Istya

Some people have been asking me where the stuff is. Where’s the apparel? Where’s the shop part of the Last Wolf website? The answer is, it’s still coming, just not yet. Initially I was quite eager and impatient to get some products moving. I was aiming to get at least a few items out as quickly as possible which would mean a load out by now. But then I remembered what we’re already doing is the important part. The sharing of experience, the dialogue, the thoughts and the inspiration. So yes the products will come, eventually.

We’ve had emails and questions, sample products and test items, some good, some great. Finding the right ones is a bigger minefield than I thought possible but it has been narrowed down now. Sustainable, recyclable packaging is of massive importance to LW but it needs to be able to do a job as well as be good for the planet. Finding the perfect solution doesn’t exist, yet, though I hope one day either it does or I find it.

Four months our blog has been running now with a new post every single week covering a wide range of topics, from wild food to ministers, mountains to magic. This is the 19th post. A not so significant number maybe, but its 19 more blog posts than I’ve ever been responsible for in my life so far. It might be quite ambitious to keep this momentum up, I’m not sure, but for the time being we shall endeavour to continue this on a weekly basis.

I see this is as being the building blocks, getting the ball rolling, putting out the feelers, the chapter one (maybe it’s the preface), the Uruk Hai scouts out looking for the ring…you get the idea. I saw that famous picture of the early Amazon office the other day. Jeff Bezos at his desk, his 90s desktop computer a mess of wires with the company logo spray painted on a board. Good times. At least he had an office.

I’m not a social media guy really. I got Facebook in late 2014 as I felt like I missed out on a lot of information regarding the independence referendum. Like my friend Kat said at the time, all I really missed was a lot of people arguing and falling out, which was probably true. And still is. So this last 8 months or so are the most I’ve ever used my phone in my life.

We’ve run ads as an experiment across the world, and got a lot of likes in India and a lot of followers in South America. Why this is, I have no idea. The biggest difference I’ve noticed when it comes to social media is people sharing the posts. The right two people sharing a post goes further than about £10.00 worth of ads in terms of how many people see it. Crazy. This is all a learning curve for me, and I’m not afraid to admit that, but if you’ve ever shared one of our posts or pictures or stories, thank you very much. I still don’t really get stories though.

I am enormously grateful and indebted to the people who have already contributed content to the blog and/or the social media feeds. We are always open for more contributions, more people, more photos, words, art, whatever so please pass this message on to anyone you think would be interested. And better yet, do get in contact, just send us an email, message or dm. Start a chat, give a comment, pitch an idea.

Don’t forget to download your Scots Gaelic guide from LW regular Eileen Budd, Gaelic for Rebels, here https://lastwolf.co.uk/2020/08/28/gaelic-for-rebels/. It’s totally free and totally awesome.

Live deliberately.

Barry

Write to us here: lastwolfoutdoors@gmail.com