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  • From: "Jeffery Blake" <echoecho AT bedford.heartland.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: market-farming Apprentices Versus Hired Help
  • Date: Sun, 6 May 2001 17:27:18 -0500


Not every one has the same world view. I could not live my life with your
values and goals. I have my own. I do not value short term efficiency,
race cars, or making a million. I would pay for the opportunity to broaden
my horizons and learn about the world around me, new approaches to farming,
sustainability, environmental protection, techniques that have nothing to do
with profitability, etc. My sole goal in life is not maximizing my returns
on a business. I enjoy life for life's sake, not because I make lots of
money. It never enters into my goals.

I wouldn't suggest that you should share anyone's values, but do think that
you should realize that not everyone shares yours. Maybe apprenticeship
isn't for you, but it might be for others.

I've been farming most of my life and come from a long line of farmers. I
don't think anyone could assume that farming is 'simple'. If it is to you I
believe you must be missing something very important. If I live to be a
hundred, I will have a million things to learn about crops, soils, weeds,
insects, nutrients, machinery, and various approaches. If I thought I knew
it all, I would quit.

Capitalism doesn't exist--thank goodness. What you are saying is that you've
been able to exploit others and the environment to your advantage within the
system???

I am grateful that not everyone shares your love of capitalism. Social and
communal altruists, as well as those who learn without regard for capital
gain have made the world livable.


----- Original Message -----
From: <marc AT aculink.net>
To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2001 3:15 PM
Subject: [market-farming] Re: market-farming Apprentices Versus Hired Help


> 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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