Re: Academics vs. growers?

Jeffrey Gold (jgold@headwaters.com)
Sat, 31 Oct 98 16:46:26 -0500

Although I am not currently a grower, researcher or academic, I am
passionately interested in all aspects of sustainable agriculture. In the
two years that I have been monitoring (and occasionally participating in)
this list I have found it to be an excellent barometer of the state of
sustainable agriculture in the USA and other places. The posts are
wide-ranging, informative, sometimes humorous and almost always germane to
the main focus, sustainable agriculture. The general nature of this list
often limits the breadth and intensity of discussion, but for those members
with comprehensive interests this is not a problem.

There are many other lists and web sites on the net that cater to the
specialist, be they grower, researcher, political activist or misogynist.
Each list develops its own unique character and range of interests. I
really appreciate the vast knowledge and social concerns embodied by the
participants of this list and encourage all of them to continue keeping the
rest of us informed, enlightened and entertained.
Jeff Gold.

>I'd like to throw out a dispassionate comment about exchanges on this list.
>I occasionally see postings from growers looking for input on their work,
>and also similar "fishing" postings from less knowledgeable people (myself
>included) which are responded to in a spirit that seems to imply that
>growers are separate from academics and never the twain shall meet. A
>recent exchange about a disease on sweet potato met with an academic's
>response referring the poster to his local extension service, but I saw no
>grower responses. I posted something about controlling pill bugs
>organically and got no response except from someone who thought the
>question was somehow very naive and not something I should have asked a
>national network of organic growers, because of the diversity of their
>growing conditions! I don't get it - why this assumption that informal
>networking over the back fence isn't a legitimate means of information
>exchange among the sustainable ag _community_? Haven't people talked up the
>internet as having just that potential on a national scale? How many
>growers actually subscribe and participate on this list? This stuff really
>interests me! any comments?
>
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