Check Out Marissa Ames’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marissa Ames. They and their team shared their story with us below:

Founded in 1923 and formerly called Dairy Goat Journal, the publication has changed ownership several times. Swift Communications acquired it in 2013, then Ogden Publications – based in Topeka, Kansas – purchased it at the end of 2021. 

Marissa Ames became the editor when Dairy Goat Journal rebranded to Goat Journal during the second half of 2017. At the time, she lived as a homesteader in Reno, Nevada, and had been writing for Countryside Publications, a subsidiary brand of Swift Communications, since 2013. Marissa gardens, composts, keeps goats and chickens and makes her own goat cheese. Through hard work and dedication to the rural and sustainable audience, she worked her way up to Senior Editor at Countryside Publications. Her team kept the magazines relevant and profitable through the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The acquisition by Ogden Publications opened more avenues since Ogden also publishes Mother Earth News and Grit magazines. Marissa became the Editorial Director for Ogden Pubs, overseeing six magazines while still remaining lead editor for Goat Journal. In March of 2023, she moved her family and her goats from Nevada to Kansas in order to be closer to the magazine headquarters and to farm in an area that receives adequate rainfall. The Goat Journal audience continues to grow since the magazine features “all things goat” and all the reasons that people own goats. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Publishing, agriculture, and weather patterns change all the time, and success in all three means staying ahead of the game when possible and adapting to change whenever it happens. As the world modernizes, more people turn away from print publications and focus on other ways to learn: digital publications, video presentations, and audio options. Magazines must address this to stay relevant, and the agriculture focus means constant research and communication/representation to ensure articles and publications remain what readers currently need. Though technology has made it possible to work remotely, specific communications involve being on location. Travel brings about more obstacles, including pandemics, logistics, and time away from those we care most about. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Not many other magazines about goats and goat keeping exist in the world, and the others focus on ranching or breeding registered animals. No other magazine talks about all the reasons that people keep goats, including companionship, fiber production, milk and cheesemaking, pack goats, grazing operations, or just including them within a regenerative permaculture system. Many subscribers purchase the magazine for their children and grandchildren. While we may cover details such as wounds, infections, or breeding, they are done factually and scientifically so they remain a great source of information for readers of any age. Goat Journal also promotes saving endangered breeds, lobbying for urban livestock, and learning from other goat-keeping cultures inside and out of the United States. We provide digital subscriptions, which include all content published since 2017, as well as print magazines. Our readers range from Amish families to suburban households on small properties. 

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
We welcome reader-submitted content and stories that others can learn from. Or you can just write in to talk about your goats or share photos! And, if you have a problem with your goats but can’t find information about it, we are happy to help track down that information, and it may end up being a new article within our pages. 

Pricing:

• One year, print-only: $29.97
• One year, digital-only: $29.97
• One year, all-access: $39.97

Contact Info:

• Website: https://backyardgoats.iamcountryside.com/
• Instagram: @goatjournal
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goatjournal
• Youtube: @backyardgoats8855