Paid Subscriber Benefits

Hey all, just a quick note to say that I’m starting to offer some new benefits for paid subscribers of To the Bone, and to tell you why.

In short, Google just flipped a table on my life last week.

With the advent of AI in Google search results, my very business model is now dead man walking: When they implemented AI Overview in results last week, traffic — and revenue — over at Hunter Angler Gardener Cook dropped by 40 percent overnight.

Imagine waking up to a 40 percent pay cut. No notice, no reason, just… because. It sucks. A lot. After a great many good conversations with people who know more about these things than I do, I am convinced that he future for creators on the web is this, things like Substack where you can chip in to support the work of people who matter to you.

So I reckon that I ought to move more of my energies here, and as part of that, I really ought to give a person some incentive to fully subscribe beyond altruism.

As of now, paid subscribers get:

• A $5 off code for discounts on my three most recent books; you can see them here. Message me for that code, which is applicable for annual or founding subscribers. I need to prevent people from gaming it by subscribing for $6 a month, getting the code, then dropping off immediately. (Yeah, some people do that. Sigh.)

• Advance notice of and discounts on any of my classes and culinary hunts. These often sell out within hours, so as a paid subscriber you get first crack at them, and you’ll get a discount on the price. [There are still spots open for my December waterfowl hunt in Oklahama, if you’re interested.]

• Full subscriber-only access to special recipes not on Hunter Angler Gardener cook. Yep, I’m bringing recipes here. Not all, but some of the ones that may be esoteric or regional or just, frankly, not SEO-worthy. Stay tuned for one next week.

• Periodic “ask me anything” sessions where, if I don’t know the answer, I’ll research it for you. Everyone gets to see the answers, only paid subscribers get to ask.

• A free Hunt Gather Cook sticker if you want one. Message me your address to claim it. I have three versions: Just a logo, a hunting one and a fishing one. (See below)

• Early and exclusive access to portions of my upcoming book Borderlands. And recipe testing, if you’re up for it.

This is another sticker you can get with a paid subscription. There’s one that says “I eat, therefore I fish,” too.

I hope this helps things, and convinces a few people to upgrade.

One more thing: I know some of you aren’t in a position to do a paid subscription right now. I get it. I’ve been there. But if you want to help out, here are some ways you can without reaching into your pocketbook:

• Tell your friends about To the Bone. Send them an article you think they’ll like, share on social media — hell, print it out and hand it to them if that’s what it takes. Spread the word.

• Over on Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, rate the recipes you’ve tried. Those star ratings from real humans mean a lot. I also have a free, bimonthly “news-you-can-use” newsletter called “Wild Bites” you can subscribe to, and those subscriptions help, too.

• Follow me over on Instagram, where I am @huntgathercook I am on there pretty much every day, and I post lots of things I don’t here or on Hunter Angler Gardener Cook.

• You can also refer your friends directly using the button below. Remember you can always start with free subscriptions…

I want to be clear: I will survive. I am not drowning myself in mezcal or even Hamm’s. I am actually excited about this move, because with the slow death of search-based income on the internet, community is taking its place. Not all the traffic, just traffic that matters. And that’s you. You are my community, and interacting with you, someone who gives a damn about what we all share in common — wild foods — has been and is still a joy in my life.

No one knows exactly what this new world will look like. There will be setbacks and dead ends, frustration, maybe even anguish. But to paraphrase “The Matrix,” which is seeming more and more relevant these days, the machines may destroy Zion, but we will rebuild. Because we are human, and that’s what we do.