My visit with J.D.Bellanger.....

[tallpines]

On another thread some of you ask about my recent visit with J.D..
I will answer here as their may be other HT members who are interested.


J.D. no longer has any animals other than a couple of house cats.

I think the man seemed quite healthy and sprite but apparently has a history of some lung and heart issues.

In order to maintain his current health status it was recommended that he get rid of all poultry and goats.
His wife, Diane, says it was not easy for him to eliminate them.

He has a new interest in various species of 'out of the ordinary' conifers and has many interesting samples throughout his numerous gardens.

He and his wife are quite active in several of the area garden clubs and teach some workshops.

As I said, they have numerous and varied gardens including large areas of naturalized lilies, daffodils and tulips.
A couple of large vegetable gardens --- one with raised beds, one without.
A shade garden, a red white and blue garden, an herb garden, a minatures garden, a perenial garden and an annual garden. And then there are those interesting conifers!

I'm sure I've forgotten something-----
it was an interesting place to visit (just a few miles from me).

But, given the message from the gargoyle that greets everyone as they turn into the driveway, it seems obvious that J.D. likes to maintain his privacy.

That gargoyle holds a sign that says "GO AWAY!".

Photos of J.D. and the gargoyle have been posted with his permission, and can be seen at:
http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthr...64#post3143964

[Terri]

Thank you.

I admire Mr. Belanger greatly: I am sorry to hear of his health troubles!

[Ken Scharabok]

Actually he prefers jd Belanger.

jd met Diane in college (at the swimming poll). He was majoring in jouralism and she eventually became a nurse. Four children, not necessarily in order: David, John, Steve & Anne-marie.

Don't know if it was their first home, but they had a business, Countryside Printing, located in an old creamery. Apparently someone wrote into TMEN with a question on how to cure bacon. Somehow it lead to jd starting a small publication titled Countryside. He said assembly was the family marching around the kitchen table.

One time when jd was talking to a supplier or advertiser a rooster crowed outside the window. Person he was talking to say something to the effect, "Wow, you really are in the country", and that is how the rooster came to be the Countryside symbol.

Somewhere along the line the editor of Small Stock Journal died and jd bought the publication (and mailing list) from his widow. Rather than merging it into Countryside he maintained it as a separate publication, just inter-published with Countryside. It allowed brag on how old the publication was. Around 80 years is SSJ, not CS.

Did cause some confusion though. The Hearst Corp. came out with a yuppie magazine called Countryside. jd sued. Eventually was settled out of court to where Hearst could continue to use the name. It folded after about a year, which then lead to confusion CS-SSJ had been the one to fold.

Times were good and bad for jd & Diane. At one point readership/sales were so low Diane took a job nursing in Madison, coming home on weekends. On one issue jd had the funds to publish it, but not to mail it.

From the creamery, as I understand it, they moved to Waterloo. Farm site included an old rock quarry. Family did do so farming there, living in a large dome house. What had now became Countryside Publications was located in a building near Waterloo. Countryside Publishing put out several publications, such as CS-SSJ, Rabbits, SHEEP! and Dairy Goat Journal (best I can recall - seems like there was one more on poultry). Largely still a family operation.

jd has also authored about a dozen books, including a slightly sci-fi one titled ATTAR.

As often happens with a family operation, kids marry and/or move onto other things. Publications were sold off one by one to where only CS-SSJ remained. jd was essentially the entire staff.

They received an offer they couldn't refuse from a company which wanted to reopen the rock quarry and moved to Withee, in the WI Northwoods. At first CS-SSJ was published out of their home. Eventually they purchased what was once a gas station, then bar, and relocated the offices there.

Both David and Anne-marie returned to family. Decision was made David would become publisher and Anne-marie CS-SSJ editor. Jd thought they would need to transition into full responsibility, but they pretty well took over with the first issue. They have since reacquired a couple of the publications they had sold off, such as, I believe, SHEEP! and Dairy Goat Journal.

Outgrowing the tavern office in Withee the operation was moved to Medway.

jd (and Diane) have always been avid gardeners. When I visited them in Withee jd said they virtually became vegetarians when the garden was in season.

I don't blame them for wanting their privacy respected. jd is well know among the homesteading crowd and any visitor could be an interruption in their daily routines.

This forum is an offshoot of one started by Steve Belanger when he was there. Originally was intended to fill the gap between issues in an Q&A format with the intent it would pretty well follow CS-SSJ publishing guidelines keeping to homesteading-related topics and avoiding subjects relating to religion, politics or sex. However, the host system, Greenspun, proved to be woefully inadequate, particularly subject to hacking and trash talking trollers. When it became far more effort than it was worth an offer was put out for someone else to take it over. Chuck was, by far, the best qualified to take it over and it became Homesteading Today.

[bluetick]

Thank you tallpines and Ken for the information/background! It sounds like jd and Diane worked very hard for many years and deserve a slower paced life in retirement. The magazine continues to be very informative, and my favorite.