) (big smile). What do you think Don in Aus?

Alison

-- Alison Homa (alisonhoma@hotmail.com), February 02, 2002.

Which issue is that? My subscription ran out a few months ago. The Feb/March issue, the one pictured on the homepage, is one I really want. I can't find the issue at any of the places I normally can find it. I am so frustrated! The library has it but I have to wait for the next issue to come out before I can check this one out. I may have to find the money to resubscribe.

Susan

-- Susan in Minnesota (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), February 02, 2002.

I GOT IT!

My magazine came in over the weekend. The January/February issue, that is. About when I expected it, maybe half a week or a week later. Now don't let me hear any of the rest of you complaining.

-- Don Armstrong (from Australia) (darmst@yahoo.com.au), February 04, 2002.

Except Alison Homa, of course. Sorry. I've been somewhat snowed under (in a metaphorical sense, of course - it's midsummer here), and I didn't catch your post. I found myself having to bypass some threads for a while there.

-- Don Armstrong (from Australia) (darmst@yahoo.com.au), February 04, 2002.