Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Simply nonna <simplynonna@gmail.com>]

Actually, tomatoes are fruit and potatoes are herbaceous perennials. Most people don't know that, but I would expect anyone who calls themself an "expert" should know better. I don't think it's a "rant" as much as it is a clarification. As Harvey has said (paraphrase)-those who don't know, teach teachers. Especially in this country you certainly always seem to run into "experts". They seem to know everything and get rather arrogant when they get called on their crazy half truths.
 Another "problem" is miscommunication. People in this country automatically "assume" words mean what they're used to. Even Brits ( the original English language) have different words and ways of expressing things. In Britain a boot is not always something you wear on your feet.I think the best way to learn is to keep an open mind and interact globally. 
 I think her words were beautifully chosen. A "rant" would have been where they call someone something like "friggin ignorant" and then turn around and say come take my course or buy my ebook! It's hard to look at the context of messages when you sorta jump in the middle. 
I guess some people would also claim I'm ranting. A lot of that seems to go on in this country. People are called names in order to distract from a lack of providing factual truths or evidence. It's a lot easier to distract by name calling instead of dealing with the subject at hand. Of course, I'm replying to this thread and certainly not singling anyone out. Just another interesting observation.
nonna

On Thu, Jan 20, 2011 at 10:53 PM, Kate Spinner <kespinner@gmail.com> wrote:

She was criticizing a "well known gardening presenter" for trivializing crop rotation. To discredit this person, she said the person in his or her book incorrectly characterized tomatoes as legumes and potatoes as roots (which I always thought they were?).

I think she went on a rant because she believes very strongly in crop rotation as an organic approach. Sounds like there are some other industry pressures trying to eat away at organic standards in the UK, as there probably are here in the U.S. as well. And as an organic farmer, she is extremely frustrated that organics are being undermined. She probably has grounds for such frustration.

The standards are there because industry - organic industry included - cannot be trusted to take the same cautious and community-minded approach as the small farmer down the road who has to face his or her customers.