Craft Industry COVID-19 Update - May 26, 2020
I can’t seem to find a good set of best practices for managing a pandemic, so I thought I’d share a personal compass I’ve developed over the last two grueling months.
photo courtesy of Funkwerks
“In that power of self-control lies the seed of eternal freedom.” Paramahansa Yogananda
As the world enters into a re-opening phase, I find myself bristling at the phrase “new normal” that keeps getting thrown around. I react this way because of the state of flux we all currently exist in. I don’t want to accept ambiguous new rules and haphazardly written legislation. I’m a skeptical journalist— what can I say?
As we all navigate this next phase I can’t stress enough how important it is to pay attention and stay safe, but also to stay skeptical too. Listen to your intuition, do your homework, and triple check your facts from legitimate sources that aren’t censored. It’s difficult to know what’s right and wrong now, especially as government parameters seem to change by the hour. One thing you can always control, though, is yourself.
I can’t seem to find a good set of best practices for managing a pandemic, so I thought I’d share a personal compass I’ve developed over the last two grueling months. I’m not accredited in any way to share this list as any more than a blog post, from a friend.
STAY SELF AWARE
The person who knows your health and exposure status best is you. Tune in.
STAY RESPECTFUL
It’s a dumpster fire out there, and everyone kindles it differently. It’s hard to predict how we’ll react to something so life-changing. Be easy on yourself and others during this time, and always.
STAY CLEAN
Do your part, and that goes far beyond Coronavirus. At RadCraft we often share desks in the office, and our simple rule is leave the desk space as clean or cleaner than you left it. What if we all took that approach to all of the spaces we inhabited?
STAY BUSY
Read. Write. Color. Paint. Run. Lift. Hike. Bird watch. Organize your closet. Take a Q-Tip to your floorboards. Make music. Make love. Make memories. Whatever it may be— stay busy with the activities that fuel your passions. I don’t want to look back on this time as lost time, and I know you don’t either.
STAY CALM
I’m finding that equally important as staying busy right now is giving myself time to relax and decompress. For me, that’s logging miles on trails with my cattle dog and showing up daily on my yoga mat. For you that might be blasting 90s hip hop when you’re stressed (well I guess I do that too), or talking to your plants (fine, you got me). Whatever it may be, your nervous system will appreciate you for it.
Let’s hope this “new normal” is still a long way out. And let’s take care of ourselves and each other while we figure this shit out together.
Hang in there, friends!
— Em Hutto, RadCraft Founder + CEO
Craft Industry COVID-19 Update - April 21, 2020
Earth Day is here and here are the goods.
photo at Root Shoot Malting by Emily Sierra Photography
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.” —Jane Goodall
Tomorrow marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day— a friendly reminder to dig just a bit deeper when we celebrate out communities during pandemic. At the root of the barley community is the agriculture and land that give breweries and distilleries their ingredients. How will you make a difference This Earth Day, and every day?
The Can’d Aid Foundation shares that although COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in their original plans, they’ve still got all the ingredients for a people-powered spring cleaning. YOU can make a difference. ONE CAN can make a difference. Can’d Aid is encouraging you to spread the do-goodery by picking up just one piece of trash each day on your walk around the block.
Can ONE really make a difference? YES! 80% of Americans are at home right now. That's 262 million people; if each person picks up just one piece of trash a day, well...we'll let you do the math!
“It's a trying time for everyone, and Mother Earth is no exception - so get out there, breathe some fresh air and show Mama Earth a little love,” shares Can’d Aid, “Be sure to post a picture of your daily trash treasure on social, tag Can'd Aid and nominate a friend to do the same.” The foundation decided to do a giveaway as a way of further encouraging the do-goodery. So, on 4/25, they'll select the strangest piece of trash and the winner will receive a set of earth-loving Happy Wraps.”
More Do-Goodery
Alaskan Brewing Co. donates one percent of Icy Bay IPA proceeds to the Coastal CODE (Clean Oceans Depend on Everyone) initiative to support the health and sustainability of oceans, waterways and coastlines. Cheers to Icy Bay IPA!
Colorado-based Root Shoot Malting and Traverse Image are proud to introduce their new documentary 100 Year Lease, created to convey the importance of family farms and conservation of Colorado agriculture. Preview the film here.
Celebrate Earth Day with Findlay Brewing and be one of the first to try Blanchard River Brew Pale Ale! This beer on Earth Day and will be available for growler fills. Proceeds of this new brew will benefit the Blanchard River Watershed Partnership. The BRWP mission is to encourage water quality improvements through sustainable land and water use, collaboration, conservation and enhancement of natural and man-made resources. “Beer cannot be brewed without a strong and healthy water source,” the brewery says. “We are excited to collaborate with the Blanchard River Watershed Partnership!”
Earth Day goes virtual this year, with hundreds of web-based events around the world. Check out this global events calendar and add your own on the Earth Day Network.
Free RadCraft Co-Op Memberships- Apply Before May 1
Marketing is more important for barley crafters than ever before, but budgets have never been tighter. That’s why we decided to open up our co-op membership application early, waive fees for applications submitted by May 1st, and offer the membership at a discounted price for those who apply after May 1st. Applications will be accepted until the end of June. 2020-2021 memberships run July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021. Apply for your RadCraft co-op membership at radcraftbeer.com/jointhecoop. For more details, contact coop@radcraftbeer.com.
As always, if you know of a community or nonprofit effort that supports hospitality businesses in need, we want to hear about it. Comment here, or email us so we can help get the word out.
We’d also love to continue sharing your stories and help you keep track of your evolving changes around COVID precautions. Please email your COVID statements to karen@radcraftbeer.com.
Stay safe, healthy, and resilient!
—The RadCraft team
RadCraft Opens Co-Op Membership Application Early; Offers Free Membership to Barley Crafters Impacted by Coronavirus
All fees will be waived for RadCraft communications co-op membership applications submitted by Friday, May 1.
Photo by Emily Sierra
Coronavirus really turned our world upside down, and we’ve heard from so many of you that’s the case for you too. We’re here to help, and we can think of no stronger way to show that than to open our doors up to the craft barley community— for business, for support, and for our community across the globe.
Accordingly, we opened up the application period for our communications co-op a month early, we're waiving all annual fees for all breweries, distilleries, and maltsters who apply for the 2020-2021 co-op membership before May 1.
The RadCraft co-op membership is an annual program designed for craft barley crafters with in-house marketing or communications professionals. Membership includes media relations resources like press release publishing and media lists; design services professional photo and video assets; subscriptions to our annual catalogue, vendor directory, and Craft Marketing emails; free tickets & discount pricing to all of RadCraft’s educational offerings, including registration to the annual Craft Social Media workshop; and more.
Apply for your RadCraft co-op at radcraftbeer.com/jointhecoop. All fees will be waived for applications submitted by Friday, May 1. Applications will be accepted until the end of June. 2020-2021 memberships run July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021.
Companies who apply after May 1 can use the promo code COVIDSUCKS for 25% off the cost of annual membership.
For more information about the RadCraft communications co-op, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.