All the News That's Fit to Email

By John Gutekunst

Many businesses send out newsletters as a means of keeping in touch with their clients — A Mere Paws is a (poor) example this. These days you now have a choice of sending your newsletter out online (like this one) or going with a more traditional printed version.

Why not do both? It is really an impractical idea. Because print and online newsletters are produced in such different ways you would need two completely different designs. In addition the costs involved with production and distribution would be duplicated.

When deciding between online and print, there are several things you need to consider:

• Target Audience — is your audience used to and comfortable receiving email newsletters, or are they more likely to prefer printed materials? (Recipients of A Mere Paws have overwhelmingly expressed a desire for neither.)

• Importance — does your newsletter impart crucial or time sensitive information to your readers that they must have? If you mail it, they will get it. Online newsletters can and often are blocked by spam filters, especially email addresses at larger companies with high security. (By the way, please give us a call if you need help blocking A Mere Paws, it's a common request).

• Content — if your newsletter contains important information that people will want to save and reference later, print may be a more appropriate medium. (Notice: A Mere Paws is not printed.)

• Mailing list size — Printing and mailing a printed newsletter will cost a lot more than online distribution. (All three people on our list have stated they wouldn't spend 42¢ to mail A Mere Paws).

So if you want to send out a newsletter, keep these factors in mind, and — as for A Mere Paws, crank up that spam filter!

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The Mill at Anselma

by John Gutekunst

I was fixing myself a nice healthy salad the other day, but soon ran into trouble. As I sat down at the table I asked myself, "Would I care for fresh cracked pepper for my salad?" "Yes," I told myself, "I would." But then my pepper mill blew a gasket or threw a rod or something, and there I was with an unseasoned salad!

Then I remembered that I had recently heard about The Mill at Anselma in Chester Springs. The Mill was constructed in c. 1747, and is considered the most intact, authentic example of a custom water-powered grist mill in the United States.

While the Mill was updated several times over its three centuries of operation, the grist mill’s basic power train is laid out and functions just as it did when it was first built. The story of the mill, the people who ran it through the years, and the technology of milling is fascinating. Families are encouraged to explore the Mill’s natural setting and its relationship to the surrounding land and water.

The Mill at Anselma opens on April 18 this year. They have milling demonstrations scheduled throughout the year, and offer group tours and many exciting educational programs. To learn more, visit their new website at www.AnselmaMill.org.

I asked Heather Reiffer, the Executive Director at Anselma, if she would mind cranking up the mill and throwing some pepper in. After all, I had seen waiters lugging some pretty big pepper mills around, Anselma should be able to handle my modest seasoning needs.

Well — Surprise! — They apparently don't just start the mill up for anyone who shows up with a bowl of baby greens and a pocketful of peppercorns. But I had learned a lot with my visit, and that definitely spiced up my salad!

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The Economic Forecast for Tomorrow: Partly
 

These are truly desperate economic times. How can you tell? Because there are "economists" shouting at you on the cable "business news" programs all day.

Apparently all anyone needs to be an economic forecaster is a loud voice and a short memory. Most of these "experts" have been consistently wrong for years, so we should listen to them now?

But you don't need well-coiffed talking heads to tell you that we're living in tough economic times, you can see this for yourself. The national and international economic forces are largely out of the individual's control, but there are things that you can do, and these are the things you should focus on.

• Control costs as best you can in your business

• Customer service is always important, now so more than ever. It is always easier to keep customers than find new ones.

• Networking — an overused word, but still hugely important. Maintain and expand your contacts within the business community and through the community at large.

• Don't slash your marketing budget — you need to keep your name in front of your customers.

So whether the economic forecast for tomorrow is partly bullish or partly bearish, just keep your head, use common sense, and with all those bulls and/or bears around, watch where you step.

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Please, Sir, I Want Some More

by John Gutekunst

That quote, as most people recognize, is from Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist. And what did Oliver want more of? Why gruel of course! And no wonder — gruel is tasty and nutritious, and fits right in with today's busy, on-the-go lifestyle. We recommend Stone Ground Whole Grain Flour from the Mill at Anselma when you make your next batch of gruel.

Stone Ground, Whole Grain Gruel

For this recipe you will need:

1 cup boiling water

2 teaspoon stone ground whole grain wheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

Stir together the flour and salt. Dribble water onto this mixture until a smooth paste is formed. Slowly add this paste to the boiling water, stirring until a smooth gruel-like consistency is achieved. Serve ironically.

Next Week: we explore the historically disturbing connections between curds, whey and arachnophobia.

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