RE: extension & University, etc.

Kendra Wise (wiseke@ohsu.edu)
Fri, 22 Oct 1999 11:53:22 -0700

I was thinking about some things that had come across the list, about how organic growers only need the internet for technical support. This seems to be a short-sighted approach for two reasons. First, if you cut the extension/land-grant university system off from organics, you reduce further any opportunity for educating these agents. Secondly, what about the people who don't farm organically who turn to their extension agents for help or information? By not educating your agents, you may be cutting others off from valuable support and information as well.

I have an idea for those of you in a position to help improve the scientific literature in organic growing. Do you have questions about organics that you'd like to have original research and literature on? For example, do free-range organic eggs differ compositionally from battery eggs, and what are those differences? Call the graduate school at your state universities and offer a collaboration with their masters/PhD students. For example, you provide access to an organic farming enviroment and allow them to perform their experiments there. Plenty of graduate students are out there seeking thesis and dissertation topics, as well as the locations to do their research work. You might have a great impact on the body of organic growing/sustainable agriculture literature out there!

Kendra Wise
wiseke@ohsu.edu
Portland, OR

>>> "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <london@metalab.unc.edu> 10/22 10:23 AM >>>

On Fri, 22 Oct 1999, Cole, Ralph wrote:

> However, it is hard for us here to not feel neglected when we read about all
> of the great sustainable/organic/small farm things going on in Missouri,
> Michigan, North Carolina, and some of the northeastern states. For a state

North Carolina? Where, what, by whom?

There could have been if folks had started years ago with
a focus on farmer-owned, farmer-run organizations, i.e. a real
organic producer's trade association. But no, other greedy hands had to
get into the till and feed off the efforts of those farmers who were out
there really doing it, the ones that built and nurtured the organic
movement from the start.

Let's hear it for a revitalization of NC OCIA! At least they promote
organic, not sustainable-with-a-loophole-for-Roundup-use.


> I really agree with the comments by Kendra Wise and Steve Groff. It just
> takes extra effort for producers to educate the educators. It is always

Especially when you're trying to get them interested in organic methods,
not just sustainable.

Organic producers only need themselves to become successful farmers.
Anything else is a waster of their time and money. Access to the Web will
give them all the tech support they will need.

Lawrence F. London, Jr. -+|+- Venaura Farm
london@metalab.unc.edu lflondon@mindspring.com
http://metalab.unc.edu/london, /permaculture, /ecolandtech
InterGarden -+|+- Permaculture -+|+- EcoLandTech

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