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market-farming - Re: market-farming Apprentices Versus Hired Help

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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: marc AT aculink.net
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: market-farming Apprentices Versus Hired Help
  • Date: Sun, 06 May 2001 14:15:05 -0600


I don't think it's carved in stone.

An apprentice or intern is usually paid - often more than
they contribute. There is usually a symbiotic relationship -
especially when the farm owner has a desirable skill set.

To me growing is easy. The on-farm skills are no great
challenge. The business part is a challenge.

An integrated agrarian that can grow AND market AND sell AND
do business things -- now that would be a desirable skill
set to want to be around. Life is short.

If a farmer can grow but their business skill set is weak
then I would be somewhat hesitant to spend my life time
allotment with them unless they wanted to pay for it. Their
teachings will be deficient in supporting my future ability
to clothe my children or buying a better set of tires for my
race car.

If a farmer has the demonstrated complete set of skills then
I would consider paying them full tuition BUT they would NOT
be allowed to profit or take value from me in a manner that
does not provide a learning experience useful to me.

Bottom line from my lifes experience is that I have yet to
meet a successful businessman who hesitated to pay properly
for good value or failed to search out the value I had to
offer and capitalize on it while urging me to improve.

I like capitalism. It's been very nurturing, secure and
profitable to me.

Marc Nameth

Jeffery Blake wrote:
>
> I think a key point in this debate is that there is a difference between
> hired help and an apprentice.
>
> An apprentice is paying for an education.
>
> If I go to a University a pay 8000 a semester it is more of an abuse than
> working on the farm. It is pretty easy to put in 100 hour weeks at the
> university--between class work, study time, part time job. . . .




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