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  • From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>
  • To: PCPLANTDB <pcplantdb@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [pcplantdb] SARE?
  • Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 17:09:08 -0700

Stephanie Gerson wrote:

Wow, this is very exciting.

Johns, I completely agree with you that this could be an entirely new
direction/initiative - but Lawrence, I completely agree with you that it's a
definite possibility we should pursue. I also think that if we refrain from
"re-inventing the wheel" and integrate ourselves within the already existing
SARE network, we can prevent this from becoming a "particularly heinous
example of 'feature creep.'"

I'd like to respond to a few things Lawrence wrote:

“It has already been infiltrated, they already know about permaculture and
use it. What they need is what we can offer, PIW.” Hmm, not according to
the SARE representatives from Hawaii, New Mexico, and California that I spoke
with last week.

That _may_ be true but I'll bet my area is representative of the
forward-thinking and progressive
attitudes, policies and outreach of the new generation of Extension agents.
You should subscribe to
the sanet-mg list and read this for yourself. The organic agent in a nearby
county I referred to maintains her own sus ag/
small farming mailing list. You choulld get on that list also.

Hawaii and New Mexico said they were definitely interested in
Permaculture, and California thought it would be a stretch (that most
extension agents have never heard of Permaculture, but are certainly becoming
more and more interested in organic agriculture). So there is definitely room
for more infiltration!

“There is a sustainable farming curriculum with a permaculture course at one
of the community colleges. So, yes, Extension is interested in permaculture,
teaching it and promoting it.” That’s wonderful! Can you tell me more
about this? It would be a great reference for future conversations with
extension agents.

”Steve Diver, who is on this list and used to be an Extension agent, can
tell you a lot more about this.” Great tip, Lawrence – I’ll get in
touch with him.

“As for USDA, they are already involved with permaculture in various ways,
especially as far as library resources are concerned. The National
Agricultural Library has a collection called The Alternative Farming Systems
Information Center; this is the group that would likely be the most interested
in PIW and might promote it widely. A SARE grant proposal might include
establishing a relationship between PIW and AFSIC. USDA already hosts a number
of databases, some created by Dr. James Duke, herbalist.” This sounds like
a potentially fruitful endeavor, I’ll look into it.

“Online resources are part of this program; PIW is a tool and is online so
it will fit perfectly in to their outreach program.” Nice.

“We need to help create those types of relationships all over the country;
our relationship with USDA, mostly through Extension and AFSIC, will go a long
way toward making this happen.” Yes exactly. I will reiterate what I
already wrote to you (as excerpted from the unfinished SARE proposal) – that
we must mimic the kinds of relationships we seek to portray, and weave
similarly symbiotic relationships with other sustainable agriculture education
entities, integrating ourselves within the existing guild(s) of sustainable
agriculture research and education.

There's al;so the issue of jobs and self-employment. That should be an
integral part of our effort,
the economic factor. Community coleges and business/tech/arts incubators are
offering fabulous opportunities
to skilled people seeking business opportunties, sometimes in collaboration
with the community colleges.
I am currently involved with some people in this sector of the economy and
the educational system.
I am hoping to get some fund raising tips to pass on to you.

So, I will get in touch with Steve Diver and look into The Alternative Farming
Systems Information Center. Any other already-existing relationships between
Permaculture and USDA agencies?

Steve is on this list but may be in archive-reading mode.

--
L.F.London
Whole Earth Permaculture Communicator Advocate
lfl@intrex.net
http://market-farming.com
http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech




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