The Milk House is a communal link between those who write about rural subjects and those who like to read about them. We seek to be the meeting point of all high quality writing from the global countryside.
Rural life is both singular and unique across geography, while at the same time having aspects that are shared among those who experience it, regardless of where they come from. It means something to be a part of a rural environment, and those from the dirt roads of Montana and the long hills of Scotland have plenty in common.
It is not always easy finding good writing on rural matters. For centuries, the country has been a place of campy indulgence by writers who generally weren’t from there. More than enticing landscape, provincial manners, or a way to escape from the city, the countryside is where real people face the dramas of everyday life. The writing on this site is an honest, visceral, and thoughtful look at these experiences.
The work featured on The Milk House varies and includes, fiction, nonfiction, poetry and other forms. It comes from established novelists and poets that you’re likely to recognize, popular columnists and bloggers, and readers who have something to say—all published side by side. Our contributors are spread across the globe, from Kenya to Canaseraga, NY.
Don’t expect to like everything published here. No one has the same tastes. Still, we think you’ll be able to find the type of writing that you can connect with and new authors to follow. You can find any books they have written in their biographical notes.
Currently, The Milk House site features a new piece by a contributing writer every Thursday. You can always read previous columns, articles, and stories on The Milk House site. Sign up for free with your email address on the right side bar and receive a story or column in your inbox every month, as well as updates on the project.
Thanks to the support given its writers and readers, The Milk House has never stopped growing since its first appeared. Recently, it was featured on Agriland, among other sites and publications. You can also watch an interview about The Milk House conducted by Hiram Larew, poet and founder of Poetry X Hunger.
If you would like to have writing showcased on The Milk House read here on how to submit a piece. (If you’re entering the annual Best in Rural Writing contest, go here.) In order to help our contributors gain exposure and showcase the writing we publish, The Milk House submits fiction, nonfiction and poetry to relevant awarding bodies. Every year an independent panel chooses original pieces that first appeared on The Milk House to send to the following awards:
- The Pushcart Prize
- The Best of the Net
- Best Small Fictions
- Writing.ie Short Story Contest
The Best in Rural Writing Contest started in 2023, accepting fiction and nonfiction submissions. You can follow the contest here or view the 2023 shortlist, judged by Irish novelist Gráinne Murphy. The 2024 contest will be judged by Dr. Chea Parton.
In 2022 and 2023, The Milk House awarded the Poem of the Year, recognizing the best poem published on the site. Although the contest no longer runs, you can grab a cup of coffee and enjoy the 2022 shortlist and 2023 shortlist.
To fund the cost of operation, The Milk House offers a variety of online creative writing courses, taught by novelist Ryan Dennis. Ryan’s novel The Beasts They Turned Away was longlisted for the Republic of Consciousness Prize. He has taught over 25 creative writing classes in four universities, as well on The Milk House. More information about the online classes can be found here.
The Milk house accepts limited advertising to help funding operational costs. The site offers a variety of ways to reach a specific target audience. If you’re interested in advertising with The Milk House please reach out with the email above.
Feel free to share this site with your friends or on social media. If you have a comment about something you’ve read, email RyanDennis@themilkhouse.org or use this contact form.
The Milk House is where rural readers meet rural writers. We’re happy to make the introduction.
Ryan Dennis
Founder
Where Milk House Writing Comes From