Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

permaculture - Organic Gardening mailing list & OG documents

permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: permaculture

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <london@calypso-2.oit.unc.edu>
  • To: permaculture-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu, sust_ag-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu
  • Subject: Organic Gardening mailing list & OG documents
  • Date: Sun, 11 Feb 1996 21:09:31 -0500 (EST)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 11 Feb 1996 20:53:43 -0500
From: L-Soft list server at UKCC (1.8b) <LISTSERV@UKCC.uky.edu>
Subject: Usage guidelines for OGL

PLEASE SAVE THIS DOCUMENT FOR FUTURE REFERENCE

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Welcome to the *
* ORGANIC GARDENING LIST (OGL) *
* ogl@ukcc.uky.edu *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


LISTOWNER: Sheryl Highsmith

Address: shighsmith@vines.colostate.edu


OGL was set up in Fall 1995 by gardeners who thought an Organic
Gardening List would be a useful addition to the range of gardening
lists already on the Internet.


CONTENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT

1. What is organic gardening?
2. The purpose of OGL
3. Subscribing and unsubscribing
4. Sending messages to OGL
5. Sending commands to the Listserv
6. Some organic gardening organisations
7. Some useful books
8. Some other gardening lists/network contacts




* * * * * * * 1. WHAT IS ORGANIC GARDENING? * * * * * *

OGL recognises that people think of organic gardening in various ways. In
general, organic gardening is good gardening without the use of artificial
weedkillers and other chemical pesticides. It may also be thought of as
natural gardening or environmentally friendly gardening. However, there
is no single, absolute definition of organic gardening:

"To me, organic gardening just means sensible gardening, caring
for the wider environment in the longer term. Natural systems
of pest control use much less energy, do not cause collateral
damage and are also more effective - you don't have to keep
developing more toxic methods to deal with pesticide-resistant
strains. To paraphrase one writer, I have yet to see an aphid
that was resistant to being eaten by a ladybird."

"I feel the meaning of Organic is that of imitating nature and
its methods of decomposition and rebirth. Organic is also a way of
thinking holistically about every element in nature that
touches the garden. The birds, bees, bats, insects and their
synergy."

"By encouraging the natural life cycle of all creatures, we in
turn encourage the natural life cycle of human beings."




* * * * * * * * * 2. THE PURPOSE OF OGL * * * * * * * * *

OGL aims to support and encourage gardeners using, or attempting to use,
organic gardening methods, and to enable discussion of gardening subjects
within an organic framework. Hopefully, OGL will contribute to a move
towards 100 per cent organic gardening around the world.

Anyone who wants to learn about or discuss organic gardening is welcome
to join OGL, whether they consider themselves strict organic gardeners,
ordinary gardeners with organic tendencies, nervous dabblers or complete
gardening novices:

"I am a bit shaky on pure organics and I don't want a bolt of
lightning to strike me while sitting here. I have used Roundup
on my driveway weeds and liquid Sevin on my Japanese Beetles,
but I want to find better, safer methods."

"I found that so much of the discussion on other lists
was not useful to me, considering my interest in strictly
organic methods. In particular, my interest is in vegetable
and herb gardening, but I would also welcome information on
organic methods to grow flowers. Topics of discussion may
include:

- starting plants from seeds
- harvesting seeds (preservation of heritage seeds)
- pest control
- weed control
- soil quality improvement
- companion planting
- trouble-shooting for diseased, weak, unproductive plants
- harvesting techniques and storage
- composting
- small scale gardening/ options for decks and small spaces
- plants for specific environments ie. sun, shade, wet, dry."

OGL subscribers may wish to use this list in various ways:

"The main reason I want an OGL is to learn how to reduce the
use of chemicals that may be harmful to our environment. I
want to learn about less toxic ways to fertilize and control
insects and diseases on my plants. There you have it."

"What I would like to see in this discussion list is people
exchanging ideas about the clean way to garden. There should
be no debate about organic or not. It should be understood up
front that the people involved are interested in organics and
that the list is a way to provide them to talk it over."

"A purpose of OGL is to encourage each other and educate each
other in ways of best utilizing the God-given resources in and
around our gardens."

"I see OGL as being less of a "what kind of tree would you
recommend for my zone" and more of a "what can I do about my
broccoli that's got little green worms all over it?" You won't
have to specify that you want organic replies only, nor will
you have your mailbox fill with praise for the outstanding
qualities of Roundup when a question arises about weed control."



It is taken as given that OGL subscribers agree with the general principle
of organic gardening. Any debate about the relative merits of organic
gardening and mainstream/chemical/non-organic gardening should take place
on other mailing lists rather than OGL. Similarly, OGL is not the forum
for discussing or seeking advice on artificial weedkillers or other
pesticides.




* * * * * * 3. SUBSCRIBING AND UNSUBSCRIBING * * * * * *

If you are reading this document you have probably already subscribed
to OGL. If not, and you wish to subscribe, send the message:

SUBSCRIBE OGL <Yourfirstname> <Yourlastname>

to the Listserv at LISTSERV@UKCC.UKY.EDU

The command should be in the body of your message.

Once subscribed, you will receive all the messages sent by subscribers to
OGL. You may prefer to receive only one message a day from OGL consisting
of a compilation (or Digest) of that day's messages. To do this, set your
subscription to Digest (see Section 5. Sending Commands to the Listserv)

To unsubscribe, send the command:

UNSUBSCRIBE OGL

or

SIGNOFF OGL

to the Listserv.

If you need any help with subscribing or unsubscribing, please contact
shighsmith@vines.colostate.edu



* * * * * * * 4. SENDING MESSAGES TO OGL * * * * * * *

Address: ogl@ukcc.uky.edu

Once you are subscribed you can send messages to OGL at the address above.
Your message will be distributed to all subscribers, including you. It is
helpful to other subscribers if, when sending a message, you:

* make sure the subject line reflects the subject of your message; and

* put your name, location and email address at the end of your message.

If you reply automatically to a message distributed by OGL, your reply
will also go via OGL and be distributed to all subscribers. If you prefer
your reply to go only to the sender of the original message, address it to
the sender personally instead of replying automatically.

Please refrain from personal attacks or criticism on the list.

If you encounter problems or have any questions about sending messages to
OGL, please contact shighsmith@vines.colostate.edu directly.




* * * * * 5. SENDING COMMANDS TO THE LISTSERV * * * * *

Address: listserv@ukcc.uky.edu

The Listserv manages OGL as well as other mailing lists. You can get
information about OGL or change the way you receive messages by sending
specific commands to the Listserv. address above.

The commands SUBSCRIBE, UNSUBSCRIBE AND SIGNOFF have already been
described. Other commands you may find useful are:

SET OGL DIGEST (to receive Digests from OGL)

SET OGL MAIL (to receive individual messages from OGL)

SET OGL NOMAIL (to receive no mail from OGL)

REVIEW OGL (to get a list of OGL subscribers)

Send the command to the listserv address above with the command in the
body of your message.

For a list of all Listserv commands, send the command:

INFO REFCARD

to the Listserv.

If you encounter problems or have questions about using the Listserv,
please contact shighsmith@vines.colostate.edu directly.




* * * * * 6. SOME ORGANIC GARDENING ORGANISATIONS * * * * *

Rodale Institute Research Center
611 Siegfriedale Road
Kutztown
Pennsylvania 19530
USA
Tel: (215) 683 6383

Henry Doubleday Research Association
National Centre for Organic Gardening
Ryton-on-Dunsmore
Coventry CV8 3LG
England
Tel: (01203) 303517

Henry Doubleday Research Association of Australia
Box 61
Post Office
Australia Square
NSW 20000
Australia

Terre Vivante
Domaine de Raud
BP 20
38711 MENS
France
Tel: (33) 76 34 80 80

International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM)
HQ
c/o Okozentrum Imsbach
O-6695 Tholey-Theley
West Germany

Irish Organic Farmer and Growers Association
56 Blessington Street
Dublin 7
Ireland
Tel: 01 30 7996




* * * * * * * * * 7. SOME USEFUL BOOKS * * * * * * * * *

*Highly recommended

Bartholomew, Mel (1981) 'Square Foot Gardening', Rodale Press.

*Bradley, F.M. and Ellis, B.W. (Eds) 'Rodale's All-New Encyclopaedia of
Organic Gardening', Rodale Press.

Ellis, B.W. and Bradley, F.M. (Eds) (1990) 'The Organic Gardener's
Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control', Rodale Press.

Flowerdew, Bob (1993) 'Bob Flowerdew's Complete Book of Companion
Planting', Kyle Cathie.

Lacey, Roy (1990) 'The Green Gardener: How to make your garden
environmentally friendly', David and Charles.

Jeavons, John (1982) 'How to Grow More Vegetables than you Ever Thought
Possible on Less Land than You Can Imagine', Tenspeed Press.

Stickland, Sue (1989) 'The Organic Garden: How to grow flowers, fruits and
vegetables the natural way', Hamlyn.

Yepsen, Roger (1984) 'The Encyclopaedia of Natural Insect and Disease
Control', Rodale Press.




* * * 8. SOME OTHER GARDENING LISTS/NETWORK CONTACTS * * *


ALPINE GARDENING Send SUBSCRIBE ALPINE-L YOURNAME comma CITY ZONE
to Listserv@nic.surfnet.NL

COMPOST Send SUBSCRIBE COMPOST <Your_Name>
to listproc@listproc.wsu.edu

GARDENS AND GARDENING Send SUBSCRIBE GARDENS <Your> <Name>
to listserv@ukcc.uky.edu

GAY MEN IN HORTICULTURE Contact:
randbear@nets.com

HERBS Send SUBSCRIBE HERB <Your> <Name>
to listserv@vm.ege.edu.tr

INTEGRATED PEST CONTROL Contact: djackson@pps1-po.phyp.uiowa.edu

MASTER GARDENERS Send SUB MGARDEN <Your> <Name>
to listproc@listproc.wsu.edu

ORGANIC FARMING Send SUBSCRIBE AGENVIR-L
to majordomo@pentagon.io.com

SEED SWAP Contact:
pstryjew@colsun.central.sun.com






  • Organic Gardening mailing list & OG documents, Lawrence F. London, Jr., 02/11/1996

Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page