Join the Conversation!

One of the most amazing things about sending words out into the ether day in and day out via blogging is that I sometimes--just sometimes--actually get to meet far-flung kindred spirits in person.

I got to host Krista and Steve at our house during their Amazing Adventure in a VW "Love Bus." I met Becca for brunch. Colleen got us free tickets to (and a backstage tour of!) Cirque du Soleil. Meghan cooked us the most delicious pizza ever. Therese ended up working at my school after I met her at Whole Earth Provision Company. Kelsey and I had an awesome walk around Town Lake in Austin. I went to Becky's wedding.

And then there are all of my e-mail friends that I haven't met yet but feel like I already know: Jennie, Maureen, Kelly of 100 Scarves, Valerie--the list goes on!

One day the idea hit me: I should try to facilitate connections among all of my amazing internet friends. Although we're too spread out to get together for a potluck (although I think I might host one when we're settled in Austin for anyone who can make it), we can at least connect in a virtual space.

That's when the Feeding the Soil communities were born. The concept is really simple. Once you join the online group, you can post topics for others to comment on and/or you can comment on other people's topics. For example, you might want recommendations for organic mattresses or you might want to share an awesome vegetarian recipe. The Feeding the Soil community is your place!

Here's how to join:

1. Go to the group page on Big Tent to sign up.
2. Once you're a member of Feeding the Soil (the general discussion group), you can also click on the "Subgroups" tab along the top to join any of the subgroups (e.g., Sewing Club, Health & Wellness Club).
   
3. You can go to My Big Tent and click on E-mail Settings to set up your preferences. I recommend that you sign up to receive a "daily e-mail digest: topics and comments." That means you will receive one e-mail a day with everything that's been discussed that day. You can scroll through it and selectively read what appeals to you.
   
4. You can click on the Forums tab to Start a Topic. Feel free to start a topic about anything you think would be interesting to the group or something you have a question about. It's a very organic and welcoming group.
5. Also, if you're so inclined, please introduce yourself! You can search for "Introductions" in the forums area and add your introduction to that topic, or you can start a new one.

Hope to see you there!

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