After years of struggling under an old-fashioned subscription model occasionally propped up by high-stakes fundraising campaigns, Asparagus Magazine has launched a shiny new membership program hosted on Patreon: The Green House.

Since 2018, Asparagus has been telling the large and small stories of how we can live sustainably, both online and in print. Despite always operating on a shoestring budget, we’ve been named as finalists for 10 awards—at regional, national, and international levels—and have won four, including 2022’s BC Magazine of the year.

With more consistent reader support, we’ll be able to do more of what we do best: publish high-quality journalism about the issues that matter most.

Having regular revenue from members will be a game-changer for us, and we think the benefits of membership will be delightful for readers. All members paying at least C$5/month will get access to the following:

• an online community where you can have discussions with fellow Gus readers as well as staff and contributors
• copies of our stories in your inbox before they’re published
• event tickets before they go on public sale
• print issues when we publish them

Additional benefits at other membership levels include discounts, freebies, even a chance to connect one-on-one with the Asparagus staff member or contributor of your choice.

We’ve set a goal of signing up 400 paid members by the end of May 2025. And a very generous supporter has pledged to donate C$10,000 if we can enroll 100 new members who have never subscribed to Asparagus before. Those people can purchase memberships for themselves or receive them as gifts. So if you’ve never before subscribed to Asparagus, getting yourself a membership will help us access this magnanimous donation. And if you’re a current or past subscriber, you can help us reach this new-member goal by giving memberships to your bright, green, Asparagus-lacking loved ones.

If you’re wanting to support us financially without getting magazines or merch items in the mail, you can indicate that at sign-up or edit your profile preferences at any time. Similarly, you can control how many emails you get from us through your email notifications settings.

We’ll be figuring out the best ways to serve our members in The Green House over the coming months. Join today and help shape this new community!