common kin quarterly: update 2
a look at the spring share and funds remaining
THE SPRING SHARE
Before summer swallows me whole, I wanted to share another brief update on Common Kin Quarterly, the seasonal zine and herb CSA that I created as an herb school fundraiser. My very first ever shares for Spring went out at the end of May! It was truly such a joy to pull everything together for the season and to put my creativity into tangible things that people could touch and use.
The herbal offering for the Spring share was a sea salt body scrub to help slough off any winter stagnation and get the lymph flowing. The scrub included both sea salt and Epsom salts, Calendula petals, freshly crushed Rosemary, as well as a mixture extra virgin olive oil infused with Lavender, Plantain, Yerba Mansa, and Santolina. It was perhaps the ultimate Taurean creation - such a sensual delight to smell, to use, to look at. Thank you to everyone who has supported this lil’ fundraiser of mine so far and for all the lovely messages about the scrub!
I’d hoped to have my Summer share out by the Solstice, but the chaos of life has had other plans for timing. I’m now hoping to get the Summer shares out by the end of July at the latest. No big time spoilers here, but this will be my first time formulating an herbal tea and I’m really excited to share it with folks.
CONTINUED FUNDRAISING EFFORTS
I’m still hustling my buns to try and cover the remaining amount of my school tuition. At this point, I still need to raise another $1,000 to cover what’s left. Luckily, I’m on a payment plan and am paid through July. However, I need to raise $235 (at least) each month through November to not slip further into debt. Many of you know I’m juggling three jobs alongside schooling and while I usually overwork myself to make ends meet, I simply can’t manage any more on my plate at this time. I’ve stepped away from my radio show and from chicken tending to try and give myself a little more breathing room and capacity, but at this point I can’t work any more than I am to try and cover these costs.
My hope in creating this project was that my community would show up and support me, easing some of the burden that comes with schooling. I’m so grateful for the support that has been offered to me thus far and yet, I still find myself far off from reaching my initial goal. If you’ve yet to show your support, please consider doing so now.
Due to limited time, energy, and bandwidth (and a myriad of other reasons) I’ve decided to step away from social media for the next 5 weeks and possibly longer. This is likely not supportive to my fundraising efforts and yet, it’s what needs to happen. I’m trying to trust that the help I need will show up regardless of if I’m on Instagram or not. That being said, I may be sharing more frequent updates or offering up gentle nudges for support in this space.
OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT
If Common Kin Quarterly isn’t your thing, there are a myriad of other ways to support my herbal work right now.
Order some Milky Oats tincture / I have a limited apothecary for a number of reasons, but I do have ample amount of Milky Oats tincture to offer up. This medicine has been my biggest supporter the last 8 years and is truly restorative to the nervous system. Available sliding scale from $10-15/oz.
Schedule a flower essence consult with me / Flower essences are subtle, but powerful vibrational remedies that can help provide energetic support in a myriad of ways. Sitting in conversation with folks and crafting an essence for whatever season of life they’re in has been such meaningful work and is something I would love to start doing more of as I build my practice. These sessions are typically 30 minutes to an hour and are offered on a sliding scale of $40-100. Don’t feel like having a conversation? No worries! I’ve also formulated for friends via text who just want to tell me a bit about what they’re looking for. All that is to say, I’m flexible in what this offering looks like. You can certainly choose your own adventure.
Make a cash donation via Venmo / Feeling abundant or maybe just have a well paying job that affords you some extra income to redistribute to your community? Consider making a donation to my schooling. Any amount is meaningful, every little bit adds up. Find me on Venmo with the username vanwardy :)
Help me spread the word / Word of mouth is truly so valuable and appreciated. You could share this post or make your own! Maybe link to it in your own Substack or forward this message onto a friend?
Thank you tremendously for your attention and care. I know many of us are struggling in our own ways these days. If you’re lucky enough to be someone who’s financially stable or with a big support network, I hope you’re finding ways to pay that forward.
Sending everyone my love. May we all become more comfortable with expressing our needs, asking for help, and showing up for our communities.
I saw Squirrel Flower perform last weekend. It was such a beautiful night - surrounded by friends with the warm, summer breeze blowing on my skin. Here’s a song of hers that I love - it resonates to my core these days.
Thank you for reading Extra Tender Dispatch! All my writing is accessible for free and likely always will be. If you’d like to show your support for my work, feel free to Venmo a donation of any amount to @vanwardy ❤️
Please consider signing up for my monthly newsletter focused on my herbal and creative practices. I’m hoping to build up this list as I continue to try to move away from social media.