A brief note from the sheep

Hi,

Fancy Pants here.

Justin has apparently decided that asking people to pay for The Daily Pasture feels uncomfortable, so management has turned the matter over to the livestock.

We will try to handle this professionally.

If you read The Daily Pasture regularly and it makes you laugh, think, forward something to a friend, or briefly wonder why a flock of sheep has a more coherent editorial structure than several major American institutions, we would love it if you considered upgrading to a paid subscription.

Paid subscriptions are what keep this little operation going. They help pay the bills, support the time Justin spends writing, and, most importantly, maintain the steady flow of hay, minerals, veterinary care, and rosemary Triscuits required by a modern newsroom.

Marvin would like us to clarify that the Triscuit budget remains “alarmingly opaque.” Janet has reviewed the books and says it is fine. Simone believes the entire subscription model should eventually be replaced by collective ownership of the snack supply. Bruce and Frankie asked whether paid subscribers receive access to a VIP section.

They do not.

What you do get is more of The Daily Pasture, including the longer writing, subscriber-only pieces, and whatever strange thing the sheep decide needs to be investigated next.

There is also a larger reason we are asking.

Independent publications survive because readers decide they are worth keeping around. There is no giant media company behind The Daily Pasture, no venture fund underwriting Marvin’s investigations, and no mysterious billionaire quietly paying Fancy Pants to stare at Congress.

There is just Justin, a farm, some sheep, and readers like you.

If a paid subscription fits comfortably into your budget, we would be genuinely grateful for your support. If it does not, please keep reading. Share the posts. Send them to someone who might enjoy them. Being here matters too.

We would simply like to keep making this strange little thing.

And the sheep would like dinner.

Thank you for reading and for being part of the pasture.

Fancy Pants
Politics Desk
Executive Vice President of Measured Alarm

On behalf of the flock

P.S. Simone has asked us to clarify that “the sheep would like dinner” is technically a labor demand.